Saints vs. Rams: Updated Odds, Money Line, Spread, Props to Watch for TNF

Not every Thursday Night Football matchup this season has been a great one. However, the Week 16 opener between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints promises to be a terrific and meaningful contest.

The Saints and Rams share a 7-7 record, and both are firmly in the NFC playoff mix. The Rams would be a wild-card team if the season was over now, and the Saints are tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—though behind due to tiebreakers—atop the NFC South.

While Thursday's game may not interest every casual NFL fan, it will carry significant playoff implications.

Below, we'll dive a bit deeper into the matchup, examine the latest lines and make some picks for our top TNF player props.

See all the Thursday Night Football bets at DraftKings.

Date: Thursday, December 21

When: 8:15 p.m. ET

Live Stream and TV: Prime Video (Fox and NBC in local markets)

Line: Los Angeles -4

Over/Under: 45.5 Points

Money Line: Los Angeles -198 (bet $198 to win $100), New Orleans +164 (bet $100 to win $164)

While neither of these teams may be a legitimate Super Bowl contender, both of them could represent daunting first-round playoff matchups;

While the Saints offense has been up-and-down with Derek Carr at the helm, New Orleans has found ways to be effective recently. Incorporating Taysom Hill into the game plan has worked to keep opposing defenses off-balance, and Alvin Kamara remains one of the top dual-threat backs in football.

The wild card here is receiver Chris Olave, who missed Week 15 with an ankle injury. His status will be worth monitoring, though he's expected to return, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football.

The Saints' sixth-ranked scoring defense, meanwhile, can keep New Orleans in most games.

That defense could create some problems for Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Los Angeles' resurgent passing game. However, this is a fairly favorable matchup for the Rams because of Kyren Williams.

Los Angeles' new breakout back has been a revelation this season, and he's coming off a 152-yard, one-touchdown rushing performance.

The Rams should lean heavily on their ground game against a Saints defense that has allowed 4.5 yards per carry in 2023. The ability to run should give L.A. a big advantage at home, even if the SoFi Stadium atmosphere does not.

As long as L.A. can avoid turnovers and avoid getting behind early, the Rams should be able to grind their way to a victory.

Prediction: Los Angeles 26, New Orleans 21

This is a high rushing line for any short-week game, but Williams has a terrific chance of reaching it.

As previously noted, the Saints run defense has been a bit of a liability this season. New Orleans has been much better against the pass and ranks fifth in net yards per pass attempt allowed.

This should lead Rams coach Sean McVay to utilize Williams early and often. While Stafford will certainly take his shots in the passing game, wearing down the Saints defense will Williams is the most logical strategy for Los Angeles.

And McVay has shown that he's willing to utilize that run-heavy strategy. In four of Williams' last five games, he's carried the ball at least 20 times. His low-yardage total in that span was 88 yards, and he topped 110 rushing yards in the other four contests.

Expect Williams to again see a heavy workload and to hit the over here.

The Saints may not be as run-heavy against a Rams defense that has allowed 100 rushing yards just once in its last five games. However, that doesn't mean that New Orleans won't involve Kamara early and often.

Kamara's receiving ability out of the backfield remains one of the Saints' biggest offensive advantages, and we can expect offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. to utilize it.

Using screens and the short-passing game would be a logical way to augment the run game in this matchup. While New Orleans may still look to establish the ground game, running directly into Aaron Donald and the teeth of the Rams' front isn't exactly a winning strategy.

This would be a relatively high receiving prop for many running backs, but not for Kamara. The 28-year-old has averaged just over six receptions and 40 receiving yards per game this season.

Over his last eight games, Kamara has topped 40 receiving yards six times. He should do it again in Week 16.

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