The 2010 season was the New Orleans Saints' 44th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 35th playing home games in the Louisiana Superdome. From 2009, the Saints were coming off their first Super Bowl-winning season and the most successful in franchise history, having begun undefeated for 13 consecutive games only to lose their three final regular season encounters to finish 13–3. The Saints also attempted to win the NFC South Division title for the third time in history, earn their first consecutive postseason berths since 1991, and successfully defend their conference and league championships. The Saints failed to improve on their 13–3 record, finishing 11–5 and qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card team. The Saints were eliminated in the first round by the Seattle Seahawks, who were the first team with a losing record (7–9) to qualify for the playoffs and/or win a division title in a full season. Sean Payton served his fifth year as head coach.
This is the first time the Saints made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since the 1990–92 seasons.
Offseason
2010 NFL draft
As the winners of Super Bowl XLIV, the Saints acquired the 32nd pick in the first round and drafted in this order.
+ New Orleans Saints 2010 NFL Draft selections Draft order Player name Position Height Weight College Contract Notes Round Choice Overall 1 32 32 Patrick Robinson CB 5'11" 190 lbs Florida State 5 Year 2 32 64 Charles Brown OT 6'5" 303 lbs USC 4 Year 3 31 95 Jimmy Graham TE 6'6" 260 lbs Miami 4 Year 4 25 123 Al Woods DT 6'4" 314 lbs LSU 4 Year 5 27 158 Matt Tennant C 6'5" 300 lbs Boston College 4 Year 6 32 201Traded to the Arizona Cardinals 7 32 239 Sean Canfield QB 6'4" 214 lbs Oregon State N/A
Roster signings All signings were to active roster, except where otherwise noted. Pos. Player Date NotesCBGreg FassittFebruary 12, 2010TETyler LorenzenFebruary 12, 2010OTJermey ParnellFebruary 12, 2010WRMatt SimonFebruary 12, 2010GNa'Shan GoddardFebruary 18, 2010CBGlenn SharpeFebruary 18, 2010DTEarl HeymanFebruary 18, 2010GTim DuckworthFebruary 19, 2010FBZak KeaseyFebruary 23, 2010DEAlex BrownApril 7, 2010DEJimmy WilkersonApril 20, 2010OLBClint IngramMay 19, 2010
Roster releases Pos. Player Date NotesWRD'Juan WoodsFebruary 16, 2010Released after being placed on injured reserve prior to the 2009 season GJamar NesbitMarch 4, 2010LBMark SimoneauMarch 4, 2010DECharles GrantMarch 5, 2010
Schedule
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 12 at New England Patriots L 24–27 0–1 Gillette Stadium Recap 2 August 21 Houston Texans W 38–20 1–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap 3 August 27 San Diego Chargers W 36–21 2–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap 4 September 2 at Tennessee Titans L 24–27 2–2 LP Field Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 9 Minnesota Vikings W 14–9 1–0 Louisiana Superdome Recap 2 September 20 at San Francisco 49ers W 25–22 2–0 Candlestick Park Recap 3 September 26 Atlanta Falcons L 24–27 (OT) 2–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap 4 October 3 Carolina Panthers W 16–14 3–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap 5 October 10 at Arizona Cardinals L 20–30 3–2 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 6 October 17 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 31–6 4–2 Raymond James Stadium Recap 7 October 24 Cleveland Browns L 17–30 4–3 Louisiana Superdome Recap 8 October 31 Pittsburgh Steelers W 20–10 5–3 Louisiana Superdome Recap 9 November 7 at Carolina Panthers W 34–3 6–3 Bank of America Stadium Recap 10 Bye 11 November 21 Seattle Seahawks W 34–19 7–3 Louisiana Superdome Recap 12 November 25 at Dallas Cowboys W 30–27 8–3 Cowboys Stadium Recap 13 December 5 at Cincinnati Bengals W 34–30 9–3 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 14 December 12 St. Louis Rams W 31–13 10–3 Louisiana Superdome Recap 15 December 19 at Baltimore Ravens L 24–30 10–4 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 16 December 27 at Atlanta Falcons W 17–14 11–4 Georgia Dome Recap 17 January 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 13–23 11–5 Louisiana Superdome Recap
Standings
Preseason results
Preseason Week 1: at New England Patriots
Preseason Week 2: vs Houston Texans
Preseason Week 3: vs San Diego Chargers
Preseason Week 4: at Tennessee Titans
Regular season results
Week 1: vs. Minnesota Vikings NFL Kickoff game
With their Super Bowl title to defend, the Saints began their season at home in the annual Kickoff Game against the Minnesota Vikings, in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game. New Orleans would strike first in the opening quarter with quarterback Drew Brees hooking up with wide receiver Devery Henderson on a 29-yard touchdown pass. The Vikings would take the lead in the second quarter as kicker Ryan Longwell made a 41-yard field goal, followed by quarterback Brett Favre's 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (with a blocked PAT).
In the third quarter, the Saints would regain the lead with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Pierre Thomas. From there, New Orleans' defense would prevent any further progress from Minnesota.
With the win, New Orleans began their season at 1–0.
Week 2: at San Francisco 49ers
Coming off their home win over the Vikings, the Saints flew to Candlestick Park for a Week 2 Monday Night duel with the San Francisco 49ers. New Orleans would deliver the opening punch in the first quarter as 49ers center David Baas' high snap deep within San Francisco territory went out of the back of the endzone for a safety. The Saints would add onto their lead as quarterback Drew Brees hooked up with running back Reggie Bush on a 6-yard touchdown pass. The 49ers would answer in the second quarter as quarterback Alex Smith found running back Frank Gore on a 12-yard touchdown pass.
