New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Competing in the National Football League (NFL) as part of the NFC South Division, the Saints embody the heart, soul, and resilience of their city.

Founded in 1967, the team’s name and iconic fleur-de-lis logo pay tribute to New Orleans’ deep cultural and spiritual roots. The Saints play their home games in the world-famous Caesars Superdome, a symbol of unity and strength that has hosted countless unforgettable moments.

Clad in black and gold, the Saints have become one of the NFL’s most beloved franchises, known for passionate fans who fill the Superdome with chants of “Who Dat!” — a rallying cry that echoes the pride of the Crescent City.

The franchise’s golden era came under head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees, culminating in their first Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XLIV (2009 season), a triumph that became a beacon of hope for New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Today, the Saints continue to fight with determination and spirit, representing a city that never gives up — a team defined by faith, family, and football.

“Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints

4th & Forever Editor: Vickie Mathis at the Panthers game against the Saints

The win Sunday at the Caesars Superdome was the Saints' second consecutive and improved them to 4-10, 3-2 in the NFC South. The loss dropped Carolina to 7-7 and in a tie for first in the division with Tampa, a team the Saints upset last week. With the score tied at 17 the Saints took over with 57 seconds to play at the 8-yard line and quarterback Tyler Shough led a eight-play scoring drive for the winning points by Smyth, the kicker from Northern Ireland.

The New Orleans Saints delivered an exciting showing in their Week 14 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, mixing sharp execution with big individual moments as they continued their push toward the postseason. Here’s a look at the key takeaways from the win — from standout performances to momentum-shifting plays. Standout Performers Tyler Shough’s Dual-Threat Impact Quarterback Tyler Shough was one of the driving forces behind the Saints’ offense. His awareness and mobility were on full display, highlighted by an 11-yard scramble that set up a first-and-goal opportunity. Later, he broke free for a 34-yard touchdown run, weaving through the defense untouched — a statement play that underscored both his speed and command of the offense. Alontae Taylor Sparks the Defense Defensive back Alontae Taylor made one of the biggest defensive plays of the game with a timely interception, shutting down a promising Buccaneers drive. His read on the play and burst toward the ball energized the Saints’ sideline and helped swing momentum early. Pivotal Moments Critical Fourth-Down Stops New Orleans’ defense came up huge when it mattered most. Linebacker Demario Davis made a key stop on fourth down, stonewalling running back Sean Tucker to deny Tampa Bay a fresh set of downs. Moments later, defensive end Carl Granderson added his own highlight with back-to-back tackles for loss, further disrupting the Buccaneers’ rhythm and giving the Saints control of the game’s tempo.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami’s defense came through in the biggest moments on Sunday, powering the Dolphins to a 21–17 win over the New Orleans Saints and extending their win streak to three. Minkah Fitzpatrick played a starring role, grabbing an interception and falling on a loose ball as Miami’s defense delivered another strong outing. It follows standout performances against Buffalo three weeks ago and a late pick to beat Washington in Spain the following week. “We’ve been grinding all season,” Fitzpatrick said. “Even when things weren’t going our way early on, we kept pushing.” De’Von Achane added balance on offense, rushing for 134 yards and a score as Miami (5–7) stayed alive in the playoff chase. The Saints (2–10), meanwhile, dropped their sixth game in their last seven. Miami controlled the first half and led 16–0 at the break, but New Orleans rallied late. Tyler Shough connected with Devaughn Vele on a 15-yard touchdown with 1:17 left, cutting the gap to two. Fitzpatrick then intercepted Shough on the two-point try and raced the length of the field for a defensive conversion that pushed the lead to 21–17. New Orleans wasn’t done. The Saints recovered an onside kick — handled by Charlie Smyth, a former Gaelic football standout making his NFL debut — and had a chance to steal the win. But the Dolphins’ defense denied Shough on fourth-and-1 at the Miami 36, sealing the result. “You always hope your defense can close it out,” Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. “They did exactly that, and that’s why we’re walking away with the win.” Smyth earlier drilled a 56-yard field goal to make it 19–11 before the Saints’ final push. Shough, despite a rough first half that included a lost fumble and an interception, finished with 239 yards and two touchdown passes. “I loved the fight our guys showed,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “We were right there at the end. It just didn’t go our way.” Tagovailoa completed 12 of 23 passes for 157 yards and was intercepted once, continuing an up-and-down stretch in which he leads the league in picks. Achane’s 22-carry performance pushed him over 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career. His 29-yard touchdown run on Miami’s opening drive turned out to be the team’s only trip to the end zone on offense. “For us, it always comes back to execution,” Tagovailoa said. “When I’m distributing the ball well, everything flows. It starts with me.” New Orleans’ offense, which entered the game among the league’s lowest-scoring units, finally found momentum to open the second half. Shough led a 10-play, 65-yard march capped by a 17-yard strike to Chris Olave, then added a keeper on the two-point attempt to make it 16–8 — but Miami’s defense stood firm the rest of the way.

