# 2016 New Orleans Saints season

The 2016 season was the New Orleans Saints' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 41st playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and their 10th under head coach Sean Payton. The Saints matched their 7–9 record from 2014 and 2015, and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row in a stretch plagued by poor defensive play. One highlight from the season includes quarterback Drew Brees' first return to San Diego for the first time since the Chargers released him at the end of the 2005 season, also where Brees played his first five seasons in. This came 10 years after the Chargers released Brees after the Saints' previous regular season meetings with the Chargers were home games for the Saints, and including a 2008 meeting at Wembley Stadium in London, a game which New Orleans was designated as the home team.

## Draft

New Orleans Saints 2016 draft picks :
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 12 | Sheldon Rankins | DT | Louisville |
| 2 | 47 | Michael Thomas | WR | Ohio St. |
| 2 | 61 | Vonn Bell | S | Ohio St. |
| 4 | 120 | David Onyemata | DT | Manitoba |
| 7 | 237 | Daniel Lasco | RB | California |
Notes
* The Saints traded their 2016 sixth-round selection, along with their 2015 sixth-round selection to the Washington Redskins in exchange for the Washington Redskins 2015 fifth-round selection.
* The Saints traded their 2016 third and fourth-round selection to the New England Patriots in exchange for the New England Patriots second-round selection (61st overall).
* The Saints traded their 2016 fifth-round selection, along with their 2017 fifth-round selection to the Washington Redskins in exchange for the Washington Redskins fourth-round selection (120th overall).

## Schedule
### Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | August 11 | at New England Patriots | L 22–34 | 0–1 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 20 | at Houston Texans | L 9–16 | 0–2 | NRG Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 26 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 14–27 | 0–3 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 4 | September 1 | Baltimore Ravens | L 14–23 | 0–4 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |

### Regular season

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 11 | Oakland Raiders | L 34–35 | 0–1 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | at New York Giants | L 13–16 | 0–2 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 26 | Atlanta Falcons | L 32–45 | 0–3 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 4 | October 2 | at San Diego Chargers | W 35–34 | 1–3 | Qualcomm Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 6 | October 16 | Carolina Panthers | W 41–38 | 2–3 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 7 | October 23 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 21–27 | 2–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 30 | Seattle Seahawks | W 25–20 | 3–4 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 9 | November 6 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 41–23 | 4–4 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 13 | Denver Broncos | L 23–25 | 4–5 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 11 | November 17 | at Carolina Panthers | L 20–23 | 4–6 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 27 | Los Angeles Rams | W 49–21 | 5–6 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 13 | December 4 | Detroit Lions | L 13–28 | 5–7 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 14 | December 11 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 11–16 | 5–8 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 18 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 48–41 | 6–8 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 24 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 31–24 | 7–8 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 17 | January 1 | at Atlanta Falcons | L 32–38 | 7–9 | Georgia Dome | Recap |

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Raiders | 10 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 35 |
| Saints | 3 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: September 11
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,028
* Referee: John Parry
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 47-yard field goal, 12:23. Raiders 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, −8 yards, 2:22.
NO – Wil Lutz 42-yard field goal, 6:31. Tied 3–3. Drive: 13 plays, 65 yards, 5:52.
OAK – Latavius Murray 6-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 1:43. Raiders 10–3. Drive: 7 plays, 91 yards, 4:48.
Second quarter
NO – Willie Snead 1-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 11:57. Tied 10–10. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:46.
NO – Brandin Cooks 15-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 4:55. Saints 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:06.
Third quarter
NO – Brandin Cooks 98-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 7:52. Saints 24–10. Drive: 1 play, 98 yards, 0:11.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 31-yard field goal, 3:11. Saints 24–13. Drive: 12 plays, 62 yards, 4:41.
Fourth quarter
OAK – Jamize Olawale 2-yard run (pass failed), 11:53. Saints 24–19. Drive: 4 plays, 60 yards, 1:49.
NO – Wil Lutz 20-yard field goal, 8:42. Saints 27–19. Drive: 6 plays, 69 yards, 3:11.
OAK – Jalen Richard 75-yard run (Derek Carr–Amari Cooper pass), 8:26. Tied 27–27. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:16.
NO – Travaris Cadet 2-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 6:03. Saints 34–27. Drive: 3 plays, 84 yards, 2:23.
OAK – Seth Roberts 10-yard pass from Derek Carr (Derek Carr–Michael Crabtree pass), 0:47. Raiders 35–34. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:16.
Top passers
OAK – Derek Carr – 24/38, 319 yards, TD
NO – Drew Brees – 28/42, 423 yards, 4 TD
Top rushers
OAK – Jalen Richard – 3 rushes, 84 yards, TD
NO – Mark Ingram II – 12 rushes, 58 yards
Top receivers
OAK – Amari Cooper – 8 receptions, 137 yards
NO – Willie Snead – 9 receptions, 172 yards, TD :
The Saints opened the season at home against the Oakland Raiders in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Despite 423 passing yards—including a franchise-record 98-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brandin Cooks—and four touchdowns from Drew Brees, the Raiders came from behind to win 35–34. The Raiders scored a touchdown with 47 seconds remaining in the game to bring them within one point. Instead of kicking an extra point, Raiders coach Jack Del Rio ordered a two-point conversion, which quarterback Derek Carr successfully converted with a pass to receiver Michael Crabtree. The Saints received the kickoff and Brees led the team down the field in two plays to give kicker Wil Lutz a chance at a game-winning 61-yard field goal, but the kick went wide left. The Saints defense was criticized for its performance, as it gave up 210 yards and 22 points in the fourth quarter.

