This is an 8* TOTAL SPECIAL on the UNDER Vegas/Saints.

Two teams that are on the ropes need to step up and try pull out a victory here.

With a spread like this (Las Vegas favored by roughly 1.5 points on the road), clearly the oddsmakers believe these teams are evenly matched. And for the most part they are.

Each has played to several higher-scoring games of late, but I expect those trends to end this afternoon.

Las Vegas has seen the total go OVER the number in four straight after its 38-20 home win over Houston. Note though that the Raiders have seen the total go UNDER the number in seven of their last ten after playing to three or more straight OVERS in a row.

The Saints went toe-to-toe with the Cards last week, but came up short in the 42-34 setback.

I think both teams suffer offensive letdowns this weekend.

This one will be decided in the trenches, and by field position.

This number is high, the play is the UNDER.

Good luck, NP