Saints playoff odds after bye week shows the team is still alive in postseason race

The New Orleans Saints have had a rough season, and it’s only Week 13. The team had a seven-game losing streak, saw their head coach get fired, and lost several key players to significant injuries. For many teams, the year would already be over after going through all of that.

For the Saints, however, the team is currently on a two-game winning streak, and is coming off the bye week refreshed, ready to keep the momentum rolling. Everyone in the building knows it’s a long shot for the team to make the playoffs, but the franchise is holding on to the fact there’s a chance— even if it’s a slim one.

It’s actually incredibly slim. According to ESPN’s most recent playoff odds, New Orleans has just a 4% chance to make the postseason. That’s not a lot, but it’s also not zero.

Saints have a 4% chance to make playoffs entering Week 13

That 4% is fourth-worst in the NFC, but significantly better than the three teams behind New Orleans. The Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, and New York Giants all have less than a 1% chance to make the postseason.

In addition to making the playoffs, ESPN also lists what chance each team has to win the division, earn a bye in the playoffs, and win the Super Bowl. The Saints have a 2% chance to win the NFC South, and a less than 1% chance to earn a bye or win the Super Bowl.

Of course, these odds are fluid, and will change based on what happens on the field each week. The Saints are only two games behind in the division, and they have six winnable games left. While ripping off eight straight wins, total, isn’t easy, it’s definitely possible.

Accomplishing that would move New Orleans to 10-7, and that gets the team into the playoffs, and possibly a division crown as well.

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