Saints vs. Rams Odds: What Will Playoff Odds Be If Either Team Wins, Loses?

Saints vs. Rams Odds: What Will Playoff Odds Be If Either Team Wins, Loses?

[gamematchup league=”nfl” awaylogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/nfl/100/no.png” awayname=”Saints” awayslug=”new-orleans-saints” homelogo=”https://static.sprtactn.co/teamlogos/nfl/100/la.png” homename=”Rams” homeslug=”los-angeles-rams” date=”Thursday, Dec. 21″ time=”8:15 p.m. ET” network=”Prime Video” col1text=”Spread” col2text=”Total” col3text=”Moneyline” col1awaytext=”+4″ col1awayline=”-110″ col1hometext=”-4″ col1homeline=”-110″ col2awaytext=”46″ col2hometext=”46″ col2awayline=”-110o / -110u” col2homeline=”-110o / -110u” col3awaytext=”+165″ col3hometext=”-200″ col3awayline=”” col3homeLine=”” bookname=”bet365″ bookthumbnaillogo=”https://assets.actionnetwork.com/860991_Bet365ALT.png” bookreviewslug=”bet365″][/gamematchup]

There’s five 7-7 teams in the NFC heading into Week 16. Three of them are likely to make it to the playoffs, with three spots already clinched and the 10-win Lions almost certainly to join them.

Two of those five meet on Thursday Night Football, with the Rams hosting the Saints as four-point favorites. The loser of this game will see a big hit to their playoff chances, seeing as they’d fall behind whichever seven win teams pick up a victory in Week 16.

The Action Network’s predictive analytics team — led by Sean Koerner and Billy Ward — have made assessments on how this game will alter playoff odds for both teams.

_InlineAdBlock

The hit would be bigger for Los Angeles, for a couple of reasons. We’re projecting them as likelier to win this game due to the betting lines, so a loss takes more from them than it would from the Saints. New Orleans also has a chance to win the division, giving them better odds to sneak in with a loss. Therefore, a Rams loss would knock them down from their current odds of 56% down to around 19%.

A win for Los Angeles bumps their playoff odds around 75%, seeing as they would lock up the tiebreaker over New Orleans and Seattle, with a matchup against the lowly Giants in Week 17 and a possibly-resting 49ers team in Week 18.

The Saints stand to benefit far more from a victory. The tiebreaker over the Rams would be crucial for their chances at a wild card seed, and they’d have a shot to take the lead in the NFC South with a Bucs loss this week.

Their playoff odds would jump from 46% all the way to 71%, with a few possible paths to the postseason.

As mentioned, a loss doesn’t totally end things for New Orleans, with two divisional matchups to close the season. They’d have a tough path by virtue of falling behind in various tiebreakers, though, falling to around 25% odds with a loss.

_InlineAdBlock