The New Orleans Saints (11-2) can take a big step towards securing home-field advantage in the NFL playoffs. However, a desperate Carolina Panthers (6-7) team fighting for the last NFC wild-card spot stands in their way on Monday Night Football. Kickoff for the final game on the Week 15 NFL schedule is at 8:15 p.m. ET from Bank of America Stadium. The weather will be a non-factor, with temperatures in the 50s, clear skies, and light winds in Charlotte. After opening at New Orleans -6.5, the line has dropped to -6 in the latest Saints vs. Panthers odds. Bettors have been hammering the Under, with the total falling to 50.5 after opening at 54. Before locking in any Saints vs. Panthers picks and predictions of your own, be sure to check out the Monday Night Football projections from SportsLine's advanced computer model.
The advanced computer model simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, and those who have followed it have seen massive returns. SportsLine's proprietary computer model went 176-80 last season and beat over 95 percent of CBS Office Pool players in 2016 and '17. It also performed better than 98 percent of experts tracked by NFLPickWatch.com during that span. Additionally, it went 48-34 on A-rated picks against the spread last season, and $100 bettors who followed it the past two seasons are up nearly $4,000.
The model has continued to nail its top-rated picks in 2018, entering Week 15 on a blistering 16-3 run. For the season, it is now 30-12 on all top-rated picks, extending its two-year run to a strong 78-46. And when it comes to all straight-up picks, the model finished Week 14 at 139-67 on the season, ranking in the top two on NFLPickWatch.com. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now the model has dialed in on Saints vs. Panthers. We can tell you it's leaning Over, but it's also generated a strong point-spread pick that's hitting well over 50 percent of the time. You can only see that one at SportsLine.
The model knows the Saints have covered seven of their last eight meetings against the Panthers, and exceeding Vegas expectations has been a trend for New Orleans all season long, as it enters Week 15 with a 10-3 record against the spread compared to 5-8 for Carolina.
Known for a high-powered offense featuring quarterback Drew Brees, do-it-all running back Alvin Kamara, wide receiver Michael Thomas and north-south runner Mark Ingram, New Orleans' defense often gets overlooked. The Saints are 11th in the league in scoring defense, allowing just 21.8 points per game.
And when it comes to stopping the run, New Orleans is ranked No. 1, giving up just 77.6 yards per game. If that trend continues, the Saints have a chance to slow down Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, who has almost as many receiving yards (701) as rushing yards (926).
But just because the Saints are rolling doesn't mean they'll cover the Monday Night Football spread.
The model also knows that Carolina's McCaffrey is proving to be one of the league's most versatile running backs. In addition to his 13 touchdowns -- seven rushing -- he's fourth in the league in yards from scrimmage with 1,627. He's gouging front sevens for 5.2 yards a carry and is lethal in flanker screens, gaining another 701 receiving yards on 86 receptions. His improved blocking is also allowing quarterback Cam Newton more time to find open receivers and limiting sacks.
Who wins Saints vs. Panthers? And which side covers well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to be all over on Monday Night Football, all from the incredible computer model that has returned nearly $4,000 to $100 bettors.