San Francisco would take the lead with running back Anthony Dixon's 2-yard touchdown run, yet New Orleans would respond with Brees' 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end David Thomas. The Saints would add onto their lead in the fourth quarter as kicker Garrett Hartley made a 46-yard and a 19-yard field goal. The 49ers would strike back as Gore got a 7-yard touchdown run, followed by Smith's 2-point conversion pass to tight end Vernon Davis. In the end, New Orleans got the last laugh as Hartley booted the game-ending 37-yard field goal.
With the win, the Saints improved to 2–0.
Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Hoping to increase their winning streak the Saints played inside their dome for an NFC South rivalry match against the Falcons. The Saints took the early lead when QB Drew Brees made a 2-yard TD pass to TE Jeremy Shockey. The Falcons replied with QB Matt Ryan making a 13-yard TD pass to TE Tony Gonzalez. The Saints re-took the lead with Brees finding WR Lance Moore on an 80-yard TD pass. But the Falcons replied in the second quarter with RB Michael Turner making a 1-yard TD run. The Saints trailed for the first time in the game when kicker Matt Bryant made a 23-yard field goal. But they took the lead with Brees finding Moore again on a 16-yard TD pass. The Falcons would score when Ryan made a 22-yard TD pass to WR Roddy White. The Saints would tie the game with kicker Garrett Hartley making a 32-yard field goal. At overtime, the decision was made when Matt Bryant hit a 46-yard field goal to give the Saints their first loss of the season, bringing their record down to 2–1.
Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers
The Saints fourth game was inside their dome for an NFC south rivalry match against the Panthers. In the 1st quarter New Orleans took the lead as QB Drew Brees completed a 4-yard TD pass to WR Lance Moore. Carolina replied with QB Jimmy Clausen making a 55-yard TD pass to RB Jonathan Stewart. The Saints took the lead when kicker John Carney nailed a 32-yard field goal, but fell behind when RB DeAngelo Williams made a 39-yard TD run. Then John Carney made two field goals to give the Saints the win. He made a 32-yard field goal in the 3rd quarter and a 25-yard field goal in the 4th.
With the win, the Saints improved to 3–1.
Week 5: at Arizona Cardinals
Coming off their close win over the Panthers the Saints flew to University of Phoenix Stadium for an NFC duel with the Cardinals. In the first quarter the Saints took the early lead as kicker John Carney nailed a 31-yard field goal, followed by QB Drew Brees completing a 1-yard TD pass to TE Jeremy Shockey. The Cardinals replied with kicker Jay Feely making a 37-yard field goal, followed by OT Levi Brown recovering a fumble and returning it 2 yards for a touchdown. In the third quarter the Saints fell behind when Feely got a 44-yard field goal, followed the 4th quarter by Feely's 29-yard field goal. Then FS Kerry Rhodes recovered a fumble and ran 27 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. Then the Saints replied with Brees making a 35-yard TD pass to WR Robert Meachem, but had more problems when Brees' pass was intercepted by CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and returned 28 yards to the end zone for a touchdown.
With the loss, the Saints fell to 3–2.
Week 6: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Cardinals the Saints flew to Raymond James Stadium for an NFC South rivalry match against the Buccaneers. In the first quarter New Orleans took the lead when QB Drew Brees completed a 41-yard TD pass to WR Lance Moore. Followed in the second quarter by Brees making a 42-yard TD pass to WR Robert Meachem. This was followed by kicker Garrett Hartley nailing a 27-yard field goal. The Saints increased their lead when QB Drew Brees made a 4-yard TD pass to FB Heath Evans. Tampa Bay scored in the fourth quarter with QB Josh Freeman making a 2-yard TD pass to WR Micheal Spurlock (With a failed 2-point conversion), but the Saints pulled away as RB Ladell Betts got a 1-yard TD run.
With the win, the Saints improve to 4–2.
Week 7: vs. Cleveland Browns
With the loss, the Saints fell to 4–3.
Week 8: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Hoping to rebound from their home loss to the Browns, the Saints stayed home for a Week 8 interconference duel with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. After a scoreless first quarter, New Orleans trailed in the second quarter as Steelers kicker Jeff Reed got a 19-yard field goal. The Saints would answer with a 31-yard field goal from kicker Garrett Hartley.
New Orleans took the lead in the third quarter as Hartley booted a 23-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Saints increased their lead as quarterback Drew Brees found wide receiver Marques Colston on a 16-yard touchdown pass. Pittsburgh responded with running back Rashard Mendenhall getting a 38-yard touchdown run, yet New Orleans came right back as Brees connected with wide receiver Lance Moore on an 8-yard touchdown pass.
With the win, the Saints improved to 5–3.
Week 9: at Carolina Panthers
Coming off their win over the Steelers the Saints flew to Bank of America Stadium for an NFC South rivalry match against the Panthers. In the first quarter the Saints trailed early after kicker John Kasay made a 20-yard field goal. Then they made a large scoring run to dominate the game after QB Drew Brees completed a 7-yard TD pass to TE Jeremy Shockey. Followed by Brees finding TE Jimmy Graham on a 19-yard TD pass. The lead was extended by kicker Garrett Hartley as he nailed a 31 and a 36-yard field goal. The Saints increased their lead with CB Jabari Greer returning an interception 24 yards for a touchdown. This was followed by RB Ladell Betts getting a 1-yard TD run.
With the win, the Saints headed into their bye week at 6–3 and swept the Panthers for the first time since 2001.
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: vs. Seattle Seahawks