New Orleans Saints: Why a Win Against 49ers Is Crucial to Super Bowl Hopes

Following their 49-17 triumph over the Dallas Cowboys, the New Orleans Saints have just enough time to come up for a quick breath of air before they take the field again for a crucial contest with the San Francisco 49ers.

This matchup of NFC contenders is the biggest game of the season for the Saints thus far, and it could very well make or break their Super Bowl hopes. Yes, it’s that important.

On Sunday night against Dallas, New Orleans was dominant in all facets and made a statement to the rest of the NFL. The NFC South-leading Saints passed for 392 yards and limited an explosive Dallas offense to less than 200 total yards. In addition, the Saints unearthed their long-dormant ground game with 242 yards rushing.

The shellacking was a complete performance in which New Orleans displayed all the characteristics of a championship-contending team. It’s becoming increasingly apparent, however, that in order to attain their ultimate goal of reaching the Super Bowl, the Saints need home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

If the playoffs started today, the 7-2 Saints would receive the No. 2 overall seed in the NFC. The only playoff game that could then force New Orleans to leave the Superdome would be the NFC Championship Game.

At 9-1, the Seattle Seahawks represent the Saints’ chief obstacle to obtaining that highly coveted No. 1 slot. Playing at Seattle in the NFC title game would present a truly daunting challenge for the Saints, who are not exactly known as road warriors.

The difficulties involved with overcoming the Seahawks on their home field are well known throughout the league. On the flip side, the same can be said for New Orleans. If either squad claims the NFC's top seed, thus garnering home-field advantage, the going will be extremely tough to keep that team out of the Super Bowl.

That's why this Sunday's contest with the 49ers is an absolute must-win for the Saints. With Seattle hitting on all cylinders, New Orleans must keep pace and stay within striking distance.

It must also be noted that the playoffs are still a long way off. The Saints must successfully navigate their remaining schedule just to preserve the status quo. And that schedule is a quagmire of potential pitfalls and booby traps.

Just three days after this week's clash with San Francisco (6-3), New Orleans will travel to face bitter rival Atlanta in a Thursday night game. The Falcons’ season has been a huge disappointment to say the least, and they would relish the opportunity to play the spoiler role against the Saints. Following the trip to Atlanta, Saints coach Sean Payton will take his team to Seattle's CenturyLink Field for a Monday night mega-matchup with the Seahawks.

And if the aforementioned contests aren't challenging enough, New Orleans must also fight off the surging Carolina Panthers, who are only one game behind in the NFC South. Following the Seattle game, the Saints face Carolina (6-3) twice in a three-week span. Taking just one game from the Panthers, who just shut down the 49er offense on Sunday, will be difficult. Taking two from them in three weeks is unlikely.

For New Orleans, this makes the remaining schedule nothing short of Murderers' Row.

Consequently, the Saints are not afforded the opportunity to bask in the glow of their magnificent performance against the Cowboys.

Just one week removed from making an emphatic statement to the rest of the league, the New Orleans Saints must buckle their chin straps back up, answer the 49ers' call and protect their home field. Their Super Bowl hopes depend on it.