Saints can extend dominance in Prime Time Games for 2020
The New Orleans Saints are scheduled to play four Prime Time games in 2020, tied for the second-most in the NFL, and will also play a Friday Christmas Day game against the Minnesota Vikings. Since the arrival of QB Drew Brees and Head Coach Sean Payton in 2006, the Saints have a 138-86 regular-season record, a winning percentage of 61.6%. New Orleans is even more successful over this span playing under a national audience's lights in Prime Time. The Saints have a record of 33-17, a.660 winning percentage, when they play on a Thursday, Saturday (once), Sunday, or Monday evening.
Here is the list of the Prime Time games that New Orleans will play in 2020:
- Monday, September 21 at Las Vegas Raiders
- Sunday, September 27 vs. Green Bay Packers
- Monday, October 12 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
- Sunday, November 8 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws a touchdown to wide receiver Brandin Cooks (10) during the second quarter of a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
The Saints do not have any Thursday night games scheduled but do have the Friday afternoon contest on Christmas Day against the Vikings. New Orleans has a 2-1 record against the Raiders during the Payton/Brees era but has never played them in a night game. The Saints franchise is 1-1 against the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders all-time in night games. They won 27-0 at home on 12/16/91 on a Monday night but lost an MNF game against them at home on 12/3/79 when they infamously blew a 35-14 second-half lead to a 42-35 defeat.
Oct 8, 2018; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) warms up before a game against the Washington Redskins at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
This contest will be the second time that Brees will play the Chargers, the franchise who drafted him in 1999, during a Prime Time matchup. The first was a Sunday night, on 10/8/12, also in the Superdome, when Brees broke the NFL record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass during a 31-24 Saints victory. The Brees/Payton combination has never faced division rival Tampa Bay in a night game, but the New Orleans franchise is 1-0 against the Buccaneers under the lights after a 12/01/02 23-20 Sunday night victory at home. Brees also defeated Tom Brady, the new Tampa Bay quarterback after six world championships with the Patriots. New Orleans defeated Brady's New England squad 38-17 on an 11/30/09 Monday night triumph at home.
Sep 9, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton talks to quarterback Drew Brees (9) in the second half against the Houston Texans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Another marquee quarterback duel will occur when Brees and his Saints take on the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers in New Orleans. The Saints are 2-1 against Rodgers and the Packers during the Brees/Payton era in night games, with both victories in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome during offensive explosions. They rolled to a 51-29 win on an 11/24/09 Monday night then repeated the feat with a 44-23 domination on a 10/26/14 Sunday evening. For decades the Saints have been one of the NFL's most formidable teams at home. That dominance has increased since Brees and Payton's arrival. It is even more clear under the lights of a national audience with a 25-6 record and an average margin of victory over 18 points. Here is a breakdown of the team's home/away record since 2006 during night time matchups.
Thursday Nights
- Overall Record = 6-7
- Home = 3-0
- Away = 3-7 (lost last 3)
Sunday Nights
- Overall Record = 11-2 (won 4 straight)
- Home = 10-0
- Away = 1-2
Monday Nights
- Overall Record = 16-7 (won 4 straight)
- Home =12-5
- Away = 4-2
Dec 16, 2019; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws against the Indianapolis Colts during the third quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
A historically productive New Orleans offense has been even more deadly during Prime Time games at home, scoring over 30 points 19 times in 25 victories and over 40 points eight times. The NFL typically tries to set up some of their best matchups for a prime-time viewing audience. If recent history is any indication, however, a dominant New Orleans Saints team will become a nearly unstoppable juggernaut when the night lights go on in 2020.
