2018 New Orleans Saints season

The 2018 season was the New Orleans Saints' 52nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 12th under head coach Sean Payton.

2018 New Orleans Saints season
OwnerGayle Benson[1]
General managerMickey Loomis
Head coachSean Payton
Offensive coordinatorPete Carmichael Jr.
Defensive coordinatorDennis Allen
Home fieldMercedes-Benz Superdome
Results
Record13–3
Division place1st NFC South
Playoff finishWon Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Eagles) 20–14
Lost NFC Championship
(vs. Rams) 23–26 (OT)
Pro Bowlers
8
AP All-Pros
5
Uniform

This season was the first since 1984 without owner Tom Benson, who died in March. In Week 11, the Saints defeated the Philadelphia Eagles to reach their first nine-game winning streak since their Super Bowl winning season in 2009, ensuring they clinched their second consecutive winning season for the first time since 2010–2011. They swept their division rivals, the Atlanta Falcons, after a 31–17 victory on Thanksgiving night for the first time since 2015 while extending their second longest winning streak in franchise history to 10 games,[2] which came to an end when the Saints lost to the Dallas Cowboys 13–10, on November 29. On December 9, the Saints clinched their second straight NFC South division championship when they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their first back-to-back division titles in franchise history. On December 17, after beating the Carolina Panthers, the Saints improved on their 11–5 record from 2017. After a Week 16 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Saints clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time since 2009. The Saints finished the season with a 13–3 record, tied for the most wins in a season in franchise history.

In the playoffs, the Saints defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 20–14 in the Divisional Round. However, the Saints' season came to an end in a 26–23 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game in controversial fashion, which ended their hopes of returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since Super Bowl XLIV. Additionally, it marked the first time since 1992 that the Saints lost a postseason game at home.

Draft
Main article: 2018 NFL Draft
2018 New Orleans Saints Draft
RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollege
114 Marcus DavenportDEUTSA
391 Tre'Quan SmithWRUCF
4127 Rick LeonardOTFSU
5164 Natrell JamersonSWisconsin
6189 Kamrin MooreCBBoston College
6201 Boston ScottRBLouisiana Tech
7245 Will ClappCLSU

Notes

Staff
2018 New Orleans Saints staff
Front office
  • Owner – Gayle Benson
  • President – Dennis Lauscha
  • Executive vice president/general manager – Mickey Loomis
  • Asst general manager/college scouting director – Jeff Ireland
  • Vice president of football administration – Khai Harley
  • Director of operations – James Nagaoka
  • Director of pro scouting – Terry Fontenot

Head coaches

  • Head coach – Sean Payton
  • Assistant head coach/tight ends – Dan Campbell
  • Assistant to the head coach – Kevin Petry

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head strength and conditioning – Dan Dalrymple
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Charles Byrd
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Rob Wenning

Final roster
2018 New Orleans Saints final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
 53 active, 11 inactive, 10 practice squad

Preseason
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 August 9 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 24–20 1–0 TIAA Bank Field Recap
2 August 17 Arizona Cardinals L 15–20 1–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
3 August 25 at Los Angeles Chargers W 36–7 2–1 StubHub Center Recap
4 August 30 Los Angeles Rams W 28–0 3–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap

Regular season

Schedule

The Saints' 2018 schedule was released on April 19.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 September 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 40–48 0–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
2 September 16 Cleveland Browns W 21–18 1–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
3 September 23 at Atlanta Falcons W 43–37 (OT) 2–1 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap
4 September 30 at New York Giants W 33–18 3–1 MetLife Stadium Recap
5 October 8 Washington Redskins W 43–19 4–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
6 Bye
7 October 21 at Baltimore Ravens W 24–23 5–1 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
8 October 28 at Minnesota Vikings W 30–20 6–1 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap
9 November 4 Los Angeles Rams W 45–35 7–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
10 November 11 at Cincinnati Bengals W 51–14 8–1 Paul Brown Stadium Recap
11 November 18 Philadelphia Eagles W 48–7 9–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
12 November 22 Atlanta Falcons W 31–17 10–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
13 November 29 at Dallas Cowboys L 10–13 10–2 AT&T Stadium Recap
14 December 9 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 28–14 11–2 Raymond James Stadium Recap
15 December 17 at Carolina Panthers W 12–9 12–2 Bank of America Stadium Recap
16 December 23 Pittsburgh Steelers W 31–28 13–2 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
17 December 30 Carolina Panthers L 14–33 13–3 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week One: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Buccaneers 14 17 10748
Saints 10 14 01640

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

With the loss to the Buccaneers, the Saints started their season off with 0-1.

