The New Orleans Saints have so much talent in their roster that it’s difficult to see them missing the playoffs this year. They have playmakers on both sides of the ball, making them tough to beat when everyone’s healthy.
This Saints team has Jameis Winston at quarterback. Taysom Hill was listed as a tight end, but has had modest success as the team’s play-caller. They also have Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry, and rookie Chris Olave on offense, along with stalwarts on their offensive line, like Andrus Peat and Ryan Ramczyk.
Meanwhile, their loaded roster on defense features Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport on the defensive line. Demario Davis leads their linebackers, while Marshon Lattimore is their top player in the secondary. The Saints also added safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye during the 2022 offseason. Will Lutz is their placekicker, and Blake Gillikin is their punter.
When these pieces come together, the Saints should be able to complete their trip back to the playoffs after missing it last season. However, winning the NFC South may be a different story because of the challenge the Tampa Bay Buccaneers brought.
Preseason odds for the Saints pegged them around the middle of the pack for outright Super Bowl winners, so for NFL betting it may be better to look at game specific markets.
The Saints won just two of their first five games during the 2022 NFL season because of injuries to their top players on offense. 2021 saw the Saints barely missing the playoffs after finishing with a 9-8 record, so they’ll be looking to improve on this for 2022-23.
The Saints have also won four consecutive division titles from 2017 to 2020. Those achievements came under head coach Sean Payton. This time, Dennis Allen must also prove he can turn the Saints into winners.
The Saints franchise was established in 1966 and played its first season as an NFL expansion team a year later. Wins were hard to come by when they were starting, as proven by their 20 consecutive seasons without a winning record. The Saints made their first playoff appearance in 1987 and won their first postseason game in 2000.
In 2009, the franchise won its lone championship in Super Bowl XLIV by defeating the Indianapolis Colts. That victory is part of Payton’s success with the squad. The team made nine playoff appearances under his wing from 2006 to 2021.
The Saints play their home games at Caesars Superdome, formerly Louisiana Superdome and Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The stadium was opened in 1975 but closed down due to the damages brought by Hurricane Katrina. The Superdome reopened in 2006 and can accommodate up to 76,468 spectators.
Saints fans love their team, making noise every time the opposing offense takes the field. Given that it’s a domed stadium, the Superdome is a deafening place during games because the sound is retained inside the venue. That’s why some players from the visiting team wear earplugs to hear each other.
The Saints have a non-divisional rivalry with the Minnesota Vikings. While the Vikings dominated the early part of their rivalry, the Saints became competitive when Payton and Drew Brees arrived. Still, the Vikings have a 24-13 edge in their all-time series count and won their 2022 Week 4 match up.
Aside from Minnesota, other Saints’ rivalries are with fellow teams in the NFC South. They have a tight rivalry against the Atlanta Falcons as they trail just one game behind in the all-time series, 54-53. However, the Saints have won their last two meetings.
Meanwhile, the Saints hold a 28-25 head-to-head advantage over the Carolina Panthers. Finally, the Saints have a 39-22 edge over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the Buccaneers have had some playoff success, including winning Super Bowl LV, the Saints have constantly defeated them in the regular season. However, the Buccaneers won their 2022 Week 2 game against New Orleans.
