(NOLA.com) - The New Orleans Saints will be partying with the Lombardi Trophy in a few weeks as Super Bowl champions,Sports Illustrated reporters predicted Thursday morning.
The Super Bowl LIV (54) picks were made by a panel of seven SI NFL beat writers.
--Albert Breer predicts the Saints will beat the Baltimore Ravens.
--Bette Martson predicts the Saints will beat the New England Patriots.
--Jenny Vrentas predicts the Saints will play in the Super Bowl but fall to the Baltimore Ravens.
--Mitch Goldich predicts the Saints will play in the Super Bowl but fall to the Kansas City Chiefs.
If the predictions become reality, it will be the Saints' second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. New Orleans won its only Super Bowl against the Indianapolis Colts in Miami in Super Bowl XLIV in 2010.
It would also be New Orleans' fourth-ever appearance in the NFC championship game. The Saints are 1-2 in the conference title games, defeating Minnesota in 2010 and losing to Chicago in 2007 and to the Los Angeles Rams in 2019.
The Saints' road to the Super Bowl begins Sunday against the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs. If the third-seeded Saints win, they'll travel to play the second-seeded Packers the following week in Green Bay.
A win in Green Bay would put the Saints in the NFC title game against an opponent to-be-determined.