Saints 2019 Schedule Breakdown

With the Preseason upon us today we are breaking down the Saints 2019 schedule, and making predictions for how they perform and ultimately what their end record will be. Stay until the end for a final review of our predictions.

Week 1 9/9 vs Texans; W- The Saints start their revenge campaign with a statement win against a competitor in the opposite conference. This Texans team will be much improved, and the tandem of Deandre Hopkins and Deshaun Watson will test the Saints early and often. But the Texans failed to make major upgrades at their biggest areas of need. The offensive line play has been awful in Houston lately and the Saints should be able to get pressure when needed on Deshaun Watson. As long as Marshon and Co can limit Deandre Hopkins as much as possible, and the defense can limit Deshaun Watson running ability, then I see the Saints winning relatively easily at home. Final 31 – 20

Week 2 9/15 at Rams; W- Finally………the revenge game. The game that Saints fans have been craving since that embarrassing no call in the NFC title game. The Rams snuck into the Super Bowl last year and, in turn gave us one of the most boring Super Bowls of this generation. On the road the Saints travel to Los Angeles for the game that they should be so excited to play. The offense starts fast after slowing down in the title game last year, and the defense flies to the ball and neutralizes a banged up Todd Gurley and the Rams offense. Final 27 – 13 

Week 3 9/22 at Seattle; L- Coming of the feel good, emotional, revenge game, the Saints have to travel to probably the second toughest place to play at Seattle. The home crowd has become a huge part of Seattles ability to contain opposing offenses and they have the ultimate Magic Man, Mr. Russell Wilson. The Saints offense is more built to win on the road the last two years then teams of the past but it still won’t be enough coming off an emotional week before and catching a underrated Seattle team in my opinion at home. Seattle 21 – NOLA 20

Week 4 9/29 vs Cowboys; W- For those that know my origin this is my revenge game after being at the flat showing and outright dominant defensive performance by the Cowboys a year ago at Jerry World. This is also a nice sort of revenge game for the Saints as the Dallas defense has been very proud of their performance and will probably be vocal in the week leading up to the game. But this is not Jerry World where the fans only get loud on 3rd down. This is the DOME where it’s loud for 4 quarters. Drew and MT will have a big game against Byron Jones, who is a good corner but I expect MT to come out highly motivated, which means by news for Byron. The Saints use the crowd and their defense to stifle Zeke and make Dak beat them by throwing the ball. Let’s not forget he is not exactly the best passer of the football. Also don’t count on the Saints offense being as neutralized as they were in Dallas. Saints 30 – Cowboys 13

Week 5 10/06 vs Bucs; W- First division game of the year at home. Not much more to say other than that. Bucs will be improved but still the worst team in the division by far, and they won’t catch the Saints off guard in Week 1 like they did last year. Blowout in the DOME. Saints 38 – Bucs 14

Week 6 10/13 at Jags; W- A week after an easier battle in the division, the Saints head to Jacksonville to play their old buddy Nick Foles. On the road in a usually sloppy Jacksonville, Florida in October, don’t expect this win to be particularly pretty but it won’t matter as the Saints defense will be on their A game and the offense will grind it out just enough. Expect a barn burner here folks. Saints 19 – Jags 13

Week 7 10/20 at Chicago; L- Again another one that hits close to home with me, this will be a tough battle in Chicago between two Super Bowl contenders. The Chicago defense has looked like the Bears defenses of old, since acquiring Khalil Mack(big shocker there).  This Bears defense flies around and their secondary is incredibly good at forcing turnovers. Throw in the fact that it is in Chicago and will be a nice and warm 40 degrees and expect this defense to make it difficult on Drew and Co. The Bears could struggle offensively as well but they will ride there home crowd just enough to squeeze one out in another tough, tough game that will make the Saints stronger come playoff time. Bears 23 – Saints 20

Week 8 10/27 vs Cardinals; W- It’s the Cardinals at home. After a loss. With a coach that couldn’t win in college in his first season coaching an explosive but rookie QB. Did I mention it’s the Cardinals at home? Saints 40 – Cards 10 (By the way let me apologize ahead of time to my stepmother who has suffered as a Cards fan and is probably very angry with me right now)

