New Orleans has been waiting nine years for the Saints to march back to the Super Bowl with quarterback Drew Brees and coach Sean Payton. Who Dat Nation's wait will end in Super Bowl 53.
Sporting News is picking the Saints to hoist the franchise's second Lombardi Trophy in February at the NFL's other Mercedes-sponsored venue in Atlanta, of all places.
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The Saints' opponents in Super Bowl 53 as projected by SN, the Chargers, will present a sweet matchup for Brees. The team that drafted him in 2001 but replaced him with Philip Rivers in 2004 will use its own efficient, prolific, savvy passer to break through in the AFC West and conquer established contenders in the AFC playoffs.
The matchup will feature Brees trying to keep Joey Bosa, Casey Hayward and other Los Angeles defenders at bay. Rivers will try to do the same with New Orleans' Cameron Jordan, Marshon Lattimore and Co. Expect a high-scoring game that includes big plays offensively and some points off takeaways, too.
The Saints, though, can run and pass on anybody, and their defense is fully loaded from Jordan on the line back to Lattimore in the secondary. The spark that was New Orleans' drafting of Lattimore, Alvin Kamara, Marcus Williams and Ryan Ramcyzk last year will become an inferno that towers over strong competition this season.
The Saints will take advantage of a Super Bowl location in the south and outplay their challengers from the west. Before the madness of Mardi Gras in New Orleans on March 5, laissez les bon temps rouler for the fleurs de iis on Feb. 3, 2018.
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AFC: East | West | North | South
NFC: East | West | North | South
Odds to win Super Bowl 53
(Odds via Vegas Insider)
| Team | Odds |
| Patriots | 7-1 |
| Vikings | 10-1 |
| Eagles | 10-1 |
| Rams | 12-1 |
| Steelers | 12-1 |
| Packers | 14-1 |
| Falcons | 16-1 |
| Saints | 16-1 |
| Texans | 20-1 |
| Jaguars | 20-1 |
| Chargers | 20-1 |
| 49ers | 20-1 |