#### Week 2: at New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
| Giants | 0 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 16 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: September 18
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), mostly cloudy
* Game attendance: 77,727
* Referee: Gene Steratore
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays
Second quarter
NYG – Janoris Jenkins 65-yard return of blocked field goal (Josh Brown kick), 2:30. Giants 7–0.
NO – Wil Lutz 39-yard field goal, 0:07. Giants 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 2:23.
Third quarter
NYG – Josh Brown 48-yard field goal, 2:46. Giants 10–3. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 5:58.
Fourth quarter
NO – Willie Snead IV 17-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 13:45. Tied 10–10. Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 4:01.
NYG – Josh Brown 19-yard field goal, 8:46. Giants 13–10. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 4:59.
NO – Wil Lutz 45-yard field goal, 2:54. Tied 13–13. Drive: 8 plays, 47 yards, 3:13.
NYG – Josh Brown 23-yard field goal, 0:00. Giants 16–13. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 2:54.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 29/44, 263 yards, TD
NYG – Eli Manning – 32/41, 368 yards
Top rushers
NO – Mark Ingram II – 9 rushes, 30 yards
NYG – Shane Vereen – 14 rushes, 42 yards
Top receivers
NO – Brandin Cooks – 7 receptions, 68 yards
NYG – Sterling Shepard – 8 receptions, 117 yards :

#### Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 7 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 45 |
| Saints | 7 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 32 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: September 26
* Game time: 7:30 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,003
* Referee: Pete Morelli
* TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Coby Fleener 2-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 8:25. Saints 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75, yards, 6:35.
ATL – Tevin Coleman 2-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 5:21. Tied 7–7. Drive: 3 plays, 11 yards, 0:52.
Second quarter
ATL – Devonta Freeman 13-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 14:53. Falcons 14–7. Drive: 11 plays, 74, yards, 5:08.
NO – Michael Thomas 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 9:55. Tied 14–14. Drive: 12 plays, 75, yards, 4:58.
ATL – Tevin Coleman 2-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 5:31. Falcons 21–14. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:24.
ATL – Justin Hardy 4-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 0:28. Falcons 28–14. Drive: 8 plays, 94, yards, 1:23.
NO – Wil Lutz 57-yard field goal, 0:00. Falcons 28–17. Drive: 7 plays, 36 yards, 0:28.
Third quarter
ATL – Tevin Coleman 6-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 12:03. Falcons 35–17. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:57.
NO – John Kuhn 3-yard run (Mark Ingram II run), 7:38. Falcons 35–25. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:25.
ATL – Matt Bryant 21-yard field goal, 2:58. Falcons 38–25. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards, 4:40.
Fourth quarter
ATL – Deion Jones 90-yard interception return (Matt Bryant kick), 13:37. Falcons 45–25. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 4:21.
NO – Mark Ingram II 5-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 10:00. Falcons 45–32. Drive: 7 plays, 75, yards, 3:37.
Top passers
ATL – Matt Ryan – 20/30, 240 yards, 2 TD
NO – Drew Brees – 36/54, 376 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
ATL – Devonta Freeman – 14 rushes, 152 yards
NO – Mark Ingram II – 15 rushes, 77 yards
Top receivers
ATL – Devonta Freeman – 5 receptions, 55 yards, TD
NO – Coby Fleener – 7 receptions, 109 yards, TD :

