Saints Fans Will Love Placement On New Strength-Of-Schedule Rankings

Could Saints exceed expectations?

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) catches a pass during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints face low expectations in 2025, with many expecting the Kellen Moore-led group to be among the worst in the NFL.

But could the Saints surprise people?

On paper, New Orleans probably doesn't have the talent to win many games. However, the Saints could get help from their schedule, as evidenced by new strength-of-schedule rankings from NFL analytics guru Warren Sharp, who compiled his list using the latest win/loss projections from Las Vegas oddsmakers.

Here's the full list, from easiest to hardest, including projected win totals:

1. San Francisco 49ers -- 10.5
2. New England Patriots -- 7.5
3. New Orleans Saints -- 6.5
4. Atlanta Falcons -- 7.5
5. Buffalo Bills -- 11.5
6. Jacksonville Jaguars -- 7.5
7. Carolina Panthers -- 6.5
8. Tennessee Titans -- 5.5
9. Miami Dolphins -- 8.5
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- 9.5
11. Arizona Cardinals -- 8.5
12. Indianapolis Colts -- 7.5
13. Seattle Seahawks -- 7
14. Denver Broncos -- 9.5
15. Los Angeles Chargers -- 9.5
16. New York Jets -- 5.5
17. Cincinnati Bengals -- 9.5
18. Las Vegas Raiders -- 6.5
19. Washington Commanders -- 9.5
20. Los Angeles Rams -- 9.5
21. Baltimore Ravens -- 11.5
22. Dallas Cowboys -- 7.5
23. Green Bay Packers -- 9.5
24. Pittsburgh Steelers -- 8.5
25. Houston Texans -- 9.5
26. Chicago Bears -- 8.5
27. Kansas City Chiefs -- 11.5
28. Minnesota Vikings -- 8.5
29. Philadelphia Eagles -- 11.5
30. Detroit Lions -- 10.5
31. Cleveland Browns -- 5.5
32. New York Giants -- 5.5

Obviously, these rankings should be taken with a grain of salt. Training camps still are months away, and mid-offseason scheduling takes rarely age well. Nobody knows anything at this point.

Nevertheless, perhaps there should be more optimism surrounding the Saints as they enter a new era.

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