Saints vs. Cardinals Computer Picks, NFL Odds and Prediction for Thursday Night Football on October 20, 2022

Updated: Dec 21, 2023, 3:10PM | First published: Oct 17, 2022, 10:16PM

Saints vs. Cardinals Computer Picks, NFL Odds and Prediction for Thursday Night Football on October 20, 2022

The Arizona Cardinals get DeAndre Hopkins back from his six-game suspension just in time for a Thursday night meeting with the New Orleans Saints at 8:15PM ET on October 20. With Hollywood Brown out indefinitely with an injury, Hopkins' presence in the lineup will be huge for Arizona. But will it be enough for the team to beat New Orleans?

Find out how we think this one will play out in our Saints vs. Cardinals betting preview.

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Saints vs. Cardinals Computer Picks

Predictive Analytics Data

No edge on either team to cover the spread
57% shot the Cardinals win on the moneyline
No edge on Saints vs. Cardinals Over/Under

For the best NFL computer picks, check out our Saints vs. Cardinals data predictions. They are constantly updating based on hundreds of different data points.

Saints vs. Cardinals Odds and Betting Lines

Why The Saints Will Cover The Spread

Hopkins might be back for the Cardinals, but losing Brown is going to be a killer for Arizona. Brown and quarterback Kyler Murray had tremendous chemistry, and it could take some time for Hopkins to get comfortable out there. Considering this offense had already been struggling, it just isn't impossible for the Cardinals to really struggle to put up points here. The fact that the Saints defense can be really dangerous only makes it tougher on Arizona in a short week.

Offensively, New Orleans will just run with a heavy dose of Alvin Kamara in this one. He had a huge game against the Bengals last week, which now makes two stellar performances in a row for him. And if Jameis Winston can't play here, the Saints will continue to utilize Taysom Hill. The gadget player is tough for opposing defenses to stop — and his presence could be demoralizing to a Cardinals team that is slipping away.

MORE: NFL Futures Probabilities

Why The Cardinals Will Cover The Spread

The quarterback situation for the Saints is downright ugly right now. Both Winston and backup Andy Dalton are banged up, and this New Orleans squad isn't living up to expectations without the threat of an explosive passing attack. The Saints will need to figure that out soon, but it'll be hard for them to do it on a short week against the Cardinals.

Arizona ended up losing last week's game against Seattle, but the team's defense did do a good job of limiting what has been a good Seahawks offense. If the Cards can keep the Saints running game in check, it's hard to see this one not going their way. Murray and the passing game haven't been great this season, but Hopkins' presence should help. At the very least, it should energize the home crowd.

Why The Over Will Hit

The Over is 6-0 when the Saints are coming off a loss by six or fewer points over the last three seasons, with the average total points scored in those games being 64.1 points per game. The Over is also 9-1 in New Orleans' October games in that same timeframe, so this is generally when the Saints pick things up on offense. And this Cardinals defense is definitely beatable.

Arizona should also be amped up on offense, as Hopkins' return gives Murray a weapon he has been lacking all year. Perhaps Robbie Anderson will also contribute as a deep threat in this one, with the Cards having traded for him on Monday.

Why The Under Will Hit

While the Saints tend to pick things up on offense at this time, it's hard to say that the trend will continue with the quarterback situation looking like this. The Cardinals have also been underwhelming offensively all year, with Kliff Kingsbury's offense not being one that has lived up to expectations to this point.

Over the last three years, the Under is also 6-0 when Arizona is coming off a loss to a division opponent. It's also 8-1 when the Cardinals are coming off a loss over the last two years, in general.

Saints vs. Cardinals Prediction

Lean: Saints +1.5

The Cardinals have a better case for winning this game, on paper. But things are getting messy in Arizona and New Orleans' defense could be a tough challenge for Kingsbury and Co. to overcome.

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Written by

Zachary Cohen

Zachary Cohen, a University of Wisconsin graduate, has written about betting and fantasy sports for prominent outlets like Covers, Sports Illustrated, Forbes Sports, Tennis Channel, and FOX Bet, with a strong focus on the NBA and college athletics.