Predicting Saints' record in 2025 with game-by-game picks

USA Today

15-05-2025

Predicting Saints' record in 2025 with game-by-game picks
It's here: New Orleans Saints fans know when every game on their team's slate is kicking off now that the NFL has released the complete regular-season schedule. The Saints will start 2025 with three straight games with NFC West teams and a tough two-week road trip taking them coast-to-coast from matchups with the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills. It all leads up to a climactic season finale with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18.
So will the Saints be better in 2025 than they were in 2024? Kellen Moore replaces Dennis Allen at head coach, and Brandon Staley replaces Allen as the defensive play caller. Derek Carr won't be the quarterback. Oddsmakers are low on the team whether or not rookie draft pick Tyler Shough starts at QB. Can they beat those expectations?
Now that we've had time to look over the schedule and give it some thought, we're predicting how the 2025 season plays out for the Saints. We're going game-by-game to pick winners and losers each week. Here's what we expect from New Orleans in 2025.
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Week 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Brandon Staley has guarded Kyler Murray well in the past, but the young quarterback has a stronger support cast this time. The real question is whether Kellen Moore's offense can surprise Jonathan Gannon's defense. A lack of game tape and a healthy receiving corps should give the Saints an edge. They haven't lost a season opener since 2018. Moore's tenure starts with some positive momentum.
Prediction: Win (1-0)
Week 2 vs. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers fell off last year, but they still have a quality coaching staff and, when healthy, enough firepower to roll over any team in the league. Maybe the Saints can get the jump on them, but I don't like this matchup between a rebuilding New Orleans team and a San Francisco squad eager to get back to the playoffs.
Prediction: Loss (1-1)
Week 3 at Seattle Seahawks
This is going to be a great litmus test for the Saints, going on the road to play a game in a hostile environment against another team that didn't make the playoffs last year. The Seahawks do have a new-look offense of their own and they've juiced up their defense. If the Saints can hang with them, it'll be very encouraging. If they fall short, we'll know to settle in for a long season.
Prediction: Loss (1-2)
Week 4 at Buffalo Bills
Having to fly back home from Seattle before traveling to Buffalo the next week is brutal. That the Bills are a Super Bowl contender led by an MVP-caliber quarterback makes it even tougher. This is the toughest game on the Saints' schedule and they'll need a lot of help to show they can compete with one of the league's best teams.
Prediction: Loss (1-3)
Week 5 vs. New York Giants
This should be a much-needed breather after a couple of tough road games; the Giants are in just as bad of shape as the Saints, but they do have a couple of viable quarterbacks. These teams should take the field on equal footing, and I like the Saints' homefield advantage to make a difference. Can they build on the momentum from a win?
Prediction: Win (2-3)
Week 6 vs. New England Patriots
It's going to take some time for Mike Vrabel's staff to get Drake Maye up to speed, and they might be hitting their groove by Week 6. That could be true for Moore and the Saints, too, whether it's Shough or Spencer Rattler starting under center. The Patriots' roster is still being rebuilt (just like New Orleans) so we'll take the home team this week, even if it's close.
Prediction: Win (3-3)
Week 7 at Chicago Bears
The Bears could be a problem this year. First-year head coach Ben Johnson has invested heavily in the offensive line responsible for keeping Caleb Williams clean. He brought in Dennis Allen to get the Chicago defense right, too. It would be great to get a win on the road here but too many factors are going in the Bears' favor.
Prediction: Loss (3-4)
Week 8 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Saints' first divisional game in 2025 is going to be a doozy; Tampa Bay still hasn't separated themselves from the pack in the NFC South, but their offseason upgrades could make a difference. If nothing else their greater experience playing meaningful football in
Prediction: Loss (3-5)
Week 9 at Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are just too far ahead of the Saints right now, having taken the time to stack up talent and cultivate an experienced coaching staff. These teams have different goals in 2025 and it would be a big (and welcome) surprise if the Saints can pull off an upset.
Prediction: Loss (3-6)
Week 10 at Carolina Panthers
This should be a winnable game against another also-bad NFC South team, but you never know. The Panthers have beaten the Saints in Carolina in three of the last four years. We'll see how much progress Bryce Young can make in another year with this coaching staff, but hometown advantage favors the Panthers.
Prediction: Loss (3-7)
Week 11 on bye
This is right around the NFL trade deadline, so if the Saints have lost seven of their first ten games they might look into trading veterans like Demario Davis or Taysom Hill who could be moved to a contender. If nothing else a midseason bye week gives them an opportunity to reevaluate the roster and make some changes for the second leg of the schedule.
Week 12 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Here's a chance to upset a division rival. The Falcons are being overrated, like usual, with high expectations being put on second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. If Trevor Penning can take the next step at right tackle and hold up against their new pass rushers, the Saints could come out of the bye week and steal a win to end their losing streak.
Prediction: Win (4-7)
Week 13 at Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are a good team, especially when they're playing in sunny South Florida instead of a snowbound stadium in Buffalo or Kansas City. They have enough athletes on offense to give the Saints defense fits if we're still getting heavy snap counts from so many older pros.
Prediction: Loss (4-8)
Week 14 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It brings me no pleasure to write this but the Bucs just look better than the Saints this year. They've drafted well, spent wisely in free agency, and have a lot of firepower on both sides of the ball. The question is whether they'll keep playing beneath their potential. Back-to-back Florida games in November is better than spending two weeks in Wisconsin or Illinois, but that's still going to be a challenge.
Prediction: Loss (4-9)
Week 15 vs. Carolina Panthers
Here's another shake-back opportunity. The Panthers are always going to be a winnable matchup and the Saints have a shot at slapping them down in New Orleans after getting beaten on the road a few weeks earlier. If they get swept by Carolina, though? This season is lost. We'll pick the Saints to split the series with a win at home.
Prediction: Win (5-9)
Week 16 vs. New York Jets
The Jets aren't aiming too high in the first year with Aaron Glenn at head coach, but they might surprise some people. We're guessing they're still closer to the team that went 5-12 last year than one ready to go 10-7. Playing this game in New Orleans, coming off a win over a division rival, should give the Saints some kind of advantage.
Prediction: Win (6-9)
Week 17 at Tennessee Titans
The Saints believed Cam Ward was the clear-cut QB1 in this draft class, and by season's end he should be firing on all cylinders and giving the Nashville home crowd something to cheer for. The Saints are never going to tank under Mickey Loomis, but a loss on the road to an up-and-comer isn't the worst thing for their draft positioning.
Prediction: Loss (6-10)
Week 18 at Atlanta Falcons
Can the Saints ruin the Falcons' season with a last-minute win in Atlanta? They've done it before, and the Falcons don't have much of a homefield advantage to speak of. But their roster is further along than New Orleans' and I don't like the Saints to win this game. Let's get a good draft pick, know what we have in Moore's crew, and get ready for 2026.
Prediction: Loss (6-11)