#### Week 4: at San Diego Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 7 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
| Chargers | 7 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 34 |
at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: October 2
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT/1:25 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 74 °F (23 °C), fair
* Game attendance: 60,641
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Mark Ingram II 1-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 10:32. Saints 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:28.
SD – Hunter Henry 20-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Josh Lambo kick), 1:10. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 62 yards, 3:30.
Second quarter
NO – John Kuhn 4-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 9:20. Saints 14–7. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 6:50.
SD – Dontrelle Inman 57-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Josh Lambo kick), 7:04. Tied 14–14. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:16.
SD – Josh Lambo 30-yard field goal, 4:50. Chargers 17–14. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 2:05.
SD – Melvin Gordon 1-yard run (Josh Lambo kick), 0:13. Chargers 24–14. Drive: 11 plays, 47 yards, 2:14.
Third quarter
NO – John Kuhn 1-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 9:00. Chargers 24–21. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 4:18.
Fourth quarter
SD – Melvin Gordon 1-yard run (Josh Lambo kick), 12:15. Chargers 31–21. Drive: 14 plays, 74 yards, 6:28.
SD – Josh Lambo 47-yard field goal, 8:39. Chargers 34–21. Drive: 6 plays, −3 yards, 2:48.
NO – Michael Thomas 5-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 4:50. Chargers 34–28. Drive: 4 plays, 13 yards, 1:50.
NO – John Kuhn 1-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 1:57. Saints 35–34. Drive: 7 plays, 31 yards, 2:45.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 23/36, 207 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
SD – Philip Rivers – 28/43, 321 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
NO – Mark Ingram II – 18 rushes, 56 yards, TD
SD – Melvin Gordon – 19 rushes, 36 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
NO – Mark Ingram II – 6 receptions, 49 yards
SD – Dontrelle Inman – 7 receptions, 120 yards, TD :
For the first time in 11 years, Drew Brees returned to San Diego to face his former team, the Chargers, where he began his NFL career. In the game, the Saints got their first win of the season, rallying in the 4th quarter after trailing 34–21 to win 35–34, mostly due to two key fumbles by the Chargers.

#### Week 6: vs. Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 38 |
| Saints | 14 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 41 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: October 16
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,138
* Referee: Walt Anderson
* TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Coby Fleener 2-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 8:55. Saints 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:05.
NO – Brandin Cooks 87-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:31. Saints 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 93 yards, 0:57.
Second quarter
NO – Michael Thomas 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 13:47. Saints 21–0. Drive: 4 plays, 29 yards, 1:48.
CAR – Graham Gano 42-yard field goal, 3:02. Saints 21–3. Drive: 6 plays, 33 yards, 1:09.
CAR – Devin Funchess 17-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 1:15. Saints 21–10. Drive: 5 plays, 63 yards, 1:09.
NO – Wil Lutz 33-yard field goal, 0:10. Saints 24–10. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 1:05.
Third quarter
CAR – Ed Dickson 1-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 6:49. Saints 24–17. Drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 4:57.
NO – Coby Fleener 50-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 4:56. Saints 31–17. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:53.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Jonathan Stewart 2-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 14:49. Saints 31–24. Drive: 3 plays, 50 yards, 1:04.
CAR – Jonathan Stewart 1-yard run (kick failed, wide right), 9:38. Saints 31–30. Drive: 9 plays, 50 yards, 3:51.
NO – Josh Hill 8-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 6:02. Saints 38–30. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:36.
CAR – Cam Newton 2-yard run (Cam Newton–Devin Funchess pass), 2:58. Tied 38–38. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 3:04.
NO – Wil Lutz 52-yard field goal, 0:11. Saints 41–38. Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 2:47.
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 27/47, 322 yards, 2 TD, INT
NO – Drew Brees – 34/49, 465 yards, 4 TD, INT
Top rushers
CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 19 rushes, 85 yards, 2 TD
NO – Mark Ingram II – 16 rushes, 51 yards
Top receivers
CAR – Greg Olsen – 6 receptions, 94 yards
NO – Brandin Cooks – 7 receptions, 173 yards, TD :

