NEW ORLEANS SAINTS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
NFL : United States : NFL Pre-Season
Thursday, August 12th 2010 - Start 7:30PM ET
(12:30AM GMT)

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I'm not big on preseason games as motivations and situations differ fantastically from regular season and you never know exactly what the coach is looking to get out of a game. So, with that in mind, please don't go bonkers with stake size here.

BETTING VERDICT

Preseason totals tend to be low and that is because defenses are normally more "ready" than offenses are. especially in preseason Week 1.

This posted total is the highest on the board and this, in my opinion, is based purely on public perception. When you think of the New England Patriots, you think of Belicheck and Brady with their high-scoring, guns-blazing mentality, running up scores when the game is dead and buried. New Orleans tore everyone apart with their offensive masterclass and so are also immediately looked at when considering an "over" bet. Thanks to this, the total here is high.

During the preseason, starters, especially the QB, do not play much more than a few quarters because these are, after all, warm up games and do not mean anything at all. They are there to get teams ready, try out new players and plays, see what's wrong that can be changed, but the one thing no one wants is an injury to key players. The protection afforded by pulling players out of these games can prove seriously hazardous to any bettor, as it can change the game drastically. In this game, I don't see the starters playing very much at all.

So, defenses are more ready than the offense, meaning a tight game, and I read both defenses have been very solid during preseason camp so far. When the starting offense gets pulled for 2nd and 3rd string players, this game will be all about the defenses, although with a lot of stress on keeping everyone injury free.

Here's another bit of information I came across: The 2 teams will have joint practice on the 2 days before the match, meaning the teams get as good a look at each other as they possibly can without a secret camcorder. The last time the Patriots conducted a joint practice session, with the Giants, the resulting game finished 14-0.

I'm playing the Under 36 points.

The Pick :

Under 36 points

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Take the Under 36 points @ 1.95 (Pinnacle) - MAIN BET