NFL Week 5 Monday Night Free Pick (WAS-NO -6.5)

New Orleans looks to continue their 3 games winning streak on Oct. 8 when they host Washington in NFL Week 5 Monday Night Football. Can the Redskins ruin what should be a historic night for quarterback Drew Brees, who can break the all-time yardage passing record? Washington is coming off a bye week, but the Saints have home field advantage. Who should you take? Let's find out!

NFL WEEK 5 MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BETTING Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints Monday, October 8th – Mercedes-Benz Superdome – 8:15pm ET Odds: Saints -6.5 (52.5)

Redskins Offense vs Saints Defense After 3 straight terrible performances, the Saints finally stepped it up in Week 4 versus the Giants, holding New York to 65 rushing yards and 234 passing yards. Washington can rush the ball better than 27 other NFL teams, though.

If the Saints commit to stopping the Redskins’ ground game, Alex Smith should burn the Saints. One good game from New Orleans versus a bad team doesn’t mean it’s ready for Smith and Adrian Peterson.

Edge: Redskins

Saints Offense vs Redskins Defense New Orleans rushes for over 104 yards while Brees passes for over 313 yards per. The balanced attack should pose major problems for Washington on Monday night even though Washington only allows 278 total yards each game.

Plus, Washington could miss a key defensive player, cornerback Josh Norman. With Norman off the field, Brees should find it much easier to connect with wide receiver Michael Thomas. Even with Norman, Brees and Kamara are too talented to stop through four full quarters. As good as Washington's defense has been, the edge here remains with New Orleans.

Edge: Saints

Redskins at Saints Betting Trends

• Redskins are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games in Week 5
• Redskins are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 following a bye week
• Saints are 23-5 ATS in their last 28 home games versus a team with a winning record
• Saints are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games
• Redskins are 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings

NFL Week 5 Monday Night Betting Analysis and ATS Prediction From an analysis standpoint, Redskins at Saints is clear cut, both teams should move the football and score points. But, two important trends clearly favor New Orleans: Saints are 23-5 ATS in their last 28 home games, and Washington has failed to cover in 8-of-10 after a bye week.

The potential health issues for Norman hang over this matchup for me, but the biggest issue is whether or not Washington can contain New Orleans from doing damage on the scoreboard. The Saints can absolutely crack this game wide open, and the Redskins aren't explosive enough offensively to keep pace.

Week 5 Monday Night Football Betting Free Pick: Saints -6.5