Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

The New Orleans Saints have dates and times set in stone with the release of the 2017 regular-season schedule Thursday night.

Here are some takeaways:

SEASON OPENER

The open the season against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football, marking the second time in team history to appear on Monday night for a season opener.

The last time the Saints kicked off the regular season on Monday Night Football came in 1990 at home against the San Francisco 49ers, resulting in a 13-12 loss.

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50-50

The Saints look to avoid a third consecutive 0-3 start to the regular season, but it won't be easy to kick off the 2017 campaign.

Four of the Saints' first eight opponents made the playoffs in 2016 (New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers), and only two posted a losing record the past season (Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears).

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Re: Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

Some of fans thought we wouldn't get a Monday Night game...
So much lies on this game. If we win, the season will be a very good one.
If we lose, well... I guess it's a wait and see long season.

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Re: Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

4-2 start and we will win the opener. That's before the draft after I might switch to 0-6 or 6-0.

Re: Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

Lol you should run Vegas with tight numbers like that.

Re: Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

Your eyelids are getting very heavy... When I click my fingers, you will awaken a Falcons fan and have to immediately go and change your underwear. Or at least go put some on....

Re: Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

It's a brutal schedule.......this is truly a make or break schedule. If we can hunker down and win our first two games then we might just build the fortitude that this team needs. If not then we could be looking at another 7-9 season.

Re: Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

I'm not a schedule critic most years, but I'm not liking this one at all. We'd better come out swinging or it could be another disappointing start, which we have shown we rarely recover from

Re: Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

I think this is make or break for Payton.

Come out 0-4 yet again and the hot seat will get sufficiently warm for Payton, start off 2-2 and I think I'd be okay with that as our schedule gets easier.

You want to be viewed as the best you have to beat the best.

Remember in 2009, the knock against us in the first quarter of the season was we had only played rookie QB's, then we beat Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning.

To avoid a slow start, the mindset from the last 3-4 seaons has to change.

Not looking forward to seeing Cooks in week 2, the Patriots will feed him the ball heavily.

Re: Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

Couldn't agree more. He doesn't want to go out a loser and is clearly desperate. He starts off 0-4 again, look out!

Re: Takeaways from the New Orleans Saints' 2017 regular-season schedule
 

We don't have to go 2-0 to start the season. If we get AP we are beating Minnesota. Week 4, Miami is overrated. They always tend to lose at home to east coast teams not in the division unless they are that bad or tough rivals(steelers) and they just can't beat healthy Baltimore.

We could go 4-4 again and be 5-6 before week 13. Are we going to throw in the towel against Carolina, NYJ, and Atlanta? Nobody is getting 10 wins in the NFC South next season until the final game. TB's schedule is awful....@Mia and then after Chi.......@Min, NYG, NE, @Ari, @Buf.....by the time they play Carolina and us week 8 and 9 they might not have much left.

However, if we end up 4-4 it means we don't beat TB week 9(but it means we can week 17) but we can't get swept by a team who probably has a max of 8 wins with that start.