The NFC South has been one of, if not the worst division in the NFL the past few years, including a division winner with a losing record just two seasons ago. The Carolina Panthers also had the worst record in the NFL last season at 2-15, and they’ll be looking to start turning things around in the Bayou against the New Orleans Saints.

To help determine if they’ll be able to do so or if the struggles of a young roster will continue, we’ve broken down our experts’ best Panthers vs. Saints predictions. After sharing our analysis and the latest Panthers vs. Saints odds, we also have a guaranteed $250+ DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer for you!

 

 

 

Panthers vs. Saints Predictions for NFL Week 1, Sunday, 9/8

Both the Panthers and Saints began new eras in terms of signal callers, as Carolina gave the nod to rookie QB Bryce Young, and New Orleans acquired Derek Carr from the Las Vegas Raiders. So, it’s not a great surprise that neither squad missed the postseason.

However, what has to be noted is that Carr was battling through injuries much of the year, and the Saints still had some positives to hang their hat on. Their defense was among the best in the NFL, which doesn’t bode well for a Panthers offense that is not only young overall, but voluntarily traded away superstar RB Christian McCaffrey.

We all saw him help lead the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl last season, so the moral of the story is that Carolina is clearly still in their rebuilding phase.

 

 

 

Carolina Panthers: Leaving Last Season Behind

While it may be true that the Panthers are still trying to walk before they can pounce, they would still prefer to leave a 2-15 season in the dust. The knock on Young back when he was drafted was his size, so protection is of utmost importance.

Thankfully for Carolina fans, it seems as though the team was fully aware of that - they signed two new guards this offseason. Of course, we can’t go without mentioning the head-coaching hire, which was Dave Canales. After serving as a QB coach multiple times, he was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator last season.

Bringing him in to lead the charge makes it clear that the Panthers want someone to develop Young in the best way possible. 

 

 


 

New Orleans Saints: Setting Out To Stun The NFC South

Truthfully, perhaps no one other than the Panthers winning the NFC South would be a stunner, given that it hasn’t taken much to do so these past few seasons. Either way, it’s been a whole new look in New Orleans since Drew Brees retired a handful of years ago and the departure of former head coach Sean Payton.

Even still, their defense was elite in many respects last season, which will certainly play a part in the best bet from our Panthers vs. Saints predictions. While we have trust in that unit, Carr’s injuries are certainly adding up at this point in his career, and WR Michael Thomas having injuries essentially end his is another issue.

So, the Saints look to be a story that’s been written before - RB Alvin Kamara having to be the do-all weapon that carries them all season.

 

 

 

Panthers vs. Saints Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

While this NFC South rivalry may not be the marquee matchup of Sunday’s slate, it should still be a relatively close matchup, as the latest Panthers vs. Saints odds at DraftKings Sportsbook would suggest:

 

 

 

Panthers vs. Saints Under 41.5 Points (-108 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

We’ve been alluding to it throughout our Panthers vs. Saints predictions, so yes, our best bet is focused on a low-scoring game. In short, it boils down to a Carolina offense that will be facing a strong New Orleans defense.

Specifically, we expect the Saints to be able to force turnovers from Young and company. They ranked fourth in that regard last season with 29 takeaways, and they still have significant pieces like Cam Jordan and Tyrann Mathieu, not to mention a major free agent signing.

The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins with a strong defense that was anchored by LB Willie Gay Jr., and he is now in the Bayou. That should provide even more confidence for Saints fans, as their team is facing a Carolina offense that ranked dead-last in yards and points per game.

As if that wasn’t enough, the last seven straight matchups between these teams have stayed under the total! If you’d like to argue that only more recent ones are significant with the new-look rosters, that works as well. Both of last year’s games had totals set in the 30’s, and they both still went under.

Keeping all that in mind, we’re targeting under 41.5 points (-108 at DraftKings Sportsbook) as the best bet from our Panthers vs. Saints picks.

 

 

 

Panthers vs. Saints Injury Report & Latest News

It may only be Week 1, but there are always injuries to note in the NFL. Here are the latest updates from both teams:

CAR Panthers:

NO Saints:

 

 

 

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