New Orleans Saints

2021 Record: 0-0

After almost a decade and a half as the New Orleans Saints’ starting quarterback, he has a new job (and a new hairstyle), and the Saints are moving on into the post-Brees era with Jameis Winston as the starter.

Winston did not make the playoffs in any of his five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but after a year in New Orleans, he will be expected to keep the Saints, who have won four straight NFC South titles, in the mix for the postseason. Winston beat out Taysom Hill, who started last season while Brees was recovering from broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

Winston will have all-purpose standout Alvin Kamara, but he won’t have receiver Michael Thomas for at least the first six weeks of the season. Thomas, who had an NFL-record 149 catches in 2019, played in only seven games last season and is recovering from ankle surgery.

With someone new taking the snaps in New Orleans and the defending Super Bowl champs in their division, oddsmakers don’t love the Saints’ chances of continuing their streak of NFC South titles and playoff appearances. But Winston will certainly be playing with something to prove after being released by the Bucs due to his turnover issues and lack of success, only for his former team to immediately win the Super Bowl in Tom Brady’s first season. While oddsmakers have a cautious view of the Saints, at best, they do have a more optimistic view of Winston’s development since joining the Saints. The former Heisman Trophy winner, who led the NFL with 30 interceptions in 2019, is only +1600 to top that category again, with eight signal-callers coming in ahead of him.

New Orleans Saints 2021 Schedule

Sunday, September 26, 2021: at New England Patriots, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX

Sunday, October 3, 2021: vs New York Giants, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX

Sunday, October 10, 2021: at Washington Football Team, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

BYE WEEK

Monday, October 25, 2021: at Seattle Seahawks, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

Sunday, October 31, 2021: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX

Sunday, November 7, 2021: vs Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX

Sunday, November, 14, 2021: at Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS

Sunday, November 21, 2021: at Philadelphia Eagles, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX

Thursday, December 2, 2021: vs Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 p.m. ET, FOX & NFL Network

Sunday, December 12, 2021: at New York Jets, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX

Sunday, December 19, 2021: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC