The New Orleans Saints could bring out the big guns in their NFL preseason betting game against the Houston Texans. Head coach Sean Payton claimed that the rise of joint practices has decreased the “sense of urgency” as far as playing veterans during the preseason is concerned, which explains why quarterback Drew Brees, running backs Mark Ingram, Adrian Peterson, and defensive end Cameron Jordan did not play the first two games.
- Date: Saturday, 26th August
- Time: 8:05 PM
- Venue: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Sportsbook NFL preseason odds:
Texans +3 (-105) 43½ (-110)
Saints -3 (-115) 43½ (-110)
Breesus met the Texans at the well
According to Payton, this sad state of affairs could change on Saturday. “We haven’t met yet. We’ll sit down and go through the roles. And I’m sure we’re gonna want to see them play some,” he said per ESPN. “How much, we’ll see.” Brees has never fully skipped a preseason, and the only other occasion on which he missed the first two games was in 2014 when he suffered an oblique injury (as opposed to a straightforward injury?) on the other hand, former Minnesota Vikings staple Peterson hasn’t played in a preseason game in four years and hasn’t touched the ovoid in the preseason in six – of his own volition, mind you. However, when asked whether he’d like to play in his new team’s preseason, Peterson said, “In a sense, I do. Maybe I’m itching a little more this offseason.” There are creams for that, you know. The running back joined the Saints for the whole offseason workout program, OTAs and minicamp in the spring – which is an uncommon a sight as the Halley comet.
Maybe not in the same class as the aforementioned players, but center Max Unger is scheduled to play in either the third or fourth of both preseason games, after undergoing foot surgery last week.
A noble Savage is the Houston’s NFL preseason betting quarterback
Deshaun Watson is the Texans’ QB of the future, but Tom Savage is the QB of the present. “Tom’s the starter. Tom’s playing well this camp. Tom has really had a good camp. He’s only thrown three incompletions in two games,” head coach Bill O’Brien said via NFL.com. You can call this guy The Bill Smith Combo because he’s all Tommy & the Tom Toms. “Deshaun is a very, very good, young player who has a great future in this league,” O’Brien added. But Savage has a “really got good command of our offense” after having “been here for four years.” Savage has thrown 17 of 20 for 167 yards and a touchdown, and although he got off to a slow start in the preseason NFL preseason betting game with two three-and-outs, Houston scored touchdowns on two of the last three series. So as for the WaPo’s Mark Maske’s suggestion:
Texans should dare to be better (and risk being worse), take a chance on Deshaun Watson as their Day 1 QB starter… https://t.co/1CU97DEznV
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) August 18, 2017
As Dana Carvey would have said some 30 years ago, “Not gonna do it! Wouldn’t be prudent!” in other Texans news, defensive end Joel Heath has been activated from the non-football injury and added to the active roster, so he could see action against the Saints.