Saints help bettors go marching down

In commercials, Drew Brees is always pitching something with a smile. On Sunday, he pitched an interception that was returned for a touchdown as the New Orleans Saints went down with a frown.

The Saints, one of six 0-2 teams in the NFL, woke up on the wrong side of the bed this season. The next time they hit the road, they might want to try staying at Holiday Inn Express.

One week after blowing a lead at Atlanta, the Saints played the spoiler role for the betting public by blowing a lead at Cleveland.

“I’m really surprised by that. I’m amazed at how much they do struggle on the road,” Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito said. “The Saints are in a big hole.”

And they sucked a bunch of bettors into that hole, too. The Saints, supposed Super Bowl contenders, fell behind 16-3, twice claimed a one-point lead, and finally did a defensive belly flop in a 26-24 loss to the Browns.Several favorites disappointed the public in Week 2. San Francisco, Seattle and Tennessee were among the straight-up losers. Denver and Green Bay failed to cover numbers. But no team spoiled more tickets than New Orleans, a 6-point favorite.

“The Saints going down was the big one,” said Jay Kornegay, Westgate Las Vegas sports book director. “That knocked out everyone and took down teasers and money-line bets.”

The books won the season’s first Sunday in a blowout. The second week was not much better for the players.

“The public is taking a beating,” said Kornegay, who was not smiling, for the record, because his handicapping is not going well, either.

Anyone banking on the 49ers to bail them out in the late game took another beating. San Francisco, a 7-point home favorite, squandered a 17-0 lead in a 28-20 loss to Chicago.

The Bears intercepted Colin Kaepernick three times, and the 49ers were flagged for 16 penalties for 118 yards. Jay Cutler, one week after clowning around in defeat, got serious by tossing four touchdown passes.

As a side note, Kenny Bayless, the boxing referee, might want to apply for a job in the NFL. The constant interference of officials is making these games unwatchable, but we’ll obviously keep watching, anyway.

Underdogs, 11-5 ATS last week, covered eight of 14 games Sunday. Dallas and San Diego dodged 0-2 starts by pulling impressive upsets.

“A lot of underdogs are covering,” Esposito said. “You look at the entire league. You think you know a team, and the next week it’s a totally different team.”

It’s a schizophrenic league, and that’s why it’s an ill-advised strategy to place bets based on your most recent impressions. Tony Romo was terrible in Week 1. This time, he turned it around and played mistake-free football, leading the Cowboys, 3½-point road ’dogs, to a 26-10 victory over Tennessee. DeMarco Murray rushed for 167 yards against the Titans, who were dominant in their opener.

Like so many others, I have repeatedly bashed the Cowboys this season. But I did back them against Tennessee, mostly because it often pays to go opposite of public perception.

The Seahawks opened the season by embarrassing Green Bay.

We found out quickly, however, that Seattle is not unbeatable. Philip Rivers, who let one slip away last week, was phenomenal this week. He completed 28 of 37 passes for 284 yards, with three touchdown throws to tight end Antonio Gates. He even threw at Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman with success. The Chargers, 6-point home ’dogs, possessed the ball for more than 42 minutes in a 30-21 win. Marshawn Lynch was a tamed beast, carrying the ball only six times.

Arizona scratched quarterback Carson Palmer, and the Cardinals went from small road favorites to 2-point underdogs against the New York Giants, who fell short 25-14. The Giants, just like the Jacksonville Jaguars, still stink.

“We had quarterbacks by the names of Austin Davis, Brian Hoyer and Drew Stanton all win today,” Esposito said.

Stanton stepped up for the Cardinals. Davis helped St. Louis upset Tampa Bay. Hoyer, with no help from Johnny Manziel, beat Brees and the Saints.

Tom Brady also was a winner. Sharp money on Minnesota flooded the betting market, dropping New England from a 6- to a 3-point favorite at kickoff. The public stuck with the Patriots, and they paid off in a 30-7 win over the Vikings.

Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers each won but failed to cover. Manning and the Broncos, 13-point favorites, barely held on to beat Kansas City 24-17. Rodgers and the Packers, favored by 7½ at most books, rallied from 21-3 to defeat the New York Jets 31-24.

“In the preseason,” Esposito said, “Buffalo looked like maybe the worst team in the league.”

But the Bills are 2-0, and the Saints are winless. It’s a reminder that common sense and NFL wagering are an odd couple.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports betting columnist Matt Youmans can be reached at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. He co-hosts “The Las Vegas Sportsline” weekdays at 2 p.m. on ESPN Radio (1100 AM). Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247.