The Saints acquired an additional first-round selection (No. 31 overall) and centerMax Unger as part of a trade that sent their fourth-round selection (No. 109 overall) and tight endJimmy Graham to the Seattle Seahawks.
The Saints acquired an additional fifth-round selection (No. 154 overall) as part of a trade that sent guardBen Grubbs to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Saints acquired an additional fifth-round selection (No. 167 overall) as part of a trade that sent their sixth-round selection (No. 187 overall) and 2016 sixth-round selection to the Washington Redskins.
First quarterSecond quarterThird quarterFourth quarter
Top passers
NO –
CAR –
Top rushers
NO –
CAR –
Top receivers
NO –
CAR –
Top tacklers
NO –
CAR –
This game marked the first game Drew Brees missed as a Saint due to injury. Luke McCown, playing in relief of Brees, played well, throwing for 310 yards, before trying to hit Brandin Cooks in the end zone with roughly a minute left in the game. Josh Norman made a diving interception to seal the Panthers win and the Saints 0-3 start.
Week 4: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week Four: Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3
4
OT
Total
Cowboys
3
7
3
7
0
20
Saints
7
0
6
7
6
26
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
In overtime, Drew Brees, who returned from an injured shoulder, nailed an 80-yard pass to C. J. Spiller for the game-winning touchdown. Brees now has 400 career touchdown passes. It was also the fastest regular season overtime in NFL history, with only 13 seconds being played before the touchdown.
This win would make the Lions the only winless team.
Week 5: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week Five: New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
First quarterSecond quarterThird quarterFourth quarter
Top passers
NO –
PHI –
Top rushers
NO –
PHI –
Top receivers
NO –
PHI –
Top tacklers
NO –
PHI –
The Saints returned to Philadelphia for their first meeting with the Eagles since their last second victory in the 2013 playoffs, but the Eagles would get their revenge in a blowout. With the loss, the Saints fell to 1-4. This also marked the Saints' first loss to the Eagles since the 2007 season.
Week 6: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week Six: Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Falcons
0
7
0
14
21
Saints
14
0
10
7
31
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
First quarterSecond quarterThird quarterFourth quarter
Top passers
NO –
IND –
Top rushers
NO –
IND –
Top receivers
NO –
IND –
Top tacklers
NO –
IND –
In a Super Bowl rematch between the teams, the Saints would lead 27-0 at one point. Indianapolis would make it 27-21, but New Orleans would hold on for the win. With the win, the Saints improved to 3-4.
Week 8: vs. New York Giants
Week Eight: New York Giants at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Giants
7
14
7
21
49
Saints
14
14
14
10
52
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
In a battle of passing offenses, Drew Brees threw a career-high 7 touchdown passes. The game was tied 49-49 late in the fourth quarter and the Saints returned a punt for 50 yards, good for the game-winning field goal to seal the Saints 52-49 victory.
Week 9: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week Nine: Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3
4
OT
Total
Titans
10
7
3
8
6
34
Saints
14
7
0
7
0
28
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
First quarterSecond quarterThird quarterFourth quarter
Top passers
TEN –
NO –
Top rushers
TEN –
NO –
Top receivers
TEN –
NO –
Top tacklers
TEN –
NO –
New Orleans would lead 28-20 with 7 minutes left, but the Titans would go down the field to tie it at 28. The Titans would then win the game after Marcus Mariota won it with a touchdown to Anthony Fasano.
With the loss, the Saints fell to 4-5.
Week 10: at Washington Redskins
Week Ten: New Orleans Saints at Washington Redskins – Game summary
First quarterSecond quarterThird quarterFourth quarter
Top passers
NO –
WAS –
Top rushers
NO –
WAS –
Top receivers
NO –
WAS –
Top tacklers
NO –
WAS –
Traveling to Washington to take on the Redskins, Drew Brees and the Saints suffered a moment of embarrassment as they would go on to be blown out 47-14. Kirk Cousins threw a career-high four touchdowns in the blowout.
A day after, the Saints fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, replacing him with Dennis Allen, who would take over for Ryan for the remainder of the season.
Week 12: at Houston Texans
Week Twelve: New Orleans Saints at Houston Texans – Game summary
First quarterSecond quarterThird quarterFourth quarter
Top passers
NO –
HOU –
Top rushers
NO –
HOU –
Top receivers
NO –
HOU –
Top tacklers
NO –
HOU –
The Week 12 clash against the Houston Texans would be no better than how the previous game unfolded, with the Saints offense being held to only two field goals (failing to score a touchdown for the first time since Christmas Eve 2005) and Brees failing to throw a touchdown pass the entire game, snapping his 45 game streak of doing so.
With the loss, the Saints fell to 4-6.
Week 13: vs. Carolina Panthers
Week Thirteen: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
0
13
14
14
41
Saints
14
2
8
14
38
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
First quarterSecond quarterThird quarterFourth quarter
Top passers
CAR –
NO –
Top rushers
CAR –
NO –
Top receivers
CAR –
NO –
Top tacklers
CAR –
NO –
The Saints made history in this game, becoming the first team in NFL history to block an extra point and return it for two points under new NFL rules that took effect that season (prior to this season, NFL rules did not allow players to return a blocked extra point).[1] Saints rookie Stephone Anthony was the one who returned it, with Kevin Williams blocking it. The Saints, unfortunately, would eventually lose in a shootout and dropped their record to 4-8.
Week 14: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week Fourteen: New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
^ abGreen Bay finished ahead of Seattle based on head-to-head victory.
^ abcdSt. Louis and Detroit finished ahead of Philadelphia and New Orleans based on conference record. St. Louis finished ahead of Detroit based on head-to-head victory. Detroit finished ahead of Philadelphia and New Orleans based on head-to-head sweep, while Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory.
^ abcThe New York Giants and Chicago each finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on head-to-head victory, while the Giants finished ahead of Chicago based on conference record.
^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.
