Man, what a ride. If you followed the New Orleans Saints record 2024 from the jump, you probably felt like you were on the world’s fastest roller coaster that eventually just... flew off the tracks.
It started with such a bang.
Seriously. Scoring 47 points against the Panthers in Week 1 and then dropping 44 on the Dallas Cowboys? Most of us were ready to book Super Bowl tickets. Derek Carr looked like an MVP candidate, and Klint Kubiak was being hailed as the second coming of offensive genius. But football is a cruel mistress.
The Saints finished the 2024 season with a 5-12 record.
That's a tough pill to swallow after a 2-0 start where they outscored opponents 91-29. They ended up dead last in the NFC South. Not exactly the "reigniting of the Drew Brees era" everyone was hoping for.
The Seven-Game Slide That Changed Everything
Honestly, the middle of the season was just painful. Between Week 3 and Week 9, the Saints didn’t win a single game. Not one.
It wasn't just losing; it was how they lost. You had heartbreakers like the 15-12 defensive struggle against Philly and the 26-24 loss to Atlanta where a 58-yard field goal basically gutted the fan base. Then the wheels really came off. Blowouts against Tampa Bay (51-27) and Denver (33-10) made it clear that something was fundamentally broken in the locker room.
The low point? Losing to a struggling Carolina Panthers team 23-22 in Week 9. That was the final nail.
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Bye Bye, Dennis Allen
The morning after that second loss to Carolina, the front office had seen enough. Dennis Allen was fired on November 4, 2024.
He left with a 2-7 record for the year and a lot of questions about his ability to lead a locker room without Sean Payton’s shadow. Enter Darren Rizzi. The special teams coordinator brought some much-needed energy, and for a second, it worked. The "Rizzi Effect" led to back-to-back wins against the Falcons and Browns, giving people a tiny glimmer of hope.
But hope doesn't fix a depleted roster.
The Saints went 3-5 under Rizzi to close out the year. They were decimated by injuries—Derek Carr missed time, Rashid Shaheed went down, and the offensive line was basically a rotating door of practice squad players by December.
Breaking Down the New Orleans Saints record 2024
If you look at the raw numbers, the story becomes even clearer. The offense, which looked historic in September, ended up ranked 24th in scoring by the end of the season.
- Final Record: 5-12
- Division Rank: 4th in NFC South
- Home Record: 3-6
- Away Record: 2-6
- Points For: 338 (19.9 per game)
- Points Against: 398 (23.4 per game)
One of the few bright spots was Alvin Kamara. The guy is a machine. Even when the team was tanking, Kamara was out there breaking records. He surpassed Deuce McAllister for second on the franchise rushing list and eventually became the Saints' all-time leader in rushing yards, passing Mark Ingram II. He also broke Marshall Faulk’s record for the most receptions by a running back in his first eight seasons.
But you can only carry a team so far.
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The defense, usually the pride of New Orleans, fell apart. They were ranked 30th in total yards allowed. Seeing a Dennis Allen-coached unit (even if he was fired mid-way) give up nearly 400 yards a game was shocking to most analysts.
Key Players and Their Impact
Chris Olave did his best, but he dealt with scary concussions that kept him off the field for significant chunks of time. He still managed to lead the team in receiving, but the lack of a consistent #2 threat after Rashid Shaheed’s injury made the passing game predictable.
Spencer Rattler got some starts while Carr was out. It was... a learning experience. The rookie showed flashes of talent, especially with his mobility, but behind that offensive line? He was a sitting duck. He finished the season with 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Not exactly "franchise savior" numbers yet, but he showed he might have a future if the team can actually protect him.
Why the Saints Struggled to Stay Relevant
A lot of people point to the "Salary Cap Hell" that New Orleans lives in. Mickey Loomis has been kicking the can down the road for years, and in 2024, the bill kind of came due. They had a veteran roster that was too old to stay healthy and too expensive to supplement with high-end free agents.
Then you have the "Identity Crisis."
Are they a defensive powerhouse? No. Are they a high-flying offense? Only for two weeks. The lack of a clear identity is what led to those long losing streaks. When things got tough, the team didn't have a "bread and butter" play or scheme to fall back on.
The NFC South Standings
It’s even more depressing when you look at how weak the division was.
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- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 10-7 (Division Winners)
- Atlanta Falcons: 8-9
- Carolina Panthers: 5-12 (Won tiebreaker over Saints)
- New Orleans Saints: 5-12
Getting swept by the Buccaneers and splitting with a 5-win Panthers team is how you end up in the basement.
What This Means for 2025 and Beyond
So, where do the Saints go from here?
The New Orleans Saints record 2024 confirms that the "post-Payton/Brees transition" isn't a transition anymore—it’s a full-blown rebuild. Whether they want to admit it or not, the current core of this team isn't enough to compete in the NFC.
The front office faces a massive decision this offseason. Do they keep Darren Rizzi, who the players clearly liked, or do they go for a big-name coaching hire to reset the culture? And then there's the quarterback situation. Derek Carr is under contract, but his 2024 performance was a rollercoaster of high-end efficiency and stagnant check-downs.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Analysts
To understand where the Saints are heading, keep an eye on these specific indicators over the coming months:
- Monitor Coaching Searches: If the Saints hire a defensive-minded coach, expect more of the same "grit and grind." If they go for an offensive innovator (like a Ben Johnson or Joe Brady type), it signals a total shift in philosophy.
- The Salary Cap Purge: Watch for high-profile veterans being cut or traded. If names like Cameron Jordan or Marshon Lattimore are on the move, the "rebuild" is officially on.
- Draft Strategy: With a top-10 pick likely, the choice between an offensive tackle and a franchise QB will tell you everything you need to know about their 3-year plan.
- Health of Chris Olave: His concussion history is becoming a concern. His availability is the ceiling for this offense.
The 2024 season was a harsh reality check. The magic of the Superdome wasn't enough to overcome bad luck, bad injuries, and a lack of direction. For the first time in nearly two decades, the Saints are looking at a long road back to the top of the NFC South.