2019 New Orleans Saints season

53rd season in franchise history

2019 New Orleans Saints season
OwnerGayle Benson
General managerMickey Loomis
Head coachSean Payton
Offensive coordinatorPete Carmichael Jr.
Defensive coordinatorDennis Allen
Home fieldMercedes-Benz Superdome
Results
Record13–3
Division place1st NFC South
Playoff finishLost Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. Vikings) 20–26 (OT)
Pro Bowlers
11
  • QB Drew Brees
  • RB Alvin Kamara
  • WR Michael Thomas
  • TE Jared Cook
  • T Terron Armstead
  • G Andrus Peat
  • G Larry Warford
  • DE Cameron Jordan
  • CB Marshon Lattimore
  • K Wil Lutz
  • RS Deonte Harris
AP All-Pros
6
Uniform

The 2019 season was the New Orleans Saints' 53rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 44th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 13th under head coach Sean Payton.

The Saints matched their 13–3 record from their 2018 season, which ended with the team losing in the NFC Championship to the Los Angeles Rams partially due to a controversial pass interference no-call from the Rams defense. They attempted to appear in the Super Bowl for the first time since Super Bowl XLIV. Despite losing Drew Brees to a thumb injury during a week 2 rematch against the Rams, the Saints went 5–0 in the games following his absence under backup Teddy Bridgewater, and won the NFC South for the third consecutive season after beating their division rival Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving night. The Saints matched their record from the previous year after defeating their divisional rivals Carolina Panthers in week 17, sweeping them for the second time in three seasons, but were not able to secure a first round bye due to a three way tiebreaker with the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers. This was the first time in franchise history the Saints posted back-to-back seasons with 12 or more wins. They hosted the Minnesota Vikings in the wild card round, the fifth meeting between the two teams in the playoffs. However, for the third time in three straight years, the Saints were eliminated in the playoffs, losing 26–20 to the Vikings in overtime.

The Saints face off against the Rams during a Week 2 matchup in Los Angeles on September 15, 2019

Off-season

Re-signed

Position Player Age Contract
QB Teddy Bridgewater 27 1 year, $7.25 million
LB Craig Robertson 31 2 years, $4.1 million
S Chris Banjo 29 3 years, $6.9 million
RT Michael Ola 30 1 year, $805,000
LS Zach Wood 26 1 year, $645,000
LB Vince Biegel 25 1 year, $645,000
CB Ken Crawley 25 1 year, $2.025 million
K Wil Lutz 24 5 years, $20.25 million
C Cameron Tom 23 1 year, $635,000
CB Justin Hardee 25 1 year, $635,000
CB P. J. Williams 25 1 year, $5 million

New signings

Position Player Age 2018 team Contract
G Nick Easton 26 Minnesota Vikings 4 years, $22.5 million
DT Malcom Brown 25 New England Patriots 3 years, $15 million
RB Latavius Murray 28 Minnesota Vikings 4 years, $14.4 million
DT Mario Edwards Jr. 24 New York Giants 2 years, $5 million
CB Marcus Sherels 31 Minnesota Vikings 1 year, $1.02 million
TE Jared Cook 31 Oakland Raiders 2 years, $15.5 million

Departures

Position Player Age 2019 team
DE Alex Okafor 28 Kansas City Chiefs
RB Mark Ingram II 29 Baltimore Ravens
WR Tommylee Lewis 26 Detroit Lions
DT Tyeler Davison 26 Atlanta Falcons
TE Benjamin Watson 38 New England Patriots
G Josh LeRibeus 29 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
SS Kurt Coleman 30 Buffalo Bills
CB Josh Robinson 28 Jacksonville Jaguars
DT Jay Bromley 26 San Francisco 49ers
WR Dez Bryant 30 Released
TE Michael Hoomanawanui 30 Released
SS Rickey Jefferson 24 Released
RB Daniel Lasco 26 Released
MLB Manti Te'o 28 Released
DT Tyrunn Walker 29 Released
C Max Unger 32 Retired
OT Jermon Bushrod 34 Retired

NFL draft

2019 New Orleans Saints draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
2 48 Erik McCoy  C Texas A&M
4 105 C. J. Gardner-Johnson  S Florida
6 177 Saquan Hampton  S Rutgers
7 231 Alize Mack  TE Notre Dame
7 244 Kaden Elliss  LB Idaho
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Notes

  • The Saints traded their 2018 first- and fifth-round selections (27th and 147th overall), and their 2019 first-round selection (30th overall) to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for the Packers' 2018 first-round selection (14th overall).
  • The Saints traded their 2019 third-round selection (93rd overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for the Jets' 2019 sixth-round selection (177th overall) and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
  • The Saints traded their 2019 fourth-round selection (132nd overall) and a 2020 seventh-round selection (238th overall) to the New York Giants in exchange for cornerback Eli Apple.
  • The Saints received a 2019 seventh-round selection (231st overall) from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence.

Staff

2019 New Orleans Saints staff

Front office

  • Owner – Gayle Benson
  • President – Dennis Lauscha
  • Executive vice president/general manager – Mickey Loomis
  • Asst. general manager/college scouting director – Jeff Ireland
  • Vice president of football administration – Khai Harley
  • Director of operations – James Nagaoka
  • Director of pro scouting – Terry Fontenot

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator – Pete Carmichael
  • Quarterbacks – Joe Lombardi
  • Running backs – Joel Thomas
  • Wide receivers – Ronald Curry
  • Offensive line – Dan Roushar
  • Assistant offensive line – Brendan Nugent
  • Senior offensive assistant – Curtis Johnson
  • Offensive assistant – Kevin Petry
 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head strength and conditioning – Dan Dalrymple
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Charles Byrd
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Rob Wenning

Final roster

2019 New Orleans Saints final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
 53 active, 15 inactive, 10 practice squad

Preseason

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 August 9 Minnesota Vikings L 25–34 0–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
2 August 18 at Los Angeles Chargers W 19–17 1–1 Dignity Health Sports Park Recap
3 August 24 at New York Jets W 28–13 2–1 MetLife Stadium Recap
4 August 29 Miami Dolphins L 13–16 2–2 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue NFL.com
recap
1 September 9 Houston Texans W 30–28 1–0 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
2 September 15 at Los Angeles Rams L 9–27 1–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap
3 September 22 at Seattle Seahawks W 33–27 2–1 CenturyLink Field Recap
4 September 29 Dallas Cowboys W 12–10 3–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
5 October 6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 31–24 4–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
6 October 13 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 13–6 5–1 TIAA Bank Field Recap
7 October 20 at Chicago Bears W 36–25 6–1 Soldier Field Recap
8 October 27 Arizona Cardinals W 31–9 7–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
9 Bye
10 November 10 Atlanta Falcons L 9–26 7–2 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
11 November 17 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 34–17 8–2 Raymond James Stadium Recap
12 November 24 Carolina Panthers W 34–31 9–2 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
13 November 28 at Atlanta Falcons W 26–18 10–2 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap
14 December 8 San Francisco 49ers L 46–48 10–3 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
15 December 16 Indianapolis Colts W 34–7 11–3 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
16 December 22 at Tennessee Titans W 38–28 12–3 Nissan Stadium Recap
17 December 29 at Carolina Panthers W 42–10 13–3 Bank of America Stadium Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Houston Texans

Week One: Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 0 14 7728
Saints 0 3 141330

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

First quarter

  • No scoring plays.

Second quarter

  • HOU – Deshaun Watson 21-yard run (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 14:13. Texans 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 94 yards, 3:42.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 32-yard field goal, 9:22. Texans 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 4:51.
  • HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 2-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 1:47. Texans 14–3. Drive: 16 plays, 75 yards, 7:35.

Third quarter

  • NO – Latavius Murray 30-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 12:51. Texans 14–10. Drive: 5 plays, 83 yards, 2:09.
  • HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 16-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 8:20. Texans 21–10. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:31.
  • NO – Taysom Hill 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:39. Texans 21–17. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:41.

Fourth quarter

  • NO – Tre'Quan Smith 14-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 14:55. Saints 24–21. Drive: 4 plays, 49 yards, 1:53.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 47-yard field goal, 0:50. Saints 27–21. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 2:39.
  • HOU – Kenny Stills 37-yard pass from Deshaun Watson (Ka'imi Fairbairn kick), 0:37. Texans 28–27. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:13.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 58-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 30–28. Drive: 6 plays, 35 yards, 0:37.

Top passers

Top rushers

Top receivers

  • HOU – DeAndre Hopkins – 8 receptions, 111 yards, 2 TD
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 10 receptions, 123 yards

The game was an offensive shootout. The Saints started slow and fell behind 14–3 at halftime. The Saints offense took off in the third quarter and they outscored the Texans 24–7 in the next 29 minutes of the game. With less than one minute to play, Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson threw a go-ahead touchdown to wide receiver Kenny Stills; however, the Saints and Brees were able to move the ball down the field and kicker Wil Lutz kicked a 58–yard field goal to lead the team to victory. This was the first time the Saints won their season opener since the 2013 season.

Week 2: at Los Angeles Rams

Week Two: New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 0 3 339
Rams 3 3 14727

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

  • Date: September 15
  • Game time: 3:25 pm. CDT/1:25 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 85 °F (29 °C)
  • Game attendance: 71,460
  • Referee: Walt Anderson
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • LAR – Greg Zuerlein 24-yard field goal, 8:42. Rams 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 56 yards, 3:43.

Second quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 34-yard field goal, 11:06. Tied 3–3. Drive: 7 plays, 25 yards, 3:15.
  • LAR – Greg Zuerlein 22-yard field goal, 0:03. Rams 6–3. Drive: 7 plays, 44 yards, 2:36.

Third quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 52-yard field goal, 9:49. Tied 6–6. Drive: 10 plays, 37 yards, 4:16.
  • LAR – Todd Gurley 4-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 5:39. Rams 13–6. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:10.
  • LAR – Brandin Cooks 2-yard pass from Jared Goff (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:00. Rams 20–6. Drive: 5 plays, 26 yards, 2:37.

Fourth quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 42-yard field goal, 10:58. Rams 20–9. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 5:02.
  • LAR – Jared Goff 1-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 8:37. Rams 27–9. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:21.

Top passers

  • NO – Teddy Bridgewater – 17/30, 165 yards
  • LAR – Jared Goff – 19/28, 283 yards, TD

Top rushers

  • NO – Alvin Kamara – 13 rushes, 45 yards
  • LAR – Todd Gurley – 16 rushes, 63 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • NO – Michael Thomas – 10 receptions, 89 yards
  • LAR – Cooper Kupp – 5 receptions, 120 yards

In a rematch of 2018's controversial NFC Championship game, Drew Brees collided with Aaron Donald while attempting to pass; the hit broke Brees' thumb, forcing him out of action for the next five weeks following surgery. In place of the injured Brees, Teddy Bridgewater was held to just 165 yards passing. On defense, Cam Jordan strip sacked Jared Goff and returned a fumble 87 yards for a touchdown, which was controversially overturned. Despite this; the Rams went on to blow them out 27-9.[1][2]

The loss dropped the Saints to 1–1. After the game, head coach Sean Payton agreed to a five-year contract extension. The Saints don't match up with the Rams until the 2022 season.

Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks

Week Three: New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 7 13 7633
Seahawks 7 0 02027

at CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington

Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • NO – Vonn Bell 33-yard fumble return (kick failed, wide left), 6:50. Saints 13–7.
  • NO – Alvin Kamara 29-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Wil Lutz kick), 0:33. Saints 20–7. Drive: 7 plays, 58 yards, 2:00.

Third quarter

  • NO – Michael Thomas 1-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Wil Lutz kick), 7:44. Saints 27–7. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 7:16.

Fourth quarter

  • SEA – Russell Wilson 2-yard run (Jason Myers kick), 11:51. Saints 27–14. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 3:09.
  • NO – Alvin Kamara 1-yard run (run failed), 4:19. Saints 33–14. Drive: 8 plays, 28 yards, 5:22.
  • SEA – Russell Wilson 8-yard run (Jason Myers kick), 2:48. Saints 33–21. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 1:31.
  • SEA – Will Dissly 4-yard pass from Russell Wilson, 0:00. Saints 33–27. Drive: 11 plays, 82 yards, 1:42.

Top passers

Top rushers

Top receivers

  • NO – Alvin Kamara – 9 receptions, 92 yards, TD
  • SEA – Tyler Lockett – 11 receptions, 154 yards, TD

In a surprising upset on the road against Seattle without starting quarterback Drew Brees, the Saints led 27–7 going into the fourth quarter thanks to two touchdown passes from quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, in addition to touchdowns off a punt return and a fumble recovery. The Seahawks scored 20 points in the final period, but a short touchdown run from Alvin Kamara proved the difference between the two teams, to move the Saints to 2–1 on the season.

Week 4: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week Four: Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 3 0 7010
Saints 0 9 0312

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

First quarter

  • DAL – Brett Maher 28-yard field goal, 5:08. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 3:34.

Second quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 40-yard field goal, 14:55. Tied 3–3. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 5:13.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 42-yard field goal, 8:42. Saints 6–3. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 4:45.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 19-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 9–3. Drive: 8 plays, 43 yards, 1:30.

Third quarter

  • DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Brett Maher kick), 7:47. Cowboys 10–9. Drive: 11 plays, 84 yards, 5:44.

Fourth quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 26-yard field goal, 13:41. Saints 12–10. Drive: 15 plays, 67 yards, 9:06.

Top passers

Top rushers

Top receivers

  • DAL – Jason Witten – 4 receptions, 50 yards
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 9 receptions, 95 yards

The Saints found yet another way to win a game without star quarterback Drew Brees and with Teddy Bridgewater at the helm, as Wil Lutz kicked four field goals. It was the first Saints win since week 8 of the 1998 season to feature no touchdowns. The Saints would improve their overall record to 3-1.

Week 5: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week Five: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Buccaneers 7 3 7724
Saints 3 14 7731

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

First quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 29-yard field goal, 3:58. Saints 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards, 4:25.
  • TB – Chris Godwin 26-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Matt Gay kick), 0:10. Buccaneers 7–3. Drive: 2 plays, 20 yards, 0:54.

Second quarter

  • NO – Michael Thomas 14-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Wil Lutz kick), 10:13. Saints 10–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:57.
  • TB – Matt Gay 42-yard field goal, 5:33. Tied 10–10. Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 4:40.
  • NO – Jared Cook 9-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Wil Lutz kick), 0:32. Saints 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 5:01.

Third quarter

  • NO – Ted Ginn Jr. 33-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Wil Lutz kick), 13:44. Saints 24–10. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:16.
  • TB – Peyton Barber 2-yard run (Matt Gay kick), 5:03. Saints 24–17. Drive: 17 plays, 75 yards, 8:41.

Fourth quarter

  • NO – Michael Thomas 12-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Wil Lutz kick), 10:37. Saints 31–17. Drive: 13 plays, 91 yards, 6:27.
  • TB – Chris Godwin 26-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Matt Gay kick), 0:13. Saints 31–24. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 0:57.

Top passers

Top rushers

  • TB – Ronald Jones – 9 rushes, 35 yards
  • NO – Alvin Kamara – 16 rushes, 62 yards

Top receivers

  • TB – Chris Godwin – 7 receptions, 125 yards, 2 TD
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 11 receptions, 182 yards, 2 TD

Bridgewater improved to 3–0 as a starter with a strong performance throwing for 314 yards and four touchdowns. The Saints defense sacked Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston six times in the win. Buccaneers' cornerback Carlton Davis committed a helmet-to-helmet hit on tight end Jared Cook, resulting in Davis being ejected from the game. After the Saints secured their win against Tampa Bay, they improve their overall record to 4-1.

