The New Orleans Saints have a quarterback decision to make after benching Spencer Rattler for Tyler Shough on Sunday, and a Week 9 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams is a tough spot for either QB to shine.
New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore turned to Shough in the third quarter of a grim 23-3 loss to the Buccaneers over the weekend, but the initial signs were mediocre at best, and my Saints vs. Rams predictions expect a rested L.A. squad to cruise.
Read on for my NFL picks ahead of a Sunday, November 2, contest that this Rams defense surely has circled.
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Saints vs Rams predictions
Here are our early thoughts on the spread and total for this week’s game. We will have a full game preview (with a best bet and SGP) later in the week.
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Early Saints vs Rams spread pick: Rams -13.5
When you consider that the Los Angeles Rams are rolling with Matthew Stafford, who’s tossed 17 TDs and just two picks, it really doesn’t matter which quarterback the New Orleans Saints land on for Week 9.
Though this is a huge spread, the hosts have so many factors in their favor, even beyond the QB mismatch. L.A. is coming off a bye week, has looked elite at the line of scrimmage, and could welcome back Puka Nacua after an ankle injury.
The Rams are also 8-2 ATS in their past 10 games, and they’ve won seven of the last 10 meetings between these teams. That’s enough for me to lay the points and trust that Stafford & Co. won’t take New Orleans lightly.
The numbers tell a bleak story for the visitors. The Saints are 1-9 SU in their last 10 outings, while going 3-7 ATS in that span, and they were blown out in Week 8 by a banged-up Tampa Bay squad. As crafty as Alvin Kamara is, it’s fair to wonder whether the New Orleans playmakers will have any chance to shine against a dominant L.A. front seven.
Sean McVay’s men went into their bye in style with a 35-7 win in London, and I’m wagering on another lopsided scoreline on Sunday.
Early Saints vs Rams total pick: Under 44.5
It’s hardly a shocker to note that the Under has been a winning ticket in New Orleans’ past four games — after all, the visitors’ offense has scored fewer than 20 points in eight of its last 10 contests. However, it’s mildly surprising that the Under is 3-1 in the Rams’ past four games.
Ultimately, I can’t look past what we saw from the Rattler-Shough combo on Sunday, where they combined for zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Moore was looking for a spark when he sent Shough into the game, but the rookie completed just 17 of his 30 passes.
In a lost season, the Saints may decide there’s no downside to throwing Shough into the fray as the starter, but this is a horrible matchup against a Rams defense that ranks second in the NFL in sacks (26) and has only allowed 16.7 points per game so far this year.
There’s always the potential for Stafford to cut loose for a five-TD day, as he did in Week 7, but I’ll take that risk and bank on L.A. going to a vanilla game script in the second half if it gets a healthy cushion. Why empty the bag when there are bigger tests ahead?
Saints vs Rams odds
- Saints vs. Rams spread: Rams -13.5
- Saints vs. Rams moneyline: Saints +650, Rams -1000
- Saints vs. Rams Over/Under: 44.5
How to watch Saints vs Rams
- Saints vs. Rams matchup
- Date: Sunday, November 2, 2025, 4:05 p.m. ET
- City: Inglewood, CA
- Venue: SoFi Stadium
- TV: FOX
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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