Thursday Night Football preview: Jaguars vs. Saints odds, breakdown, more

Thursday night, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New Orleans Saints go head-to-head to kick off Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season in the Big Easy.

The Jaguars are coming off a 37-20 victory over the Indianapolis — their third straight win to improve to 4-2 on the season and move into first place in the AFC South. The Saints nosedived after an impressive 34-0 victory over the New England Patriots in Week 5 by losing to the re-tooling Houston Texans by a touchdown. At 3-3, they’re a half-game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for first in a bunched-up, mediocre NFC South.

As of this year, the Jaguars’ defense ranks 18th in the NFL with 20.3 points allowed per game, but have yielded the most passing yards in the league this season, which could provide a much-needed big night for Derek Carr, who has a bit to prove as the leading man under center in New Orleans.

Carr this season has completed 65% of his passes for 1,299 yards with just five touchdowns and three interceptions. He had a season-high 353-yard showing in the loss to Houston, though, with one touchdown and one pick. His ability to limit turnovers will be tested, though, as the Jaguars are tied for second in the NFL with eight interceptions.

Trevor Lawrence, quarterback of the Jaguars, played one of his most quiet games of the season in Week 6 against Indianapolis despite the win. He completed 20-of-30 passes for 181 yards with two touchdowns and one interception but — perhaps most importantly — sprained his knee.

The third-year passer said that he is “optimistic,” that he’ll be able to suit up on Thursday night after being assigned the “day-to-day” tag on Jacksonville’s injury report.

Lawrence has a dynamic duo of receivers under his belt. Wide receivers Christian Kirk and Calvin Ridley are always working together as an imposing threat on opposing defenses, so they’re a pair of talents that New Orleans must keep close tabs on.

If the Saints want to keep up with the Jaguars, running back Alvin Kamara will have to be his usual dual-threat self out of New Orleans’ backfield. While he’s averaging a meager 3.8 yards per rush this year, he already has 23 receptions on 25 targets in three games — the start of his season delayed because of a three-game suspension.

Jaguars vs. Saints TNF Week 7 odds

• Spread: Saints -1
• Over/Under: 40
• Jaguars Moneyline: +100
• Saints Moneyline: -120

Odds courtesy of DraftKings. For more, click here.

For more on the NFL like this Saints vs. Jaguars preview, visit AMNY.com