The New Orleans Saints are defending Super Bowl champions and the sportsbook has them as the second choice in future odds to win this year’s game.
History is against the Saints though as only the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots have defending their Super Bowl title since the 1995 season. The schedule could help the Saints though as they should be favored in sportsbook online odds in their first 10 games this season. The Saints are the favorite to win the NFC South but it should be noted that no team has ever won back-to-back titles in this division since it started in 2002. The Saints are going to have a target on their backs all year as defending champions. The good news for the Saints is that they have one of the easiest schedules in the league. They have only five games against teams that made the playoffs last season.
The Saints begin the season with a rematch of the NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings. New Orleans is a 4-point home favorite in that game. It will not be an easy game but history is on the side of the Saints. Defending Super Bowl champs opening at home have fared well the past few seasons.
The Saints will visit San Francisco in Week 2 in what figures to be a letdown spot after playing the Vikings. The Saints have won the past five meetings against the 49ers though and they will be favored. Week 3 is a very tough home matchup against the Atlanta Falcons and then another potential letdown game against Carolina. The Saints have a two-game road trip that looks winnable with games at Arizona and Tampa Bay. They then host Cleveland and Pittsburgh before going to Carolina. The Saints then have their bye week before hosting the Seahawks. The Saints toughest game figures to be at Dallas on November 25th. They then go to Cincinnati in what will be a tough game since the normally don’t fare well in cold weather. They then come home to host St. Louis before another tough cold weather game at Baltimore on December 19th. The Saints then have to go to Atlanta in a game that might decide the division before finishing up at home against Tampa Bay.