#### Week 7: at Kansas City Chiefs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: October 23
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 76,282
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Brandin Cooks 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 6:07. Saints 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:40.
KC – Spencer Ware 46-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 4:07. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:00.
KC – Daniel Sorensen 48-yard interception return (Cairo Santos kick), 0:46. Chiefs 14–7.
Second quarter
KC – Tyreek Hill 38-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 7:02. Chiefs 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 85 yards, 4:58.
Third quarter
NO – Mark Ingram II 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 6:57. Chiefs 21–14. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 8:03.
KC – Cairo Santos 39-yard field goal, 3:21. Chiefs 24–14. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 3:36.
Fourth quarter
NO – Brandon Coleman 10-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:33. Chiefs 24–21. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 2:27.
KC – Cairo Santos 41-yard field goal, 0:28. Chiefs 27–21. Drive: 6 plays, 23 yards, 2:05.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 37/48, 367 yards, 3 TD, INT
KC – Alex Smith – 17/24, 214 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
NO – Mark Ingram II – 16 rushes, 62 yards
KC – Spencer Ware – 17 rushes, 77 yards
Top receivers
NO – Michael Thomas – 10 receptions, 130 yards
KC – Spencer Ware – 2 receptions, 54 yards, TD :

#### Week 8: vs. Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seahawks | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
| Saints | 0 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 25 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: October 30
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,188
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (Fox): Justin Kutcher, Charles Davis, Chris Spielman and Peter Schrager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SEA – Earl Thomas 34-yard fumble return (Steven Hauschka kick), 7:53. Seahawks 7–0.
Second quarter
NO – Wil Lutz 22-yard field goal, 11:33. Seahawks 7–3. Drive: 15 plays, 83 yards, 7:00.
SEA – Christine Michael 2-yard run (Steven Hauschka kick), 9:53. Seahawks 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:40.
NO – Wil Lutz 53-yard field goal, 5:15. Seahawks 14–6. Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 4:38.
NO – Drew Brees 1-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 0:49. Seahawks 14–13. Drive: 9 plays, 37 yards, 4:13.
Third quarter
SEA – Steven Hauschka 44-yard field goal, 8:56. Seahawks 17–13. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 6:04.
NO – Wil Lutz 21-yard field goal, 3:14. Seahawks 17–16. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 5:42.
Fourth quarter
NO – Brandin Cooks 2-yard pass from Drew Brees (pass failed), 12:24. Saints 22–17. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 4:27.
SEA – Steven Hauschka 21-yard field goal, 6:38. Saints 22–20. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 5:46.
NO – Wil Lutz 41-yard field goal, 1:57. Saints 25–20. Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 4:41.
Top passers
SEA – Russell Wilson – 22/34, 253 yards, INT
NO – Drew Brees – 27/35, 265 yards, TD
Top rushers
SEA – Christine Michael – 10 rushes, 40 yards, TD
NO – Tim Hightower – 26 rushes, 102 yards
Top receivers
SEA – C. J. Prosise – 4 receptions, 80 yards
NO – Michael Thomas – 6 receptions, 63 yards :
The Saints meet the Seahawks for the first time in 3 years. It was also the Saints' first victory against Seattle since the 2010 season.

#### Week 9: at San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 14 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 41 |
| 49ers | 3 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
* Date: November 6
* Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST/1:05 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C), mostly sunny
* Game attendance: 70,178
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 49-yard field goal, 9:25. 49ers 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 2:53.
NO – Tim Hightower 4-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 5:11. Saints 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards, 4:14.
NO – Michael Thomas 1-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:14. Saints 14–3. Drive: 5 plays, 12 yards, 1:22.
Second quarter
NO – Mark Ingram II 5-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 7:40. Saints 21–3. Drive: 12 plays, 76 yards, 6:05.
SF – DuJuan Harris 47-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick (Phil Dawson kick), 5:56. Saints 21–10. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:44.
NO – Mark Ingram II 75-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 5:45. Saints 28–10. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:11.
SF – Phil Dawson 48-yard field goal, 3:53. Saints 28–13. Drive: 5 plays, 37 yards, 1:52.
SF – Vance McDonald 65-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick (Phil Dawson kick), 1:05. Saints 28–20. Drive: 3 plays, 72 yards, 0:42.
NO – Wil Lutz 26-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 31–20. Drive: 6 plays, 71 yards, 1:05.
Third quarter
SF – Phil Dawson 46-yard field goal, 9:07. Saints 31–23. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 1:07.
Fourth quarter
NO – Michael Thomas 32-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 13:13. Saints 38–23. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 3:23.
NO – Wil Lutz 41-yard field goal, 8:52. Saints 41–23. Drive: 10 plays, 53 yards, 4:02.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 28/39, 323 yards, 3 TD
SF – Colin Kaepernick – 24/39, 398 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
NO – Mark Ingram II – 15 rushes, 158 yards, TD
SF – DuJuan Harris – 10 rushes, 59 yards
Top receivers
NO – Michael Thomas – 5 receptions, 73 yards, 2 TD
SF – Quinton Patton – 6 receptions, 106 yards :
The Saints travel to Levi's Stadium to match up with the 49ers. For the first time since the 2013 season, the Saints defeated the 49ers.