NEW ORLEANS — Atlanta finally broke through inside the Caesars Superdome, earning its first road win over the Saints since 2021 with a 24–10 victory on Sunday. The significance of the win goes beyond snapping that drought. The Falcons halted a five-game skid and picked up their first NFC South victory of the season. At 4–7, Atlanta still has a lot of ground to make up, but this result provides momentum with six games left on the schedule. The win also kept the Falcons from sliding to the bottom of the division standings. Instead, they stay in third place — a much better position than they would have been in with another loss.

Rookie Tyler Shough Leads Saints to 17-7 Win Over Panthers CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough delivered a standout performance, throwing for two touchdowns to guide the New Orleans Saints to a 17-7 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, snapping a four-game losing streak. Shough, a second-round pick out of Louisville who started the season as New Orleans’ backup, completed 282 passing yards, including a 62-yard strike to Chris Olave and a 30-yard touchdown to Juwan Johnson. His win made him the first Saints rookie quarterback to secure a victory since Dave Wilson in 1981. Olave caught five passes for 104 yards, and Alvin Kamara added 83 rushing yards as the Saints (2-8) outgained Carolina 388-175. Saints coach Kellen Moore praised Shough’s poise and playmaking, noting his ability to improvise under pressure. For Shough, the highlight was the team celebration in the locker room after a tough stretch of games. “It came down to playing good complementary football,” he said. “It’s been a process learning the formula for success, and we’ve got to keep building on it.” The Panthers (5-5), who had won four of their previous five games, were stymied after opening with a 5-yard TD run by Rico Dowdle on their first drive. Carolina managed only 83 first-half yards and struggled to sustain drives after that early score. Quarterback Bryce Young was held to 124 passing yards, turned the ball over twice, and saw his four-game winning streak end. A blocked field goal by the Saints early in the third quarter and a Young fumble on a handoff exchange gave New Orleans opportunities they capitalized on. Alontae Taylor’s interception set up Shough’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Johnson, sealing the win. Olave found personal redemption in the victory, returning to Bank of America Stadium a year after a concussion ended his 2024 season there. “It was a tough situation last year, but having my family here today helped me focus,” he said. The Saints will enjoy a bye next week before hosting Atlanta on Nov. 23, while Carolina remains 1½ games behind NFC South leader Tampa Bay.

Stafford, Adams lead Rams past Saints 34-10 INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes, including two to Davante Adams, as the Los Angeles Rams rolled past the New Orleans Saints 34-10 on Sunday. Stafford passed for 281 yards, while Puka Nacua returned from injury to catch seven passes for 95 yards and a score. Tyler Higbee added a touchdown, and Kyren Williams ran for 114 yards and another TD as the Rams (6-2) totaled 438 yards of offense. Los Angeles’ defense continued its dominant stretch, holding New Orleans (3-5) to just 224 yards and a single touchdown. The Rams have now limited their last three opponents to only 20 combined points.

Buccaneers’ defense dominates in 23-3 win over Saints NEW ORLEANS — Anthony Nelson led a dominant defensive effort as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rolled past the struggling New Orleans Saints 23-3 on Sunday. Nelson had a career day, recording two sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception returned for a touchdown. Antoine Winfield Jr. added both a fumble recovery and an interception as Tampa Bay (6-2) forced four turnovers and held New Orleans to just a field goal. Baker Mayfield threw for 152 yards, while Sean Tucker scored on a 1-yard run to extend the Bucs’ lead. Though the offense sputtered at times, Tampa Bay’s defense controlled the game from start to finish. The Saints (1-7) benched quarterback Spencer Rattler late in the third quarter for rookie Tyler Shough, but the change did little to spark the league’s lowest-ranked offense.