Saints vs Chiefs: Writers predictions for Week 5 ahead of Monday Night Football

By hook or by crook, the Kansas City Chiefs are one of the league's few undefeated teams remaining. The league hasn't caught up to the defending Super Bowl champions, no matter how imperfect the Chiefs look this year.

The 17-game marathon continues when the New Orleans Saints visit Arrowhead Stadium for a primetime affair on Monday Night Football. The NFC South opponent features many old friends, namely quarterback Derek Carr and safety Tyrann Mathieu. Dennis Allen's squad is sitting at 2-2, despite being the top-scoring offense in the league and sixth-best scoring defense as well.

While pundits focus on who the Chiefs should or shouldn't trade for, there are games to be played. Here is how our writers think Monday's contest will shake out.

Patrick Allen (4-0)
The Chiefs are five-point favorites ahead of a Monday Night Football clash with the New Orleans Saints but I don't buy it. The Saints are better than their 2-2 record, losing by a combined five points to the Eagles and Falcons. The Saints and Chiefs are both good against the run so this one could turn into a battle of which defense can hold up better against the pass. The Chiefs have struggled at times to stop teams through the air and to generate sacks, so Steve Spagnuolo may need to get exotic to force Derek Carr, a QB he knows well, into rushing his throws. Without Rashee Rice, the struggling KC offense has much to figure out. The Chiefs might drop this one but they've won ten-straight games dating back to last season so I'm not picking against them at home on MNF.
Chiefs 16, Saints 14

Tyler Brown (4-0)
The Saints looked dominant the first two weeks into the season, but that could be a bit of fool's gold. While they still have a plus-57 point differential, the fast start appears to have more to do with starting with the Panthers and the overrated Cowboys. They have since dropped their last two to the Eagles and Falcons. I am sure this will be a close game because that is what the Chiefs do, but I expect the Chiefs to exploit the 25th-ranked pass defense. Kelce will have another big game and I think Worthy and Smith-Schuster will help fill the Rice void heading into the week six bye.
Chiefs 20, Saints 16

Matt Conner (4-0)
The Saints’ Jekyll-and-Hyde routine in September shouldn’t have fooled anyone thus far. Yes, they can piece together a healthy offense on occasion. They can also be tamed. Given Derek Carr’s history against the Chiefs and with Steve Spagnuolo already in postseason form, it’s hard to imagine anything going sideways at home in primetime for K.C.
Chiefs 23, Saints 18

Braden Holecek (4-0)
The Chiefs have seen plenty of Derek Carr. But so far in 2024, the veteran QB has found some resurgence with a new offensive coordinator. The Chiefs defense will be challenged by the speed of New Orleans’ offense. Watching to see how quickly they can get off the field is worth monitoring throughout Monday night.
Chiefs 23, Saints 17

Scott Loring (3-1)
The Saints' defense has forced 8 turnovers in 4 games this year, which is one more turnover than the Chiefs offense has committed this season. That will be the measure of how this game will go on Monday night. The Chiefs may need to pivot their offense toward the run game, and the Saints have allowed 4.8 yards per carry in 2024. It's primetime, which means the Chiefs will win another one ugly, and it will be full of its own version of odd, indescribable controversy.
Chiefs 23, Saints 20

Greg Morse (2-0)
I ain’t worried about the Saints. Okay but maybe I should be. Their offense has looked pretty good this season and I’m pretty sure Derek Carr still harbors some bitterness towards Kansas City. I don’t really know what to expect from the Chiefs offense now except they’ll probably find a way win somehow. Or the wheels will finally come off. It doesn’t feel like there’s much in between.
Chiefs 24, Saints 17

Jacob Milham (4-0)
The Chiefs offense might not be slumping; this might just be the level we expect from the unit. Rice's absence will be felt immediately, but the coaching staff and Mahomes will keep the unit doing just enough for wins. Expecting the 2018 offense to come walking into Arrowhead again just feels foolhardy. Thankfully, the defense is top-tier this year, and they should stifle the Saints offense for the most part.
Chiefs 17, Saints 16

Shawn O'Brate (4-0)
The fact that the Saints have only blown out opponents or lost by 2-3 points worries me, but I think the Eagles game gave the Chiefs a good script to beat the Saints. Flood the pocket with CJ95, Turk & Danna (hopefully), and make sure McDuffie is like glue on Olave. There will likely be one or two big plays from both teams on offense with the speed and experience of both, but the Chiefs will pull it out and go to 5-0 on the backs of a much more precise and calculated Patrick Mahomes after 4 somewhat sloppy weeks. Also, look for a big game from Kareem Hunt now that we know he’s capable of carrying like an RB1. He and Carson Steele can be a viable one-two punch while Pacheco is gone.
Chiefs 31, Saints 27

Stacy D. Smith (4-0)
The Kansas City Chiefs return to the cozy confines of Arrowhead Stadium for a Monday night affair with the 2-2 New Orleans Saints. The Chiefs survived their division rival but lost their No. 1 pass-catching option for the foreseeable future in the process. The loss of Rashee Rice makes this game difficult to predict. Couple that with the Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde identities the Saints have shown us over four weeks and this is a toss-up despite Kansas City being a 5-point favorite. This week, I think the Chiefs continue to have success with Kareem Hunt in the run game and the Chiefs produce enough through the air between Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, Noah Gray, Justin Watson, and JuJu Smith-Schuster to put three touchdowns on the board. Harrison Butker adds a field goal to win the game late.
Chiefs 24, Saints 21

Lucas Strozinsky (4-0)
It seems like the Chiefs are due to lose one of these unnecessarily close games. It makes sense that this could be the week. No Rashee Rice, Patrick Mahomes is struggling, and it could be a trap game just before the bye. But I will never pick Derek Carr to beat Patrick Mahomes. Never.
Chiefs 15, Saints 14