#### Week 10: vs. Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos | 7 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 25 |
| Saints | 0 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 23 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: November 13
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,138
* Referee: Bill Vinovich
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DEN – Jordan Taylor 14-yard pass from Trevor Siemian (Brandon McManus kick), 5:45. Broncos 7–0. Drive: 13 plays, 85 yards, 7:15.
Second quarter
DEN – Brandon McManus 50-yard field goal, 13:42. Broncos 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:11.
NO – Wil Lutz 30-yard field goal, 0:00. Broncos 10–3. Drive: 5 plays, 50 yards, 0:29.
Third quarter
NO – Willie Snead 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 8:30. Tied 10–10. Drive: 7 plays, 90 yards, 3:50.
NO – Willie Snead 5-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 3:59. Saints 17–10. Drive: 4 plays, 38 yards, 1:36.
Fourth quarter
DEN – Demaryius Thomas 2-yard pass from Trevor Siemian (Brandon McManus kick), 9:37. Tied 17–17. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 3:52.
DEN – Brandon McManus 28-yard field goal, 3:23. Broncos 20–17. Drive: 10 plays, 43 yards, 4:18.
DEN – Brandon McManus 37-yard field goal, 2:50. Broncos 23–17. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 0:18.
NO – Brandin Cooks 32-yard pass from Drew Brees, 1:22. Tied 23–23. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 1:28.
DEN – Will Parks defensive two-point conversion, 1:22. Broncos 25–23.
Top passers
DEN – Trevor Siemian – 25/40, 258 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
NO – Drew Brees – 21/29, 303 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
DEN – Devontae Booker – 24 rushes, 76 yards
NO – Mark Ingram II – 11 plays, 50 yards
Top receivers
DEN – Demaryius Thomas – 8 receptions, 87 yards, TD
NO – Brandin Cooks – 3 receptions, 98 yards, TD :

#### Week 11: at Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 20 |
| Panthers | 3 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: November 17
* Game time: 8:25 p.m. EST/7:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C), clear
* Game attendance: 73,288
* Referee: Pete Morelli
* TV announcers (NBC/NFLN/Twitter): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Heather Cox
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Graham Gano 32-yard field goal, 8:29. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 18 yards, 4:46.
NO – Wil Lutz 27-yard field goal, 0:36. Tied 3–3. Drive: 14 plays, 71 yards, 7:53.
Second quarter
CAR – Jonathan Stewart 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 5:40. Panthers 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 34 yards, 3:37.
CAR – Graham Gano 49-yard field goal, 2:50. Panthers 13–3. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 1:22.
CAR – Ted Ginn Jr. 40-yard pass from Cam Newton (Graham Gano kick), 0:16. Panthers 20–3. Drive: 1 play, 40 yards, 0:07.
Third quarter
CAR – Graham Gano 42-yard field goal, 8:17. Panthers 23–3. Drive: 14 plays, 51 yards, 6:43.
Fourth quarter
NO – Wil Lutz 30-yard field goal, 14:56. Panthers 23–6. Drive: 16 plays, 58 yards, 8:21.
NO – Brandon Coleman 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 11:22. Panthers 23–13. Drive: 4 plays, 51 yards, 1:37.
NO – Coby Fleener 8-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:52. Panthers 23–20. Drive: 13 plays, 76 yards, 5:11.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 35/44, 285 yards, 2 TD, INT
CAR – Cam Newton – 14/33, 192 yards, TD
Top rushers
NO – Tim Hightower – 12 rushes, 69 yards
CAR – Jonathan Stewart – 18 rushes, 31 yards
Top receivers
NO – Michael Thomas – 5 receptions, 68 yards
CAR – Kelvin Benjamin – 3 receptions, 56 yards :
As part of Color Rush, the Saints wore all-white uniforms for this game, inspired by the ones they wore in 1975. Due to this, it was the first time the Saints have worn white pants since 1985 and the second season they wore all-white uniforms in franchise history, the first being the 1975 season. The Saints went into the fourth quarter with a 20-point deficit to the Panthers. The Saints rallied and got within three with 5:11 left to go in the game, but the Panthers were able to hold them off.

