The New Orleans Saints 2025 schedule has landed, and while it profiles as easy by "strength of schedule" standards, the first month will be anything but.
Of the first four matchups there's only one playoff team from last year, but it's the one featuring the reigning MVP. There's also a trio of teams that expect to be playoff contenders as they bounce back from down years. The Saints have a major quarterback question, so how do they answer it?
Oh, and there's also the subplot that the Saints will go without a primetime game for the first time in a quarter century. All 17 of their kickoffs are on Sundays, and none are Sunday Night Football. The Saints do kick off in the afternoon slot six times. The networks have spoken, and it's on the Saints to prove they should be considered a ratings draw again. Win some games, then we'll talk.
But how exactly do we see the season playing out? Scroll below for breakdowns of each matchup and my game-by-game predictions for all 17 games.
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WEEK 1: Cardinals at Saints
- When: Sunday, Sept. 7, noon (CBS)
- The series: tied 16-16
- Last meeting: 2022, Cardinals 42, Saints 34
Jeff's take: Call me a pessimist, but I just don't see much of a scenario for things to start fast this year. Maybe I'm wrong, but whether it's Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough or Jake Haener, this is a work in progress. I think the Saints will move the ball, but struggle to finish off drives. What will be interesting to find out is just how aggressive Kellen Moore is in short-yardage scenarios, kick vs go, etc. If Brandon Staley's defense can help the Saints improve against mobile QBs, maybe this goes differently. I just see Kyler Murray's legs as the X-factor. The season-opener win streak ends at six.
- Score prediction: Cardinals 21, Saints 10
- Record: 0-1
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WEEK 2: 49ers at Saints
- When: Sunday, Sept. 14, noon (FOX)
- The series: 49ers lead 50-27-2
- Last meeting: 2022, 49ers 13, Saints 0
Jeff's take: Usually you'd look at a team that won six games last year and say: Cool, a nice, comfortable matchup that should give the Saints a good chance to start moving in the right direction. This isn't that. I'm a lot higher on the Saints OL this year than I was last, but the 49ers defensive front will give us a VERY clear picture of just where that group is in its development. The 49ers traded away Deebo Samuel, but they've still got Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and should have a healthy Christian McCaffrey back rolling after a lost season. If this was later in the year maybe you'd luck out with some key absences, that won't be true in Week 2. The Saints would probably have to play flawlessly to win this game and I just don't see it happening. Saints lead a late TD drive and lose on a failed onside kick.
- Score prediction: 49ers 24, Saints 17
- Record: 0-2
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WEEK 3: Saints at Seahawks
- When: Sunday, Sept. 21, 3:05 p.m. (CBS)
- The series: Saints lead 10-8
- Last meeting: 2022, Saints 39, Seahawks 32
Jeff's take: This is a tough matchup to predict, as many of these are. The Seahawks are a team that won 9 games last year then flipped away the journeyman quarterback whose career they resurrected only to go sign a different journeyman quarterback whose career was just resurrected elsewhere. It'll also be a reunion of sorts with the short-time Saints offense led by Klint Kubiak. He's brought several of those staffers out there with him, so expect to see some familiar faces on the broadcast. The Seahawks also moved on from DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Will Sam Darnold and the trio of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling pick things up fast? I see this as a work in progress for Seattle and they get a frustrated Saints team that puts together a strong defensive showing after back-to-back home losses. The first win of the Kellen Moore era comes on the road.
- Score prediction: Saints 20, Seahawks 10
- Record: 1-2
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WEEK 4: Saints at Bills
- When: Sunday, Sept. 28, noon (CBS)
- The series: Saints lead 7-5
- Last meeting: 2021, Bills 31, Saints 6
Jeff's take: Oof. As someone who will be standing on the sideline for this game I do want to thank the NFL schedule-makers for not setting it for December, but a team that should expect to scuffle a bit out of the gate lands a road matchup with the reigning MVP. The last time these two teams met up the Saints got steamrolled on Thanksgiving -- and they haven't even sniffed one of those marquee matchups since. I have a hard time seeing the Saints being competitive in this game. If the Saints end up going with Spencer Rattler to start the season, the buzz will start getting loud about making the switch to the rookie. If it's Shough, this is the type of game that he could make a statement in even without his team winning. It might sound unfair, but that's just life as the handpicked rookie compared to the "veteran" bridge option.
