Bryce Young looks to make amends, 4 other things to know about Panthers vs. Saints

The 7-6 Carolina Panthers return to the field this Sunday after a week off. When Dave Canales’s club last suited up, they came up with a 31-28 upset of the visiting Rams in Week 13. Quarterback Bryce Young led a balanced offense and came up big on third down. Meanwhile, Derrick Brown and the Panthers’ defense forced Rams’ quarterback Matthew Stafford into three turnovers—one of those a pick-six by cornerback Mike Jackson.

This Sunday at the Superdome, Canales’s squad suddenly finds itself with a golden opportunity. Since the Panthers’ last game, the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost two straight at home to division foes New Orleans and Atlanta. At the moment, Carolina sits atop the NFC South, one-half game ahead of the 7-7 Bucs. A victory over the Saints would give Canales’s squad a one-game lead into next week’s showdown with the Buccaneers at Charlotte.

Of course, the Panthers don’t want to get ahead of themselves. First things first, and that’s knocking off Kellen Moore’s spunky team. That’s something Bryce Young and company failed to do last month.

Panthers vs. Saints History

Thanks to a surprising 17-7 victory at Charlotte in Week 10, the Saints now own a four-game lead (33-29) in the overall standings (including a playoff meeting in 2017) of a series that dates back to 1995. In that contest, Canales’s team was held to season lows in points scored (7) and total yards (175). All told, the Panthers are now 1-4 in their last five meetings in this NFC South rivalry. Carolina’s last appearance at the Superdome resulted in a 47-10 loss in Week 1 of 2024. All told, the Panthers have lost two straight at New Orleans by a combined 75-16 score.

Panthers’ Recent Rollercoaster Ride is Concerning

Canales’s team is 4-3 in its last seven outings, alternating wins in losses during this stretch. The Panthers have scored a combined 90 points in the four victories, and a disturbing 25 points in losses to the Bills, Saints and 49ers. Carolina hasn’t won two straight games since Weeks 6-7 (over Cowboys and Jets).

Only the Raiders (196) and Titans (201) have scored fewer points than Moore’s club (206), New Orleans’ offensive unit has reached the end zone just 19 times in 13 games. Quarterbacks Tyler Shough (7) and former starter Spencer Rattler (7) have combined for 14 of the team’s 20 turnovers this season.

Saints’ WR Chris Olave Bears Watching

Back to the Panthers’ 10-point loss to the Saints, a team that has given quarterback Bryce Young problems during his brief career. The Carolina offense ran 50 plays for 175 yards, a horrid 3.5 average. Meanwhile, Young hit on 17-of-25 passes for 124 yards, was sacked twice, and committed a pair of turnovers.

When these teams met back in Week 10, Saints’ wideout Chris Olave enjoyed his best performance of the season in terms of receiving yards. He was targeted eight times and caught five passes for 104 yards, including a 62-yard score. Olave leads the Saints with 76 grabs, 811 yards and five touchdown receptions.

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