3 Trap Games That Could Keep Saints From Winning the NFC South

The New Orleans Saints have all the ingredients to win the NFC this season. They have a legendary quarterback in Drew Brees, the masterful Sean Payton on the sidelines, Michael Thomas at wide receiver, and an improved defense. Unfortunately, they have to fight through a cutthroat NFC South, as well as a difficult non-division schedule this season. These three games might seem like easy victories on the schedule, but they might end up being trap games that could stick an unfortunate L on the Saints as they fall behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South.

3. Oct. 4 at Lions

Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford / Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

After a Week 1 matchup against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, a Monday Night game in which the Raiders open up their Las Vegas Stadium, and a Sunday Night duel in which they take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, the Saints then have to go against the Lions in Detroit. With all the new additions on defense and the excellent play of Matthew Stafford last season, the Lions are not a team that New Orleans can afford to overlook.

2. Nov 1. at Bears

Chicago Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky / Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images

The Saints might think they can waltz into Soldier Field and chew the Bears up, given how they did just that last season, but that defense is nothing to sneeze at, and Matt Nagy has kept getting wins out of a team burdened with Mitch Trubisky, so they are by no means an easy win on the schedule. If the Saints assume that Trubisky or Nick Foles will lose the game for the Bears, they themselves could get beat up by Khalil Mack and that defense as they take the L.

1. Dec. 6 at Falcons

Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan / Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

With four matchups against teams with winning records in 2019 and three division games, the second half of the Saints' 2020 schedule is brutal. They play Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons twice in a three-week span late in the season. While the Saints might have a playoff spot locked up by December, they could lose ground in the division and conference if Julio Jones and the Falcons' air attack take down the Saints in what should be a comfortable win on the schedule.