Man, being a New Orleans Saints fan is basically an emotional marathon. If you followed the nfl football schedule saints this past season, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It wasn't just a series of games. It was a total rollercoaster that started with high hopes under a new regime and ended in a way that had everyone checking mock drafts by mid-November.
Kellen Moore took the reins as head coach, and honestly, the vibes were actually pretty decent in training camp. But the NFL is a brutal league. The schedule makers didn’t do New Orleans any favors early on, throwing a gauntlet of NFC West and AFC East heavyweights at a team trying to find its new identity.
The Brutal Start No One Saw Coming
The season kicked off at the Caesars Superdome on September 7, 2025. Facing the Arizona Cardinals felt like a winnable game to start the Moore era. Instead? A 20-13 loss. It set a tone that was hard to shake. People expected the "Dome Effect" to carry them, but the offense looked out of sync.
Then came the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2. Look, the Niners are a buzzsaw, and while the Saints hung tough, they fell 26-21. Starting 0-2 at home is basically a death sentence in the modern NFL.
Things didn't get easier. The team hit the road for a massive 4,172-mile round trip to Seattle. Playing at Lumen Field is never fun, but losing 44-13? That’s the kind of game that makes fans want to turn off the TV by the third quarter. By the time they finished a Week 4 loss in Buffalo (31-19), the Saints were sitting at 0-4.
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Finding a Spark in October
Just when everyone was ready to give up, the Saints finally caught a break. On October 5, they hosted the New York Giants. It wasn't pretty, but a 26-14 win finally put a "1" in the win column.
The middle of the nfl football schedule saints was a weird mix of "maybe they're okay" and "oh no, we're definitely in trouble." They lost a close one to the Patriots in Week 6 and got handled by the Bears in Week 7. By the time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to town for the first divisional game on October 26, the wheels were coming off again. A 23-3 blowout loss to a division rival at home? Yikes.
Key Matchups and Results
- Week 1 vs. Cardinals: L, 13-20
- Week 5 vs. Giants: W, 26-14
- Week 10 at Panthers: W, 17-7
- Week 11: BYE (Much needed rest)
- Week 14 at Buccaneers: W, 24-20
- Week 17 at Titans: W, 34-26
The Week 11 bye was a turning point of sorts, or at least a chance to breathe. At 2-8 heading into the break, the playoffs were a pipe dream. But credit to Kellen Moore and the vets like Cam Jordan and Demario Davis—they didn't just quit.
The Late Season Surge and Tyler Shough
One of the most surprising storylines of the season was the emergence of Tyler Shough. When he got the nod later in the year, the offense actually started moving the ball.
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The final stretch of the nfl football schedule saints was actually... fun? They went on a four-game tear starting in December. They beat the Buccaneers in Tampa, handled the Panthers at home, and absolutely dismantled the Jets 29-6.
The highlight for many was the Week 17 thriller in Nashville. Coming back to beat the Titans 34-26 showed some real grit. Chris Olave was a beast all year, eventually securing a second-team All-Pro nod with a 100-catch season. Watching him work in that Titans game was a reminder that the cupboard isn't totally bare in New Orleans.
What Really Happened With the Standings
Despite the late winning streak, the math just didn't work. The Saints finished 6-11, which put them at the bottom of the NFC South.
The Falcons and Buccaneers stayed consistent enough to keep the Saints out of the hunt. In fact, the season ended on a bit of a sour note with a 19-17 loss in Atlanta. Losing to the "Dirty Birds" to close out the year is always a tough pill to swallow, especially when a win would have made the final record look a bit more respectable at 7-10.
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Moving Forward Into 2026
The 2025 season is in the books, and while 6-11 isn't where anyone wanted to be, the way they finished (winning 4 of their last 5) provides a glimmer of hope. The team traveled over 16,000 miles this year and faced some of the toughest travel schedules in the league, leaving the Central Time Zone seven times.
If you're looking ahead to the next nfl football schedule saints, here is what you should keep an eye on:
- Monitor the Draft Position: Finishing 4th in the division means a high draft pick and a "last-place" schedule in 2026, which usually helps for a bounce-back year.
- Roster Stability: Keep an eye on the quarterback situation. Shough showed promise, but will they stick with him or look for a franchise cornerstone in the draft?
- Salary Cap Magic: Mickey Loomis is known for his cap gymnastics. With several veterans getting older, expect some major roster shuffling this spring.
- Defensive Rebuild: Brandon Staley's first year as DC had ups and downs. The late-season defensive performances against the Jets and Panthers were encouraging, but they need more pass-rush help.
The 2025 season was a test of patience. From a 2-10 start—their worst since 1999—to a spirited December run, the Black and Gold proved they still have some fight left. Now the focus shifts to the offseason and seeing if this late momentum can actually translate into a winning 2026.