The 2021 NFL schedule has been released for all teams. The New Orleans Saints find themselves with a relatively favorable schedule. On the year, the Saints have at least five nationally televised games. These are made up of the Thursday night, Sunday night, and Monday night games. A Week 6 bye week is also decent. With nine away games and eight home games, the Saints schedule is a bit more difficult than those who get nine home games. This is how these games shape up. These are the New Orleans Saints 2021 schedule breakdown ranked in terms of difficulty for the season.
New Orleans Saints Schedule Breakdown
1. at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Week 15, Sunday Night Football
Going on the road in the NFL is already incredible difficult. Add in the fact that the Saints play at the Jets the week before and then turn around and go to the Super Bowl-defending champion Buccaneers. This makes for an incredibly difficult game, even if in prime-time.
2. vs Buffalo Bills – Week 12, Thursday Night Football
The Saints have the honor of playing on Thanksgiving again in 2021. It is a home game but the Saints will be coming off two difficult road challenges before this short-week game against the Bills. The Bills are likely coming out of a game with the Colts which might help matters a little for the Saints at home.
3. vs Green Bay Packers, Week 1
Sean Payton and the Saints are notoriously slow starters. This is not good when trying to play a team that has won over 10 games the past two years straight in the opener. Even at home, the Packers impose a very difficult out for the Saints in New Orleans.
4. vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Week 8
Fresh off of a road trip to Seattle in week 7, the Saints have to face the Buccaneers in week 8. A difficult home game already is made more difficult after facing a tough opponent on the road the week before.
5. at New England Patriots – Week 3
The Saints start the year off with the Packers in week one and then back-to-back road games. The second road game is against the rebuilt Patriots in Foxborough. An unknown rebuild and facing one of the greatest coaches in NFL history make this a difficult early-season matchup.
6. at Tennessee Titans, Week 10
A late addition to the schedule is the Titans. Due to the added week in the NFL season, the Saints ninth road game will be against Derrick Henry and the defending AFC South champions. An unfamiliar foe on the road will prove a tough test for the Saints defense.
7. at Carolina Panthers, Week 2
The Panthers draw the Saints at a good time. The Saints will be coming off a tough game against the Packers and could be looking past the rebuilt Panthers.
8. vs Miami Dolphins, Week 16 – Monday Night Football
The Dolphins are another emerging team going into 2021. With new weapons and a year with Tua Tagovailoa, Miami will not be an easy out. The Saints will also be coming off of a road game at Tampa Bay the week before, making this a potential letdown game for the New Orleans.
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9. at Seattle Seahawks, Week 7 – Monday Night Football
This would normally be at the top of the list for a difficult game. Luckily for the Saints, the bye week falls in week 6. The Saints should be rested and up for the challenge of a road test in Seattle.
10. at Philadelphia Eagles, Week 11
The Eagles themselves are not enough to scare many teams. Going on the road to Philadelphia can prove challenging, as seen last year when the lowly Eagles upset the Saints. New Orleans will have to not look forward to the Thanksgiving game or the Eagles could do it again.
11. vs Carolina Panthers – Week 17
A shortened week of rest makes this game more difficult than it might be at other times. The Panthers will have worked out their team and expectations by week 17 and could be sneaky playoff contenders.
12. at Washington Football Team, Week 5
The Saints have three away games in the first five weeks of the 2021 NFL season. The last of these is at Washington. The Football Team’s imposing defense and new quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick could prove a tough match-up before the Saints bye week.
13. vs Atlanta Falcons – Week 9
Even with Kyle Pitts, the Falcons should not pose much risk to the Saints in 2021. Their defense did not improve much but this game has shoot-out potential.
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14. vs Dallas Cowboys – Week 13, Thursday Night Football
Both the Saints and Cowboys will enter week 13 with a full week’s rest since both play on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys having to travel to the Saints in December will be tough as the Saints normally play well in the mid-season.
15. vs New York Giants – Week 4
This game might be further up the list if it were later in the season. Getting the Giants before they have time to gel should keep the Saints from worrying too much about the NFC East foe.
16. at Atlanta Falcons – Week 18
The Falcons and Saints close out their yearly rival the last week of the 2021 NFL season. Unfortunately for the Falcons, the Saints have two home games in the weeks before and should go into Atlanta ready for a playoff push.
17. at New York Jets – Week 14
We wrap up this New Orleans Saints schedule breakdown with the New York Jets. Playing the Jets early in the season would make this challenge easier, but it is still the Jets. This team is rebuilding and will likely be better than 2020, but still should not worry the Saints coming off of a long rest from week 13’s Thursday night game.
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