#### Week 12: vs. Los Angeles Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rams | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Saints | 7 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 49 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: November 27
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,067
* Referee: John Hussey
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
LA – Tavon Austin 24-yard pass from Jared Goff (Greg Zuerlein kick), 12:08. Rams 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:52.
NO – Brandon Coleman 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:45. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 4:33.
Second quarter
LA – Kenny Britt 6-yard pass from Jared Goff (Greg Zuerlein kick), 14:43. Rams 14–7. Drive: 1 play, 6 yards, 0:04.
NO – Mark Ingram II 10-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 9:38. Tied 14–14. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:05.
NO – Drew Brees 1-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 7:46. Saints 21–14. Drive: 4 plays, 10 yards, 1:39.
NO – Michael Thomas 6-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 2:24. Saints 28–14. Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards, 3:45.
LA – Lance Kendricks 15-yard pass from Jared Goff (Greg Zuerlein kick), 0:55. Saints 28–21. Drive: 8 plays, 79 yards, 1:29.
Third quarter
NO – Mark Ingram II 21-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 12:58. Saints 35–21. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:02.
NO – Michael Thomas 21-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 3:42. Saints 42–21. Drive: 7 plays, 92 yards, 3:17.
Fourth quarter
NO – Tim Hightower 50-yard pass from Willie Snead IV (Wil Lutz kick), 10:15. Saints 49–21. Drive: 7 plays, 81 yards, 4:45.
Top passers
LA – Jared Goff – 20/32, 214 yards, 3 TD, INT
NO – Drew Brees – 28/36, 310 yards, 4 TD
Top rushers
LA – Todd Gurley – 13 rushes, 50 yards
NO – Mark Ingram II – 14 rushes, 146 yards, TD
Top receivers
LA – Kenny Britt – 5 receptions, 52 yards, TD
NO – Michael Thomas – 9 receptions, 108 yards, 2 TD :
The Saints were able to defeat the Rams for the first time since the 2010 season, putting up a season-high 555 yards. Some would see the Saints running up the score as a measure of revenge against their former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the main responsible for Bountygate, who now held that position with the Rams.

#### Week 13: vs. Detroit Lions

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 3 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 28 |
| Saints | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: December 4
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,137
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Matt Prater 27-yard field goal, 8:14. Lions 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 5:09.
Second quarter
DET – Theo Riddick 1-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 13:03. Lions 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 92 yards, 7:25.
NO – Wil Lutz 40-yard field goal, 5:05. Lions 10–3. Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 3:45.
DET – Matt Prater 29-yard field goal, 0:56. Lions 13–3. Drive: 12 plays, 64 yards, 4:09.
NO – Wil Lutz 32-yard field goal, 0:00. Lions 13–6. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 0:56.
Third quarter
DET – Matt Prater 32-yard field goal, 8:57. Lions 16–6. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 6:03.
DET – Matt Prater 27-yard field goal, 1:42. Lions 19–6. Drive: 11 plays, 45 yards, 4:33.
Fourth quarter
NO – John Kuhn 1-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 13:32. Lions 19–13. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:10.
DET – Golden Tate 66-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (pass failed), 11:38. Lions 25–13. Drive: 5 plays, 78 yards, 1:54.
DET – Matt Prater 52-yard field goal, 7:10. Lions 28–13. Drive: 6 plays, 21 yards, 3:06.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford – 30/42, 341 yards, 2 TD
NO – Drew Brees – 31/44, 326 yards, 3 INT
Top rushers
DET – Zach Zenner – 9 rushes, 40 yards
NO – Mark Ingram II – 7 rushes, 37 yards
Top receivers
DET – Golden Tate – 8 receptions, 145 yards, TD
NO – Coby Fleener – 5 receptions, 86 yards :
To celebrate 50 seasons in the NFL, the Saints wore special 1967–75 throwback uniforms. It was only worn for this game.