- Score prediction: Bills 35, Saints 20
- Record: 1-3
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WEEK 5: Giants at Saints
- When: Sunday, Oct. 5, noon (CBS)
- The series: Giants lead 17-16
- Last meeting: 2024, Saints 14, Giants 11
Jeff's take: It's about time. All I heard about was how easy this schedule would be, but the first month of the season felt like anything but. This is where that reality starts to settle in, with the Giants rolling into town and most likely starting veteran Russell Wilson. New York is an odd team to diagnose because they've picked way up high in the draft so many times that they have a viable roster of stars. The problem is it hasn't mattered and they're coming off another top three pick all the same. They did address the QB situation with Jaxson Dart, but I'd be surprised if he doesn't get the sit-and-wait treatment. This is a team with Malik Nabers and a murderer's row at DL with Kayvon Thibodeaux, rookie Abdul Carter, Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence. If there's a better group on paper in the league, I don't know where it is. This'll be trial by fire for the Saints OL, but I still think they pull it out. I'd guess Rattler is still starting at this point and he gets his second career win. Saints take down the Giants for the third time in three seasons.
- Score prediction: Saints 24, Giants 17
- Record: 2-3
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WEEK 6: Patriots at Saints
- When: Sunday, Oct. 12, 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
- The series: Patriots lead 10-6
- Last meeting: 2023, Saints 34, Patriots 0
Jeff's take: Call me a hater, but handing $63M to a 31-year-old WR coming off his worst career season and a major knee injury feels like a desperate move. The Pats had the cap space and they spent it, but they did that because they saw exactly how barren their offensive skill positions were. I see that being a the storyline this year for New England, and while I think Drake Maye takes a step forward the Saints just feel a bit more ready to win right now. They claw back to .500 here.
- Score prediction: Saints 34, Patriots 24
- Record: 3-3
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WEEK 7: Saints at Bears
- When: Sunday, Oct. 19, noon (FOX)
- The series: Saints lead 19-15
- Last meeting: Saints 24, Bears 17
Jeff's take: I'm genuinely curious to see how Year 2 goes for Caleb Williams, because the talent is undeniable. What's also undeniable is that he needs to learn how to play like an NFL quarterback, because QBs that get sacked 68 times a year don't last very long -- and their teams don't win many games. My guess is he does progress in that regard under the new coaching staff and the Saints don't handle Soldier Field particularly well. Oh, and Dennis Allen's defense will probably have a little motivation to get something back on his former team. That elusive three-game winning streak eludes again.
- Score prediction: Bears 17, Saints 10
- Record: 3-4
WEEK 8: Bucs at Saints
- When: Sunday, Oct. 26, 3:05 p.m. (FOX)
- The series: Saints lead 40-27
- Last meeting: 2024, Bucs 27, Saints 19
Jeff's take: This series has been a strange one, with the road team often feeling like the better bet than the home team. The Bucs turned off that trend in Week 18 of last year, but even then they were down 10 at the half and needed a pretty significant rally against an undermanned Saints team to clinch the NFC South. By this point in the season I think the offense will be fully moving. The question will be health and the defense. At some point I expect the Saints to start winning home games again. Saints end the skid here with a game-winning TD drive.
- Score prediction: Saints 21, Bucs 20
- Record: 4-4
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WEEK 9: Saints at Rams
- When: Sunday, Nov. 2, 3:05 p.m. (FOX)
- The series: Rams lead 45-35
- Last meeting: 2024, Rams 21, Saints 14
Jeff's take: This feels like the last gasp for the Matthew Stafford QB era, at least as far as feeling like there should be legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. A big part of that will be how he works with newcomer Davante Adams. We already know what Puka Nacua can do. If this game was in New Orleans I'd feel more confident. The Rams will be coming off of a bye. Maybe that's an edge that swings things. I just think this will be a yo-yo season and the SoFi Stadium frustrations continue (seriously, I'm so tired of that place, stop sending me back).
- Score prediction: Rams 28, Saints 25
- Record: 4-5
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WEEK 10: Saints at Panthers
- When: Sunday, Nov. 9, noon (FOX)
- The series: Saints lead 32-29
- Last meeting: 2024, Panthers 23, Saints 22
Jeff's take: So much of these predictions have been colored by the fact that I simply can't know -- no one can -- who will be starting at QB for the Saints in 2025. My gut tells me the Saints appreciate their difficult situation and won't want to put Tyler Shough in a position where he's almost certain to struggle, but who really knows? If that's what happens, this might be the changing result. Carolina seems to be where the Saints go to end things, and with the bye week looming, a tough division loss leads the Saints to take the training wheels off their rookie.
