Saints get just one prime-time game in 2026 NFL schedule

The 2026 NFL schedule is now officially released. The New Orleans Saints open their season with two road trips against the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens before three consecutive home games. One of those is a Week 4 Monday Night Football hosting of the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 5 in a renewal of one of the NFL's most heated rivalries.

After being shut out of prime-time contests in 2025, their first season under head coach Kellen Moore, the Saints return to the shine of the nighttime lights. It would have made more sense for the Saints to host Atlanta on Monday night, Sept. 28, during Week 3. After all, that would have been only three days after the 20-year anniversary of when New Orleans finally returned to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina, on a Monday night in 2006, an iconic rout of those same Falcons. The NFL clearly missed out, but what else is new?

At least New Orleans is getting a shred of respect from the league after being brushed aside of prime time last season. In 2026, there are five teams who will not appear in any night games. They are the Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins, and Raiders. The Saints and Browns are the only two teams with one night game apiece. The Rams, with seven prime time appearances, have more than any other squad. With six night games each are the , , Bills, and . NFC South rivals Atlanta, Carolina, and Tampa Bay each appear in prime time three times.