Playoffs have officially started for New Orleans Saints

For the New Orleans Saints, every game is a must-win going forward. Even still, the Saints need a lot to keep their actual playoff hopes alive.

While the actual NFL playoffs don't start for a couple more weeks, if the New Orleans Saints want to be invovled in them, they need to treat these last two games as if they are playoff games. The Saints chances of getting in are still slim, but stranger things have happened.

Look, given the way the season has gone to this point for the Saints, it's understandable to ask yourself if the juice is worth the squeeze when it comes to the notion of the Saints playing in a playoff game. That said, their chances of qualifying aren't zero, and once you're in the tournament all bets are off. So, it's time to prepare for anything.

After the loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Saints most likely route to the postseason comes from winning the NFC South. Fortunately, their last two opponents are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. The two teams they are fighting with for the divisional crown.

Now again, the Saints would need some help to get into the playoffs, but they still need to hold up their end of the bargain. You have to remember, while an NFC South title gives them the best chance to get in, their Wild Card chances aren't completely dead, even if the body temperature is drastically dropping.

The fact of the matter is, the Saints still have a chance at the playoffs. Sure, even if they qualify, that doesn't guarantee that the jobs of Derek Carr and Dennis Allen are safe. The New Orleans Saints need to finish this 2023 regular season as if their season, and jobs, are on the line, because quite frankly, they are.