Previews and betting tips for the 2024 NFL season - Saints and Panthers
The 2024 NFL season kicks off with a Thursday/Friday doubleheader starting Sept. 5 with the full Week 1 Sunday schedule Sept. 8. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs (-3, 46.5) host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5 in an AFC playoff rematch with those two teams the AFC favorites to reach Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9, 2025 in New Orleans. The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers try to bounce back from tough seasons, and especially the Panthers, who were a league-worst 2-15 last season while the Saints finished 9-8 to miss the playoffs for the third straight season.
NFL Week 1 Matchups And Odds
But as the 2024 season kicks off following training camp and NFLX, football and fantasy fans get their juices flowing. Sports bettors are pouring through the teams schedules, rosters, stats, odds, futures and props and making bets at leading online sportsbooks. That includes on the AFC and NFC teams with the NFC South representing the worst in the NFC the last two seasons.
NFC West - 49ers and Rams
NFC West - Seahawks and Cardinals
NFC East - Eagles and Cowboys
NFC East - Commanders and Giants
NFC North - Lions and Packers
NFC North - Vikings and Bears
NFC South - Falcons and Buccaneers
NFL Scoring
Last season the NFL average scoring per game was 43.5 points, down from 43.8 in 2022 and 46.0 points per game in 2021. The record scoring of 49.6 points per game in 2020 seems gone, but new NFL kickoff rules will appear to improve starting field position by 2-5 yards with scoring expected to increase by at least 1.5 points per game.
Football odds from BetOnline and top online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting.
New Orleans Saints
Season Win Total: 7.5 (Over -115)
Division Odds: +450 / NFC Odds: +4000 / Super Bowl Odds: +10000
Record Last 2 Years: 9-8, 7-10
Head Coach: Dennis Allen (3rd season)
Saints Schedule, Odds and Props
Division games and advance point spreads (DraftKings)
Week 1 Carolina Panthers (NO -4 / 4.5)
Week 4 at Atlanta Falcons (NO + / 4.5)
Week 6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NO -1.5 / 43.5)
Week 9 at Carolina Panthers (NO -1 / 40.5)
Week 10 Atlanta Falcons (NO +1 / 44.5)
Week 18 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NO +2.5 / 43)
Other Key Games
Week 2 at Dallas Cowboys (NO +6 / 44.5)
Week 3 Philadelphia Eagles (N/A)
Week 5 at Kansas City (NO +8 / 44.5) MNF
Week 7 Denver Broncos (NO -3.5 / 42.5) Thurs
Week 11 Cleveland Browns (NO +2 / 42)
Week 13 Los Angeles Rams (NO +1.5 / 46/5)
Week 15 Washington Commanders (NO -3 / 42)
Week 16 at Green Bay Packers (N/A) MNF
Week 17 Las Vegas Raiders (NO -3 / 43)
Bye: Week 12
Home: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Washington, LA Rams, Cleveland
Away: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Kansas City, LA Chargers, NY Giants, Green Bay
Key Player Props (regular season at BetOnline)
QB Derek Car - O/U 3,350.5 Passing Yards / 21.5 Passing TD's / 10.5 INT
RB Alvin Kamara - O/U 650.5 Rushing Yards / 3.5 Rush TD's / 52.5 Receptions / 425.5 Rec Yds
WR Chris Olave - O/U 1,050.5, Rec Yds / 82.5 Receptions / 5.5 Rec TD's
DE Chase Young - O/U 7.5 Sacks / S Tyrann Mathieu - O/U 3 INT's
Stats and Notes (check back ahead of season for more betting notes). NFC South Saints and Panthers handicapping and research includes sources and stats from beat writers, team sites and press notes, bettors and newsletters or betting guides like VSiN, Sharp Football, Playbook, CleveAnalytics, ESPN Stats & Info and more including FairwayJay's proprietary data base and stats.
The Saints were division favorites last season, but finished 9-8 and missed out on the playoffs for the third straight season. That followed four-straight playoff appearances to conclude the Drew Brees era, and also despite playing what turned out to be the easiest strength of schedule (SOS) in 2023.Now New Orleans gets a schedule break again playing one of the five easiest SOS based on opponents' expected wins this season. The Saints offense should be better with QB Derek Carr having another year with HC Dennis Allen, who brings in a brighter offensive mind as one of 17 new offensive coordinators this season with Klint Kubiak as OC of the Saints. The Saints face seven of Cleve Analytics bottom 10 teams in the final 12 weeks, and look poised to surpass their season win total (7.5) if the offensive line plays better than rated by PFF. The defensive front seven can move into the top half of the league and the secondary starts the season top 10.
