Updating Saints game-by-game predictions for the final stretch of 2025

It's funny how quickly things can go sideways in the NFL. The New Orleans Saints went into their bye week with a long shot at the playoffs and a lot of optimism from their upset win over the Carolina Panthers. But it wasn't to last. Kellen Moore's team has lost two games against winnable opponents and been eliminated from playoff contention altogether. They're 2-10. How does that change our expectations for the final five games down the stretch?

Earlier this year, when the schedule was first released, we predicted the Saints would go 6-11. They could still do that. But it's looking more and more unlikely as the year draws to a close. Here's how we see these last five games playing out:

Week 14 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5): Loss

Tampa Bay handed the Saints one of their worst losses of the season (which is saying something) by beating them 23-3 in New Orleans in Week 8. Now the game is going to their house, and it isn't looking pretty. The Buccaneers will be looking at this as a get-right game after losing three in a row coming out of their bye week and only beating the Arizona Cardinals by a field goal. It just doesn't seem like the Saints have the firepower to keep pace with them.

Record: 2-11

Week 15 vs. Carolina Panthers (7-6): Loss

We should expect the Saints to split this series with the Panthers. Carolina just pulled off the upset of the season, beating the Los Angeles Rams 31-28, and they'll be well-rested after their bye week. You'd like to think the Saints can replicate some of their success from that surprise win a month ago. It just doesn't seem realistic.

Record: 2-12

Week 16 vs. New York Jets (3-9): Win

This is winnable, right? The Jets don't do much well and they're only ahead of the Saints by a single win. Playing at home in the Caesars Superdome should give them an advantage. But this could also be a situation where we see the difference in a head coach with a locker room buying into his plan (Aaron Glenn and the Jets, of course) versus a coach who's out of his depth without any answers (Kellen Moore, of course). For now we're expecting the Saints to win this game. We'll see how that expectations changes over the next two weeks.

Record: 3-12

Week 17 at Tennessee Titans (1-11): Win

Tennessee isn't going to risk their hold on the first overall draft pick by losing this game. And they're such a dysfunctional organization that they may not even have to try to tank. It would take a lot of deliberate self-sabotage for the Saints to lose this one.

Record: 4-12

Week 18 at Atlanta Falcons (4-8): Loss

You'd like to think the Saints can split this series. Even if there's a couple of wins separating the NFC South's two worst teams, getting some concrete proof that the Saints are on the same level as Atlanta would be reassuring. But getting bounced by two touchdowns in their own stadium a couple of weeks ago was less than encouraging. There's little reason to think the Saints can end the year with a win, but it sure would be nice.

Record: 4-13

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Updating Saints game-by-game predictions for the final stretch of 2025