With the NFL schedule release around the corner, I wanted to look at the most likely opponents the New Orleans Saints could face. The obvious choice would be an NFC South rival, which is boring. Two other teams have a good chance of being picked to be the opening game against the Saints: the Denver Broncos and the Las Vegas Raiders .

Denver Broncos

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It makes sense if the NFL chooses the Saints to open against the Broncos. This would be the first time Sean Payton coaches against the Saints, and it would be in New Orleans. There would be less of a chance if the game were in Denver, but Payton returning to New Orleans is a big storyline. This would also be Bo Nix’s first career game, and it being in one of the most hostile environments in the NFL. Another storyline is the Saints evolution from the Sean Payton era. This will be the first time we see the new offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, and he will be going up against Payton’s offensive mind. Another reason the NFL might choose this matchup for the opener is the reactions that the outcome will cause. A Saints win would heavily boost the fanbase’s morale, but a loss could do some big damage. This is also true for the Broncos fanbase, and the quarterback performance will be the main conversation for both teams. There is a chance that the NFL values the matchup of Broncos and Steelers as the opener more because of the Russel Wilson storyline, but if the league does go with Saints and Broncos, it could cause fireworks.

Las Vegas Raiders

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The other matchup that would make sense is against the Las Vegas Raiders. Although this game would be in New Orleans, it should not take the importance out of this matchup. This would be Derek Carr’s first game against his former team, but there are also more former Raiders on the Saints roster and coaching staff. Some of these names are Johnathan Abram, Foster Moreau, Dennis Allen, and Joe Woods. Any player or coach would love to beat their former team, and this would be very true in this possible matchup. The Raiders recently signed former Saints guard Andrus Peat, and in this matchup, he would debut against the team that drafted him. Like the matchup against the Broncos, there would be massive reactions to the game’s outcome. A loss would show a lack of improvement for the Saints and raise more questions, but a win would show that the Saints can handle business. It would be a great jumping-off point to begin the season, and based on the storylines with this matchup, there is a good chance the NFL will choose the Saints to face off against the Raiders in Week 1.