During July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be analyzing the schedules of every team in the NFL and ranking each game in order of difficulty (with one being the most difficult). This series will be split up into the eight most difficult games (ranked 1-8) and the eight easiest games (ranked 9-16) for each team. In this article, the New Orleans Saints most difficult games are the focus.
New Orleans Saints Most Difficult Games in 2016
1. Week 11 at Panthers
The Black and Gold’s visit to Carolina will be arduous not only in terms of competition, but also familiarity. Despite losing cornerback Josh Norman this off-season, the Panthers are still the class of the NFC South division and the NFC Conference. The Saints have lost five of their last eight meetings in Charlotte, and that trend may very well continue. New Orleans’ 31st-ranked defense will have immense struggles against the NFL’s top scoring offense from 2015. To top it all, this matchup will occur on a Thursday night, four days after the Saints host the defending world champion Denver Broncos.
2. Week 6 vs. Panthers
Despite being the inferior team in this biannual divisional contest, the Saints will have an easier time at home. Still, a positive outcome, albeit change of scenery, may not come into fruition. The Panthers won last year’s dome shootout 41-38 after trailing 14-0 early in the game. The victory marked Carolina’s sixth win in New Orleans since 2006. The Panthers offense will be more dynamic with the return of Kelvin Benjamin, the Panthers talented wide receiver who missed the entire 2015 campaign due to injury. Expect another high-octane affair in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
3. Week 10 vs. Broncos
In the Drew Brees–Sean Payton era, the Saints have defeated all but two franchises in the league: the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos. All-time, New Orleans is 2-8 against Denver (last victory came in 1994). Given that Denver is the league’s top team, this go-around will the most strenuous of the previous 10 meetings. Although Terron Armstead has quietly become one of the NFL’s premier left tackles, he and Zach Strief will be overwhelmed by linebackers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. The Broncos pass rushing plays seamlessly into the hands of their equally-talented secondary. New Orleans must utilize its running game to attack a Denver front seven that lost lineman Malik Jackson and linebacker Danny Trevathan in free agency.
4. Week 8 vs. Seahawks
Alike the Broncos, the Seattle Seahawks have also been a taxing opponent for New Orleans. After winning two consecutive contests in 2007 and 2010, the Saints have lost three straight. The first defeat came in the 2010 Wild Card round that featured the famed “Beast Quake” touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch. The subsequent games included a Monday Night Football blowout and another postseason ousting. Even without Lynch, Seattle trusts Thomas Rawls to carry a significant load on the ground. Russell Wilson will look to Doug Baldwin and company to carry the passing load. The main aspect that plays in the Saints favor is that this reunion will be in New Orleans for the first time since November 2010. Tight end Jimmy Graham’s return to the “Big Easy” only adds fuel to the game’s fire.
5. Week 15 at Cardinals
Despite winning its last four games against the Cardinals at home, the Saints have fallen three straight times in Arizona, including a 31-19 defeat to begin last year’s campaign. It would make sense for New Orleans to approach this matchup similar to Seattle, using the ground game to keep their aggressive defensive backfield honest. Defensively, neutralizing Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, and David Johnson won’t be easy. If the Saints don’t set the tone physically at the line of scrimmage, this late-season game will grow ugly rapidly.
6. Week 1 vs. Raiders
The Saints have had success against the Oakland Raiders, but this year’s encounter presumes to be different. New Orleans opens 2016 versus one of the league’s most exciting and promising young teams (a team that many pundits predict will be in the playoffs). The Raiders are headlined by their third-year Pro Bowl stars, quarterback Derek Carr and linebacker Khalil Mack. Significant acquisitions in free agency have given the “Silver and Black” faithful even more reasons for optimism. In the last decade, the way the Saints perform in September has dictated their final outcome in a season. In their five playoff campaigns in that span (2006, 2009-11, 2013), New Orleans is 4-1 in Week 1. The home game gives the Saints a clear advantage, but these won’t be the Raiders of old.
7. Week 7 at Chiefs
The AFC West boasts some of the fiercest pass rushers in football, and the Kansas City Chiefs have no shortage of them. With Justin Houston, Derrick Johnson, and Dontari Poe, their front seven is a lot for many offenses to handle. Also having cornerback Marcus Peters and safety Eric Berry in coverage, their secondary isn’t too shabby either. With a hungry defense and one of the toughest crowds in football on its side, a debacle for New Orleans seems imminent. Luckily for the Saints, an Alex Smith-led offense is generally not big play-laden. If the Saints can keep both yards–and mistakes–to a minimum, their chances of winning will increase, regardless of running back Jamaal Charles’ return from injury.
8. Week 2 at Giants
The Saints Week 2 game against the Giants will be another exhilarating offensive assault. Based on last year’s epic shootout that combined for 101 points, New Orleans and New York may very well combine for 200 this time around. All jokes aside, this game may be more tightly contested because of the Giants defensive additions in the off-season. Will those shiny new pieces mesh quickly enough against their early matchup with the Saints? That’s still up for grabs. The only reason this game isn’t higher on this list is because the aforesaid teams are better in terms of overall and already-established team quality. Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead and now former Giant Hakeem Nicks versus Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle? It’s going to be fun.
Check out the New Orleans Saints Easiest Games in 2016.
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