Inside the Numbers: Panthers vs Saints
The final week of the 2020 regular season is here and the Carolina Panthers look to end year one under head coach Matt Rhule on a two-game winning streak to build some momentum heading into the 2021 season.
The Panthers are set to host division rival New Orleans this Sunday at 4:25 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium. Below, we breakdown this week's matchup and what the Panthers need to do to pull out a win to end the season.
When the Panthers have the ball
| Panthers Offense | Stats | Saints Defense |
|---|---|---|
351.5 (20th) | Total YPG/Yards Allowed | 310.3 (3rd) |
108.7 (21st) | Rushing YPG/Allowed | 95.2 (4th) |
4.21 (19th) | Rushing Yards Per Att/Allowed | 3.86 (4th) |
242.8 (17th) | Passing YPG/Allowed | 215.1 (4th) |
33 (T-16th) | Sacks Allowed/Sacks | 42 (8th) |
40.3 (21st) | 3rd Down Efficiency | 39.4 (11th) |
22.9 (23rd) | Points Per Game/Allowed | 22.0 (8th) |
The Saints have one of the best defenses in the entire league, which is not too much of a surprise considering the depth they have at each level. I said coming into the season that their defense had very little to no holes on that side of the ball and for the most part, that remains true heading into the final week of the season. So yards and points won't be easy to come by this Sunday.
In the first meeting between these two earlier in the year, QB Teddy Bridgewater had arguably his best game as a Panther. He completed 23/28 passes for 254 yards, two touchdowns, and an 88.5 QBR. The wealth was spread throughout with four players having at least four receptions in the game. DJ Moore did the most damage taking two of his four catches for scores and finished with 93 yards (23.3 yards/reception).
The one thing the Panthers MUST do in this game is run the football a whole heck of a lot better than they did when they played in New Orleans. Mike Davis rushed for 12 yards on seven carries and the team ran for 37 yards on 14 carries, averaging 2.6 yards per carry. Unfortunately, the Panthers are going to be a bit shorthanded at running back this week as both Christian McCaffrey (thigh) and Mike Davis (ankle) are listed as doubtful. Rodney Smith and Trenton Cannon will receive more touches as well as wide receiver Curtis Samuel who can line up in the backfield.
When the Saints have the ball
| Saints Offense | Stats | Panthers Defense |
|---|---|---|
378.4 (9th) | Total YPG/Yards Allowed | 360.8 (19th) |
140.6 (7th) | Rushing YPG/Allowed | 118.7 (16th) |
4.55 (11th) | Rushing Yards Per Att/Allowed | 4.71 (28th) |
237.8 (19th) | Passing YPG/Allowed | 242.3 (17th) |
27 (12th) | Sacks Allowed/Sacks | 27 (24th) |
44.8 (6th) | 3rd Down Efficiency | 49.7 (31st) |
29.9 (4th) | Points Per Game/Allowed | 24.6 (18th) |
Drew Brees absolutely carved up the Panthers' secondary last time around and will have to do so again as starting running back Alvin Kamara will miss this week's game due to being placed on the COVID-19 list. Brees threw for 287 yards, two touchdowns, and completed 81% of his pass attempts. The Panthers didn't have Rasul Douglas in the first game, so him being in the lineup for this one should help some.
Third down defense must improve for Carolina or they won't stand much of a chance. New Orleans converted 12 of 14 3rd down opportunities vs Carolina which played a big factor in the end result - a New Orleans win.
Fortunately, Phil Snow has this Panthers' defense playing much better down the stretch and a lot of it has been because of the pressure the unit has applied on opposing quarterbacks. In the last five games, the Panthers have collected 16 sacks and 38 QB hits. If they can continue to get after the quarterback this week, they'll put themselves in a good situation to win the game. Without Alvin Kamara, the Saints will still run the ball with Latavius Murray but will lean on Brees' arm.
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