Evaluating the top quarterbacks the Saints will face in 2024

New Orleans’ defense will be challenged by some of the top QBs in the league.

Despite the New Orleans Saints being credited with the second-weakest strength of schedule for the 2024 season, they will face many of the top quarterbacks in the league. The Saints’ defense will be challenged throughout the season by veteran quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl wins and rookie quarterbacks making their first starts in the NFL.

Patrick Mahomes

The hardest game on the Saints’ schedule is by far their week five matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Saints will be marching into a Monday Night Football matchup with the defending Super Bowl champions in Arrowhead Stadium. On top of all these obstacles, Kansas City is home to the best quarterback in the league, Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes has thrown for over 4,000 yards every season he has started in the NFL and has been to six straight AFC Championships, winning three Super Bowls on the way.

New Orleans has only faced Kansas City once since Mahomes took over as starting quarterback. Mahomes threw for 254 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 32-29 win versus a Dennis Allen-led defense in 2020 that only allowed teams to score more than 30 points four times.

Record vs Saints: 1-0
2023 stats: 4,183 yards 27 TD 14 INT

Jalen Hurts

The Saints have struggled against Philidelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the past. Hurts is 2-0 against New Orleans including a game that saw the Philadelphia offense score 40 points. The Saints haven’t been able to contain dual-threat quarterbacks in recent history and the Eagles have taken advantage of that during both matchups with Hurts as the starter. On the ground, the dual-threat quarterback accumulated 175 rushing yards in his matchups with the Saints. As a passer, Hurts wasn’t a problem for the New Orleans defense, completing just over 50% of his pass attempts failing to reach 170 yards passing in both contests.

In the three seasons that Hurts has been the starter for the Eagles, the team has made the playoffs each time including a Super Bowl appearance.

Record vs Saints: 2-0
2023 stats: 3,858 yards 23 TD 15 INT

Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has seen success since he joined the league in 2019. Herbert broke records during his rookie campaign earning Rookie of the Year honors. Herbert’s success, however, hasn’t contributed to much team success. The Chargers have only made the playoffs once in Herbert’s young career, losing in the wildcard.

In his career, the Chargers quarterback has only faced the Saints once. Los Angeles lost in an overtime thriller, but not to the fault of Herbert, who threw for 264 yards and four touchdowns and put his team in position to attempt a 50-yard field goal with seconds left to win the game. Former Chargers kicker Michael Badgley would miss the field goal attempt sending the game into overtime and an eventual loss.

Record vs Saints: 0-1
2023 stats: 3,134 yards 20 TD 7 INT

Jordan Love

Unluckily for the NFL, it appears as if the Green Bay Packers are entering a third generation of elite quarterback play. The Saints faced the Packers and quarterback Jordan Love during a week three matchup during the 2023 season. The New Orleans defense did well containing Love for a large part of the game until the young quarterback found his rhythm in the fourth quarter sending the Saints home with a loss. Other factors contributed to this loss, but to not take anything away from Love, he stepped up when needed and got the win.

Similarly to Jalen Hurts, Love took advantage of the Saints’ defense as a runner. The young quarterback ended the day completing 22/44 of his pass attempts for 259 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. As a runner, he would rush for nine attempts gaining 39 yards and a touchdown.

Record vs Saints: 1-0
2023 stats: 4,159 yards 32 TD 11 INT

Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has produced every season he has been healthy. Over the last three seasons, Prescott has thrown over 36 touchdowns and had a 104 or better quarterback rating twice. The Cowboys have also earned a 12-5 record each of those three seasons.

Prescott has faced the Saints three times during his career, dating back to 2018. In these matchups, Prescott has thrown two touchdowns and two interceptions. The New Orleans defense has played well against Dallas since Dak has been at the helm, holding them to 13 points or under in two of those contests.

Record vs Saints: 2-1
2023 stats: 4,516 yards 36 TD 9 INT

Honorable Mentions

Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever. Since joining the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, the Rams have made the playoffs in two out of three seasons including a Super Bowl win. The Saints lost to the Rams last season on a Thursday Night Football matchup that felt out of reach from the start.

The Saints will now face Kirk Cousins twice a season after he signed with the Atlanta Falcons during earlier this year. Cousins has been the definition of consistent throughout the league, despite his lack of playoff success but now he is coming off of a torn Achillies at 35 years old.

Many Saints fans are familiar with Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels as he played college football just a couple of hours away from the Superdome. Daniels, similarly, to Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts, is a dual-threat quarterback. But as a pure runner Daniels may already be one of the top running quarterbacks in the league shadowing only Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson with his elite running ability.

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