Editor's note: NFL.com is breaking down all 32 team schedules for the 2020 season. Here are the three games New Orleans Saints fans should circle on their calendars this fall:
San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints, Week 10, Nov. 15, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
Because what other matchup would be atop a list such as this? The Saints-49ers' Week 14 barn burner was one of 2019's best games and, much to the delight of fans everywhere, they'll run it back in 2020 with the bulk of their starters from a year ago. One of those returning starters is receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who defected from San Fran to NOLA as a free agent in March. Sanders stole the show in the seventh game of his short Niners' stint, racking up a game-high 157 yards and a TD and tossing an insane 35-yard TD pass in the second quarter. Sanders now joins Michael Thomas, who had 134 receiving yards himself that day, to form quite the duo. Drew Brees and Jimmy Garoppolo each threw for a whopping 349 yards, but it took a clutch Robbie Gould field goal in the final two seconds to sink the Saints in front of their home crowd. Now, they'll have the chance to redeem the loss and, in the process, hopefully give viewers another must-watch contest to yell at the TV over.
Kansas City Chiefs at New Orleans Saints, Week 15, Dec. 20, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Brees-Mahomes I may not be headlining a UFC PPV, but it's definitely a main event worth clearing your calendar for. It's pretty hard to believe that this is the first matchup between two of the league's best, and it has all the makings of an instant classic. In 2019, the Saints and Chiefs ranked top 15 in scoring defense and top five in scoring offense. Brees hasn't beaten Kansas City since 2008. Of course, all of the K.C. squads he's ever faced are a far cry from the reigning Super Bowl champion iteration he'll be hosting in 2020. Both squads are loaded at the skill positions; Alvin Kamara, Thomas and Sanders will make life difficult for the Chiefs D, while Cam Jordan, Demario Davis, Marshon Lattimore and the returning Malcolm Jenkins look to pace New Orleans against a lethal group of pass catchers and running backs. This game can't come soon enough.
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Week 9, Nov. 8, Sunday Night Football, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
The return of Jameis Winston to his old stomping grounds will be an intriguing storyline heading into this one. But, barring injury, the biggest story of this matchup will be Brees versus Tom Brady. Dating back to his Chargers days, Brees and Brady have dueled five times, with Brees taking three of those contests. In 2020, this clash of the titans will take place not once but twice in the regular season. And that's not even considering the fact that we could be in store for a Saints-Bucs playoff matchup down the road, which has never occurred. For all he's done in his 21 years under center, Brady has often been tagged as the one, true GOAT but some believe Brees -- the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards, completions and TD passes -- has a case to make in that conversation. Head-to-heads like these always have tendency to throw another log on that fire. Winning road games in the NFC South are rarely an easy feat; considering the personnel on the Bucs sideline and the gravity of this contest, this could be another week, another monstrous opponent for Brees and the Saints.
Check out the full Saints schedule below:
Sept. 13 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Sept. 21 at Las Vegas Raiders, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Sept. 27 vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Oct. 4 at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Oct. 12 vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Oct. 18 -- BYE
Oct. 25 vs. Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 1 at Chicago Bears, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 8 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Nov. 15 vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 22 vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 29 at Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m. (FOX)
Dec. 6 at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Dec. 13 at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Dec. 20 vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
Dec. 25 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 4:30 p.m. (FOX/NFL Network/Amazon*)
Jan. 3 at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. (FOX)
- Sunday night games in Weeks 5-16 subject to change; Week 17 game TBD
**NFL Network and Amazon simulcast subject to change
