Saints Mid-Season Predictions

With eight games to go in the regular season, here's how the Saints are viewed by a panel of national analysts.

NFL.com polled their own writers, analysts, former coaches, and former players earlier this week to get their mid-season thoughts on the NFL. In a series of three articles from the network earlier this week, the panel gave their mid-season predictions on awards, playoff teams, contenders or pretenders, and Super Bowl picks.

The New Orleans Saints popped up in a few of those predictions. New Orleans, now 5-4 after back-to-back wins, currently hold first place in the NFC South and would be the conference's fourth seed if the playoffs started today. 

NFL.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha named Saints QB Derek Carr as the league's best offseason investment on the offensive side. 

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) looks to pass the ball against the Houston Texans. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Carr hasn't been exceptional in his first season with the Saints, but this franchise also didn't need him to be that. New Orleans simply wanted a quarterback who could be reliable, which is what Carr has supplied lately. The Saints had an especially rough stretch to start the year, scoring just 62 points combined in their first four games. But they've averaged 26.6 points over their last five games, with Carr playing his best football. He's completed at least 69 percent of his passes in the Saints' last three wins -- including Sunday's 24-17 victory over Chicago -- and he's amassed six touchdowns and no interceptions in those contests. That's plenty good enough to get it done in the NFC South, where Carr is easily the best quarterback in the division. There are other players worth consideration in this category (like Philadelphia running back D’Andre Swift and Chicago wide receiver D.J. Moore), but it's hard to compete with Carr's overall importance. The Saints have struggled at this position since Drew Brees left town. Carr is giving them a chance to be a playoff contender once again.

Columnist Adam Schein listed New Orleans as his top contender when he examined all 10 teams within a game of .500.

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) intercepts a pass against the Tennessee Titans. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY

Back in the offseason, I envisioned big things for Derek Carr and these Saints. They were my Cinderella team for 2023! I'm already disappointed by the volume of mind-numbing losses, but the last two weeks have represented a shift in energy and results.

After coming out flat as a pancake in a Week 7 home loss to Jacksonville, New Orleans was fantastic in a 38-27 win at Indianapolis in Week 8. This past Sunday, the Saints weren't as impressive, but they were good enough to hold off the woeful Bears.

I still love Carr, Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and this ballhawking New Orleans defense. While the Saints failed to take full advantage of the soft early-season schedule, they are clicking now and should be able to go 5-3 in the rest of the way. Ten wins should be enough to take the weakest division in the league this season, the NFC South. So, I do indeed believe New Orleans is heading to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

Among the 27 NFL.com panelists, 24 picked the Saints to win the NFC South. The Atlanta Falcons, currently 4-5, received the other three votes. New Orleans and Atlanta play each other twice over the last nine weeks of the season. Perhaps most surprising was that the Saints even drew some Super Bowl recognition from the 27 panelists.

David Carr, an NFL quarterback for 10 seasons and older brother of Derek Carr, had New Orleans winning Super Bowl LVIII in his mid-season predictions. 

Saints over Chiefs. The Saints continue to build throughout the second half of the season -- and in January -- to peak when it counts. I envision my brother, Derek Carr, firing on all cylinders in a venue he’s very familiar with to outplay Patrick Mahomes and overwhelm Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs against the Kansas City Chiefs. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans was one of only four NFC teams predicted by the panel to even advance to the Super Bowl. The Philadelphia Eagles garnered 15 votes to go to the Super Bowl from the panel, with seven predictions to win it all. San Francisco earned five votes as Super Bowl champions with two other predictions to be the NFC representative. The Dallas Cowboys received two predictions from the panel to advance to the Super Bowl, with neither prognostication having them as the winner. 

Kansas City and Cincinnati were tied for the most Super Bowl championship predictions with four each. Baltimore (3), Miami (2), and Buffalo (1) also received votes.

New Orleans kicks off the back stretch of their season with a road trip to face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Of their final eight games, only the Vikings (5-4) and Detroit Lions (6-2) currently have a winning record. Four of their last eight games are at home, where they have a 2-2 record this season. 

The Saints will face NFC South foes four more times before the end of the season, currently holding a 1-1 record in the division. All of their remaining games are against NFC opponents. New Orleans is 2-2 in the conference, something to keep an eye on down the stretch for tiebreaker purposes. 

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