Week 6: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Week Six: New Orleans Saints at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 3 0 3713
Jaguars 0 3 306

at TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida

Game information

First quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 47-yard field goal, 2:29. Saints 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 8 yards, 2:31.

Second quarter

  • JAX – Josh Lambo 22-yard field goal, 2:41. Tied 3–3. Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards, 7:04.

Third quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 21-yard field goal, 8:40. Saints 6–3. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:49.
  • JAX – Josh Lambo 32-yard field goal, 3:11. Tied 6–6. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 5:29.

Fourth quarter

Top passers

Top rushers

Top receivers

  • NO – Michael Thomas – 8 receptions, 89 yards
  • JAX – Dede Westbrook – 3 receptions, 53 yards

In a defensive game, both offenses struggled to score as the game was tied 3–3 at halftime and 6–6 at the end of the third quarter. A touchdown pass from Bridgewater to Jared Cook proved to be the difference.

With the win, the Saints improved to 5–1 and Bridgewater improved to 4–0 as a starter. Cook and running back Alvin Kamara suffered injuries during the game.

Week 7: at Chicago Bears

Week Seven: New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 9 3 141036
Bears 7 3 01525

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • CHI – Eddy Piñeiro 46-yard field goal, 11:33. Bears 10–9. Drive: 11 plays, 39 yards, 4:48.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 39-yard field goal, 6:31. Saints 12–10. Drive: 12 plays, 52 yards, 5:02.

Third quarter

  • NO – Latavius Murray 3-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 12:00. Saints 19–10. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:00.
  • NO – Taysom Hill 4-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Wil Lutz kick), 2:55. Saints 26–10. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards, 5:33.

Fourth quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 30-yard field goal, 12:45. Saints 29–10. Drive: 9 plays, 38 yards, 3:59.
  • NO – Latavius Murray 4-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 4:33. Saints 36–10. Drive: 7 plays, 55 yards, 4:45.
  • CHI – Allen Robinson 7-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Mitchell Trubisky–Adam Shaheen pass), 2:31. Saints 36–18. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:02.
  • CHI – Javon Wims 6-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky (Eddy Piñeiro kick), 0:48. Saints 36–25. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 1:43.

Top passers

  • NO – Teddy Bridgewater – 23/38, 281 yards, 2 TD
  • CHI – Mitchell Trubisky – 34/54, 251 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

  • NO – Latavius Murray – 27 rushes, 119 yards, 2 TD
  • CHI – Tarik Cohen – 3 rushes, 10 yards

Top receivers

  • NO – Michael Thomas – 9 receptions, 131 yards
  • CHI – Allen Robinson – 10 receptions, 87 yards, TD

The Saints dominated the Bears with a strong performance on both sides of the football. Bridgewater threw for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns. Running back Latavius Murray, filling in for an injured Alvin Kamara, rushed for over 100 yards on the ground. The Saints stifled the Bears offense for the majority of the game before giving up two touchdowns in garbage time. The win improved the Saints to 6–1 and Bridgewater to 5–0, setting the stage for Drew Brees's comeback.

Week 8: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Week Eight: Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cardinals 3 3 309
Saints 0 10 71431

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

First quarter

  • ARI – Zane Gonzalez 31-yard field goal, 5:41. Cardinals 3–0. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 3:13.

Second quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 26-yard field goal, 14:13. Tied 3–3. Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 6:28.
  • NO – Latavius Murray 8-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 8:59. Saints 10–3. Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards, 3:59.
  • ARI – Zane Gonzalez 31-yard field goal, 5:18. Saints 10–6. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 3:41.

Third quarter

  • NO – Latavius Murray 15-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 5:25. Saints 17–6. Drive: 5 plays, 30 yards, 2:07.
  • ARI – Zane Gonzalez 50-yard field goal, 1:42. Saints 17–9. Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards, 3:43.

Fourth quarter

  • NO – Taysom Hill 5-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 12:48. Saints 24–9. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:54.
  • NO – Michael Thomas 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 5:18. Saints 31–9. Drive: 3 plays, 73 yards, 1:25.

Top passers

  • ARI – Kyler Murray – 19/33, 220 yards
  • NO – Drew Brees – 34/43, 373 yards, 3 TD, INT

Top rushers

  • ARI – Christian Kirk – 1 rush, 19 yards
  • NO – Latavius Murray – 21 rushes, 102 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • ARI – Charles Clay – 3 receptions, 88 yards
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 11 receptions, 112 yards, TD

With Alvin Kamara still sidelined, Drew Brees returned after missing five weeks following thumb surgery. He threw for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Saints dominated the Cardinals to improve to 7–1.

Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week Ten: Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Falcons 3 10 01326
Saints 3 3 309

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: November 10
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,283
  • Referee: Brad Allen
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • ATL – Younghoe Koo 37-yard field goal, 9:27. Falcons 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 5:33.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 29-yard field goal, 4:09. Tied 3–3. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 5:18.

Second quarter

  • ATL – Austin Hooper 8-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Younghoe Koo kick), 11:09. Falcons 10–3. Drive: 17 plays, 75 yards, 8:00.
  • ATL – Younghoe Koo 36-yard field goal, 1:31. Falcons 13–3. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 1:17.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 47-yard field goal, 0:00. Falcons 13–6. Drive: 9 plays, 46 yards, 1:31.

