New Orleans at Los Angeles

New Orleans is heading into this one without the group that usually makes me think twice about backing a total this small. Kellen Moore said plainly this week that his front-line players will not suit up this afternoon, with the joint practice sessions against the Rams standing in for those reps instead. Alvin Kamara is also out with a knee injury that is expected to sideline him for weeks, stripping the backfield of its most proven weapon. On the other side, Sean McVay has built a preseason habit of turning games like this over to his assistants and his depth chart, and Puka Nacua trending toward sitting again with a groin issue only reinforces that approach. What's left is Ty Simpson trying to build on a strong debut for the Rams against a Saints quarterback room still sorting out its pecking order, both groups working behind backup offensive lines that struggled to sustain drives in their openers. Neither side has the rhythm or the supporting cast to string together long possessions, and negative plays pile up fast when the trenches are this unsettled. The number here is built for two teams with their top units on the field. That's not what's showing up this afternoon. The UNDER anchors my card this afternoon.