Saints Have Short Week

The New Orleans Saints defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 34-19, on Sunday, to move to 7-3 on the year, but now must turn tight around, and play on Thanksgiving Day. James Varney, of the Times-Picayune, has the schedule, below.

Fans of the New Orleans Saints are seen during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Louisiana Superdome on October 31, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints won 20-10 over the Steelers.

The New Orleans Saints have won three in a row for the first time this season and now must do something for the first time in any season: play on Thanksgiving Day.

Such are the perils of success. Coach Sean Payton has made as much clear repeatedly, noting when the 2010 schedule was announced and several times since then that short weeks, Thursday games, prime time and the like were precisely the stages on which New Orleans has traditionally been absent but on which the team planned to excel.

That chance comes at Dallas. Kickoff against the Cowboys is slated almost exactly 96 hours after Sunday's kickoff in the Saints' victory against Seattle.

No time to waste for the New Orleans Saints with a Thanksgiving Day game | NOLA.com.