#### Week 14: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: December 11
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 62,140
* Referee: Walt Anderson
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Chris Spielman and Peter Schrager
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 41-yard field goal, 8:05. Buccaneers 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 3:00.
Second quarter
TB – Doug Martin 1-yard run (Roberto Aguayo kick), 14:50. Buccaneers 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:37.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 39-yard field goal, 8:26. Buccaneers 13–0. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 4:45.
NO – Wil Lutz 42-yard field goal, 5:29. Buccaneers 13–3. Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 2:57.
NO – Doug Martin tackled in the end zone by Paul Kruger for a safety, 5:20. Buccaneers 13–5.
NO – Wil Lutz 34-yard field goal, 0:00. Buccaneers 13–8. Drive: 14 plays, 35 yards, 5:20.
Third quarter
NO – Wil Lutz 22-yard field goal, 3:35. Buccaneers 13–11. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards, 5:29.
Fourth quarter
TB – Roberto Aguayo 26-yard field goal, 12:46. Buccaneers 16–11. Drive: 13 plays, 68 yards, 5:49.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 25/41, 257 yards, 3 INT
TB – Jameis Winston – 16/26, 184 yards
Top rushers
NO – Tim Hightower – 6 rushes, 31 yards
TB – Doug Martin – 23 rushes, 66 yards, TD
Top receivers
NO – Willie Snead IV – 6 receptions, 85 yards
TB – Cameron Brate – 4 receptions, 47 yards :

#### Week 15: at Arizona Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 10 | 14 | 3 | 21 | 48 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 41 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
* Date: December 18
* Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST/2:05 p.m. MST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 65,072
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
ARI – Kerwynn Williams 49-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 12:27. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 2:33.
NO – Wil Lutz 37-yard field goal, 5:27. Cardinals 7–3. Drive: 14 plays, 56 yards, 7:00.
NO – Travaris Cadet 10-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 1:33. Saints 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 30 yards, 2:59.
Second quarter
ARI – Calais Campbell 53-yard fumble return (kick failed, wide left), 7:08. Cardinals 13–10.
NO – Brandin Cooks 65-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 6:11. Saints 17–13. Drive: 2 plays, 77 yards, 0:57.
NO – Brandin Cooks 45-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 1:51. Saints 24–13. Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 1:41.
ARI – J. J. Nelson 10-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 0:40. Saints 24–20. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 1:11.
Third quarter
NO – Wil Lutz 39-yard field goal, 6:06. Saints 27–20. Drive: 14 plays, 68 yards, 5:57.
ARI – David Johnson 2-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 3:19. Tied 27–27. Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 2:47.
Fourth quarter
NO – Tim Hightower 3-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 12:59. Saints 34–27. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:20.
ARI – David Johnson 7-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 8:57. Tied 34–34. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:02.
NO – Michael Thomas 4-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 5:33. Saints 41–34. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:24.
NO – Tim Hightower 2-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 3:27. Saints 48–34. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 1:46.
ARI – John Brown 30-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 2:19. Saints 48–41. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 1:08.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 37/48, 389 yards, 4 TD
ARI – Carson Palmer – 28/40, 318 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
NO – Mark Ingram II – 17 rushes, 78 yards
ARI – Kerwynn Williams – 3 rushes, 63 yards, TD
Top receivers
NO – Brandin Cooks – 7 receptions, 186 yards, 2 TD
ARI – John Brown – 5 receptions, 81 yards, TD :
With the win against Arizona, the Saints improved to 6-8. This also marked the only season in which the Saints swept the NFC West division.

#### Week 16: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 24 |
| Saints | 7 | 6 | 15 | 3 | 31 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: December 24
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,177
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Mark Ingram II 6-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 0:57. Saints 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 91 yards, 6:32.
Second quarter
TB – Cameron Brate 12-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 10:50. Tied 7–7. Drive: 4 plays, 39 yards, 1:13.
NO – Wil Lutz 42-yard field goal, 6:45. Saints 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 4:05.
NO – Wil Lutz 34-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 13–7. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 3:38.
Third quarter
NO – Mark Ingram II 14-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 14:01. Saints 20–7. Drive: 1 play, 14 yards, 0:05.
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers 3-yard run (Roberto Aguayo kick), 8:38. Saints 20–14. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:23.
NO – Travaris Cadet 11-yard pass from Drew Brees (Mark Ingram II run), 6:20. Saints 28–14. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:18.
TB – Mike Evans 34-yard pass from Jameis Winston (Roberto Aguayo kick), 1:52. Saints 28–21. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:28.
Fourth quarter
NO – Wil Lutz 21-yard field goal, 11:55. Saints 31–21. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 4:57.
TB – Roberto Aguayo 35-yard field goal, 2:00. Saints 31–24. Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 2:33.
Top passers
TB – Jameis Winston – 23/35, 277 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
NO – Drew Brees – 23/34, 299 yards, TD
Top rushers
TB – Jacquizz Rodgers – 15 rushes, 63 yards, TD
NO – Mark Ingram II – 18 rushes, 90 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
TB – Mike Evans – 7 receptions, 97 yards, TD
NO – Brandin Cooks – 5 receptions, 98 yards :

