Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman (2) looks to throw a pass against the Saints at New Era Field in 2017 Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Saints' last visit to Buffalo featured epic beatdown of pre-Josh Allen Bills

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Richie Whitt | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 4:51 PM ET

Unless you cherish the short-and-not-so-sweet NFL career of Billy Joe Hobert, you'll have a hard time finding many connections between the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints. The quarterback who played only 29 games in the league is the only person to throw a pass for both franchises.

Hobert wasn't around the last time the Saints marched into Buffalo. Neither was Josh Allen. Yeah, it's been a while.

When the Saints visit Highmark Stadium next Sunday in Week 4, they'll be a struggling team that was 0-2 entering today's game at the Seattle Seahawks. These days they are led by first-year coach Kellen Moore and they may have the least-known quarterback in the NFL in Spencer Rattler. They are nothing, in other words, like the Saints team that came to Buffalo in 2017 and dealt the Bills an eye-popping whipping.

Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

On Nov. 12, 2017 the Saints were led by coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees. The Bills were a searching, struggling team led by first-year head coach Sean McDermott. It was a colossal mismatch. The Saints built a 47-3 lead at New Era Field, before the Bills got their only touchdown - a pass from quarterback Nathan Peterman to tight end Nick O'Leary.

The 47-10 shellacking remains the fifth-worst home defeat in Bills' history.

The Saints improved to 7-2 and went on to lose an epic NFC Divisional Round playoff game by allowing a 61-yard touchdown catch by the Vikings' Stefon Diggs on the game's final play. The Bills, who led by quarterback Tyrod Taylor and running back LeSean McCoy, somehow finished 9-7 and made the playoffs before losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card.

The following spring the Bills selected Allen with the 7th pick in the 2018 draft and the rest is history. Buffalo has faced the Saints only once with Allen, throttling them 31-6 in the Superdome in 2021.

The role reversal from 2017 is complete, as the Bills enter next week at 3-0 and firm Super Bowl favorites in the AFC. Only Dion Dawkins, Tre White and Jordan Poyer remain on the Bills from that game eight years ago.