The Los Angeles Rams will be looking to lock up their first Super Bowl berth in 17 years when they visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in this season’s NFC Championship Game as 3-point underdogs on the NFL betting lines at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Los Angeles earned its first playoff victory since 2005 with last weekend’s comfortable 30-22 win over the Dallas Cowboys, and has outgunned opponents by an average of 15.3 points per game during the three-game straight-up winning streak it takes into Sunday afternoon’s Rams vs. Saints betting matchup at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Rams also covered as 7-point chalk in last Saturday’s Divisional Playoff victory, and now are undefeated against the spread in three straight contests for the first time since Week 3. However, Los Angeles struggled to produce consistent results on the road over the second half of the regular season, going 2-2 SU and ATS in its past four games after winning outright in 11 of its previous 12 such outings.
The Rams’ road woes began in Week 9 with a 45-35 loss in New Orleans, which also marked the team’s third straight road loss to the Saints since 2007. Los Angeles has had little success containing the New Orleans offense during its current Superdome swoon. With their recent victory as 2-point home underdogs, the Saints now have averaged 41.7 points per game in their past three home dates with the Rams.
Los Angeles is not the only team to be victimized this season by the Saints’ vaunted offense. The Saints trailed only the Kansas City Chiefs and the Rams at 31.5 points scored per game during the regular season, racking up 31 or more points in five home contests. However, the New Orleans attack has sputtered at times in recent weeks, averaging just 19.2 points per game over its past six outings, and just 17 points per game over its past two home contests.
The dip in point production has been dramatically felt by those taking New Orleans to cover at betting sites, with the Saints going 1-5 ATS in their past six overall including three straight on home turf.
The Saints also have been an uneven playoff wager, alternating being SU wins and losses in eight playoff contests since their last Super Bowl victory nine years ago, and going 3-7 ATS in 10 all-time playoff dates at home. Despite those concerns, the Saints continue to be pegged as strong +175 favorites on the Super Bowl odds, while the Rams lag at +350 odds.
