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Only days remain until the 2026 NFL schedule release, and you have to think the New Orleans Saints are hoping for their return to prime time after being shut out in 2025. Life without Drew Brees and Sean Payton has been difficult for them, but Kellen Moore and Tyler Shough seemed to turn things around last season. An eventful offseason with several big free agency signings and bold draft picks has only helped build more momentum. But is it enough?
Just six teams have been featured in fewer night games than the Saints (9) since 2022: the Carolina Panthers (4), Cleveland Browns (6), Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts (7), Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals (8). And the Saints are 1-8 in those matchups, with their sole win coming against Carolina on a Monday night in 2023. On top of that, NBC has not invited the Saints back into Sunday Night Football since they set a record for the prime-time series' lowest-scoring game of all time, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-0 back in 2021. Moore and Shough may have more work to do to convince the schedule-makers they're ready for prime time.
Last year, we saw a dozen teams receive multiple night games after falling short of the playoffs in 2024. But half of them were only a year or two removed from postseason appearances. Of the six remaining teams we saw the Atlanta Falcons get five prime-time games with the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots each featuring four times. The Las Vegas Raiders got three night games while the Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets each played in prime time twice.
So it would be disappointing to see the Saints not get at least two night kickoffs this season. Four or five would be pushing it, but they should get to play under the bright lights at least two times this season (not counting their International Series game in France). We'll find out very soon whether or not fans will be left wanting more in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL schedule release: Will Saints return to prime time in 2026?
Continue reading...
Just six teams have been featured in fewer night games than the Saints (9) since 2022: the Carolina Panthers (4), Cleveland Browns (6), Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts (7), Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals (8). And the Saints are 1-8 in those matchups, with their sole win coming against Carolina on a Monday night in 2023. On top of that, NBC has not invited the Saints back into Sunday Night Football since they set a record for the prime-time series' lowest-scoring game of all time, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-0 back in 2021. Moore and Shough may have more work to do to convince the schedule-makers they're ready for prime time.
Last year, we saw a dozen teams receive multiple night games after falling short of the playoffs in 2024. But half of them were only a year or two removed from postseason appearances. Of the six remaining teams we saw the Atlanta Falcons get five prime-time games with the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots each featuring four times. The Las Vegas Raiders got three night games while the Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets each played in prime time twice.
So it would be disappointing to see the Saints not get at least two night kickoffs this season. Four or five would be pushing it, but they should get to play under the bright lights at least two times this season (not counting their International Series game in France). We'll find out very soon whether or not fans will be left wanting more in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL schedule release: Will Saints return to prime time in 2026?
Continue reading...