Week 2: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week Two: Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Browns 3 3 6618
Saints 3 0 01821

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: September 16
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CDT
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,086
  • Referee: Ronald Torbert
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

With the win against the Browns, they improved to 1-1.

Week 3: at Atlanta Falcons
Week Three: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Saints 7 9 714643
Falcons 7 7 716037

at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

Game information

In this game, both teams tied in the 4th quarter, resulting in a Saints victory against the Falcons in overtime. They improved to 2-1.

Week 4: at New York Giants
Week Four: New Orleans Saints at New York Giants – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 0 12 71433
Giants 7 0 3818

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

The Saints played at the Giants for the first time since 2016. In the 1st quarter, they trailed by 7, but for the remainder of the game, they were able to make a comeback against them. Therefore, they won this game and brought their record to 3-1.

Week 5: vs. Washington Redskins
Week Five: Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Redskins 3 10 0619
Saints 6 20 14343

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

This game was one year removed from last season, where the Saints overcame a 15-point deficit against the Redskins at home with three minutes remaining. This time, the Saints dominated the entire game. This game marked Drew Brees passing Brett Favre and Peyton Manning on most passing yards. The win improved the Saints to 4-1.

Week 7: at Baltimore Ravens
Week Seven: New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 0 7 01724
Ravens 0 10 7623

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: October 21
  • Game time: 4:05 pm. EDT/3:05 pm. CDT
  • Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), partly sunny
  • Game attendance: 70,639
  • Referee: John Parry
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

Drew Brees would throw his 500th touchdown pass against Baltimore and becoming the third quarterback in modern NFL history to defeat all 32 teams playing in the 2018 season – after Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. In doing so, he improved his record against the Ravens to 1-4. This also marked the Saints' one point victory over the Ravens, since Justin Tucker missed the extra point which was a nod to John Carney's missed PAT in a 2003 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Week 8: at Minnesota Vikings
Week Eight: New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 7 10 10330
Vikings 7 6 0720

at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Game information

The Saints travelled to Minnesota for the first time since the 2017 Divisional round; during which safety Marcus Williams missed a tackle on the game's final play that allowed a 61-yard game-winning touchdown reception by Stefon Diggs. In this divisional round rematch, despite a good offensive showing from Kirk Cousins and Stefon Diggs, and Drew Brees who was held to just 120 passing yards, New Orleans still won the game 30-20 to go to 6-1 and avenge their aforementioned playoff loss.

Week 9: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Week Nine: Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 7 10 10835
Saints 14 21 01045

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

With the victory, the Saints extended their winning streak to 7 games (Starting from week 2) and ended Rams 8-game win streak. Star wide receiver Michael Thomas, after scoring on his 12th reception, paid homage to former Saints wide receiver Joe Horn; while simultaneously taunting former teammate Brandin Cooks and the Rams by pulling out a cell phone from underneath the goalpost pretending to imitate making a phone call. This celebration drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, enraging the Rams sideline.[3][4] This was also the final victory over the Rams, who eventually beat them in the playoffs and one season after that.

Week 10: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week Ten: New Orleans Saints at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 7 28 10651
Bengals 7 0 0714

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Game information

After losing the newly acquired Dez Bryant for the year with an Achilles' tear in practice, several players, including Michael Thomas, and running backs Mark Ingram II and Alvin Kamara paid tribute by throwing up Bryant's signature 'X' celebration each time they scored. Safety Marcus Williams returned a long interception to end the first half with the Saints leading 35-7. New Orleans would eventually stun the Bengals in a 51-14 victory and their streak continued, going 8-1. It was also the first time since the 2010 season in which the Saints defeated the Bengals.

Week 11: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week Eleven: Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 0 7 007
Saints 10 14 141048

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: November 18
  • Game time: 3:25 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,042
  • Referee: Carl Cheffers
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

After head coach Sean Payton lost a golf bet to Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, the Saints, despite being the home team, wore their white color rush uniforms. It was the first time the Saints used the uniforms at home. They were able to beat the Eagles by 41 points, despite Philadelphia being the defending Super Bowl champions from last season. This brought the Saints record to 9-1.

