Saints 2026 NFL Schedule Released for Kellen Moore, Tyler Shough's 2nd Season

The New Orleans Saints could be one step breaking one of the longest playoff droughts in the NFL.

The Saints released their 2026 regular season schedule of the franchise's second season with quarterback Tyler Shough and head coach Kellen Moore.

Here's a look at what it would take Moore to lead the Saints back into the playoffs for the first time since 2020 this fall.

Full schedule information available on the team's official website.

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Analysis

The Saints are getting the opportunity to take advantage of one of the lightest schedules in the NFL.

The opponents New Orleans is facing this season combined for a .434 win percentage in 2025, giving this team the second-easiest strength of schedule only to the Cleveland Browns.

Of the Saints' opponents this season, only the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers made the playoffs last winter.

The Saints are now looking to take advantage of that relatively weak schedule by building a stronger offseason around second-year quarterback Tyler Shough this offseason.

New Orleans brought in Travis Etienne, who is currently set to share the backfield with Alvin Kamara, while adding tight end Noah Fant as another target for Shough.

After strengthening the offensive line by bringing in David Edwards and Kaden Elliss, the Saints could now look to top off this new-look offense by bringing in a wide receiver, potentially through the 2026 NFL draft.

That would allow the Saints their best chance of building a more potent offense around Shough.

After averaging just 18 points per game in 2026, finding more ways to score will be key to Moore's hopes of a higher finish in the standings of his second season as coach.

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Pivotal matchups

The Saints went 6-11 during Shough's first season under center, but half of those came in division matchups.

New Orleans went 3-3 against division opponents in 2025 during the Saints' strong back half to the season, when the team bounced back from a 1-8 start to go 5-3 (including a four-game win streak) down the stretch.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slumping at the time due to injuries both to quarterback Baker Mayfield and a host of key pieces around him.

But the Buccaneers face questions over whether they've done enough to replace departing players like Mike Evans this offseason.

More questions surround the Panthers, a club running things back with Bryce Young but missing Rico Dowdle, and an Atlanta Falcons team that has yet to decide between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa.

The Saints could be hoping that uncertainty will help them build on last year's divisional wins and make a push for a higher finish in the NFC South.

New Orleans finished in the division basement last season, but each of the three teams above them only collected two more wins. A stronger start to the season from the Saints could help this team contend for their first NFC South title in six years.

Outside of the division, one notable matchup is the NFL's first regular-season game in France. The game at Stade de France is one of nine international contests taking place in 2026, which commissioner Roger Goodell has said he hopes is the first step toward each team playing at least one game outside the United States every season.