We're at a point in the National Football League calendar when each game is even more under a microscope than they were at the beginning of the year.
Week 12 is behind us and that means there are just six weeks left in the regular season. Each win impacts playoff seeding in some way and each loss brings teams closer to a higher draft pick. For the teams in playoff contention, obviously eyes are on the win column. For a team like the New Orleans Saints, the playoffs are a pipe dream and each game impacts the race for a high draft pick more.
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New Orleans faced off against one of its biggest rivals in the Atlanta Falcons this past weekend. Unfortunately, the game didn't go the Saints' way in Tyler Shough's first bit of action in the rivalry. New Orleans lost, 24-10, and now sits at 2-9, which is last place in the NFC South.
Where things stand with the Saints
New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore
Nov 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore on the field prior to a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
If you're a Saints fan, the biggest bright spot for the team right now -- outside of the play of quarterback Tyler Shough over the last few weeks -- is the fact that New Orleans would have the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft if the season ended today.
The Tennessee Titans would have the No. 1 pick, followed by the New York Giants at No. 2. The Saints would have the No. 3 pick, despite being tied in the standings with the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders based on their strength of schedule. New Orleans is the lowest of the three at .490, in comparison to .524 for the Jets and .558 for the Raiders.
If Shough can continue to play well throughout the rest of the season, this is the area the Saints should want to be in. If New Orleans has the quarterback of the future, then having a top-three pick would give the Saints leverage to try to trade down with a quarterback-needy team, like the Jets, for a massive return. If the Saints kept the pick and felt comfortable with Shough, they could easily take a defensive player at the top of the draft. But, arguably it would be better to trade.
There's still a lot of season left and questions at quarterback, but if Shough can prove to the front office he's the guy, it could open doors for the team.
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