Leading up to the preseason, 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 are the focus.
New Orleans Saints Most Difficult Games in 2017
1. Week 2 vs. Patriots
The Saints invite the New England Patriots to the Superdome for their home opener and their first match against the defending champions since 2013. The biggest storyline will be the return of Brandin Cooks to New Orleans after being traded away at the start of the league year. The fourth-year speedster is just another weapon that Tom Brady has at his passing disposal. Covering him, Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett and Julian Edelman will be handfuls against the questionable defense of the Saints.
2. Week 14 at Falcons
After a home battle versus the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans travels to Atlanta on a short week to play the Falcons in a Thursday night primetime showdown. Though it’ll be the first matchup between the rivals in 2017, Atlanta has the momentum after they swept the 2016 season series. The Saints will have their hands full with trying to neutralize the Pro Bowl trio of Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman. Given the fact that Atlanta is the defending NFC champion, they will give their nemesis all they can handle.
3. Week 16 vs. Falcons
The Saints welcome Atlanta to New Orleans for their home finale in a game of potential playoff implications. Despite scoring 32 points in last season’s home outing on Monday night, the Saints had arguably their worst performance of the campaign due to their sloppiness. The Falcons put up 45 points on the road thanks to Ryan’s 240 yards and two scores through the air and a gashing 152-yard rushing display by Freeman. Another element the Saints must account for is the speed of the young Atlanta defense. Rookie linebacker Deion Jones headlined with eight tackles and a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown last year in New Orleans. Along with making stops defensively, the Saints must be cautious of their rival’s athletic and opportunistic defenders.
4. Week 7 at Packers
Since 2005, the New Orleans and Green Bay series has been highlighted by offensive explosion. In that span, the winner has scored at least 28 points (even 50-plus on two occasions), thanks to the remarkable quarterback play of Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Regardless of the teams’ records, viewers look forward to the point-laden duel between Rodgers and Brees. Currently holding a four-game winning streak, the home team has dominated the series in recent years. Thankfully for New Orleans, though, this Lambeau Field contest will be played in October instead of frigid January.
5. Week 1 at Vikings
The Saints open the 2017 season in Minneapolis to the play the Vikings on Monday Night Football. The primetime opener will be Adrian Peterson’s first game in Minnesota as a New Orleans Saint. Peterson and his new backfield teammate, Mark Ingram, will have their work cut out for them against the vaunted Vikings front four. If the running game gets halted and third-and-long scenarios arise, the ruckus crowd will give Minnesota’s defense another boost.
6. Week 3 at Panthers
Week Three has New Orleans traveling to Charlotte to play the NFL’s darling team of two seasons ago, the Carolina Panthers. Although they had a disappointing year in 2016, the franchise is still talented enough to rebound because of their defense. Pro Bowlers Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Kawann Short and the rest of the front seven always gives Carolina a fighting chance in games. Playing in another hostile environment, the Saints will have the cumbersome task of competing in Bank of America Stadium, a venue that they’ve lost in four of their last five trips.
7. Week vs. 13 Panthers
The Panthers come to New Orleans having won three of their last four meetings in the Superdome. In those three victories, Carolina scored at least 40 points. Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen, Kelvin Benjamin and Jonathan Stewart have proven to be trouble for their defensive opposition. With college standout Christian McCaffrey on the roster, the Panthers have another explosive dynamic to their offensive attack. With a healthy body and time to throw in the pocket, Cam Newton will pick the Saints apart.
8. Week 4 at Dolphins
Before their bye week, New Orleans will travel to London for an international bout with the Miami Dolphins. This will be the Saints first football action in England since 2008 when they defeated the then-San Diego Chargers in a 37-32 shootout. While their opponents may not be Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates in their primes, the Dolphins have formidable pieces. Making the playoffs last season, Miami received steady play from Ryan Tannehill and Jarvis Landry in the passing game. They also got an unexpected contributor on the ground in Jay Ajayi, giving them a three-headed monster on offense. What the Saints do have in their favor, though, is the better quarterback, backfield and history in this interconference collision (winning five of the last eight meetings).
Be sure to check out the eight easiest games on the 2017 New Orleans Saints schedule.
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