Saints 2024 schedule analysis
Just by wins last year, the Saints and the Atlanta Falcons are tied for the easiest schedule in the NFL.
The Saint's schedule is out. Remember, this year with nine games at home and just eight on the road. The highlight is easy; 14 men have been the Saint's head coach in the team's history.
Only one has brought New Orleans a Super Bowl Championship. And Sean Payton is coming back to the Superdome for a Thursday night national TV game on Oct. 17 in Week 7, which will be enormously fun.
Immediate takeaways beyond the Payton return.
Just three prime-time games, no other games on national TV, and none of those on Sunday night. The Saints are definitely flying under the radar.
Difficult First Five
The first five games are brutal. Let's take a look.
The opener is very winnable. In fact, you have to beat the Carolina Panthers, they were 2-15 last year.
Caesar's Sportsbook over/under win total for this year is 23/5.5. Caesar thinks the Panthers will be a little better, but it's a good opener.
The Panthers have the worst owner in the NFL. They have deep-seed problems. But then, gauntlet Week 2 at Dallas.
The Cowboys faded in the playoffs but they won 12 games last season. In Week 3, the Saints are back home against the Philadelphia Eagles, another playoff team.
Week 4 on the road against the favorites in the south, Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons.
And Week 5, Monday night at the defending Super Bowl Champions. By Caesar's betting line, that's four straight teams with winning records. Four straight teams they think, make the playoffs.
The Manageable Middle
We'll call the next six games, the manageable middle.
It starts with the Tampa Bay Bucs at home in Week 6. Then the date with Sean Payton in the dome and noticed Las Vegas does not have much confidence in the Broncos.
They do expect the Chargers to be better. The Saints are in Los Angeles in Week 8. Then the second date with the Panthers in Week 9.
The second date with the Falcons in Week 10 and the Cleveland Browns at home in Week 11.
Notice four out of six at-home games. Only two teams are expected to have winning records and no Super Bowl contenders in the manageable middle of the schedule.
The Late Bye
The bye comes in Week 12. That's the weekend before Thanksgiving. Right now, Caesar's has the Saints over/under for wins at 7.5 a game and a half, worse than they did last year.
But in 2024, the Saints will have a chance to finish strong. In Week 13, the Rams come to the Superdome. LA killed the Saints last year.
In Week 14 the New York Giants, Week 15 the Washington Commandoes come to New Orleans.
The second Monday nighter is in Week 16 against the Green Bay Packers, that'll be a cold one.
Back indoors at home in Week 17 against the Raiders. And the finale is on January 5 in Tampa Bay.
Notice only one opponent in the final six is expected to be a playoff team, that's Green Bay. And what looks like three bad teams: New York, Washington, and Las Vegas, in the final six.
Just by wins last year, the Saints and the Atlanta Falcons are tied for the easiest schedule in the NFL.
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