Some of you may not even know who Tommy DeVito is.
He’s the New York Giants’ backup quarterback, who made waves as an undrafted rookie last season. His Italian heritage and chef kiss celebrations became popular until the New Orleans Saints put a halt to the trend.
You might not recall Tyson Bagent either. He is the other undrafted rookie the Saints faced last season. Bagent began training camp as the Chicago Bears’ third-string quarterback, but he was promoted to starter when the Saints faced the Bears due to Justin Fields’ injury.
Okay, here’s one that will be easier to remember.
, nicknamed the “Passtronaut” because to his aerospace engineering education and service as the Minnes
What about Joshua Dobbsota Vikings’ backup quarterback?
Yeah, those weren’t household names at quarterback by the time their respective teams were on the New Orleans Saints schedule in 2023.
A timetable that appeared easy when it was first released last year became much easier. (With the exception of Dobbs, who dominated the first half and led the Vikings to victory).
Barring another series of quarterback injuries, the Saints’ schedule this season has a considerably more formidable group of quarterbacks.
The quarterbacks the Saints will most likely face will make it difficult to match or improve on last year’s 9-8 record.
In Weeks 2-5 alone, they get a murderer’s row of Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys), Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles), Kirk Cousins (Atlanta Falcons), and Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs).
Some may have forgotten that Prescott finished second in the MVP voting last season, trailing Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson.
Hurts was second in MVP voting the previous season and hopes to improve on a mediocre 2023 season.
Cousins, who was acquired by the Falcons this summer, was in contention for MVP last season before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 8. The Saints will face him twice now that he is in the NFC South.
What else can be said about Mahomes, who has two MVP awards and three Super Bowl MVP trophies in his man cave? Slowing him down will be the most difficult of all, especially on a Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
That doesn’t include the two guys in Los Angeles: Justin Herbert of the Chargers and Matthew Stafford of the Rams. Last season, Stafford led the Rams to 458 yards (328 in the air) against the Saints.
How much better are the quarterbacks the Saints may see this season?
Last season, the Saints faced 14 different starting quarterbacks. (They faced Carolina’s Bryce Young, Atlanta’s Desmond Ridder, and Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield twice.
These 14 quarterbacks entered last season with 599 career starts and a total of 926 touchdown passes.
These figures have increased dramatically this season.
The 14 expected starters for the Saints have a combined 959 starts and 1,652 touchdown passes.
That represents a significant increase in experience and production.
Last season, the Saints faced seven quarterbacks who had thrown five touchdowns or fewer in their careers prior to the season. (Dobbs, Ridder, Green Bay’s Jordan Love, and the rookie group of C.J. Stroud, Young, Bagent, and DeVito).
The only quarterback slated to face them this season who has thrown fewer than five NFL touchdowns is Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, who will be making his NFL debut when the season begins. The only other potential rookie the Saints may face is Denver’s Bo Nix, assuming Sean Payton hands over the offense to his first-round selection pick.
Last season, the Saints faced only four quarterbacks who had thrown 50 or more touchdowns: Ryan Tannehill, Jared Goff, Mayfield, and Stafford.
This year, they expect to face ten.
The Saints must win ten games in order to improve their record from last season.
It won’t be easy with the quarterbacks they’ll be facing.
