A look at the Saints' 2021 regular season opponents, and dates:

Saints Week 1: vs. Green Bay Packers (Sept. 12):

Green Bay owns a 17-9 advantage in the series, but Payton has a 4-2 record against the Packers…New Orleans has a 6-6 record against the Packers in contests played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome…The Saints hosted the Packers in the 1977 opener and played at Green Bay to open the NFL's 2011 season…New Orleans will be looking to win its third consecutive season opener for the second time in franchise history (2008-10)…The Saints will be looking to avenge a 37-30 loss to the Packers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sept. 27, 2020, where running back Alvin Kamara had a career-high 193 total yards from scrimmage, 139 receiving yards and an electrifying third quarter 52-yard touchdown reception, with New Orleans winning nine straight games after the loss.

Saints Week 2 & 17: Carolina Panthers (at Sept. 19, vs. Jan. 2):

New Orleans leads the regular season series 27-25 with the Saints capturing the only playoff meeting between the two clubs…In 2020, New Orleans swept Carolina for the second consecutive season and for the third time in four seasons, a 27-24 win at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Oct. 25 and a 33-7 victory to close out the regular season on Jan. 3, 2021…The Saints are 14-12 all-time on the road against the Panthers and 13-13 at home in the regular season against Carolina…With the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Panthers selected cornerback Jaycee Horn, whose father Joe Horn played for New Orleans from 2000-06, ranking fourth in club record books in receiving with 523 receptions for 7,622 yards (14.6 avg.) and 50 touchdowns.

Saints Week 3: at New England Patriots (Sept. 26):

The Patriots lead the all-time series 10-4 and most recently got the best of the Saints in a 36-20 win at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans' 2017 home opener after which they ripped off eight consecutive wins….New Orleans will be looking for their first win at Gillette Stadium and first win at the Patriots since a 31-17 victory at Foxboro Stadium on Dec. 3, 1995 as they look to break a 26-year gap of wins in Foxborough, Mass., currently the longest gap against an opponent on the road.

Saints Week 4: vs. New York Giants (Oct. 3):

The Saints will face the Giants for the 31st time, with New York leading the series 16-14…Payton has a 5-1 record against the Giants, including a 3-0 record at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome…New Orleans has a 9-3 record against the Giants in home contests played at Tulane Stadium and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome …Payton served on the coaching staff of the Giants from 1999-2002, serving as offensive coordinator his last three seasons…New Orleans will be looking for its fourth consecutive home win against the Giants for the first time.

Saints Week 5: at Washington Football Team (Oct. 10):

The Washington Football Team holds a 17-10 edge in the all-time series, but the Saints have captured the last two, including a 43-19 victory on "Monday Night Football" on Oct. 8, 2018, when recently retired quarterback Drew Brees became the NFL's all-time passing yardage leader…New Orleans will be looking for three consecutive wins against Washington for the first time in franchise history…In facing the 2020 NFC East champions, New Orleans will begin its only stretch of the season with three consecutive games (at Washington, at Seattle, vs. Tampa Bay) against teams that qualified for the playoffs the previous season.

Saints Week 7: at Seattle Seahawks (Oct. 25):

The Saints will face the Seahawks for the 15th time in the regular season, with New Orleans leading the series 8-6, with the two clubs splitting the prior two prime-time games, while Seattle has captured both playoff contests…The Saints have a 4-4 regular season record in contests in Seattle following a 33-27 victory at CenturyLink Field on Sept. 22, 2019.

Saints Week 8 & 15: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Oct. 31, at Dec.19):

New Orleans holds a 37-21 regular season edge in the all-time series against the Buccaneers, the club's best winning percentage (.638) versus an NFL opponent that it has played more than 11 times…New Orleans is 20-12 all-time at home against Tampa Bay and 17-9 in contests played at Tampa…In 2020, the Saints swept the Buccaneers in the regular season consecutive times for the first time since 2012-14 and for the sixth time overall since Sean Payton became head coach in 2006…Facing the Buccaneers for the first time since a Jan. 17, 2021 NFC Divisional playoff loss, when facing a defending Super Bowl champion, the Saints have posted an 8-21 all-time record…The Oct. 31 home matchup will be the sixth time New Orleans plays on Halloween, posting the a 2-3 mark, the last contest being a 20-10 home win over Pittsburgh in 2010. The Dec. 19 matchup marks the second straight year, the Saints play at Tampa Bay on "Sunday Night Football."

Saints Week 9 & 18: Atlanta Falcons (vs. Nov. 7, at Jan. 9):

In 2020, New Orleans swept the season series for the second time in three seasons…Atlanta holds a 52-51 regular-season advantage in the all-time series, although New Orleans has won 21 of 30 meetings since 2006…The Saints have played the Falcons 103 times in the regular season, more than any other opponent…The Saints are 26-25 all-time against the Falcons at home…New Orleans is 25-27 all-time in games played in Atlanta.