Week 9: Bye

Week 10 11/10 vs Falcons; W- Returning after a bye week and a blowout in week 8 the Saints host those red birds from Atlanta. This is a huge game and always is an intense game. The Saints are at home though and will be well rested and hopefully guys are recovered from injury enough to beat up the Falcons talented, but young new offensive line. The offense I am sure will come to play and Drew, MT, AK and Jared Cook will exploit a weak secondary even with the returning DB’s that were hurt last year. Saints roll in the dome. Saints 38 – Falcons 20

Week 11 11/17 at Bucs; W- Another division foe, but this one is much less talented than previously mentioned division foe. Again the Bucs will be improved and playing at home this week, but also again this is the worst team in the division by far. The Saints offense will be riding high after their explosion against Atlanta and the high scoring will continue here. Saints 30 – Bucs 17

Week 12 11/24 vs Panthers; W- Back to the dome we go for another divisional matchup against my pick to be runner’s up in the NFC South. The Panthers will present the Saints with challenges all over and this will be a tough game even at home. The Panthers have one of the best one-two rushing attacks in football in Cam Newton and Christian Mccaffery. The Saints defense will have their hands full both on the ground and in the air. On the defensive side the Panthers again have Luke Kuechly anchoring that defense, and the secondary will only continue to develop. But again this is the Saints at home a place where they been basically unbeatable in recent years. They could be caught watching ahead to next week rematch with Atlanta, but I expect Carolina will be in the thick of things which will snap their attention out of Atlanta and on to the one true contender with them in the South. Drew and Co do enough at home to improve to 10-2 on the year. Saints 24 – Panthers 20

Week 13 11/28 at Atlanta; W- Again another place the Saints have proved they can go and compete and at the very least keep it close. Take all the talent we have on both sides of the ball and I don’t see Atlanta getting our number this year in either matchup. BUT, this is on the road against a division rival. This will be a battle and a high scoring one at that. The Saints just have too many weapons on offense and it will come down to whichever QB makes the most plays. I will take Drew 1000 times above Matt Ryan when you need some big plays. Drew and the offense make just enough and Will Lutz kicks a game winner in Atlanta with time running down. Saints 38 – Falcons 35

Week 14 12/08 vs 49ers; W- A matchup at home with everyone’s forgotten favorite QB in Jimmy G. The 49ers come to Nola and will give the Saints a bigger battle then most believe they will. They will play tough and are lead by a solid QB. Time and time again though you have to be better than solid to beat the Saints at home. Richard Sherman is no longer the corner he was, and Drew and MT will take advantage of that and get a surprisingly difficult win at home. Saints 23 – 49ers 14

Week 15 12/16 vs Colts; W- Another tough matchup at home as the Andrew Luck led Colts come to town. The Colts also have the Defensive Rookie of the Year in Darius Leonard. The Colts are imposing defensively but young. Again at home the Saints use their experience and playmaking defense to get the offense the ball and then the offense puts the Colts away in the 4th. Saints 31 – Colts 20

Week 16 12/22 at Titans; L- The squad takes just their 3rd loss of the season in a shock defeat on the road to a sneaky good Titans team. Coming off being at home for two weeks and two hard fought games against solid teams the Saints get caught looking ahead to Carolina and fall to a Titans team with a young QB who will want to prove he still belongs in Marcus Mariota. The Titans punches the flat footed Saints offense in the mouth early and does just enough to steal one at home. Titans 20 – Saints 17

Week 17 12/29 at Carolina; W- Usually this game is reserved for the Saints to be looking ahead to the playoffs, rest guys and basically throw away Week 17. Not this year. After a shock loss the week before Sean Payton uses that as motivation and the Saints veterans respond with a clean sweep of the division and book themselves a 13-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Saints strike early on the road and use that hot early start to ride the momentum to a win and into their hopeful Super Bowl run. Saints 20 – Panthers 17

Total Record: 13 – 3 overall

6-0 divison record

Overview of the season: The Saints will be on a mission from opening kickoff to get where they should have been last year. They will punch opponents in the mouth, and keep them down when they need too. Some games will be quite close and may come down to big time players making one or two plays but in the end the Saints will start their true revenge tour in January with the No. 1 seed and once again playing highly motivated. WHO DAT