After finishing second in the NFC South last season, the Saints will have the 9th easiest strength of schedule in 2014 (0.469) based on their opponents' 2013 win-loss records.

Although the "science" behind the notion of strength of schedule isn't quite exact, a few things are interesting to note:

a) At 0.469, New Orleans' 2014 schedule is the weakest in the NFC South.

b) The team's road schedule in 2014 is the third easiest in the entire NFL (0.430).

I think it's safe to say that Saints fans will take it!

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NFL Schedule Formula:

1) Each team plays the three other teams in its own division twice a year (6 games).

These teams are the Falcons, Panthers and Buccaneers for the Saints.

2) Each team plays the four teams from another division in its own conference once a year (4 games)

For the Saints in 2014, these teams are from the NFC North: Packers, Bears, Vikings, Lions.

Two of those games are on the road (Bears, Lions) and two at home (Packers, Vikings).

3) Each team plays the four teams from another division in the other conference once a year (4 games)

For the Saints in 2014, these teams are from the AFC North (Steelers, Bengals, Ravens, Browns).

Two of those games are on the road (Steelers, Browns) and two at home (Ravens, Bengals).

4) Each team plays two teams from another division in its own conference (2 games)

This is based on finishing the prior regular season with the same division standings.

For the Saints in 2014, these teams are the 49ers (home) and the Cowboys (road).

Before we get the official times and dates for the 2014 schedule (which will be updated in this thread as soon as they starts leaking out), here's a look at the home and away opponents for the Saints next season.

Have fun and discuss what you think would be the easiest/toughest games this upcoming season!

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2014 New Orleans Saints Football Schedule

WK	DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (ET)
1	Sun, Sep 7	@ Atlanta	1:00 PM FOX
2	Sun, Sep 14	@ Cleveland	1:00 PM FOX
3	Sun, Sep 21	vs Minnesota	1:00 PM FOX
4	Sun, Sep 28	@ Dallas	8:30 PM NBC
5	Sun, Oct 5	vs Tampa Bay	1:00 PM FOX
6
7	Sun, Oct 19	@ Detroit	1:00 PM FOX
8	Sun, Oct 26	vs Green Bay	8:30 PM NBC
9	Thu, Oct 30	@ Carolina	8:25 PM NFL
10	Sun, Nov 9	vs San Francisco	1:00 PM FOX
11	Sun, Nov 16	vs Cincinnati	1:00 PM CBS
12	Mon, Nov 24	vs Baltimore	8:30 PM ESPN
13	Sun, Nov 30	@ Pittsburgh	1:00 PM FOX
14	Sun, Dec 7	vs Carolina	1:00 PM FOX
15	Mon, Dec 15	@ Chicago	8:30 PM ESPN
16	Sun, Dec 21	vs Atlanta	1:00 PM FOX
17	Sun, Dec 28	@ Tampa Bay	1:00 PM