- Score prediction: Panthers 24, Saints 10
- Record: 4-6
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WEEK 11: BYE WEEK
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WEEK 12: Falcons at Saints
- When: Sunday, Nov. 23, 3:25 p.m. (FOX)
- The series: series tied 56-56
- Last meeting: 2024, Saints 20, Falcons 17
Jeff's take: As I said previously, I'm operating under the assumption that Spencer Rattler gets bridge QB duties to start the season. The bridge ends heading into this game, fittingly a showdown with the rival Falcons at the Caesars Superdome. The Saints will be rested, the vibes will be strong, the building will be loud and Michael Penix doesn't walk out of the Caesars Superdome with a win in his first visit as Atlanta's starter. The defense steps up. The rookie protects the ball. Let's Shoughing go.
- Score prediction: Saints 17, Falcons 14
- Record: 5-6
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WEEK 13: Saints at Dolphins
- When: Sunday, Nov. 30, noon (FOX)
- The series: Dolphins lead 7-6
- Last meeting: 2021, Dolphins 20, Saints 9
Jeff's take: I'm fascinated to see what becomes of the Dolphins this season. They seem primed for a bounce-back, but they also could be on the razor's edge of a teardown if things go a certain way. Can Tua Tagovailoa make it through a season? Will Tyreek Hill force his way out? Will the shine on Mike McDaniels' wide-open system wear off? By this point in the season we should know some of those answers. I think this will be a season where the Saints struggle on the road and the Dolphins will be rested, coming off a bye. This game will be close but I think the water mammals take it.
- Score prediction: Dolphins 31, Saints 28
- Record: 5-7
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WEEK 14: Saints at Bucs
- When: Sunday, Dec. 7, noon (CBS)
- The series: Saints lead 40-27
- Last meeting: 2024, Bucs 27, Saints 19
Jeff's take: Sweeping a division opponent is tough, especially when that division opponent has won the division for four straight years. As you've probably guessed, I don't think the Saints are going to buck expectations this year, and it's long past time Tampa actually protected their home field.
- Score prediction: Bucs 23, Saints 17
- Record: 5-8
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WEEK 15: Panthers at Saints
- When: Sunday, Dec. 14, 3:25 p.m. (FOX)
- The series: Saints lead 32-29
- Last meeting: 2024, Panthers 23, Saints 22
Jeff's take: By this point I think the Saints offense will be up to speed and Panthers fans will be fully in the tank because Bryce Young just isn't that guy. The Tyler Shough experience truly gets rolling with a dominating win in the Dome as Alvin Kamara goes off for 200 total yards.
- Score prediction: Saints 42, Panthers 24
- Record: 6-8
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WEEK 16: Jets at Saints
- When: Sunday, Dec. 21, noon (CBS)
- The series: Saints lead 8-6
- Last meeting: 2021, Saints 30, Jets 9
Jeff's take: If there's one thing I know about the Saints, it's that they won't go in the tank even if the season is slipping away from them. The Jets might be a different story. As much as I like Aaron Glenn, I'm not a Justin Fields believer. Chris Olave wins the reunion with Garett Wilson and the Saints do that thing we all love and keep ruining a good draft pick.
- Score prediction: Saints 24, Jets 14
- Record: 7-8
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WEEK 17: Saints at Titans
- When: Sunday, Dec. 28, noon (CBS)
- The series: Titans lead 9-7
- Last meeting: 2023, Saints 16, Titans 15
Jeff's take: It's not exactly ideal to finish a season with back-to-back road games, but that's what we have to close out the season. I expect Tyler Shough to be playing at this point, and I expect him to be a lot more comfortable at home than he is on the road. It'll be fascinating to see where Cam Ward is at this point and where exactly Tennessee finds themselves in their rebuild. Cam Ward wins the ACC rematch.
- Score prediction: Titans 21, Saints 17
- Record: 7-9
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WEEK 18: Saints at Falcons
- When: TBD
- The series: series tied 56-56
- Last meeting: 2024, Saints 20, Falcons 17
Jeff's take: The theme continues. Atlanta's young QB outplays the Saints' young QB in a game that neither team really wants to win (because both will be out of the playoff picture). Alvin Kamara has been shut down and we come away talking about a big game from Devin Neal.
- Score prediction: Falcons 27, Saints 21
- Record: 7-10
THE VERDICT
I know, I know ... why be a wet blanket right now? What is there to gain? I'm just going to be realistic, and all I can do is look at a schedule that seems stacked to get the Saints off to a slow start. As mentioned above, it's hard to predict anything until we know what the QB situation is, but any time you reset the direction of a team the way the Saints have this offseason, you're going to have some growing pains. Hovering around .500 and staying in contention for a majority of the season would be a in in my book, and hey, maybe the ball bounces the Saints' way a few times and that record flips around to 10-7 (that's probably the ceiling, if EVERYTHING goes right).