Third quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 28-yard field goal, 6:05. Falcons 13–9. Drive: 9 plays, 28 yards, 3:19.

Fourth quarter

  • ATL – Brian Hill 10-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Younghoe Koo kick), 14:53. Falcons 20–9. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 6:12.
  • ATL – Younghoe Koo 48-yard field goal, 7:27. Falcons 23–9. Drive: 11 plays, 37 yards, 5:04.
  • ATL – Younghoe Koo 30-yard field goal, 2:32. Falcons 26–9. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:01.

Top passers

  • ATL – Matt Ryan – 20/35, 182 yards, 2 TD, INT
  • NO – Drew Brees – 32/45, 287 yards

Top rushers

  • ATL – Brian Hill – 20 rushes, 61 yards
  • NO – Alvin Kamara – 4 rushes, 24 yards

Top receivers

  • ATL – Julio Jones – 3 receptions, 79 yards
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 13 receptions, 152 yards

In a shocking fashion, the Saints were defeated by the 1–7 Falcons. Drew Brees had a miserable day, being sacked six times by an inspired Falcons pass-rush; the Falcons had recorded just seven prior to this game.

The loss dropped them to 7–2. The Saints were flagged 10 times for 120 yards in the loss.

Week 11: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week Eleven: New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 13 7 7734
Buccaneers 0 7 10017

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

  • Date: November 17
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CST/1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 55 °F (13 °C)
  • Game attendance: 54,333
  • Referee: Brad Rogers
  • TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman and Shannon Spake
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 44-yard field goal, 8:45. Saints 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 6:15.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 26-yard field goal, 0:50. Saints 6–0. Drive: 12 plays, 68 yards, 7:01.
  • NO – Michael Thomas 16-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 0:00. Saints 13–0. Drive: 1 play, 16 yards, 0:03.

Second quarter

  • NO – Jared Cook 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 5:13. Saints 20–0. Drive: 13 plays, 51 yards, 6:42.
  • TB – Peyton Barber 6-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Matt Gay kick), 2:42. Saints 20–7. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:31.

Third quarter

  • TB – Matt Gay 55-yard field goal, 11:08. Saints 20–10. Drive: 10 plays, 38 yards, 3:52.
  • NO – Ted Ginn Jr. 6-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 5:27. Saints 27–10. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:41.
  • TB – Chris Godwin 30-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Matt Gay kick), 1:22. Saints 27–17. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:05.

Fourth quarter

  • NO – Marcus Williams 55-yard interception return (Wil Lutz kick), 5:07. Saints 34–17.

Top passers

  • NO – Drew Brees – 28/35, 228 yards, 3 TD
  • TB – Jameis Winston – 30/51, 313 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT

Top rushers

  • NO – Alvin Kamara – 23 rushes, 75 yards
  • TB – Jameis Winston – 2 rushes, 23 yards

Top receivers

  • NO – Michael Thomas – 8 receptions, 114 yards, TD
  • TB – Cameron Brate – 10 receptions, 73 yards

Brees and the Saints bounced back from the previous week. He threw three touchdowns and 228 yards in the game. The Saints defense intercepted Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston four times, including a pick-six by safety Marcus Williams to ice the game in the fourth quarter. The win improved the Saints to 8–2, and they swept the Buccaneers for the first time since 2014.

Week 12: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week Twelve: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Panthers 6 9 9731
Saints 14 3 14334

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: November 24
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,068
  • Referee: Alex Kemp
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • NO – Latavius Murray 26-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 10:39. Saints 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:21.
  • NO – Tre'Quan Smith 13-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 5:12. Saints 14–0. Drive: 4 plays, 27 yards, 1:30.
  • CAR – D. J. Moore 51-yard pass from Kyle Allen (kick failed, wide right), 3:08. Saints 14–6. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:04.

Second quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 41-yard field goal, 13:34. Saints 17–6. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 4:34.
  • CAR – Joey Slye 41-yard field goal, 8:09. Saints 17–9. Drive: 10 plays, 52 yards, 5:25.
  • CAR – Christian McCaffrey 1-yard pass from Kyle Allen (pass failed), 0:00. Saints 17–15. Drive: 17 plays, 68 yards, 6:30.

Third quarter

  • NO – Jared Cook 20-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 11:18. Saints 24–15. Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 2:40.
  • CAR – Joey Slye 52-yard field goal, 8:36. Saints 24–18. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 2:42.
  • NO – Michael Thomas 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 5:09. Saints 31–18. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:27.
  • CAR – Christian McCaffrey 4-yard run (kick failed, wide right), 1:28. Saints 31–24. Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards, 3:41.

Fourth quarter

  • CAR – D. J. Moore 2-yard pass from Kyle Allen (Joey Slye kick), 9:23. Tied 31–31. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 3:03.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 34–31. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 1:56.

