The calendar may say Monday, but outside the Superdome, it feels like a Sunday.
Fans began tailgating under the I-10 overpass at North Claiborne Avenue as early as 6:30 a.m. to begin their pregame parties, setting up the grills, tables, and TVs they'll be using during their festivities.
So, why did they arrive so early? The answer was unanimous.
"Gotta get your good spot," one tailgater said.
"We gotta claim our spots from the Dirty Birds!" another tailgater replied.
The tailgaters we spoke to said they expect "hundreds" of Who Dats to join them at their pregame party. That comradery was one of the reasons why the fans we spoke to said they enjoyed tailgating.
"We'll be drinking and cheering our team on," one man said.
"(We'll enjoy) the food, the people, and have New Orleans fun," another man said.
Another person cited a non-football reason for wanting to tailgate on a Monday.
"I don't have to go to work!" he shouted.
All of the tailgaters we spoke to predicted a Saints victory over Atlanta.
"The Saints are going to win by 21," said the man who skipped work to go to the tailgate party.
"I think we're going to take it," another fan said. "We're looking good. We've made a few mistakes, but we're looking good, and we got cheated in a couple of games, but we're going to do alright."
