Saints Hope for Carr’s Return, Carolina Sticks with Young
Saints Hope for Carr’s Return Against Panthers; Carolina Sticks with Young at QB
This Sunday, the New Orleans Saints will face the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 PM ET. The Saints enter the game as seven-point favorites, with a game total set at 43.5 points.
Saints Look to Break Six-Game Losing Streak
The Saints (2-6 SU, 3-5 ATS) are desperate for a win after suffering a disappointing 26-8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last Monday. This marks the first time since 2005 that New Orleans has dropped six consecutive games after starting the season undefeated. Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler made his third consecutive start in place of the injured Derek Carr, completing 12 of 24 passes for 156 yards, but he failed to lead the team into the red zone. The Saints managed only two field goals after an initial safety, highlighting their offensive struggles.
Derek Carr returned to practice this week, and there is optimism surrounding his potential return to the lineup against Carolina. Star running back Alvin Kamara, however, remains limited due to hand and rib fractures. Carr boasts 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 carries, averaging 4.2 yards per attempt, along with six rushing touchdowns. Wide receiver Chris Olave leads the team with 31 catches for 387 yards and one touchdown.
Offensively, the Saints average 23.1 points per game (17th in the NFL) and accumulate 319.5 total yards (21st). Their passing game ranks 19th with 203.1 yards per game, while the rushing attack is 21st at 116.4 yards. They have allowed 21 sacks (25th) and committed 11 turnovers (25th). The Saints convert 38.8% of their third-down attempts (17th) and find the end zone on 66.6% of their red zone opportunities, ranking 5th in the league.
Defensively, New Orleans surrenders 25.8 points (25th) and 392.8 total yards (32nd) per game, including 249.1 passing yards (28th) and 143.6 rushing yards (28th). They have recorded 18 sacks (19th) and forced 13 turnovers (4th). Their opponents convert 37.8% of third downs (18th) and score touchdowns on 44.4% of their red zone trips (8th).
Panthers Give Young Another Chance at QB
The Carolina Panthers (1-7 SU, 1-7 ATS) suffered a 28-14 defeat to the Denver Broncos last week, marking their fifth consecutive loss. In the matchup, Carolina managed to score both of their touchdowns after recovering fumbles from Denver, indicating significant offensive struggles elsewhere. Bryce Young returned to the starting lineup and completed 24 of 37 passes for 224 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, in a performance that followed a brief benching.
Young will start against the Saints, seeking redemption after a shaky debut in Week 1, where he went 13-for-30 for 131 yards and two interceptions against New Orleans. This season, Young has not demonstrated significant progress, completing less than 60% of his passes and posting a 2:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Notably, his top receiving target, Diontae Johnson, was traded to Baltimore, leaving Young with limited options, especially with his second target, Xavier Legette, listed as questionable. Running back Chuba Hubbard leads the team in rushing with 593 yards and three touchdowns on 118 carries.
The Panthers rank near the bottom of the league, averaging 15.5 points per game (29th) and 281.9 total yards (29th). Their passing attack is particularly weak, averaging just 177.9 yards (30th), while the rushing game is also subpar at 104.0 yards (25th). Carolina has allowed 16 sacks (24th) and committed 14 turnovers (30th), while converting only 31.5% of third-down attempts (30th). They are efficient in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on 57.8% of their opportunities (12th).
Defensively, the Panthers rank last in the league, allowing 33.9 points (32nd) and 387.5 total yards (31st) per game. They concede 232.9 passing yards (25th) and 154.6 rushing yards (32nd). With just nine sacks (30th) and eight forced turnovers (25th), Carolina’s defense struggles to make impactful plays. Their opponents convert 50.4% of third-down attempts against them (31st) and score touchdowns on 71.4% of red zone trips (31st).
Conclusion
As the Saints seek to end their losing streak and the Panthers look to build momentum with Bryce Young under center, this matchup presents an opportunity for both teams to shift the course of their seasons.
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