Top passers

  • CAR – Kyle Allen – 23/36, 256 yards, 3 TD
  • NO – Drew Brees – 30/39, 311 yards, 3 TD, INT

Top rushers

  • CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 22 rushes, 64 yards, TD
  • NO – Latavius Murray – 7 rushes, 64 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • CAR – D. J. Moore – 6 receptions, 126 yards, 2 TD
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 11 receptions, 101 yards, TD

The game was close all the way. Both Brees and Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen played well, with three touchdown passes each. After benefiting from a pass interference penalty, the Panthers were set up with a 1st-and-goal at the Saints' 5-yard line, but the Saints defense held strong, and kicker Joey Slye missed a short field goal. Brees quickly moved the Saints down the field and Wil Lutz made the game-winning field goal from 36 yards out.

With the win, the Saints improved to 9–2, ensuring a winning record for the third straight season.

Week 13: at Atlanta Falcons

Thanksgiving Day Games

Week Thirteen: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 7 10 3626
Falcons 0 9 0918

at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • ATL – Jaeden Graham 18-yard pass from Matt Ryan (kick failed), 12:35. Saints 7–6. Drive: 3 plays, 55 yards, 0:56.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 22-yard field goal, 9:05. Saints 10–6. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 3:30.
  • NO – Taysom Hill 30-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 1:53. Saints 17–6. Drive: 4 plays, 68 yards, 2:04.
  • ATL – Younghoe Koo 45-yard field goal, 0:03. Saints 17–9. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 1:50.

Third quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 47-yard field goal, 5:54. Saints 20–9. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 4:48.

Fourth quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 42-yard field goal, 10:14. Saints 23–9. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:31.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 45-yard field goal, 6:27. Saints 26–9. Drive: 6 plays, 12 yards, 2:14.
  • ATL – Russell Gage 13-yard pass from Matt Ryan (pass failed), 3:26. Saints 26–15. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:01.
  • ATL – Younghoe Koo 43-yard field goal, 1:56. Saints 26–18. Drive: 8 plays, 34 yards, 1:30.

Top passers

  • ATL – Matt Ryan – 35/50, 312 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
  • NO – Drew Brees – 18/30, 184 yards, TD

Top rushers

  • ATL – Devonta Freeman – 17 rushes, 51 yards
  • NO – Alvin Kamara – 11 rushes, 61 yards

Top receivers

The Saints played an excellent game and got revenge on their division rivals. The Saints defense played one of its best games of the season with 9 sacks of Matt Ryan and forced 3 takeaways. Taysom Hill blocked a punt early, caught a touchdown pass and ran one in from 30 yards out.

With the win, the Saints clinched the NFC South title for the third straight season. The Saints improved their record to 10-2.

Week 14: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Week Fourteen: San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
49ers 7 21 71348
Saints 13 14 61346

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: December 8
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,038
  • Referee: John Hussey
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis and Pam Oliver
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • NO – Jared Cook 38-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 11:34. Saints 7–0 Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 3:26.
  • SF – Kendrick Bourne 6-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Robbie Gould kick), 8:26. Tied 7–7 Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:08.
  • NO – Jared Cook 26-yard pass from Drew Brees (run failed), 4:51. Saints 13–7 Drive: 6 plays, 54 yards, 3:35.

Second quarter

  • NO – Josh Hill 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 14:57. Saints 20–7 Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 2:31.
  • SF – Emmanuel Sanders 75-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Robbie Gould kick), 14:43. Saints 20–14 Drive: 1 plays, 75 yards, 0:14.
  • NO – Drew Brees 1-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 7:29. Saints 27–14 Drive: 12 plays, 84 yards, 7:14.
  • SF – Raheem Mostert 35-yard pass from Emmanuel Sanders (Robbie Gould kick), 5:59. Saints 27–21 Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:30.
  • SF – Raheem Mostert 10-yard run (Robbie Gould kick), 0:42. 49ers 28–27 Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:34.

Third quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 55-yard field goal, 12:36. Saints 30–28 Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 0:54.
  • SF – George Kittle 5-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Robbie Gould kick), 9:40. 49ers 35–30 Drive: 2 plays, 20 yards, 0:48.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 48-yard field goal, 4:51. 49ers 35–33 Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 4:49.

Fourth quarter

  • SF – Kendrick Bourne 6-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Robbie Gould kick), 8:59. 49ers 42–33 Drive: 14 plays, 55 yards, 6:57.
  • NO – Michael Thomas 21-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 6:06. 49ers 42–40 Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:53.
  • SF – Robbie Gould 41-yard field goal, 2:23. 49ers 45–40 Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 3:43.
  • NO – Tre'Quan Smith 18-yard pass from Drew Brees (pass failed), 0:53. Saints 46–45 Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 1:30.
  • SF – Robbie Gould 30-yard field goal, 0:00. 49ers 48–46 Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 0:53.

Top passers

Top rushers

Top receivers

  • SF – Emmanuel Sanders – 7 receptions, 157 yards, TD
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 11 receptions, 134 yards, TD

In the NFL's second-highest-scoring game of 2019,[3] Brees and 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw for a combined 698 yards and nine touchdowns as the two teams traded blows all game long. Brees played his best game of the season with his five touchdowns against one of the league's best pass defenses. Although Brees found Tre'Quan Smith late in the game to take a 46–45 lead, Garoppolo connected with tight end George Kittle who ran past several Saints defenders on one of the iconic plays of the season. This set up Robbie Gould's game winning 30-yard field goal as time expired.

With the loss, the Saints fell to 10–3.

