The Browns head to New Orleans on Sunday afternoon trying to steady themselves after a rough road trip last week, while the Saints come in with the benefit of a bye and a little extra time to reset.
Cleveland had won back-to-back games before falling 27-6 in Pittsburgh. The Browns are still 5-3, but every loss on their record has come away from home.
New Orleans, meanwhile, dropped its own game to the Steelers in Paris two weeks ago and then had last week off. The Saints have not won at home yet this season, but they did get more time to make the trip back from Paris and get ready for Cleveland.
Chris Olave remains the Saints’ top offensive threat. He is sixth in receptions with 49 and fifth in receiving yards with 636 through seven games.
But the production has cooled lately. After posting three 100-yard games in his first four, he has not topped 56 receiving yards in any of his last three outings.
That task gets tougher against a Browns defense that is allowing just 196.6 passing yards per game.
Cleveland has also shown some cracks in recent weeks, first in a tight win at Tennessee and then in last week’s loss in Pittsburgh. Even so, the matchup sets up as a low-scoring one, and the under is worth a look.
Still, with the Saints coming off the bye and back at home, the slight edge goes to New Orleans.
In Other News...
Gayle Benson Sends Saints A Clear Message About This Season
Gayle Benson made it clear this week that the Saints are not being judged solely by their 2-5 start, at least not in the moment. The New Orleans owner said she has confidence in the players effort and signaled that the organization will take a broader look at the roster and staff once the season is over, a familiar stance for a team trying to steady itself while the losses pile up.
There has already been one notable change on the coaching side, with the Saints parting ways with run-game coordinator T.J. Paganetti after the rushing offense struggled badly. Benson also touched on the leagues growing international footprint, including the possibility of New Orleans being part of an NFL International Series game in Italy as the league expands its Global Markets Program there, adding another layer to a season that still has plenty of questions attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Reach A Roster Crossroads With Deadline Pressure Building
With the Saints still sorting through a difficult stretch, the next few days have become about more than just the game plan. New Orleans is evaluating injured players Jordyn Tyson, Travis Etienne Jr. and Kelvin Banks Jr. for possible returns to practice, a sign the staff is at least hoping to get some bodies back in the mix as it tries to steady the roster.
At the same time, the front office is keeping an eye on the bigger picture. Kendre Miller and Justin Reid are among the names being monitored as possible trade candidates if the Saints decide to sell, which adds another layer of uncertainty to a roster already facing important decisions. Nothing has been finalized, but the pressure is building as New Orleans weighs whether to push forward with what it has or start reshaping the group around it. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Finally Made A Kicker Change Fans Saw Coming
The Saints finally made the kicker move plenty of fans had been waiting on, releasing Daniel Carlson after seven games in the 2026 season. The struggles had piled up quickly, with Carlson missing four field goals from 50 yards or more and two extra points, and his field goal percentage sat among the NFLs worst through eight weeks.
New Orleans does have a potential in-house answer waiting on the practice squad in Charlie Smyth, who showed enough last season to stay in the conversation. For a team that has spent too much time worrying about points left on the field, the next kicking decision now becomes just as important as the one it already made. [Read more 🡒]