Week 12: vs. Atlanta Falcons

NFL on Thanksgiving Day

Week Twelve: Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Falcons 3 0 7717
Saints 7 10 7731

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

The Saints were able to beat the Falcons 31-17 on a Thanksgiving Game. This not only improved their record to 10-1, it also marked the first season since 2015 to sweep the Falcons.

Week 13: at Dallas Cowboys
Week Thirteen: New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 0 0 10010
Cowboys 10 3 0013

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

  • Date: November 29
  • Game time: 7:20 pm. CST
  • Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C), clear – retractable roof open
  • Game attendance: 93,004
  • Referee: Walt Anderson
  • TV announcers (Fox/NFLN): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

Michael Thomas recorded his 90th catch of the season, joining Odell Beckham Jr. as the only players in NFL history to record at least 90 receptions in their first three seasons.[5] However, Drew Brees would lose the game for the Saints by throwing an interception to Jourdan Lewis, thus snapping the Saints' 10-game win streak and dropping them to 10–2.

Week 14: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week Fourteen: New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 0 3 81728
Buccaneers 7 7 0014

at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Game information

The New Orleans Saints trailed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14-3 halfway through the 3rd quarter when Taysom Hill sparked a rally by blocking a punt and setting up New Orleans inside Tampa Bay territory. The Saints would go on to win in a comeback 28-14 and clinching a playoff berth in the process. Their record improves to 11-2 with the victory over the Buccaneers.

Week 15: at Carolina Panthers
Week Fifteen: New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 3 3 0612
Panthers 7 0 029

at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

  • Date: December 17
  • Game time: 7:15 pm. CST/8:15 pm. EST
  • Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C), clear skies
  • Game attendance: 74,188
  • Referee: Tony Corrente
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarland and Lisa Salters
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

The Saints travel to Bank of America Stadium to play against the Panthers. During the punt, Thomas Morstead was tripped up by the defender, prompting the Saints to get a free first down from the Roughing the Kicker penalty. The Saints win by 3 points and improve their record to 12-2.

Week 16: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Sixteen: Pittsburgh Steelers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Steelers 3 11 14028
Saints 7 10 7731

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: December 23
  • Game time: 3:25 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,086
  • Referee: Craig Wrolstad
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

With the win, the Saints clinched home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. Mark Ingram II recorded his 50th touchdown, surpassing Deuce McAllister for the Saints franchise record for rushing touchdowns.[6] The Saints were the only NFC South team to defeat all four of their AFC North opponents in 2018. They improve to 13-2 in the process.

Week 17: vs. Carolina Panthers
Week Seventeen: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Panthers 13 10 7333
Saints 0 0 01414

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: December 30
  • Game time: 12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,028
  • Referee: Bill Vinovich
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Ronde Barber and Kristina Pink
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

Teddy Bridgewater started in this game. With the loss, the Saints finish the season 13-3. With the first-round bye, the Saints secured their spot in the playoffs.

Division
NFC South
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(1) New Orleans Saints 13 3 0 .813 4–2 9–3 504 353 L1
Atlanta Falcons 7 9 0 .438 4–2 7–5 414 423 W3
Carolina Panthers 7 9 0 .438 2–4 5–7 376 382 W1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5 11 0 .313 2–4 4–8 396 464 L4

Conference
NFC
# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division leaders
1[lower-alpha 1] New Orleans Saints South 13 3 0 .813 4–2 9–3 .482 .488 L1
2[lower-alpha 1] Los Angeles Rams West 13 3 0 .813 6–0 9–3 .480 .428 W2
3 Chicago Bears North 12 4 0 .750 5–1 10–2 .430 .419 W4
4 Dallas Cowboys East 10 6 0 .625 5–1 9–3 .488 .444 W2
Wild Cards
5 Seattle Seahawks West 10 6 0 .625 3–3 8–4 .484 .400 W2
6 Philadelphia Eagles East 9 7 0 .563 4–2 6–6 .518 .486 W3
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Minnesota Vikings North 8 7 1 .531 3–2–1 6–5–1 .504 .355 L1
8[lower-alpha 2] Atlanta Falcons South 7 9 0 .438 4–2 7–5 .482 .348 W3
9[lower-alpha 2] Washington Redskins East 7 9 0 .438 2–4 6–6 .486 .371 L2
10[lower-alpha 2] Carolina Panthers South 7 9 0 .438 2–4 5–7 .508 .518 W1
11 Green Bay Packers North 6 9 1 .406 1–4–1 3–8–1 .488 .417 L1
12 Detroit Lions North 6 10 0 .375 2–4 4–8 .504 .427 W1
13[lower-alpha 3] New York Giants East 5 11 0 .313 1–5 4–8 .527 .487 L3
14[lower-alpha 3] Tampa Bay Buccaneers South 5 11 0 .313 2–4 4–8 .523 .506 L4
15 San Francisco 49ers West 4 12 0 .250 1–5 2–10 .504 .406 L2
16 Arizona Cardinals West 3 13 0 .188 2–4 3–9 .527 .302 L4
Tiebreakers[lower-alpha 4]
  1. New Orleans finished ahead of LA Rams based on head-to-head victory.
  2. Atlanta finished ahead of Washington based on head-to-head victory. Atlanta finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head sweep. Washington finished ahead of Carolina based on head-to-head victory.
  3. NY Giants finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on head-to-head victory.
  4. 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.