Week 15: vs. Indianapolis Colts

Week Fifteen: Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Colts 0 0 077
Saints 3 17 14034

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: December 16
  • Game time: 7:15 pm. CST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,053
  • Referee: Shawn Hochuli
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Joe Tessitore, Booger McFarland and Lisa Salters
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 33-yard field goal, 7:28. Saints 3–0. Drive: 6 plays, 18 yards, 3:35.

Second quarter

  • NO – Michael Thomas 15-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 12:37. Saints 10–0. Drive: 12 plays, 90 yards, 6:17.
  • NO – Tre'Quan Smith 21-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 6:11. Saints 17–0. Drive: 10 plays, 85 yards, 6:09.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 26-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 20–0. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 3:02.

Third quarter

  • NO – Josh Hill 5-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 7:08. Saints 27–0. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 7:52.
  • NO – Taysom Hill 28-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 0:35. Saints 34–0. Drive: 3 plays, 51 yards, 1:23.

Fourth quarter

Top passers

  • IND – Jacoby Brissett – 18/34, 165 yards
  • NO – Drew Brees – 29/30, 307 yards, 4 TD

Top rushers

Top receivers

  • IND – Zach Pascal – 4 receptions, 44 yards
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 12 receptions, 128 yards

Drew Brees threw four touchdown passes, passing Peyton Manning for most career touchdown passes. His completion percentage of 96.67% set a new record for single-game completion percentage (by a quarterback who attempted more than 10 passes in the game)[4] as the Saints demolished the Colts 34–7, improving to 11–3.

Week 16: at Tennessee Titans

Week Sixteen: New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 0 10 21738
Titans 14 0 7728

at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee

  • Date: December 22
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 50 °F (10 °C)
  • Game attendance: 66,756
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Ronde Barber and Sara Walsh
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 47-yard field goal, 13:36. Titans 14–3. Drive: 13 plays, 41 yards, 6:14.
  • NO – Jared Cook 61-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:23. Titans 14–10. Drive: 1 play, 61 yards, 0:11.

Third quarter

  • NO – Alvin Kamara 40-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 14:00. Saints 17–14. Drive: 2 plays, 61 yards, 1:00.
  • NO – Alvin Kamara 1-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 7:08. Saints 24–14. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:00.
  • TEN – Tajae Sharpe 34-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Greg Joseph kick), 4:25. Saints 24–21. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:43.
  • NO – Jared Cook 16-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 1:18. Saints 31–21. Drive: 5 plays, 52 yards, 3:07.

Fourth quarter

  • TEN – Tajae Sharpe 7-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Greg Joseph kick), 7:27. Saints 31–28. Drive: 6 plays, 42 yards, 3:15.
  • NO – Michael Thomas 2-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:10. Saints 38–28. Drive: 6 plays, 25 yards, 1:56.

Top passers

  • TEN – Ryan Tannehill – 17/27, 272 yards, 3 TD
  • NO – Drew Brees – 27/38, 279 yards, 3 TD

Top rushers

  • TEN – Dion Lewis – 15 rushes, 68 yards
  • NO – Alvin Kamara – 11 rushes, 80 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

  • TEN – Tajae Sharpe – 5 receptions, 69 yards, 2 TD
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 12 receptions, 136 yards, TD

The Saints started the game poorly, falling into an early 14–0 deficit. However, from there they scored 24 unanswered points to take the lead. With the Titans driving and only down 3, Kalif Raymond was tackled by C. J. Gardner-Johnson and lost a fumble; the hit was controversially not flagged.[citation needed]

The Saints improved to 12–3. Michael Thomas broke Marvin Harrison's 18-year record for most receptions in a single season with 145. Alvin Kamara rushed for two touchdowns, his first since Week 3 and bringing his season total to four. The Saints were the only NFC South team to defeat all four of their AFC South opponents in 2019.

Week 17: at Carolina Panthers

Week Seventeen: New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 14 21 7042
Panthers 0 3 7010

at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

  • Date: December 29
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CST/1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 63 °F (17 °C)
  • Game attendance: 72,203
  • Referee: Ronald Torbert
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Ronde Barber and Lindsay Czarniak
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

First quarter

  • NO – Alvin Kamara 15-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 10:54. Saints 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:12.
  • NO – Alvin Kamara 1-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 1:05. Saints 14–0. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 6:21.

Second quarter

  • NO – A. J. Klein 14-yard interception return (Wil Lutz Kick), 12:10. Saints 21–0.
  • NO – Tre'Quan Smith 1-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 6:32. Saints 28–0. Drive: 9 plays, 50 yards, 4:29
  • NO – Jared Cook 21-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:17. Saints 35–0. Drive: 4 plays, 74 yards, 1:56.
  • CAR – Joey Slye 23-yard field goal, 0:36. Saints 35–3. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 1:39.

Third quarter

  • NO – Taysom Hill 45-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 4:36. Saints 42–3. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:52.
  • CAR – Christian McCaffrey 1-yard run (Joey Slye kick), 0:37. Saints 42–10. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:52.

Fourth quarter

  • No scoring plays.

Top passers

  • CAR – Kyle Allen – 25/41, 295 yards, INT
  • NO – Drew Brees – 19/30, 253 yards, 3 TD

Top rushers

  • CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 9 rushes, 26 yards
  • NO – Latavius Murray – 17 rushes, 61 yards

Top receivers

  • CAR – Brandon Zylstra – 6 receptions, 96 yards
  • NO – Tre'Quan Smith – 5 receptions, 56 yards, TD

The Saints dominated the Panthers to end their regular season. Kamara rushed for two more touchdowns and Brees threw three against a bad Panthers defense. Linebacker A. J. Klein intercepted an errant pass by Panthers quarterback Will Grier and returned it for a 14-yard pick-six.

