Pittsburgh Maulers vs. New Orleans Breakers odds, picks and predictions
The Pittsburgh Maulers and the New Orleans Breakers meet Sunday in the Week 1 opener at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Maulers vs. Breakers odds, and make our expert USFL picks, predictions and bets.
The Maulers posted the worst record in the USFL in 2022, winning just once in 10 tries. Pittsburgh also had a dismal minus-96 point differential, which was easily the worst in the league.
The Breakers qualified for the playoffs after going 6-4, but they lost in the division finals 31-17 to the eventual champion Birmingham Stallion. QB Kyle Sloter was on the All-USFL team, while TE Sal Cannella and C Jared Thomas also made the team on offense. TEs EJ Bibbs and Sage Surratt look to replace Cannella, who has moved on.
Sloter is gone, however, although QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson heads from the CFL to USFL trying to make noise. He'll have playmaker WRs Jonathan Adams and Johnnie Dixon to help ease the transition.
Defensively, the Breakers had DE Davin Bellamy and DT Reggie Howard Jr. on the All-USFL team, too, while LB Jerod Fernandez joined them. Bellamy has moved on, but Fernandez and Howard are back to anchor the D.
New Orleans topped Pittsburgh by a 26-16 score in Week 6 last season, covering as the Over just came in.