The New Orleans Saints have made the playoffs three years in a row but have been knocked out in excruciating fashion each time before reaching the Super Bowl. This year might be the team’s last great chance to win another title in the foreseeable future because it’s also probably the last year future Hall of Famer Drew Brees suits up. Here’s an overview of the New Orleans Saints and their NFL Odds as it stands.
New Orleans Saints NFL Odds After Free Agency Week 1
2019 recap
The Saints won the NFC South title again last season but were upset 26-20 in overtime at home by the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild-Card Round. It was the third year in a row that New Orleans lost in the playoffs on the game’s final play. Kirk Cousins hit Kyle Rudolph with a 4-yard fade on third-and-goal in overtime. Replays on video boards showed a possible push-off by Rudolph against defensive back P.J. Williams moments before he jumped to snag the winning catch.
NFL president of officiating Al Riveron said the league reviewed numerous replay angles, and while they saw contact by both players, “none of that contact rises to the level of a foul.” New Orleans trailed by 10 at the start of the fourth quarter but forced overtime with Drew Brees’ 20-yard touchdown pass to Taysom Hill and Wil Lutz’s 49-yard field goal with 2 seconds left.
Offseason moves
The biggest news for the Saints was the all-time passing leader in NFL history, Drew Brees, putting off retirement for one more season. Last year, Brees missed five games to injury but still played at a high level. He threw for 2,979 yards with 27 touchdowns and just four picks. His interception tally was also the lowest of any season in his illustrious career as a full-time starter, dating back to his 2001 rookie year with the Chargers of San Diego.
“My feelings about the 2020 season — I look forward to the grind and the journey, for the reward at the end will be worth it!!!” Brees wrote on Instagram in announcing he would play another season at least. “Love you #WhoDatNation. Let’s make another run at it!”
Brees is a 13-time Pro Bowl selection and the 41-year-old will be the NFL’s second-oldest starting QB in the league next year behind Tom Brady, who will be 43 in August. Brady and Brees now share the same division with Brady landing in Tampa. Those two have faced off only a few times in their NFL careers. Brees will try to fend off Brady to maintain his NFL record for career passing yards (77,416) and touchdown passes (547). Brady is not far behind at 74,571 passing yards and 541 touchdown passes.
Brees returning did cost the Saints excellent backup QB Teddy Bridgewater, though, as he signed a big-money deal with Carolina.
The Saints did get Brees an additional weapon in free agent receiver Emmanuel Sanders. He got a two-year, $16 million deal. In 2019 with the 49ers after a trade from Denver, Sanders caught 36 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games. He should start opposite maybe the NFL’s best receiver in Michael Thomas. He is off to a historic start to his career.
Thomas was named the AP Offensive Player of the Year for 2019, surpassing 100 yards in 10 games while catching at least five passes in all but one contest. Thomas had league-high marks in receptions (149) and receiving yards (1,725). Most impressive was the efficiency as Thomas’ 80.5% catch rate is unbelievable. Thomas has set NFL records for most receptions (470) and receiving yards (5,512) in a player’s first four seasons.
New Orleans also resigned starting guard Andrus Peat to a five-year, $57.5 million contract. New Orleans’ No. 13 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Peat has totaled 60 starts at nearly every spot along the offensive line during his tenure with the Saints, settling in for 10 appearances at left guard last year. He also allowed three sacks across 575 offensive snaps in 2019.
The team also exercised fifth-year options on two of the best at their positions in the league in right tackle Ryan Ramczyk and cornerback Marcus Lattimore. Both those guys will get BIG money next offseason. Ramczyk has played at least 95.5 percent of the Saints’ snaps each of the past three years.
2020 opponents
- Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers.
- Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles.
Odds to win Super Bowl 55
The Saints are +1100 to win the Super Bowl LV next February in Tampa.
