The Thursday Night Football matchup in Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season features the New Orleans Saints hosting the Denver Broncos at the Caesars Superdome. We’ll be diving into all of the primetime games this season, and this one isn’t any different. With that in mind, keep reading for betting odds, picks and player props for this exciting showdown. Also, make sure you head over to the Week 7 NFL Betting Hub for a look at all of our NFL betting content.

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How To Watch Broncos vs. Saints

When: Thursday, October 17th at 8:15 pm ET

Where: Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana

Channel: Prime Video

Broncos vs. Saints Odds

Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Tuesday, October 15th. Make sure you look around for the best prices!

Moneyline: Broncos -130, Saints +110

Spread: Broncos -2 (-112), Saints +2 (-108)

Total: Over 37 (-110), Under 37 (-110)

Broncos vs. Saints Analysis

Sean Payton will be making his return to New Orleans for this Thursday Night Football showdown. And while not many would have expected it, his Broncos actually have the better record between these teams.

However, it’s not like either group has consistently played great football this year. The Broncos are absolutely miserable offensively, but they’re winning because of an elite defense. Meanwhile, the Saints looked like the best team in the league through two weeks, but they have lost four in a row and are currently without quarterback Derek Carr. That’s why this game has an extremely low total, and you won’t find me making a case for the Over.

If I had to take anything in this game, I’d roll with Denver as a small moneyline favorite. For as bad as the Broncos offense has looked this season, the team actually has a higher EPA per play (-0.046) than the Saints (-0.151) since Week 3. That’s pretty crazy considering how good New Orleans looked early in the year, but the numbers don’t lie. And Bo Nix has had an up-and-down rookie season thus far, but he’s probably going to be the better quarterback in this one. Nix has been making weekly strides after a lousy start to the season. Meanwhile, Rattler was just a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He does have arm talent and is an intriguing long-term prospect, but he played a miserable second half against the Buccaneers last game. It was disappointing after a hot start. Now, Rattler will be going up against a defense that is fourth in the league in EPA per play allowed (-0.132). Denver is also third in Dropback EPA per play allowed (-0.133), and the team’s elite secondary pieces could get to Rattler. However, Patrick Surtain II did suffer a concussion last week, so there’s no guarantee he plays here.

Realistically, neither one of these offenses is all that inspiring right now, but the recent stats suggest that Denver is the better team on both sides of the ball. The Broncos also have a better coach on the sidelines, and Payton should have a good understanding of how to beat Dennis Allen’s defense. Allen was Payton’s defensive coordinator for years, so there will be a ton of familiarity there. On top of that, the Broncos are 6-4 both straight-up and against the spread as favorites under Payton.

Broncos vs. Saints Player Props

Spencer Rattler To Throw An Interception (-125)

Rattler looked extremely sharp in the first half against Tampa Bay last week, but he was a nightmare in the second half. In the end, Rattler finished the game with two interceptions and a QBR of 27.9. Rattler should be able to look at some film and get himself a little more comfortable heading into Week 7. However, the Broncos have a top-five passing defense in the NFL. And while Denver has only five interceptions in six games this season, this secondary should be able to make Rattler pay for any mistakes. Rattler knows how good of an arm he has, so he often tries to fit the ball into tight windows. You can’t do that against a defense like this.

Broncos vs. Saints Pick

I’m a little nervous about how Nix will hold up in a difficult road environment, but I have some faith in Payton’s group putting together some successful drives against a struggling Saints defense. New Orleans got absolutely shredded by Baker Mayfield last week, and this team is starting to unravel in a hurry. I also don’t think this is a good spot for Rattler. Vance Joseph has Denver balling out on the defensive side of the ball.

Lean: Broncos ML (-125)

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