The 2023 season was the New Orleans Saints' 57th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 48th to host games at the Caesars Superdome and the second and final full season under head coach Dennis Allen, as he would be fired during their next season. The team improved on their 7–10 record from 2022, but missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season. The Saints finished tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC South division title, as well as in a three-way tie with the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks for the last Wild Card spot; however, the Saints lost both tiebreakers.
The New Orleans Saints drew an average home attendance of 70,020 in 8 home games in the 2023 NFL season.
Draft
+ 2023 New Orleans Saints draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 10 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles 29 Bryan Bresee DT Clemson From 49ers via Dolphins and Broncos 2 40 Isaiah Foskey DE Notre Dame 3 71 Kendre Miller RB TCU 4 103 Nick Saldiveri OT Old Dominion From Bears 115 Traded to the Chicago Bears 127 Jake Haener QB Fresno State From Jaguars 5 146 Jordan Howden S Minnesota 165 Traded to the Chicago Bears From Eagles 6 188 Traded to the Houston Texans 195 A. T. Perry WR Wake Forest From Steelers via Broncos 7 227 Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars 257 Traded to the Denver Broncos
+ 2023 New Orleans Saints undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Nick Anderson LB Tulane Sy Barnett WR Davenport Jerron Cage DT Ohio State Shaquan Davis WR South Carolina State Mark Evans II OT Arkansas–Pine Bluff Malik Flowers WR, RS Montana Blake Grupe K Notre Dame Lou Hedley P Miami (FL) Anthony Johnson S Virginia Anfernee Orji LB Vanderbilt Alex Pihlstrom C Illinois SaRodorick Thompson Jr. RB Texas Tech Joel Wilson TE Central Michigan
Draft trades
Staff
Final roster
Preseason The Saints' preseason opponents and schedule were announced in the spring. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 13 Kansas City ChiefsW 26–24 1–0 Caesars Superdome Recap 2 August 20 at Los Angeles Chargers W 22–17 2–0 SoFi Stadium Recap 3 August 27 Houston Texans L 13–17 2–1 Caesars Superdome Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 10 Tennessee Titans W 16–15 1–0 Caesars Superdome Recap 2 at Carolina Panthers W 20–17 2–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 3 September 24 at Green Bay Packers L 17–18 2–1 Lambeau Field Recap 4 October 1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 9–26 2–2 Caesars Superdome Recap 5 October 8 at New England Patriots W 34–0 3–2 Gillette Stadium Recap 6 October 15 at Houston Texans L 13–20 3–3 NRG Stadium Recap 7 Jacksonville Jaguars L 24–31 3–4 Caesars Superdome Recap 8 October 29 at Indianapolis Colts W 38–27 4–4 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 9 November 5 Chicago Bears W 24–17 5–4 Caesars Superdome Recap 10 November 12 at Minnesota Vikings L 19–27 5–5 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 11Bye 12 November 26 at Atlanta Falcons L 15–24 5–6 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap 13 December 3 Detroit Lions L 28–33 5–7 Caesars Superdome Recap 14 December 10 Carolina Panthers W 28–6 6–7 Caesars Superdome Recap 15 December 17 New York Giants W 24–6 7–7 Caesars Superdome Recap 16 at Los Angeles Rams L 22–30 7–8 SoFi Stadium Recap 17 December 31 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 23–13 8–8 Raymond James Stadium Recap 18 January 7 Atlanta Falcons W 48–17 9–8 Caesars Superdome Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Tennessee Titans
In the Saints home opener against the Tennessee Titans, they barely held on with a 16–15 win. They start off the season 1–0.
Week 2: at Carolina Panthers
With the win, the Saints started 2–0 for the first time since 2013.
Week 3: at Green Bay Packers
The Saints held a 17–0 lead heading into the fourth quarter before the Packers made an 18-point comeback. Green Bay secured an 18–17 victory on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Romeo Doubs, followed by a missed 46-yard field goal attempt by kicker Blake Grupe that would have won the game. Quarterback Derek Carr suffered an AC joint shoulder sprain after getting sacked in the third quarter. With the loss, the Saints fell to 2–1.
Week 4: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Saints endured their second consecutive loss, falling to 2–2. Last season, Lattimore and Evans were ejected for fighting.
Week 5: at New England Patriots
The Saints dominated the Patriots with a 34-point shutout, picking up the third win of the season. They improve to 3–2.
Week 6: at Houston Texans The Saints endured a loss to the Texans, thus bringing their record down to 3–3.
Week 7: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars For the first time since the 2003 season, the Saints were defeated by the Jaguars. They fall to 3–4. Foster Moreau dropped the potentially game-tying touchdown on the final seconds of regulation. The Saints also recorded their first home loss to the Jaguars in franchise history.
Week 8: at Indianapolis Colts The Saints still defeated the Colts 38–27, even after a tough loss from last Thursday. The Saints improve to 4–4 and tie for first in the division with their rival Falcons.
Week 9: vs. Chicago Bears The Saints defeated the Bears 24–17, while the Atlanta Falcons lost to the Minnesota Vikings, thus bringing the Saints' record to 5–4 and allowing them to take the Number 1 spot in the NFC South.
Week 10: at Minnesota Vikings
Coming off the win over the Bears, the Saints traveled to U.S. Bank Stadium to take on the Minnesota Vikings. The two teams played in London last season. The Saints still lost to the Vikings 27–19, in which they dropped to 5–5 on the season despite also being on top of the NFC South.
Week 12: at Atlanta Falcons The Saints weren't able to win this game over the Atlanta Falcons, bringing their record to 5–6.
Week 13: vs. Detroit Lions For the first time since the 2016 season, the Saints were defeated by the Lions. They fell to 5–7.
Week 14: vs. Carolina Panthers
The Saints previously defeated the Panthers in Week 2. After scoring four touchdowns and allowing two field goals, the Saints held on with the 28–6 win over Carolina. They improve to 6–7 and sweep the Panthers for the first time since the 2020 season.
Week 15: vs. New York Giants
The Saints remain home in the Superdome to take on the New York Giants. It has been two seasons since they lost to them in overtime. For the first time since the 2018 season, the Saints defeated the Giants, primarily due to New Orleans dominating New York. They improve to 7–7, tying the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and allowing the Panthers to defeat the Falcons.
Week 16: at Los Angeles Rams The Saints traveled to Sofi Stadium to take on the Los Angeles Rams. The Saints would lose this game and fall to 7–8.
Week 17: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Saints travel to Raymond James Stadium to take on the Buccaneers. In a must-win game, the Saints start off with the opening drive touchdown and held on with the 23–13 win, improving them to 8–8.
Week 18: vs. Atlanta Falcons The Saints were previously defeated by the Falcons. With a dominant comeback in the second half, the Saints go to 9–8, tying their record from the 2021 season. The game ended in controversy; with the team up 41–17, Saints head coach Dennis Allen called for a quarterback kneel to exhaust the final minute of the game. Instead, quarterback Jameis Winston handed the ball to running back Jamaal Williams who scored a one-yard touchdown. Williams had failed to record a rushing touchdown during the 2023 season up to that point. Allen and Falcons coach Arthur Smith would have a heated exchange on the field following the game's end over the perceived lack of sportsmanship.
Despite being eliminated from postseason contention, the Saints maintained a winning season.
Standings Division
Conference
References
External links