The New Orleans Saints will make two showcases for the NFL during its celebratory “NFL100 Game of the Week” series, which will put the spotlight on matchups between teams with historical significance.
The NFL describes the philosophy behind their selection process as highlighting “a momentous game played, a fierce rivalry that spans decades, a matchup of original teams and/or a game in which history was made.”
It’s unclear what specific celebrations will be rung in for each game, but the Saints know they will be making at least two appearances — games have already been set for the first 16 weeks, but the NFL is waiting until a later date to select the Week 17 contest.
So what this means for the Saints: extra attention will be placed on their Week 10 home game against the Atlanta Falcons, an NFC South division rival. The Saints-Falcons rivalry has really taken off in recent years once Atlanta fielded more competitive teams, after the Saints ruled the series for the better part of a decade. The Falcons resurgence peaked with a Super Bowl LI loss to the New England Patriots in which they botched a 28-3 lead. The dirty birds will be eager to set the tone early here against the Saints — Atlanta is set to play host just a few weeks later on Thanksgiving.
The other contest handpicked by the league? Another Saints home game in Week 15, this time against the Indianapolis Colts and broadcast nationally on “Monday Night Football.” This is a rematch of Super Bowl XLIV, in which the Saints came from behind to upset the Colts and win the first championship in team history. It was a game for the ages that still resonates with fans a decade later, and a late-season victory here could catapult the Saints into the thick of the playoffs race.
The Saints have plenty to prove in 2019 after coming up just-short of Super Bowl berths the last two seasons. This extra attention should only add fuel to the fire.
