Saints All-Time Record in Season Openers

Despite recent success, season openers have not been kind to the New Orleans Saints. Here's a look at how they've historically fared in the opening game of the year.

Bob Rose | Sep 5, 2022

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New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are set to begin their 56th NFL season on Sunday when they take on their most bitter rival, the Atlanta Falcons.

Over their previous 55 years, the Saints have 17 seasons with a winning record, all of those in the last 35 years. They have 13 playoff appearances, 9 division titles, and one Super Bowl championship to their credit.

Season openers have not been kind to this franchise. New Orleans has won their last three regular season openers, but have mostly struggled to open the year. They lost the first four regular season openers in franchise history, all at home, before finally recording a 24-20 win over the Rams to open the 1971 season.

Here is how New Orleans has fared in season openers throughout their franchise history.

Overall Season Opening Record

September 12, 2021; New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) launches pass against the Green Bay Packers. Bob Self/Florida Times-Union via Imagn Content Services, LLC

20-35 record

.364 winning percentage

Home = 14-23

Away = 6-12

New Orleans opened the 2021 season with a 38-3 rout of the Green Bay Packers. The game was played in Jacksonville, Fl., but was classified as a home game for the Saints, who had been displaced because of Hurricane Ida. I counted that as an away game for these statistics, because New Orleans had moved temporary team headquarters to Dallas, yet still had to play in Florida because of scheduling conflicts.

The last true ‘‘away’’ season opener for the Saints, according to the NFL, was in 2017. The Saints lost that opener in Minnesota, 29-19. Prior to last year's win against Green Bay, New Orleans had lost their last five season openers away from home after a 19-14 victory at Cleveland to open 2006.

The Saints have fared much better in season openers since the start of the new millennium in 2000. They are 11-11 to open the year since 2000, with a 6-5 record at home and 5-6 record on the road. New Orleans had an 8-7 season opening record under now-retired coach Sean Payton.

Season Openers Against Division Rivals

(after the 1970 AFL/NFL merger)

FILE PHOTO; San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig (33) in action against New Orleans Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson (57). Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

8-15 record

.348 winning percentage

vs. NFC West = 3-13
vs. NFC South = 5-2

In their first three years, the Saints were located in the Capitol Division for two seasons and the Century Division for one. After the 1970 merger, New Orleans was placed in the NFC West with the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Atlanta Falcons. The Seattle Seahawks (1976) were also in the division for their inaugural season and the Carolina Panthers were placed in the NFC West upon their expansion in 1995.

From 1970 to 2001, the Saints had just a .188 winning percentage when they opened the year against an NFC West divisional foe. In 32 years of being in the NFC West, the Saints won just two division titles and advanced to the playoffs five times.

In 20 years of NFC South competition, the Saints have won seven division crowns (more than any other South team) and qualified for the postseason nine times. They a .714 winning percentage when opening the year against an NFC South foe.

Season Openers Against Atlanta

Nov 21, 2013; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) makes a call at the line of scrimmage in the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

1-7 record

Home = 1-5

Away = 0-2

The Saints and Falcons have faced each other eight times in season openers, more than any other opponent for each team to start a year. Atlanta holds a narrow 54-52 edge in the all-time series, including a 27-26 advantage when they host the Saints.

Since Sean Payton was hired in 2006, New Orleans has flipped the script against their bitter rival. Since 2006, the Saints hold a 22-10 record against Atlanta, a .688 winning percentage. New Orleans has won their last four road matchups against the Falcons and have an 11-5 record in Atlanta since 2006.

In 2013, the Saints broke a six-game losing streak in season openers against the Falcons with a 23-17 win against them at home. They’d follow that up by losing a 37-34 overtime shootout at Atlanta the following year.

Dennis Allen was a defensive coordinator for 12 of Payton's 15 seasons in New Orleans, but was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 2012 to 2014. Allen’s Raiders were 0-3 in season openers.

Now the head coach for a far more talented team in New Orleans, Allen is expected to get his Saints tenure off to a positive start with a road victory against his team's most bitter rival.