K Major

This isn't division related however I see Daniel Jones tore his ACL & is done for the season.

We'll be facing yet another unknown QB in week 15.

Saints must capitalize on the schedule & teams losing key contributors, specifically QB.

K Major

Pro Football Network

Remaining NFL Strength of Schedule 2023: Ranking the Easiest and Hardest NFL Schedules for All 32 Teams

Rugby Saint II

We are only supposed to lose to the Lions the rest of the way. We might win half of them with this coaching staff making the same play calls. Remember, the schedule was supposed to be a cakewalk for this team but here we are at 5-4 facing another 5-4 team that won their last four in a row.

AsylumGuido

And just lost their franchise QB in the process.

K Major

Looking at that Falcons remaining schedule ...

They still have to face us twice, Jets (still solid defensively), Bucs, Colts.

Atl, Bucs or Saints ... anyone's guess who will take the south.

BakoSaint

At this point I think the most likely scenario for the season is that we win the division as the #4 seed and play the #5 seed Dallas in the Superdome in the wild card round. SF or Sea could also be in play as a 5/6 wildcard if we are a 3/4 division champ, but they are less likely because they play each other twice and one will win the division.

We seem to be about as good as I thought we would be when I predicted 8-9 but I did not predict that like 5 starting QBs we faced would be backups and that the young signal callers in our division would all bust hard essentially making our league easiest schedule far easier than dreamed.

I do not like our odds if we end up hosting Dallas or SF in the wildcard round. These teams may have off games but their ceiling is very high and I don't think they will take a road playoff game lightly.

Our best case for winning a playoff game could be if our NFC South schedules are so weak and SF, Seattle, and Dallas's schedules are so hard (look at their schedules, its crazy) that the NFC South actually produced a wildcard and the stars align for us to play another NFC South team in the playoffs. But then we just get the same problem a week later playing perhaps Phi or Det in their house.

In a four week stretch Seattle plays SF, Dal, SF, Phi.
In a five game stretch Dallas plays Sea, Phi, Buf, Mia, Det.
In five games of a seven game stretch SF gets 5 projected playoff teams with Jax, Sea, Phi, Sea, Bal.

This may give us an edge to get a playoff seed ahead of some of these teams, but it also means when they come to visit they will be battle tested and we will be expecting Taylor Heineke and Tyrod Taylor.

If we win the division, we will face a 1st place schedule in 2024. Also in 2024 the NFC South will play the entire NFC East (including Phi and Dal), the entire AFC West (including KC and Chargers). And as the #1 seed we would draw the #1 seeds in the NFC West, NFC North, and AFC North, likely SF, Det, and Bal. So our 2024 schedule would likely include Phi, Dal, KC, SF, Det, and Bal. I strongly believe we should retain our 2024 1st round draft pick in case Dennis Allen is not up to this challenge.

K Major

I don’t either. Bad matchup.

Especially Dallas.

SmashMouth

https://youtube.com/shorts/a2MjMm_Nc...KxYmHJSDmM3B0i

Latest fair weather fans ...

AsylumGuido

BakoSaint

When the Panther's break the huddle, defenses fear slit film turf.

By all accounts the Panthers were half way decent last year, beat us twice, picked up a #1 overall QB, and had a ton of cap space to build around him, with a bright future. But sometimes a team swings and misses, and their offense is incredibly unimposing. The Panthers are a good example of why I don't believe in moving multiple #1 picks to trade up for such a high QB pick. The #1 overall guys just aren't necessarily much better than who you get at 7 or 15, and if you have to trade up it puts extra pressure on the young QB and gives less resources to allow them to live up to the hype. I can see moving up a few spots but the second you start dealing future #1s, well if its too much pressure for an Ingram or Penning or Davenport, its definitely too much pressure for a QB who is going to have to make it happen without an oline or receivers.