Saints NFL Playoff Picture: NOLA is the best of the worst

Week 9 was a week for the underdogs, and the New Orleans Saints were just one of many NFL teams suffering a shocking upset. Though given that it’s the Siemian-led, receiver-less Saints, it may not have been too shocking.

After their loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Saints’ place in the NFC playoff seedings remains unchanged.

Here’s what the current NFC playoff picture looks like after Week 9:

1. Arizona Cardinals (8-1)
2. Green Bay Packers (7-2)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
5. Los Angeles Rams (7-2)
6. New Orleans Saints (5-3)
7. Atlanta Falcons (4-4)

IN THE HUNT: Carolina Panthers (4-5)

Arizona, Green Bay, and Tampa Bay take the first three seeds, which should be surprising to absolutely no one.

Of the lower seeds, the Saints are playing a bit of catch-up to the Rams, who lost in Week 9 but still appear to have better, more consistent team form than that of NOLA.

To compare offenses, Los Angeles, of course, has one of the best QB-receiver duos in the league right now with Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp.

Where do the New Orleans Saints currently place in the 2021 playoff picture?

That in opposition to….Trevor Siemian and the Saints’ secondhand unit of pass-catchers.

Our feelings toward this WR corps may be best described as: how one might feel if one were to stain a good shirt, put it in the wash only to find the stain still there, and then continue putting the shirt in the wash to try and get the persistent stain out. Nine weeks later, the stain hasn’t gone away.

The only bit of good news, if you can call it that, is that New Orleans ranks higher than the Falcons, who sit precariously in the seventh seed.

Carolina gets a faint playoff nod only because the Falcons are teetering on the edge with their 4-4 record. The Panthers face the top-seeded Cardinals this week which doesn’t bode well for their chances of winning another game, but it’s still early, and we have more faith in Carolina’s D than in Atlanta’s.

In Week 10, the Saints will face a tough matchup against the Tennessee Titans, who are currently the top AFC seed but will be missing Derrick Henry for the rest of the season.

Given the comparative lack of competition in the NFC, New Orleans should be able to nab a playoff spot easily this year, but it’ll be a lower seed at best, which means they’ll likely play against Green Bay or Tampa Bay in the Wild Card round.

Poof! There goes their postseason.

If the Saints had a better shot at a deep playoff run, it might be worthwhile detailing how the postseason picture will play out. As it stands, though, hope in the Saints and in the ever unremarkable Trevor Siemian (who’s a good QB, just not a playoff-contending one) continues to flatline.

There’s always next year.