New Orleans Saints vs New York Giants Picks and Predictions for Sunday October 18 2026
The New Orleans Saints are making their way to East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, October 18, 2026, for a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM ET on FOX. Neither team won last weekend, although New York managed a 27-27 tie with Washington. The Saints had a rougher time of it, losing 23-13 to Minnesota. New Orleans is favored by 1.5 points at one sportsbook, with the total sitting at 44.5. The weather should cooperate. Temperatures are expected to be near 58 degrees, with winds around 10 mph and little rain in the forecast. Now, I find that betting line a little curious. New York has been winning more games, and the Giants are playing at home. The Saints have struggled just about everywhere they’ve gone. There’s more to this matchup than the records, of course, but I have a hard time understanding why New Orleans deserves to be favored. Be sure to visit our free NFL picks for more predictions throughout the season.
New Orleans Saints Need More From Their Offense
New Orleans arrives with a 1-4 record and three road losses. It’s been a difficult few weeks for the Saints, who have now lost three straight games. Minnesota handed them a 23-13 defeat last Sunday, and the offense never got comfortable. The Saints had scored 24 against Atlanta and 27 against Las Vegas in their previous two losses, so managing just 13 against the Vikings was another step backward. There was a time earlier this season when things looked promising. New Orleans went into Baltimore and won 24-17. That was a fine result, but one good afternoon doesn’t carry a team very far in the NFL. Kellen Moore has been getting some production from the passing game. Unfortunately, the defense has made those yards worth a lot less than they should be.
The Saints score 23.6 points per game and allow 30.2. You don’t have to spend much time with those numbers to see the problem. New Orleans has gained 1,610 offensive yards through five games, averaging 322 per contest. The passing game has produced 1,299 yards, while the running attack has managed just 409. That’s 81.8 rushing yards per game. A team can certainly win by throwing the football, but it helps when the defense has to think about something other than the quarterback. Opponents haven’t had much reason to worry about the Saints running the ball. Meanwhile, New Orleans keeps giving up points. I wouldn’t call this a hopeless team. There are some good pieces here. But the Saints have put themselves in a position where almost every mistake becomes expensive.
Tyler Shough has thrown for 1,299 yards, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 66.8 percent of his passes. He showed what he could do with a 410-yard performance against Detroit. Then came Minnesota. Shough finished with 96 passing yards and two interceptions on 25 attempts. Football can be a humbling business. Chris Olave has caught 39 passes for 537 yards and a touchdown, giving New Orleans a dependable receiver. Noah Fant has three touchdown catches. On defense, Chase Young has four sacks, while Pete Werner has recorded 35 tackles. The Saints also have injury concerns involving Travis Etienne Jr., Alvin Kamara, and Jordyn Tyson. Kamara has been dealing with a back problem. The running game wasn’t particularly strong when the backfield was healthier, so the injury situation deserves attention before Sunday.
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New York Giants Have Some Work To Do Despite Their Good Start
New York has a 3-1-1 record and has won both home games. That’s a decent beginning, especially for a team that hasn’t always made life easy on itself. The Giants tied Washington 27-27 last Sunday, and anyone watching the fourth quarter got their money’s worth. New York trailed by 14 points before Jameis Winston brought the Giants back with two late touchdown passes. Overtime offered chances for both sides to win. Neither managed it. The Giants lost a fumble in Washington territory, and the Commanders ran out of time after reaching field goal range. New York had beaten Arizona 36-24 the previous week. I like the way the Giants keep competing, even when a game starts getting away from them. I’d like it more if they didn’t create so many of their own problems.
The Giants average 21.8 points per game while allowing 21.2. That’s a fairly narrow margin, but it’s a much better defensive showing than we’ve seen from New Orleans. New York has gained 1,541 offensive yards, averaging 308.2 per game. The passing game has produced 1,055 yards, and the rushing attack has added 545. That works out to 109 rushing yards a game, giving the Giants a modest advantage over the Saints. New York also recorded five sacks against Washington. That’s worth paying attention to this week. Shough struggled against Minnesota, and the Giants won’t need much encouragement to go after him. New York doesn’t have a particularly impressive offense, either. The difference is that its defense has been doing a better job of keeping games manageable.
Jameis Winston has thrown for 805 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions in four appearances. Against Washington, he completed 33 of 54 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns. Isaiah Likely caught 11 passes for 94 yards and two scores, while Malik Nabers added 121 receiving yards and a touchdown. Nabers has 329 yards and two touchdowns this season. Cam Skattebo leads the rushing game with 294 yards on 81 carries. His 3.6-yard average isn’t much to celebrate, and the overtime fumble against Washington was costly. The Giants have been without Jaxson Dart, who is on injured reserve, and Brian Burns has also been missing from the defense. New York is monitoring Tyler Nubin, Jermaine Eluemunor, and Colton Hood as well. I wouldn’t dismiss those absences. Burns, in particular, is a difficult player to replace. The five sacks against Washington were encouraging, though. New York found a way to get pressure without him.
New Orleans Saints vs New York Giants Picks and Predictions
Against the Spread Pick: New York Giants +1.5
I’ll take New York getting 1.5 points at home. The Giants have three wins and a tie, while the Saints have won just once. That doesn’t settle every argument, but it’s a reasonable place to begin. New Orleans is allowing 30.2 points per game and hasn’t been able to establish much of a running attack. New York has given up 21.2 points per contest, and the Giants recorded five sacks last weekend. I think that defense can make Shough uncomfortable. Of course, Winston has a habit of making things interesting for both teams. His interceptions and New York’s turnovers are good reasons not to get carried away with this pick. The Giants also need to find more from their running game. But there’s something to be said for playing at home against a team that hasn’t won on the road. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Saints moved the football at times. Moving it and scoring enough to win are two different things. New York looks like the better side to me, and I’ll gladly take the 1.5 points.
Total Pick: Under 44.5 Points
Under 44.5 is my other selection. New Orleans managed only 13 points against Minnesota, and Shough had one of those afternoons a quarterback would prefer to forget. The Saints aren’t running the ball particularly well, either. New York has its own offensive limitations, averaging 21.8 points per game. Skattebo is getting 3.6 yards per carry, and Winston’s three-touchdown performance against Washington isn’t something I’d automatically expect again. The Saints defense makes this bet a little uncomfortable. New Orleans has allowed plenty of points, and Nabers or Likely could take advantage of that secondary. That’s the risk. But I don’t see a strong reason to expect both offenses to suddenly become dependable. The Giants should be able to control parts of this game with their defense, while New Orleans could spend another afternoon trying to find a consistent running attack. A 23-17 New York win seems quite reasonable. I’ll go with Under 44.5 points.
Final Picks: New York Giants +1.5 and Under 44.5 Points.
Disclaimer: This preview was prepared October 14, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, weather forecasts, and other game information may change before kickoff. Check the latest information before placing a wager.
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