#### Week 17: at Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 10 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 32 |
| Falcons | 14 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 38 |
at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: January 1, 2017
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 70,835
* Referee: Ronald Torbert
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
* Recap, Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
ATL – Tevin Coleman 7-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 11:55. Falcons 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 68 yards, 2:11.
NO – Wil Lutz 19-yard field goal, 3:53. Falcons 7–3. Drive: 15 plays, 74 yards, 8:02.
ATL – Devonta Freeman 75-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 3:42. Falcons 14–3. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:11.
NO – Tim Hightower 2-yard run (Wil Lutz kick), 0:52. Falcons 14–10. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:50.
Second quarter
ATL – Julio Jones 1-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 14:17. Falcons 21–10. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:35.
ATL – Mohamed Sanu 10-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 6:51. Falcons 28–10. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 5:41.
NO – Wil Lutz 40-yard field goal, 3:40. Falcons 28–13. Drive: 7 plays, 53 yards, 3:11.
ATL – Justin Hardy 7-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 0:32. Falcons 35–13. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:08.
Third quarter
ATL – Matt Bryant 22-yard field goal, 5:17. Falcons 38–13. Drive: 14 plays, 95 yards, 5:06.
Fourth quarter
NO – Michael Thomas 14-yard pass from Drew Brees (run failed), 12:41. Falcons 38–19. Drive: 7 plays, 89 yards, 2:11.
NO – Mark Ingram II 1-yard run (pass failed), 2:47. Falcons 38–25. Drive: 5 plays, 50 yards, 2:18.
NO – Travaris Cadet 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Wil Lutz kick), 0:39. Falcons 38–32. Drive: 13 plays, 57 yards, 2:08.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 29/50, 350 yards, 2 TD, INT
ATL – Matt Ryan – 27/36, 331 yards, 4 TD
Top rushers
NO – Mark Ingram II – 20 rushes, 103 yards, TD
ATL – Devonta Freeman – 12 rushes, 96 yards, TD
Top receivers
NO – Michael Thomas – 10 receptions, 156 yards, TD
ATL – Julio Jones – 7 receptions, 96 yards, TD :
Because the Saints lost to the Falcons, they finished the season with a 7-9 record for the third straight season. The Saints were also swept by the Falcons for the first time since the 2014 season.

## Standings
### Division

NFC South :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(2)}$ Atlanta Falcons | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 540 | 406 | W4 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 7–5 | 354 | 369 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 6–6 | 469 | 454 | L1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 5–7 | 369 | 402 | L2 |

### Conference

NFCvte :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division leaders ||||||||||||
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 3–3 | 9–3 | .471 | .440 | L1 |
| 2 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .480 | .452 | W4 |
| 3 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 10 | 5 | 1 | .656 | 3–2–1 | 6–5–1 | .441 | .425 | W1 |
| 4 | Green Bay Packers | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .508 | .453 | W6 |
| Wild Cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | New York Giants | East | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .486 | .455 | W1 |
| 6 | Detroit Lions | North | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .475 | .392 | L3 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 7 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .492 | .434 | W1 |
| 8 | Washington Redskins | East | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .516 | .430 | L1 |
| 9 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .492 | .457 | W1 |
| 10 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 4–1–1 | 6–5–1 | .463 | .366 | W2 |
| 11 | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .523 | .393 | L1 |
| 12 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .559 | .518 | W2 |
| 13 | Carolina Panthers | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .518 | .354 | L2 |
| 14 | Los Angeles Rams | West | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .504 | .500 | L7 |
| 15 | Chicago Bears | North | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .521 | .396 | L4 |
| 16 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 2–4 | 2–10 | .504 | .250 | L1 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Detroit finished ahead of Tampa Bay for the No. 6 seed and qualified for the last playoff spot based on record vs. common opponents—Detroit's cumulative record against Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New Orleans was 3–2, while Tampa Bay's cumulative record against the same four teams was 2–3. 1 2 New Orleans finished ahead of Philadelphia based on better record vs. conference opponents. ↑ 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. ||||||||||||