When the NFL schedule is released, it always leads to some of the boldest predictions one will come across throughout the year. Almost everyone sees a path to the playoffs; some fans even struggle to see where their team will lose more than a couple of games.
Alas, the Who Dat Nation is no different. Optimism abounds at this time of the offseason. But looking at the schedule released this week, might the Saints have a realistic chance of winning every game at home?
While we already knew the opponents
on the calendar, the finalization of the schedule has given me even more reason to believe in the Caesars Superdome (and the Stade de France!) becoming a fortress for the black and gold. Here’s why.
Barring the Monday Night Football tilt with the Falcons that precedes the visit of the Vikings six days later, the Saints don’t face the prospect of a home game on short rest. The bye week sits nicely between the Steelers matchup overseas and the Browns game set for Week 9.
Outside of those four games, there remain the other pair of always winnable divisional matchups, the lowly Cardinals and Raiders, and the Packers.
After two formidable road games to start the campaign, six of the next seven games are at home (including, of course, the Paris game), presenting a real chance for Kellen Moore’s team to take advantage of their home crowd and string some wins together.
New Orleans has flirted with an undefeated home campaign in recent times, most notably in 2017 when they won out after dropping the home opener to New England. But it’s something they haven’t achieved since doing it twice in three years on either side of Sean Payton’s suspension in 2012.
Nevertheless, the list of home opponents this season leads me to believe that with some injury luck and the type of performances many believe the roster to be capable of, it might be the best chance the Saints have had to win every game on home turf since Drew Brees retired.
Do you agree? Which home games do you think will give the black and gold the most trouble? Let us know in the comments below!
