Saints Record Prediction For The 2022-23 Season
The Saints are facing a lot of changes going into the 2022-23 NFL season. After losing their head coach of 16 years and seeing numerous changes during free agency, how will the Saints hold up?
After the departure of head coach Sean Payton this offseason, the Saints hired a familiar face in Dennis Allen to take the reigns going forward. The former defensive coordinator for New Orleans is entering his second head coaching stint of his career and looking to sweep his previous performance under the rug. Will he improve upon his 8-28 record as Head Coach? Or will he have yet another underwhelming stint?
Along with their new head coach, the team has a very new-looking offense. With Michael Thomas returning, the addition of Jarvis Landry and Chris Olave should help push the offense forward this year, as fans will hope this will be enough if Alvin Kamara does face suspension. On the same side of the ball, tackle Trevor Penning is being brought in to replace Pro-Bowler Terron Armstead. On defense, Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye will be the newest safety duo on defense. How will they fare this season? Here are our predictions:
Predicting The Saints’ Win-Loss Record For The 2022 Season
Week One At Atlanta Falcons:
The Falcons-Saints rivalry has been one of the more premiere rivalries for the NFC South. With New Orleans currently losing the all-time series 52-54, it is worth noting that the Saints have been the better team as of late. Undoubtedly, the Saints will improve on their all-time record in Week One.
Prediction: Win
Week Two vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Ever since Tom Brady joined Tampa Bay in the 2020 offseason, New Orleans holds a 4-1 record over the Buccaneers, including two regular season sweeps. Taking their success against Brady in the regular season into consideration, the Saints can take early advantage of the division.
Prediction: Win
Week Three At Carolina Panthers:
The Panthers come into the year featuring a quarterback room with four players that all seem likely to earn some playing time this year. Putting an offense with a rotating quarterback against a possible top ten defense seems like a recipe for disaster for Carolina. Even a home game can’t save them from offensive blunders.
Prediction: Win
Week Four vs. Minnesota Vikings:
The Saints will travel across the pond to face a team that has become a rival in recent years: the Vikings. The Vikes enter a new era under newly hired Head Coach Kevin O’Connell. With an offense that looks to take a step forward from their previous seasons, they could give the Saints’ defense a run for their money. This international game could go either way, because, on the other hand, the Saints’ new look offense may not be a slouch this year either.
Prediction: Loss
Week Five vs. Seattle Seahawks:
The Seahawks have an offense that addressed their weakest link in their offensive line. However, Seattle now has a new weak link on offense: Quarterback. Russell Wilson is gone and neither Drew Lock nor Geno Smith will put the same pressure on opposing defenses as Wilson would have.
Prediction: Win
Week Six vs. Cincinnati Bengals:
The defending AFC champs head down to New Orleans to face off against the Saints in what looks like an LSU alumni game. The star-studded offense will face the improved, but already proven, Saints secondary. Chase vs. Lattimore will be a fun match-up all night long, but the Bengals have more than just one weapon.
Prediction: Loss
Week Seven At Arizona Cardinals:
The Saints will travel to Glendale coming off of a short week to face Kyler Murray and Co. The team will be welcoming back DeAndre Hopkins as he returns from his six-game suspension. In a winnable game for both teams, we will have some fun matchups on this Thursday Night game.
Prediction: Loss
Week Eight vs. Las Vegas Raiders:
The Raiders made a huge haul in the offseason, signing multiple free agents and, most notably, trading for All-Pro Wide Receiver Davante Adams. The Raiders will enter the dome with more than a new look offense, but a new defense as well. The deciding factor will be how the Saints’ offensive line can hold up against the two-headed pass-rushing monster of Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones.
Prediction: Loss
Week Nine vs. Baltimore Ravens:
In New Orleans’ first Monday Night game of the year, they’ll face off against the Ravens offense that seems a bit unpredictable besides one constant: Lamar Jackson is good at football. The Ravens might not have a receiving core good enough to damage the Saints’ secondary. Similarly, will the Ravens have a healthy enough backfield to succeed in the run game?
Prediction: Win
Week Ten At Pittsburgh Steelers:
Similar to the Panthers, the Steelers enter the season featuring a quarterback room with more than one player who can earn some snaps. We’ve seen Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph play before, and after some exposure in the preseason, we now have a feel for first-round rookie Kenny Pickett. Whoever may be starting at this point is going to need to step up against the New Orleans defense.
Prediction: Win
Week 11 vs. Los Angeles Rams:
The reigning Super Bowl champs, the Rams, will go to the dome for the first time since the infamous no-call. Saints fans will be loud in this one. Jalen Ramsey and Michael Thomas should be a fun matchup, as well as the same position battle on the other side of the ball with Kupp and Lattimore. Unfortunately, Saints fans look like they’ll be headed home quieter than they came in.
Prediction: Loss
Week 12 At San Francisco 49ers:
Trey Lance will now be the man under center for the 49ers. He will be in for a challenge when the Saints come marching into Levi’s Stadium. Is he good enough to take down one of the league’s best defenses? He has the help, the rest is up to him.
Prediction: Loss
Week 13, Bye:
So far, we have the Saints entering the bye week with a record of 5-7. Will the Saints finish the season off strong?
Week 14 At Tampa Bay Buccanneers:
Like I mentioned before, The Saints have had Tom Brady’s number ever since he joined the Buccaneers squad. Coming off a bye week, the Saints could see themselves with another sweep on their hands.
Prediction: Win
Week 15 vs Atlanta Falcons:
Speaking of sweeps, the Saints look to add another to the season total. The Falcons could look like a new team at this point as for all we know rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder could be starting at this point. Either way, the Saints get the brooms out for the second week in a row.
Prediction: Win
Week 16 @ Cleveland Browns:
Assuming Deshaun Watson’s suspension remains at six games, Jarvis Landry and the Saints will return to the Dawg Pound in search of a crucial win. When it comes to the Browns’ new receiving core, do they have the Juice (see what I did there?) to get it done against New Orleans?
Prediction: Win
Week 17 At Philadelphia Eagles:
Jalen Hurts and his offense, including new addition AJ Brown, defend their home turf against the Saints in Week 17. In what should be a deciding game for both teams at this point in the season, the Saints will step up with their backs to the wall and grind out a close one in the city of brotherly love.
Prediction: Win
Week 18 vs Carolina Panthers:
The Saints will close out the season with a divisional rivalry game against the Panthers. They will look to close out the full NFC South sweep and possibly earn a playoff spot in the process, rattling off their fifth straight win to close the season.
Prediction: Win
Season In Review For This Saints 2022 Season Prediction
There are plenty of games that are toss-ups for the Saints this season, so it’s difficult to limit them to one specific record. The squad could overperform this season as well as underperform. So providing a ceiling and floor seems more reasonable.
Ceiling: 12-5
Floor: 8-9
Final Prediction: 10-7
How do you think the Saints will do this year?