Saints Week 10: at Tennessee Titans (Nov. 14):

The Titans will be New Orleans' AFC South opponent, an addition following the expansion of the NFL regular season to 17 games, making its second trip in three seasons to Nissan Stadium…The Titans lead the all-time series 8-6-1…New Orleans had a 2-1-1 record at the Astrodome when the franchise was the Houston Oilers and have a 2-1 mark in three contests played in Tennessee since the club relocated to Nashville, including a 38-28 victory at Nissan Stadium on Dec. 22, 2019, a contest where wide receiver Michael Thomas set the NFL's single-season receiving record.

Saints Week 11: at Philadelphia Eagles (Nov. 21):

New Orleans will be looking to rebound from a 24-21 loss at Lincoln Financial Field on Dec. 13, 2020…Philadelphia owns a 17-12 regular season advantage in the series, with the Saints winning three of four postseason contests…Safety Malcolm Jenkins, who has played six seasons for New Orleans in two stints (2009-13 and 2020-present), played for the Eagles from 2014-19, a tenure where he was a team captain and was named to three Pro Bowls.

Saints Week 12: vs. Buffalo Bills (Nov. 25):

The Saints lead the all-time series 7-4, holding a five-game winning streak against the Bills…New Orleans has posted a 3-3 mark in home contests played against Buffalo, winning in three facilities; Tulane Stadium (1973), San Antonio's Alamodome (2005) and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (2013)…Kamara had the first 100-yard rushing game of his four-year career against the Bills when he carried 12 times for 106 yards with one touchdown in a 47-10 Saints win at Buffalo's New Era Field on Nov. 12, 2017…This will be the fourth time New Orleans plays on Thanksgiving, capturing the previous meetings against the Dallas Cowboys (2010) and Atlanta Falcons (2018 and 2019)

Saints Week 13: vs. Dallas Cowboys (Dec. 2):

Dallas owns a 17-13 advantage in the series, but the Saints have won six of nine meetings since Sean Payton, who served on the Cowboys' coaching staff from 2003-05 under Bill Parcells, became head coach in 2006…New Orleans has an 8-3 record against the Cowboys in contests played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome…This will be the 12th prime-time meeting between the clubs with Dallas holding a 6-5 edge…The last time the clubs met was Sept. 29, 2019 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in a 12-10 Saints win on "Sunday Night Football," where kicker Wil Lutz booted four field goals for all of New Orleans' scoring as the Black and Gold won a contest without scoring a touchdown for the first time since 1998 and safety Marcus Williams sealed the victory on the last play of the contest when he picked off Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Saints Week 14: at New York Jets (Dec. 12):

New Orleans leads the series 7-6, with the Saints having captured the last meeting at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Dec.17, 2017, 31-19…New Orleans is 4-4 all-time against the Jets on the road…Saints linebacker Demario Davis was originally a third round draft pick of the Jets in 2012 and played for the team for five seasons (2012-15, 2017), recording 561 tackles, 11.5 sacks, one interception, 15 passes defensed, five fumble recoveries and 24 special teams stops in 80 games.

Saints Week 16: vs. Miami Dolphins (Dec. 27):

With the series tied 6-6, the Saints have won the last three meetings, including a 20-0 shutout in the last matchup on Oct. 1, 2017 at London, England's Wembley Stadium…This will mark the fourth consecutive season New Orleans is featured twice on "Monday Night Football," the second time the Saints play the Dolphins on the NFL's most memorable national showcase…The Saints have a 4-1 record in games played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in the series…Dolphins Coach Brian Flores will be one of five head coaches Payton will face for the first time in 2016 (the other four are New York Giants' Joe Judge, the Atlanta Falcons' Arthur Smith, the New York Jets' Robert Saleh and the Philadelphia Eagles' Nick Sirianni).

A look at the Saints' 2021 preseason opponents:

Saints Preseason Game 1: at Baltimore Ravens (Week One-Date and kickoff time TBD):

New Orleans is scheduled to open the preseason on the road for the fifth time in the past six seasons (The 2020 NFL preseason being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic)…The Saints are 26-27 in preseason openers all-time and the Ravens have defeated the Saints in all five preseason matchups between the teams.

Saints Preseason Game: 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Aug. 23):

The Monday night contest will be nationally televised on ESPN with Jacksonville led by new Coach Urban Meyer and the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 draft, former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence…The Saints and the Jaguars have split their two preseason contests and New Orleans leads the regular season series 4-2.

Saints Preseason Game 3: vs. Arizona Cardinals (Week Three-Date and kickoff time TBD):

The Saints will close out the preseason at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome against the Cardinals prior to the roster cutdown to 53 players on the weekend prior to Labor Day weekend, under the league's new three preseason game, 17-regular season contest format. It will be the fifth consecutive time that New Orleans finishes the preseason at home. The Saints lead the all-time preseason series 5-1, having dropped their first exhibition to the Cardinals in a 20-15 loss on Aug. 17, 2018 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Ravens and Cardinals preseason contests will be broadcast regionally on the Gray Communications network of stations on the Gulf Coast, available in the New Orleans area on Fox-8 WVUE, with dates and times to be announced in the near future.