Penalties doomed the Saints in rookie coach Kellen Moore’s debut, and while they get to stay in the Big Easy this week, things don’t get any easier with San Francisco paying a visit.

That’s a substantial drop considering in 2024 Darnold led a pass-heavy attack (545 throws) and racked up 35 TD passes – almost double his previous career best. Still, the eight-year veteran could be a sneaky QB2 this season, or at the very least, a very strong streaming option.

Offense should not be a problem as this team was the second-highest scoring squad in the NFL last year. However, in finishing just 17th in yards allowed, there’s definitely room for improvement on the other side of the ball.

The bottom really dropped out for the Cleveland Browns last year. Saddled with the worst offense in the NFL, they plummeted to a mere three wins a season after putting up 11.

The last two Houston Texans seasons look remarkably similar on the surface, both resulting in 10 wins and each time getting knocked out in the Divisional Round. But behind the record, this was a team that was far more balanced in 2023, as last year the offense regressed while the defense – at least from a yardage perspective – got better, going from 14th most yards given up to sixth.