Well, that’s disappointing. The New Orleans Saints have been one of the NFL’s top draws for prime time games in front of a national audience in recent years — the team received five high-profile night games in 2021, plus four of them in both 2020 and 2019. But this year, without Sean Payton and without Drew Brees, Saints fans will only get to see three games in prime time (barring flex scheduling changes later on, and not counting the early-morning kickoff from London, of course).
It does make sense. Payton and Brees were the architects of nearly two decades of success in New Orleans. The team sunk to its worst record in years once Brees retired, and now they’re without a known quantity at head coach. The league executives and shadowy television figures plotting out the NFL schedule aren’t ready to keep the Saints in too bright a spotlight if things get ugly.
And their first prime time game is going to be quite a challenge. The Saints won’t take the big stage until a Thursday night road game with the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 20, which happens to be the first game in which Cardinals star receiver DeAndre Hopkins will be returning from a six-game suspension. The Saints will need Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore to be on top of his game in that heavyweight fight.
Just two weeks later, though, and the Saints will be in prime time again; this time playing hosts to the Baltimore Ravens in a Monday night kickoff on Nov. 7. Expect a lively crowd at the Caesars Superdome, and New Orleans needs the help given how well Baltimore has performed against the black and gold. They’ve rarely made the trip as a rare opponent in the AFC, and the Ravens have won both games played in New Orleans (in 2014 and 2006). This is also the only Saints prime time game in New orleans.
Our final prime time game might be the Saints’ biggest game of the year. It’s their final kickoff prior to their bye week, and it’ll be a high-stakes divisional road game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Dec. 5. Hopefully the Saints defense can throw their weight around as well as they did in last year’s nighttime 9-0 thrashing, but you’d like to think New Orleans’ offense can put more points on the board this time around. Curiously, it’s also scheduled for a Monday night, meaning the Saints are one of a few teams not expected to be featured on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” special this year.
Regardless of when and where they’re playing their opponents, it’s shaping up for just as exciting a Saints season as any other we’ve witnessed in recent years. Check here for tickets.
