Saints 2026 Opponents Revealed After Week 18 Loss

The 2025 National Football League regular season officially is over for the New Orleans Saints and what a roller coaster it was.

New Orleans struggled out of the gate. The Saints went 1-7 with Spencer Rattler as the team's starter for the first eight games of the season. New Orleans turned the job over to Tyler Shough and the fortunes of the franchise shifted. Shough made nine starts and went 5-4 for the team. The Saints entered Sunday's Week 18 finale against the Atlanta Falcons riding a four-game winning streak. Unfortunately the winning streak was snapped, by it was still a promising matchup nonetheless.

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Shough threw for 259 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the loss. With Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele out, Dante Pettis was the team's No. 1 wide receiver. Juwan Johnson was the No. 1 pass-catcher overall. Audric Estime led the backfield with injuries all throughout the roster. Still, Shough looked good. With the loss, the Saints now know who will be on the docket next season.

The Saints know who they will play

Jan 4, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) passes against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Saints already announced the team's opponents for 2026, but three games were not confirmed because they were based on team standings. The Saints finished in last place in the NFC South and therefore, will face the last-place finishers in the NFC East, NFC West, and AFC West in 2026. Those are the New York Giants, the Arizona Cardinals, and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Overall, the Saints will face the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, the Raiders, and the Cardinals at home.

New Orleans will face the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, and the Giants on the road.

The Saints will not take the field for months, but there's a bright future in New Orleans starting with Shough. Now, the Saints will have to go back to the drawing board this offseason and build the offense around him.

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