PlayoffRace
Saints logo

3-5

Playoff chances

11%

Week 8 scenarios

No accolade can be clinched or eliminated by week 8's games alone.

Control of their destiny

Weeks 8–18 · after Sunday night's game, week 8

Where they stand

Playoff berth

Controls destiny

Win out and it's theirs.

NFC South title

Controls destiny

Win out and it's theirs.

No. 1 seed

Needs help

Winning out alone is not enough; what else would do it is not settled yet.

Key dates

wk 89101112131415161718

Playoff berth

NFC South title

No. 1 seed

Nothing before it is ruled out yet.

Each bar starts at the first window it can happen in. Dashed: not ruled out yet.

Seed builder

Pin seats or set a club’s goal to see which NFC seedings fit and which are still possible.

Playoff odds

A Monte Carlo run of every remaining game and the postseason after it, twice over.

Chance ofStrengthCoin flip
Make the playoffs11%31%
Win the division11%30%
Wild card berth0.2%2%
No. 1 seed and bye<0.1%0.2%
Postseason
Reach the Divisional Round4%16%
Reach the Conference Championship1%8%
Reach the Super Bowl0.3%4%
Win the Super Bowl<0.1%2%
Final seed
#1 seed<0.1%0.2%
#2 seed<0.1%1%
#3 seed2%7%
#4 seed9%22%
#5 seed<0.1%<0.1%
#6 seed0.1%0.4%
#7 seed0.1%1%
Miss the playoffs89%69%

Strength of schedule plays out each remaining game weighted by both clubs' scoring and the schedule they have faced; coin flip gives every game an even chance. Each run then plays the bracket its own season set up — series lengths, home games and byes included. Percentages are simulated, never a clinch.