Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints: Week 7 Predictions, Picks and Odds For Thursday Night Football

The Jacksonville Jaguars are traveling to New Orleans for a Thursday Night Football showdown with the Saints, and a major question looms: Will Trevor Lawrence play?

The Jaguars’ star quarterback sprained his knee in the closing moments of a Week 6 win over the Colts and is considered day-to-day.

It’s not an easy game for the NFL oddsmakers to handicap but they have nonetheless rolled out an opening betting line. Here is the spread as of October 17th, per BetMGM.

Spread: Saints -3
Moneyline: Saints -160; Jaguars +135
Over/Under: 38.5 points

The Jaguars have the better record, the better advanced stats and are projected to win this game 57% of the time by ESPN’s FPI, so clearly the oddsmakers believe Lawrence could be absent or limited on Thursday.

The latest news on the knee has seemed encouraging and the Jaguars are playing good ball, so at this point I’d roll the dice on an upset, although staying glued to the latest updates are integral when a player at such a key position is injured.

(UPDATE: Lawrence is expected to play, according to ESPN.)

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints Betting Prediction

The Saints are a pretty mediocre football team. Good on defense, slightly below average on offense. They do get this game at home, and Jacksonville is wrapping up a grueling travel stretch in which they played in London, Jacksonville and now New Orleans in a span of only 12 days.

Still, if Lawrence can go, the Jaguars’ ceiling is higher. Jacksonville is up to No. 8 in Team DVOA as the offense has improved in recent weeks while the defense is playing like a top-10 unit.

Lawrence is the X-Factor, and if he is out there the Jaguars should be able to move the ball enough to grab the lead, which will allow the defense to gear up and harass Derek Carr.

Prediction: Jaguars 23, Saints 17

Prop Bet Pick: Saints RB Alvin Kamara Over/Under 87.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards 

Since his return from suspension, Kamara has been a busy man. He has averaged 25 touches per game through the first three and has accumulated an average of 95 yards.

The usage may come down in subsequent weeks, but as one of the most dynamic players on the Saints’ offense, he is still going to be a major factor.

The Jaguars have been good against the run this season but I still see New Orleans coach Dennis Allen remaining committed to it for as long as possible.

And even if the Saints get into a pass-heavy situation, Kamara can make an impact there, too, as he is one of the best pass-catching running backs in the NFL.

It might take a lot of touches for Kamara to get to 88 yards from scrimmage, but I think he will be fed regularly in this matchup.

Prediction: Saints RB Alvin Kamara over 87.5 rushing and receiving yards (-115 at BetMGM)

How To Watch Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints will host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, October 19th, 2023 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game can be seen on Amazon Prime Video.