The New Orleans Saints vs. New England Patriots game features two teams looking to find a way of moving on from their long-term franchise QB. With both teams taking different approaches in 2021, which one comes out on top in Week 3? Let’s look at the current lines and NFL odds, a prediction for the game, the TV channel, and how to live stream the Saints vs. Patriots Week 3 NFL game.
New Orleans Saints vs. New England Patriots prediction and odds for Week 3
- Spread: Patriots -3
- Moneyline: Saints +140, Patriots -160
- Over/Under: 41.5 (Over -105, Under -115)
The Saints came back down to earth with a bump
The contrast between the Saints’ performances in Week 1 and Week 2 might be as wide as any team in the league this year. In the first week of the season, they defeated the Packers 38-3, with Jameis Winston throwing 5 touchdowns.
However, the Carolina Panthers humiliated them in Week 2, losing 26-7. The Saints could barely muster any offense. They managed just 128 net yards, while Winston threw 2 touchdowns and was sacked 4 times.
Perhaps the most concerning element was the lack of production from the run game in Week 2. Now, while the game script meant they had to abandon the run, an average of 2.8 yards per attempt on 17 plays will be a major cause for concern. The Saints may yet be ruing releasing Latavius Murray just before the season.
The Patriots need to see more consistency from their offense
Starting the season with a rookie QB, if you offered the Patriots a 1-1 record (with the loss being a close one), they would probably have taken it. Losing to Miami is not ideal, but in Mac Jones’ debut, it would hardly be surprising either.
Losing the battle of the rookie QBs with Zach Wilson would have been more concerning for the Pats, but the defense ensured that would not be the case. New England forced 4 turnovers on Wilson, and the run game hammered in 2 touchdowns.
However, against a poor Jets defense, their passing game averaged just 4.8 yards per attempt, with Jones sacked 3 times. In this game, it didn’t matter that four drives ended in Nick Folk field goals — in future matchups, it just might.
Saints vs. Patriots prediction
The true identity of the Saints lies somewhere between their Week 1 and Week 2 performances. Nonetheless, it is hardly surprising that we are seeing inconsistency from the Saints. They have been based out of TCU and away from New Orleans since Hurricane Ida.
Now, they travel to Foxborough to face a New England team who have played good defense through two weeks. They rank second in the league with 5 turnovers, leading the league in interceptions. That is less than ideal for a Saints team with Winston under center, making it hard for any predictions to have them winning vs. the Patriots this week.
However, with a rookie QB under center, it is no surprise the odds and lines are not heavily in favor of the Patriots in this matchup vs. the Saints. It is difficult to trust a consistent performance from the Patriots’ offense, which may keep the Saints in the game and ensure a close finish.
NFL Week 3 Prediction: Patriots 23, Saints 20
How to watch Saints vs. Patriots this week
- Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
- TV channel: FOX
- Start time: 1 PM ET
- Live streaming options:
- Sling
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App