New Orleans Saints 2022 schedule: Highway video games include additional roadblocks – New Orleans Saints Weblog

METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Saints’ 2022 schedule was launched together with the remainder of the NFL slate Thursday.

The season will kick off Thursday, Sept. 8, with the Los Angeles Rams internet hosting the Buffalo Payments at SoFi Stadium. ESPN opens its schedule with Monday Night time Soccer on Sept. 12 that includes the Denver Broncos on the Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL expanded to 17 regular-season video games final season, and the ultimate regular-season video games will likely be performed Jan. 8, 2023. The playoffs start Jan. 14 and proceed by means of Tremendous Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona.

Right here’s what’s in retailer for the Saints:

Schedule

Sept. 11: at Atlanta

Sept. 18: vs. Tampa Bay

Sept. 25: at Carolina

Oct. 2: vs. Minnesota (in London)

Oct. 9: vs. Seattle

Oct. 16: vs. Cincinnati

Oct. 20: at Arizona (TNF)

Oct. 30: vs. Las Vegas

Nov. 7: vs. Baltimore (MNF)

Nov. 13: at Pittsburgh

Nov. 20: vs. LA Rams

Nov. 27: at San Francisco

Dec. 5: at Tampa Bay (MNF)

Dec. 11: Bye

Dec. 18: vs. Atlanta

Dec. 24: at Cleveland (Sat)

Jan. 1: at Philadelphia

Jan. 8: vs. Carolina

Energy of schedule: T-Seventh, .528

Greatest takeaway

The Saints clearly didn’t get to jot down their very own highway map. Not solely are they tied for seventh in energy of schedule issue, however the first issues I search for are potential bad-weather video games; brief journey weeks; and whether or not the Thursday sport is dwelling or away. New Orleans went 0-for-3. Taking part in on the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles on Christmas Eve and New Yr’s Day, respectively, may very well be difficult. Taking part in on the Arizona Cardinals on a Thursday will certainly produce some jet lag (to not point out “internet hosting” the Minnesota Vikings in London in Week 4 with no bye afterward). The Saints additionally need to journey to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a brief week. None of that’s insurmountable, although. Getting off to a quick begin with three straight NFC South video games will likely be vital.

Revenge sport

The Saints need to journey to Philly for a 3rd straight 12 months. And this time, they’ve to determine methods to cease quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles’ run sport for a change – particularly if climate circumstances are nasty. The Saints have the NFL’s finest run protection since 2017 (permitting simply 94.1 speeding yards per sport). However their worst two performances by far in that span got here in losses at Philadelphia in 2020 and 2021 (permitting 246 and 242 yards, respectively). Final season’s sport wound up deciding a playoff spot. That might simply be the case once more this season.

What the oddsmakers assume

The oddsmakers are skeptical the Saints can overcome the lack of coach Sean Payton, setting their win complete at 7.5. That’s too low, contemplating they went 9-8 final 12 months regardless of setting an NFL report with 58 starters used. Getting quarterback Jameis Winston and star wideout Michael Thomas again wholesome and including first-round choose Chris Olave will revive the offense.

Daring prediction

The Saints will begin 3-1. And so they’ll end 3-1 down the stretch — making the most of a uncommon December bye to heal up and peak on the proper time whereas incomes their method again into the playoffs.