Can the Saints extend the NFL's longest active Week 1 win streak?

For a long time the story of the New Orleans Saints was that they were slow starters — the team lost five Week 1 games in a row from 2014 to 2018. But lately they’ve developed a reputation for theatrics in September. The Saints own the NFL’s longest Week 1 winning streak with five opening-day victories, dating back to 2019.

Obviously we’re risking a jinx by acknowledging it. But they’re favored to knock out the Carolina Panthers and keep that streak alive, and given each team’s recent history that’s a reasonable expectation. The Saints beat this Panthers team twice last season and Carolina is rebooting under its fifth head coach in three years.

There’s a three-way tie for second-place; the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have each won three Week 1 games in a row. And this is all a great illustration for how a fast start doesn’t necessarily mean greater success is coming. Out of these four teams, only two have won a Super Bowl in recent memory. The Saints are struggling to escape a yearslong playoff drought. The Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since the year 2000 when the postseason started in December.

So there’s a lot to be said for a strong start. The great teams are those who can sustain it. Let’s see if Dennis Allen’s team has what it takes to achieve that.