Single player milestone

Late in the first half of the Week 5, Monday Night game against the Washington Redskins, Quarterback Drew Brees surpassed Brett Favre (71,838) and Peyton Manning (71,940) for the most career passing yards. Brees surpassed Favre on a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Josh Hill, and later he surpassed Manning with a 62-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith, giving him the NFL's All-Time Career pass yardage record.[7] Brees also threw his 500th touchdown pass against the Baltimore Ravens, with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Benjamin Watson.

Postseason
Playoff round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
Wild Card First-round bye
Divisional January 13, 2019 Philadelphia Eagles (6) W 20–14 1–0 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
NFC Championship January 20, 2019 Los Angeles Rams (2) L 23–26 (OT) 1–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap

NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (6) Philadelphia Eagles
NFC Divisional Playoffs: (6) Philadelphia Eagles at (1) New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 14 0 0014
Saints 0 10 7320

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

The Saints host the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season, the first since the 2013 season to play the Eagles under Nick Foles. The Saints initially trailed by 14 points but made a comeback in the end. Marshon Lattimore stuns the Eagles with an interception to secure the Saints' victory and advance to the NFC Championship. Their record improves to 14-3.

NFC Championship: vs. (2) Los Angeles Rams
Further information: 2018 NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship: (2) Los Angeles Rams at (1) New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Rams 0 10 76326
Saints 13 0 73023

at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Date: January 20, 2019
  • Game time: 2:05 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 73,028
  • Referee: Bill Vinovich
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Chris Myers
  • Recap, Gamebook
Game information

Coming off with the Divisional Round victory over the Eagles, the Saints remain in the Superdome to host the Los Angeles Rams. It was the first time since January 24, 2010, the Saints host the NFC Championship in their home field.

The game was marred with controversy after the referees missed a pass interference call of Nickell Robey-Coleman's hit on Tommylee Lewis on 3rd-and-10 with 1:45 remaining in the 4th quarter.[8][9] Some fans, players, and analysts believe the missed call is among the worst in NFL history.[8] The NFL admitted to missing the call soon after the game was over,[10] but did not apologize for the situation until a week and a half later.[11] The fallout from the missed call was a factor in the NFL's decision to expand instant replay, making pass interference (including non-calls) reviewable.[12]

With the controversial loss in overtime, the Saints finish their season 14-4.

References
  1. "Gayle Benson becomes Saints, Pelicans owner". ProFootballTalk - NBC Sports. March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  2. "Falcons vs. Saints - Game Summary - November 22, 2018 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  3. "Saints WRs Mike Thomas, Brandin Cooks Appear to Be Involved in Twitter Mixup".
  4. "Saints WR Michael Thomas appears to throw shade at Brandin Cooks after Rams trade".
  5. "1st to 3rd season - Receptions >= 90". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  6. Walker, Rod (December 23, 2018). "Mark Ingram passes Deuce McAllister to become Saints' all-time leader in rushing touchdowns". NOLA.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  7. "NFL Passing Yards Career Leaders". Pro Football Reference. October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  8. "Saints lose to Rams in NFC Championship after one of the worst missed calls you'll see on a huge fourth-quarter play". Business Insider.
  9. "Saints' Payton: Referee chief admitted blown call". January 21, 2019.
  10. "NFL Admits Pass Interference Wasn't the Only Blown Call on Controversial Play in NFC Title Game". January 21, 2019.
  11. "Roger Goodell breaks silence on controversial no-call in NFC championship game".
  12. "Pass interference now reviewable by NFL officials". March 27, 2019.
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