The win improved the Saints to 13–3. However, they were unable to clinch a first-round bye as the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers also won.

Standings

Division

NFC South
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 W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(3) New Orleans Saints 13 3 0 .813 5–1 9–3 458 341 W3
Atlanta Falcons 7 9 0 .438 4–2 6–6 381 399 W4
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7 9 0 .438 2–4 5–7 458 449 L2
Carolina Panthers 5 11 0 .313 1–5 2–10 340 470 L8

Conference

NFC
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# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division leaders
1[a] San Francisco 49ers West 13 3 0 .813 5–1 10–2 .504 .466 W2
2[a][b] Green Bay Packers North 13 3 0 .813 6–0 10–2 .453 .428 W5
3[a][b] New Orleans Saints South 13 3 0 .813 5–1 9–3 .486 .459 W3
4 Philadelphia Eagles East 9 7 0 .563 5–1 7–5 .455 .417 W4
Wild Cards
5 Seattle Seahawks West 11 5 0 .688 3–3 8–4 .531 .463 L2
6 Minnesota Vikings North 10 6 0 .625 2–4 7–5 .477 .356 L2
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Los Angeles Rams West 9 7 0 .563 3–3 7–5 .535 .438 W1
8[c] Chicago Bears North 8 8 0 .500 4–2 7–5 .508 .383 W1
9[c] Dallas Cowboys East 8 8 0 .500 5–1 7–5 .479 .316 W1
10[d] Atlanta Falcons South 7 9 0 .438 4–2 6–6 .545 .518 W4
11[d] Tampa Bay Buccaneers South 7 9 0 .438 2–4 5–7 .500 .384 L2
12 Arizona Cardinals West 5 10 1 .344 1–5 3–8–1 .529 .375 L1
13 Carolina Panthers South 5 11 0 .313 1–5 2–10 .549 .469 L8
14 New York Giants East 4 12 0 .250 2–4 3–9 .473 .281 L1
15 Detroit Lions North 3 12 1 .219 0–6 2–9–1 .506 .375 L9
16 Washington Redskins East 3 13 0 .188 0–6 2–10 .502 .281 L4
Tiebreakers[e]
  1. ^ a b c San Francisco finished ahead of Green Bay and New Orleans based on head-to-head sweep.
  2. ^ a b Green Bay finished ahead of New Orleans based on conference record.
  3. ^ a b Chicago finished ahead of Dallas based on head-to-head victory.
  4. ^ a b Atlanta finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on division record.
  5. ^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.

Postseason

Schedule

Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue NFL.com
recap
Wild Card January 5, 2020 Minnesota Vikings (6) L 20–26 (OT) 0–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap

Game summaries

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (6) Minnesota Vikings

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: (6) Minnesota Vikings at (3) New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Vikings 3 10 70626
Saints 3 7 010020

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

First quarter

  • NO – Wil Lutz 29-yard field goal, 9:52. Saints 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 26 yards, 4:18.
  • MIN – Dan Bailey 43-yard field goal, 4:05. Tied 3–3. Drive: 11 plays, 50 yards, 5:47.

Second quarter

  • NO – Alvin Kamara 4-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 9:18. Saints 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 70 yards, 2:12.
  • MIN – Dan Bailey 21-yard field goal, 2:54. Saints 10–6. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 6:24.
  • MIN – Dalvin Cook 5-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 0:23. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 1:40.

Third quarter

  • MIN – Dalvin Cook 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 3:23. Vikings 20–10. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:37.

Fourth quarter

  • NO – Taysom Hill 20-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 10:31. Vikings 20–17. Drive: 8 plays, 85 yards, 4:22.
  • NO – Wil Lutz 49-yard field goal, 0:02. Tied 20–20. Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 1:53.

Overtime

Top passers

  • MIN – Kirk Cousins – 19/31, 242 yards, TD
  • NO – Drew Brees – 26/33, 208 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

  • MIN – Dalvin Cook – 28 rushes, 94 yards, 2 TD
  • NO – Alvin Kamara – 7 rushes, 21 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • MIN – Adam Thielen – 7 receptions, 129 yards
  • NO – Michael Thomas – 7 receptions, 70 yards

With this loss, the Saints suffered their first one-and-done postseason campaign since 2010, their sixth straight playoff loss by one score, their second straight overtime playoff loss and became the first-ever 13–3 team to lose in the wild-card round.

References

  1. ^ "Drew Brees' Injury and another bad call Add Pain for the Saints".
  2. ^ "Drew Brees leaves after his thumb gets hit against the Rams, Teddy Bridgewater goes in for the Saints".
  3. ^ "Team Game Finder Query Results - In a single game, in 2019, in the Regular Season, sorted by descending Points Combined". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  4. ^ "Player Game Finder Query Results - In a single game, from 1950 to 2019, in the Regular Season, played QB, requiring Pass Completion % >= 95 and Pass Attempts >= 11, sorted by descending Pass Completion %". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved September 8, 2020.

External links

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