Pro Football Focus Offensive Line Rankings Entering 2024 Season (Saints No. 31, Panthers No. 20)
Betting: The Saints are 14-2 SU and ATS in their last 16 division games when seeking same season revenge. Road teams are on a 7-1 ATS run in the Buccaneers-Saints series. Home teams are 10-1 ATS in the last 11 Rams-Saints games.
Bet on the NFL at one of these Elite-rated sportsbooks!
Carolina Panthers
Season Win Total: 5.5 (Over -150)
Division Odds: +900 / NFC Odds: +125 / Super Bowl Odds: +30000
Record Last 2 Years: 2-15, 7-10
Head Coach: Dave Canales (1st season)
Panthers Schedule, Odds and Props
Division games and advance point spreads
Week 1 at New Orleans Saints (CAR +4 / 41.5)
Week 6 Atlanta Falcons (CAR +3.5 / 44)
Week 9 New Orleans Saints (CAR +1 / 40.5)
Week 13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (CAR +2 / 43
Week 17 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (CAR +5 / 43)
Week 18 at Atlanta Falcons (CAR +6.5 / 45.5)
Other Key Games
Week 3 at Las Vegas (CAR +4 / 42)
Week 5 at Chicago Bears (CAR +5.5 / 42)
Week 7 at Washington Commanders (CAR +3 / 42)
Week 10 New York Giants (CAR +1 / 42.5) Germany
Week 12 Kansas City Chiefs (CAR +7.5 / 45.5)
Week 14 at Philadelphia (CAR +10.5)
Week 15 Dallas Cowboys (CAR +6.5 / 44)
Week 16 Arizona Cardinals (CAR +1 / 45.5)
Bye: Week 11
Home: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Kansas City, LA Chargers, NY Giants (Germany), Arizona, Cincinnati
Away: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago
Key Player Props
QB Bryce Young - O/U 3,200.5 Pass Yards / 18.5 Pass TD's
Stats and Notes - The Panthers offense was a disaster in 2023 under rookie QB and No. 1 overall draft pick Bryce Young. Carolina ranked 29th in EPA/play and 30th in offensive success rate, so they were both very inefficient and lacked explosiveness. How bad was Carolina in 2023? They were the only team to never have a 4th quarter lead the entire season. How bad was Bryce Young? His 2023 EPA per attempt was 49th out of the 50 rookie QBs since 2000 with at least 300 passing attempts. Will he make it become a a quality NFL quarterback? No other quarterback in the bottom 10 of that list panned out to be anything more than a journeyman backup, and they all finished their careers with a yards per attempt average of less than 6.8 and an EPA per attempt below 0. New head coach and noted QB guru Dave Canales is expected to bring QB Young along, but I wouldn't bet on it yet. In weeks 5, 7 and 8, Young and the Panthers will face this 2024 NFL Draft's No. 1 overall QB (Caleb Williams, Bears), No. 2 (Jayden Daniels, Commanders), and No. 12 (Bo Nix, Broncos). After playing the NFL’s No. 9 toughest schedule of defenses and the No. 4 toughest schedule of offenses last year, Sharp Football forecasts the Panthers to play the No. 26 toughest schedule of defenses and No. 23 toughest schedule of offenses. Another positive for potential turnaround is the Panthers ranked No. 30 in health last year, sustaining a ton of impactful injuries. The Panthers best positional ranking into the 2024 season of the six position groups is No. 20 for the offensive line.
Betting: The 'Dog is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 Falcons-Panthers games. sure. Since 2000, 17 teams like Carolina won 3 or less games and also went under their win total by at least 5 wins. All 17 of those teams increased their wins the next season (by an average of 4.7 wins) and averaged 6.6 wins (vs aggregate win total of 6.1 wins). Still, you're on your own betting on the Panthers until POS Bryce Young shows some positive signs he can play at the NFL level. Of his 588 total dropbacks, Young was not pressured on 357 attempts. His performance? No. 44 in accuracy, No. 44 in YPA, No. 41 in EPA/attempt and No. 39 in success rate. I wouldn't consider betting on the Panthers unless they are getting at least 6 points, Young shows significant improvement along with the OL, and/or the opponent has some notable injuries. The Panthers are expected to face the 3rd easiest schedule in the NFL in 2024, yet are projected to be an underdog in every game.
Check back for more updates, ATS and information you can bet on.
You can bet on it.
FairwayJay is a proven sports handicapper with unparalleled success in NFL pointspread prognosis. He's posted 57% ATS winners at OSGA on his NFL Underdog side selections since 2016. Fairway is recognized as one of the sports industry's insightful analysts, and he chips in additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Follow FairwayJay here at OSGA.com and on X @FairwayJay for more sports betting insights.