(Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Image)
Key Players Returning:
RB Alvin Kamara, RB Latyavius Murray, WR Tre’Quan Smith, WR Michael Thomas, OC Erik McCoy, OG Andrus Peat, OG Cesar Ruiz, OT Terron Armstead, OT Ryan Ramczyk, DE Marcus Devenport, DE Cameron Jordan, DT David Onyemata, NT Shy Tuttle, LB Demario Davis, CB Marshon Lattimore, CB Patrick Robinson, CB P.J. Williams, FS Malcolm Jenkins, SS Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, SS Marcus Williams, KR/PR Deonte Harris, and PK Wil Lutz.
Key Players Departing:
QB Drew Brees (retired), WR Emmanuel Sanders (Bills), TE Jared Cook (Chargers), DE Trey Hendrickson (Bengals), LB Alex Anzalone (Lions), CB Janoris Jenkins (Titans), and PT Thomas Morstread (UFA).
Key Players Added:
FB Alex Armah (Panthers), and TE Nick Vannett (Broncos).
Draft Picks:
Round 1: Pick 028 – DE Payton Turner (Houston)
Round 2: Pick 060 – LB Pete Werner (Ohio State)
Round 3: Pick 76 – CB Paulson Adebo (Stanford)
Round 4: Pick 133 – QB Ian Book (Notre Dame)
Round 6: Pick 206 – OT Landon Young (Kentucky)
Round 7: WR Kawaan Baker (South Alabama)
2020 Results:
W01 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS W 34-23
W02 at Las Vegas Raiders L 24-34
W03 GREEN BAY PACKERS L 30-37
W04 at Detroit Lions W 35-29
W05 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS W | OT 30-27
W07 CAROLINA PANTHERS W 27-24
W08 at Chicago Bears W | OT 26-23
W09 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 38-3
W10 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS W 27-13
W11 ATLANTA FALCONS W 24-9
W12 at Denver Broncos W 31-3
W13 at Atlanta Falcons W 21-16
W14 at Philadelphia Eagles L 21-24
W15 KANSAS CITY CHEIFS L 29-32
W16 MINNESOTA VIKINGS W 52-33
W17 at Carolina Panthers W 33-7
WC CHICAGO BEARS W 21-9
DIV TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS L 20-30
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 12-4 (1st in NFC South)
Home: 6-2
Road: 6-2
South: 6-0
NFC: 10-2
AFC: 2-2
Head Coach: Sean Payton
New Orleans: 144-83
Career: 152-89
Playoffs: 9-8
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Taysom Hill (88-121, 928 yards, 72.7%, 7.7 avg., 4 TD, 2 Int.)
Rushing: Alvin Kamara (187 car., 932 yards, 5.0 avg., 16 TD)
Receiving: Alvin Kamara (83 rec., 756 yards, 9.1 avg., 5 TD)
Yards After Catch: Alvin Kamara (734)
TD’s Scored: Alvin Kamara (21)
Sacks: Cameron Jordan (7.5)
Tackles: Demario Davis (119)
Interceptions: Malcolm Jenkins/Marcus Williams (3)
Pass Deflections: C.J. Gardner-Johnson (13)
Tackles For Loss: Cameron Jordan (13)
Forced Fumbles: Carl Granderson (2)
Kick Returns: Deonte Harris (16 ret.,436 yards, 27.3 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Deonte Harris (17 ret., 207yards, 12.2 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Wil Lutz (23-28 fg/fga., 82%%, 57-58 xp/xpa., 126 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Taysom Hill
RB: 41 Alvin Kamara
FB: 40 Alex Armah
WR: 13 Michael Thomas
WR: 10 Tre’Quan Smith
TE: 81 Nick Vannett
LT: 72 Terron Armstead
LG: 75 Andrus Peat
OC: 78 Erik McCoy
RG: 51 Cesar Ruiz
RT: 71 Ryan Ramczyk
KR: 11 Deonte Harris
PK: 3 Wil Lutz
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 94 Cameron Jordan
DT: 93 David Onyemata
NT: 99 Shy Tuttle
DE: 92 Marcus Davenport
LB: 53 Zack Baun
LB: 56 Demario Davis
LB: 20 Pete Werner |R|
CB: 21 Patrick Robinson
CB: 23 Marshon Lattimore
FS: 43 Marcus Williams
SS: 27 Malcolm Jenkins
PR: 11 Deonte Harris
PT: 4 Blake Gillikin
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: A
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/12 GREEN BAY PACKERS | New Orleans trails the series 9-17. The Saints are 2-3 since 2011, and their last series win (26-17) was in 2017.
09/19 at Carolina Panthers | New Orleans leads the series 28-25. The Saints are 13-8 since 2011, and their last series road loss (20-23) was in 2016.
09/26 at New England Patriots | New Orleans trails the series 4-10. The Saints lost (20-36) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
10/03 NEW YORK GIANTS | New Orleans trails the series 14-16. The Saints are 3-2 since 2011, and they won (33-18) the last meeting between teams in 2018.
10/10 at Washington Football Team | New Orleans trails the series 10-17. The Saints won (43-19) the last meeting between teams in 2018.
10/25 at Seattle Seahawks | The series is tied 8-8. The Saints won (33-27) the last meeting between teams in 2019.
10/31 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | New Orleans leads the series 37-22. The Saints are 15-6 since 2011, and their last series home win (34-23) was in 2020.
11/07 at Atlanta Falcons | New Orleans trails the series 51-53. The Saints are 13-7 since 2011, and their last series road loss (17-20) was in 2017.
11/14 at Tennessee Titans | New Orleans trails the series 6-8-1. The Saints won (38-28) the last meeting between teams in 2019.
11/21 at Philadelphia Eagles | New Orleans trails the series 15-18. The Saints lost (21-24) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series win (20-14) was in 2018.
11/25 BUFFALO BILLS | New Orleans leads the series 7-4. The Bills won (47-10) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
12/02 DALLAS COWBOYS | New Orleans trails the series 13-17. The Saints won (12-10) the last meeting between teams in 2019.
12/12 at New York Jets | New Orleans leads the series 7-6. The Saints won (31-19) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
12/19 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | The Saints last series road loss (24-31) was in 2017.
12/27 MIAMI DOLPHINS | The series is tied 6-6. The Saints won (20-0) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
01/02 CAROLINA PANTHERS | The Saints last series home loss (14-33) was in 2018.
01/09 at Atlanta Falcons | The Saints last series road loss (17-20) was in 2017.
Predictions:
Home: 7-1
Away: 3-6
DIV: 2-4
NFC: 6-6
AFC: 4-1
Overall: 10-7 (3rd in NFC South – Eliminated in Wild Card by Seahawks)
UFA: Unrestricted Free Agent
Series Histories: Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day. Meetings prior to 1966 are not included. Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place. For example, if a team won a wildcard game in January of 2016, the game will be listed under the 2015 season.
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