Saints Schedule 2018: Games With Cowboys, Panthers, Steelers Stand Between New Orleans And No.1 Seed

It’s a two-team race for the No.1 seed in the NFC. The New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams are tied with a 10-1 record heading into Week 13 of the 2018 NFL season. New Orleans and L.A. have played so well that one loss by either team over the final five weeks could mean that the other will earn home-field advantage in the playoffs.

New Orleans is in the driver’s seat because they beat Los Angeles 45-35 at the Superdome in what was the Rams’ only loss of the season. The Saints have gone undefeated since they were upset by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the season opener, and they should be favored in every game left on their schedule.

The Saints are laying a touchdown on the road against the Dallas Cowboys on “Thursday Night Football,” according to the latest betting line at OddsShark. It’s the start of a three-game road trip for New Orleans, who will end the season with two consecutive home games.

In Week 14, the Saints will visit the Buccaneers, looking for revenge from that Week 1 matchup. Tampa Bay has only won three times since beating New Orleans.

The Carolina Panthers and Saints will finally meet in Week 15. Carolina hosts the first divisional matchup between these two NFC South rivals. The Panthers could very well make the playoffs, but they’ve got a 6-5 record after losing three straight games.

Before the Saints conclude the season at home against the Panthers, they’ll host the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh is a true Super Bowl contender and the best team remaining on New Orleans’ schedule.

While New Orleans has just one upcoming game against a team that sits below .500, the Rams are set to take on four losing teams. Los Angeles’ only game left against a winning team comes in Week 14 when they visit the Chicago Bears.

New Orleans has beat up on both good and bad teams over the last two and a half months. They’ve defeated three straight teams that are currently below .500 by a combined 92 points, but they’ve also beaten the Rams and Minnesota Vikings by double digits.

Drew Brees is favored to win his first regular-season MVP award. The Saints lead the NFL with 37.2 points per game, ranking two spots ahead of the Rams’ high-powered offense.