The New Orleans Saints are set to face the Carolina Panthers this Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, with kickoff slated for 1:00 p.m. ET.
The Saints enter the matchup as seven-point favorites, with the total expected score at 43.5 points.
New Orleans (2-6 SU, 3-5 ATS, 5-3 O/U) recently suffered a 26-8 defeat against the LA Chargers on Monday. This marks the Saints’ sixth consecutive loss after beginning the season without a defeat.
Meanwhile, Carolina (1-7 SU, 1-7 ATS, 6-2 O/U) fell to the Denver Broncos last Sunday, losing 28-14. The Panthers are on a five-game losing streak.
In their earlier meeting this season, the Saints dominated the Panthers 47-10, with quarterback Derek Carr throwing three touchdown passes. New Orleans outperformed Carolina in yardage, amassing 379 yards compared to the Panthers’ 193 and controlling the clock. Carolina struggled with three turnovers. Historically, New Orleans has triumphed in seven of their last ten encounters with Carolina, holding a record of 5-4-1 against the spread in those games.
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Curious about the outcome of this NFL matchup? Read on for predictions regarding the New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers!
Saints Eye Carr’s Return Against Carolina
New Orleans is in uncharted territory, experiencing its first six-game losing streak since 2005. With Derek Carr sidelined due to injury, rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler took the reins for the third consecutive week, completing 12 of 24 passes for 156 yards without any trips to the red zone. The Saints managed only two field goals after an initial safety.
“We all know this is a results-driven league, and we need to perform better,” said head coach Dennis Allen.
The good news for New Orleans is that Carr returned to practice this week, and he is expected to start against Carolina. Running back Alvin Kamara is still recovering from hand and rib injuries. Carr has recorded a completion rate of 70.3% with 989 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions this season. Kamara has rushed for 505 yards on 121 attempts, averaging 4.2 yards per carry, and has scored six touchdowns. Wide receiver Chris Olave leads the team with 31 catches for 387 yards and one touchdown.
The Saints are averaging 23.1 points per game (17th in the league) and accumulating 319.5 total yards (21st), with 203.1 passing yards (19th) and 116.4 rushing yards (21st). They have allowed 21 sacks (25th) and committed 11 turnovers (25th). New Orleans converts 38.8% of its third downs (17th) and scores touchdowns on 66.6% of its red zone opportunities (5th).
Defensively, New Orleans concedes 25.8 points (25th) and 392.8 total yards (32nd) per game, giving up 249.1 passing yards (28th) and 143.6 rushing yards (28th). They have recorded 18 sacks (19th) and forced 13 turnovers (4th). Opponents convert 37.8% of their third downs against them (18th) and score touchdowns on 44.4% of their red zone trips (8th).
Injury Report for the Saints: QB Derek Carr (oblique), RB Alvin Kamara (hand), S Tyrann Mathieu (hand), CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring), CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (hamstring), TE Juwan Johnson (head), C Connor McGovern (back), OL Lucas Patrick (chest), OL Nick Saldiveri (shoulder), and C Cesar Ruiz (knee) are listed as questionable for the game against Carolina.
Panthers Give Young Another Chance at QB
In their recent game against the Broncos, the Panthers were outgained 400-284 in total yardage. They managed to score two touchdowns due to fumbles by Denver, but nine other drives ended without points. Bryce Young returned to the lineup and completed 24 of 37 passes for 224 yards, tossing two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“I was truly grateful for the chance to play,” Young stated. “I was happy to be on the field with my teammates, even if the outcome wasn’t what we hoped for.”
This week, Young will start for the Panthers against the Saints. In their first meeting, he struggled, completing just 13 of 30 passes for 131 yards and two interceptions. This season, Young has not shown significant improvement, completing less than 60% of his passes with a 2:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. With Diontae Johnson traded to Baltimore, Young’s top target is now uncertain as Xavier Legette’s status is questionable. Chuba Hubbard leads the Panthers in rushing with 593 yards on 118 carries.
The Panthers are averaging 15.5 points per game (29th) and 281.9 total yards (29th), including 177.9 passing yards (30th) and 104.0 rushing yards (25th). They have allowed 16 sacks (24th) and committed 14 turnovers (30th). Carolina converts 31.5% of its third downs (30th) and scores touchdowns on 57.8% of its red zone trips (12th).
Defensively, the Panthers give up 33.9 points (32nd) and 387.5 total yards (31st) per game, allowing 232.9 passing yards (25th) and 154.6 rushing yards (32nd). They have only nine sacks (30th) and have forced eight turnovers (25th). Opponents convert 50.4% of their third-down attempts against Carolina (31st) and score touchdowns on 71.4% of their red zone trips (31st).
Injury Report for the Panthers: QB Andy Dalton (thumb), WR Xavier Legette (toe), OT Ikem Ekwonu (elbow), OT Taylor Moton (knee), OT Yosh Nijman (leg), OG Robert Hunt (shoulder), and OG Damien Lewis (knee) are questionable for the matchup against New Orleans.
Best Bets for Saints vs. Panthers
The key question is whose returning quarterback will have a bigger impact: Carr or Young? The consensus leans towards Carr, who excelled before his injury, ranking among the top five in various efficiency metrics. In contrast, Young struggled in his return, throwing two interceptions and averaging only 6.1 yards per attempt.
The Saints overwhelmed the Panthers earlier in the season, scoring 30 points in the first half alone. While they may not replicate that performance, they are anticipated to secure a comfortable victory in Charlotte. New Orleans is effective in converting drives into touchdowns (5th in the league for red zone scoring) and has a robust defense that limits opponents’ touchdowns (8th in opponent TD% in the red zone). Furthermore, the Saints have a knack for forcing turnovers, an area where Carolina has faced difficulties.
Bet on the Saints to cover the spread against the Panthers this Sunday!
