Ranking Saints' 2026 opponents by 2025 win totals

Takeaway: These four games could be a trap for the Saints, and if the Saints plan to contend, they cannot afford to lose. A loss to a three-win Cardinals or Raiders team is the kind of blemish that keeps you out of the postseason. The most likely loss for the Saints would be the Giants, who, under new leadership, have formed a new identity around young quarterback Jaxson Dart.

The dangerous teams in the middle

• 10. Cincinnati Bengals: 6-11 (9.5, improvement of 3 to 4 wins)
• 9. Baltimore Ravens: 8-9 (11.5, improvement of 3 to 4 wins)
• 8. Atlanta Falcons: 8-9 (7.5, regression by 1 to 2 wins)
• 7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9 (8.5, improvement of 1 to 2 wins)
• 6. Carolina Panthers: 8-9 (6.5, regression by 2 to 3 wins)

Entering this tier is where the easy, trap-game level label gets ripped off. Don't let the Bengals' 6-11 record fool you. A healthy Joe Burrow makes them one of the top contenders for a Super Bowl. Also in this grouping are all of the NFC South teams, which make up over one-third of the Saints' schedule. If they want to win the NFC South, they have to beat the NFC South.

The upper echelon

• 5. Detroit Lions: 9-8 (10.5, improvement of 1 to 2 wins)
• 4. Minnesota Vikings: 9-8 (8.5, regression by 1 to 2 wins)
• 3. Green Bay Packers: 9-7-1 (10.5, improvement of 1 to 2 wins)
• 2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7 (8.5, regression by 2 to 3 wins)
• 1. Chicago Bears: 11-6 (9.5, regression by 2 to 3 wins)

From this tier, the Lions, Packers, and Bears are the teams most likely to hand the Saints a loss. For the Steelers and Vikings, there are still questions at the quarterback position. If the Saints can split these games and take care of business at the bottom of the list, there's a good chance that they'll make a run at the playoffs.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL Schedule Release: Saints' 2026 opponents ranked by 2025 win totals