2018 New Orleans Saints Season Win Totals Predictions and Expert Picks

2017 Record: 11-5

2018 New Orleans Saints Las Vegas Season Win Total: 9.5*

2018 New Orleans Saints Season Win Total Picks NFL Football: 'Over'

Last year my clients and I nailed an 8-Unit NFL Futures winner with the Saints blowing away their season win total. After three straight underachieving 7-9 seasons, Sean Payton and Drew Brees rekindled the old magic and put together an 11-5 season that got them back into the playoffs. Now and Payton and Brees are hoping to gear up for one more potential title run and this season might be their last best shot.

The secret to New Orleans' success last year was not complicated. After years of simply relying on Brees to outgun and outscore opponents, the Saints finally wised up and became a run-based attack. They were No. 5 in the league in rushing, giving the Saints their first Top 10 running game since the 2011 team that went 13-3.

In what should be surprising to no one that knows anything about football, the top 11 teams in the NFL in rushing last year all finished the season with winning records, and nine of the top 10 made the playoffs.

The Saints seem intent to follow last year's game plan, despite a four-game suspension of leading rusher Mark Ingram. Last year's sensational rookie runner Alvin Kamara will look to shoulder the load while awaiting Ingram's return from banishment. New Orleans also could have an even better running game thanks to a deeper, healthier offensive line.

The second biggest factor in in last year's resurgence came on the defensive side of the ball. After the Rob Ryan Debacle set this group back three years, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen did a fantastic job of getting the most out of his talent. Most of New Orleans' foundation players on this side of the ball are retreads. Guys like Alex Okafor, A.J. Klein, Manti Te'o, Demario Davis, Patrick Robinson and Kurt Coleman have played on multiple teams. But Allen has fashioned a decent group out of melding these parts with some young draft picks.

If the defense can show improvement and the offense can maintain its balance then the Saints should be a major factor in the NFC once again. Quarterback is so crucial to success in the modern NFL. The Saints have one of the best. But now that they've surrounded him with competent talent and a proper philosophy, Brees is good enough to make up the difference between New Orleans and any other team.

New Orleans has a favorable early-season schedule. And later in the year its toughest opponents - the Rams, Eagles, and Steelers - have to come to the Superdome. Also, the Saints play five of their first six games against teams that didn't make the playoffs last year.

However, the Saints do have a daunting stretch from mid-November to late December. It starts with a Sunday home test with defending champion Philadelphia. Four days later they host rival Atlanta on a Thursday night home game. The following week they go to Dallas for a Thanksgiving game and that kicks of a stretch of three straight road games that includes trips to division foes Tampa Bay and Carolina (on MNF). The stretch is capped by hosting Pittsburgh on Dec. 23 off a short week.

That schedule is about the only thing not to like about the Saints. But if they get off to a strong start they should be able to cover a midseason lull. Tampa Bay and Carolina are also wild cards in this division. If they struggle, as expected, the Saints should pick up at least four wins from their division. Add in five (of eight) wins against lesser opponents in the AFC North and NFC East, and that gets us on the cusp of another 10-win season. I'll play it that way.

Robert Ferringo has been the top football handicapper in the country the past seven years, earning nearly $28,000 in total football profit. He has also posted seven of nine winning seasons (including back-to-back winning years) and produced 26 of 41 winning football months and an amazing 45 of 70 winning football months over the past decade. Robert has eight of 10 winning NFL preseasons and he is at nearly 60 percent winners over his last 900 totals picks. Also, Robert's proprietary KING College Football Betting System has posted three of five winning seasons. Robert is looking for a third straight winning football year and wants more profit this fall. SIGN UP HERE TODAY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR 3-FOR-1 FOOTBALL SPECIALS!

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