New Orleans Thanksgiving Day Football Fave to Put Dallas Back in their Place

The defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints are a -3 ½ Thanksgiving Day football betting favorite to put the Dallas Cowboys back in their place on Thursday.

The Saints go into the game after winning 3 straight and outscoring their opponents 88 to 32. They also get RB Reggie Bush back this Thursday to add to QB Drew Brees’ arsenal of pass-catching weapons.

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But the ‘Boys have won 2 straight games, including a terrific 33 to 20 victory over the New York Giants as 11 ½ point dogs, and appear to be settled down after losing 7 out of their first 8 games. Can the Dallas D stop the defending champs in this Thanksgiving Day football contest?

New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys

Where: Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

When: Nov. 25th, 2010 at 4:15 pm EST

TV: FOX

Radio: Sirius-XM 125 (NO) 126 (DAL)

NFL Betting Line

New Orleans Saints -3 ½ -110 O 50

Dallas Cowboys +3 ½ -110 U 50

The trends clearly favor the Saints in this game.

• The New Orleans Saints are 10 and 2 ATS in their last 12 road games versus a team with a losing home record.
• The New Orleans Saints are 4 and 1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
• The New Orleans Saints are 5 and 1 ATS in the last 6 meetings between these two teams.
• The Dallas Cowboys are 1 and 4 ATS in their last 5 home games.

New Orleans is the favorite in this Thanksgiving Day football game, and the choice of 71% of football handicappers to cover the spread, because they are surging right now. After suffering a horrendous 17 to 30 loss to the Cleveland Browns, the Saints came back 7 days later to beat Pittsburgh straight up 20 to 10 as 1 ½ point favorites.

Then, they took apart Carolina, went on their bye, and came back to pummel Seattle 34 to 19 as -11 point favorites.

Why are the Saints suddenly winning games? Two reasons. First, QB Drew Brees has settled down and is now taking what the defense is giving him. Earlier this season, Brees was pushing the ball and throwing as many interceptions as touchdown passes. He’s taking his time now, surveying the field, and dumping off to his outlet guys if there’s nothing down the field. The second reason that the Saints are winning is because their defense has become awesome. It allows only 105 yards on the ground and 186 yards through the air per game.

Will the Cowboys, with back-up QB John Kitna under center, be able to keep up with the New Orleans offense? I don’t believe they will. Kitna has been very good in his last 2 starts. He produced a 124 QB rating versus the New York Giants and then a 130 QB rating versus the Detroit Lions. He’s thrown 6 touchdowns to only 1 pick in those last 2 games, but he faces a defense on Thursday that has sacked the QB 19 times this season and is second in the NFL in yards allowed through the air.

Kitna’s going to face massive pressure on Thursday. I just don’t believe he’s going to be able to get the ball out of his hands to his terrific wide receivers in time and is bound to make a mistake or two in this game.

That’s going to be the difference. The New Orleans Saints will win and cover the spread in this game because their defense will punish John Kitna.

NFL Betting Pick: New Orleans Saints -3 ½ -110

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