The New Orleans Saints enter Week 14 in third place in the NFC South standings but sit just one game behind the Atlanta Falcons atop the division. With all still to play for in the division, Week 14 could be pivotal in determining the outcome as all four teams face each other.
With the help of the free PFN NFL Playoff Predictor, let’s take a look at what the Saints’ scenarios are for the rest of the season in terms of the NFC South and the NFC Wild Card picture.
1 p.m. ET Games Update
Saints (6-7) defeated Panthers (1-12)
Buccaneers (6-7) defeated Falcons (6-7)
Tampa Bay now leads the NFC South after Week 14
Bears (5-8) defeated Lions (9-4)
Ravens (10-3) defeated Rams (6-7)
4 p.m. ET Games Update
49ers (10-3) defeated Seahawks (6-7)
Vikings (7-6) defeated Raiders (5-8)
SNF Game Update
Cowboys (10-3) defeated Eagles (10-3)
What Are the New Orleans Saints’ Playoff Chances and Scenarios for 2023?
The Saints are in an intriguing position entering Week 14. The ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) gives the Saints a 28.5% chance of making the playoffs. Additionally, they have a 22.6% chance of winning the division as things stand, according to the FPI. Given that they are third in the division, the fact their percentage is that high tells you all you need to know about the division.
When it comes to playoff scenarios for the Saints, their requirements for the division or Wild Card spots are essentially the same at this point. The NFC South leaders — the Atlanta Falcons — sit at 6-6, while the sixth and seventh seeds in the NFC have six wins entering this week.
Therefore, all the Saints can do at this point is keep winning and hope the teams ahead of them let games drop so they can move past, be it for the division or a Wild Card spot. The division could very much be in their hands if they win this week and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Falcons.
A Saints and Buccaneers win would not see the Saints move this week in terms of their divisional standings, but it would help the bigger picture. All three teams would be tied on overall record at 6-7. The Saints would only get to 2-2 within the division, while the Buccaneers and Falcons would both be 3-1.
MORE: New Orleans Saints Depth Chart
However, New Orleans faces the Buccaneers and Saints in the final two weeks of the season. If the Saints win both of their games, they have a great chance to clinch the division, thanks in large part to the NFL playoff tiebreakers. New Orleans would split the head-to-head with Atlanta, have a 2-0 advantage over the Buccaneers, and have at least an equal divisional record as the Falcons.
If all three teams finish tied, the Saints would have the head-to-head advantage between the three teams with three victories compared to two for the Falcons and one for the Buccaneers. There are so many permutations that all of them are hard to go through, but a combination of the Saints and Buccaneers winning this week would be crucial.
The worst-case scenario for the Saints is quite simply losing to the Panthers. It would leave them virtually needing to go 4-0 down the stretch even to have a chance to compete for the division or the Wild Card spots.
A combination of the Panthers and Falcons winning would leave New Orleans two games behind Atlanta with four to play. The Falcons could have the division sewn up before the Saints get a chance to face them again in Week 18.
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!
