Quick Hitting Stats In Panthers vs Saints

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PANTHERS

  • Panthers lead series 6-5 in the Ron Rivera era.
  • Over the last five meetings, Cam Newton is averaging 269 passing yards per game and 41.8 rushing yards per game. He had 37 first downs and six touchdowns rushing over the first 10 contests.
  • Carolina is 2-3 at home this season after boasting the NFL's longest home winning streak at 14 in a row.
  • 0-3 in the division to this point and cannot afford a loss to the Saints (or anyone left) if they want to keep pace in the NFC South.
  • 1-0 in the NFL's new Thursday Color Rush games with all blue.
  • Will look to break 100 yards rushing for the first time in three games. 
  • Tied for 10th most in sacks given up with 23.
  • Defense is 5th in the league with 27 sacks, three back from leading Bills.

SAINTS

  • 3rd in NFC South with 4-5 record and 1-1 in the division.
  • Lead the NFL in total offense (427.7 YPG) and passing (322.7 YPG).
  • Second in NFL in points per game with 29.4 (Atlanta is first with 32).
  • Defense is coming off a solid performance against the Broncos, posting 6 sacks.
  • Have only rushed for 100 yards or more in four of last eleven meetings against Carolina (Rivera era).
  • 3-2 record since defeating the Panthers in New Orleans
  • Average 24 points at Bank of America stadium since 2011

Written by Tripp Morgan. Follow him on Twitter @TrippMorgan6

Article pictures of Panthers by Jesse Fraetis photography. www.fraetisphotography.com

Carolina Panthers Learning to Win at the Right Time

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Carolina Panthers Learning to Win at the Right Time

Winning, it’s something the Carolina Panthers rediscovered at just the right time.

The Panthers continued their winning streak and secured a playoff spot by beating the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, 34-3. The Panthers were dominant from the opening kickoff. The offense moved the ball, and although Carolina didn’t capitalize on every red-zone appearance, they put up points. The defense came to play as well. Laying big hits early, Carolina swarmed Matt Ryan all afternoon, and for the first time this season, the defense scored. Then they scored again. Reminiscent of the beat-down delivered in New Orleans four weeks ago, Carolina finished out a four-game win streak that landed them with a home playoff game.  Although winning has come easy as of late, it was something that evaded the Panthers for ten weeks, leaving many of us to think this playoff berth was near impossible.

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C3 Up, Three Down: Blowout in the Bayou

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C3 Up, Three Down: Blowout in the Bayou

C3 Up, Three Down is a series that identifies three key areas the Panthers succeeded and three areas they failed in their most recent contest.  This week's C3 Up, Three Down weeds through the good and bad of Carolina's win over the New Orleans Saints. 

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Picture Purrrfect: Panthers Win Over Saints

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Picture Purrrfect: Panthers Win Over Saints

After two months of eager anticipation and then heartbreak, our Panthers finally came through for us.  My dinner tasted better last night, I slept with a smile on my face, and my wife looked a little prettier.  Winning, especially against the Saints, is what we wait for all year long.  The Saints fans made it extra fun by showing how classless most of them can be.  This was evident when Cam was slow to get up after a play and they cheered louder than at any other point in the game.  From a fan base that denies their team really did anything wrong under bounty-gate, this really was not surprising.  It was just fuel for future rants that we aAfter two months of eager anticipation and then heartbreak, our Panthers finally came through for us.  My dinner tasted better last night, I slept with a smile on my face, and my wife looked a little prettier.  Winning, especially against the Saints, is what we wait for all year long. After two months of eager anticipation and then heartbreak, our Panthers finally came through for us.  My dinner tasted better last night, I slept with a smile on my face, and my wife looked a little prettier.  Winning, especially against the Saints, is what we wait for all year long. t C3 may put out.  Below are what I thought were keys to the game and why I say this was “Picture Purrrfect.”

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Stunning First Half for the Carolina Panthers

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It's a feeling we haven't felt all season really--Carolina ripping it up in the first half.  The Panthers scored on the first possession and haven't looked back, walking into the locker-room 24-3. 

Cam Newton came out firing five straight strikes, ending with a touchdown to Kelvin Benjamin. Carolina's defense forced two turnovers early, one remarkable interception by Bene "Stiki Wiki" Benwikere, which set up Cam Newton and the Carolina offense to keep pounding.  Had it not been for two Kelvin Benjamin Butters drops, the Panthers could have really had two more touchdowns in the first quarter.  

Carolina didn't let off the gas, however, as the defense continued to play aggressive, and the offense continued to put up touchdowns  Shula found somehow seemed to call a perfect mix of aggressive through the air and utilizing Cam in the running game. 

There was some real fight in the Carolina Panthers, one that manifested in a brawl after Newton's acrobatic rushing touchdown.  Brandon "Swole-Bones" Williams was ejected for throwing a punch as he defended Cam against a sore losing Saints defense.    

The defense played well, and the offense played even better in the 1st half.  Josh Norman forced a fumble, Tre Boston provided a stronger presence at safety, and everyone is happy to have Stiki Wiki back.  The Saints offense struggled to get anything going.  If Carolina can get a little out of the pass-rush, there could be some tough sledding ahead for Drew Brees and the Saints.

Standouts:

Cam Newton: 15/24, 162 yards, 68 rushing yards, 2 passing TDs, and 1 rushing TD.

Greg Olsen: 7 catches, 60 yards, and TD

Jonathan Stewart: 12 carries, 65 yards

Philly Brown: 3 catches, 42 yards

Bene Benwikere: INT, 2 tackles

Josh Norman: FF, 2 tackles



Saints Neuter Panthers on Thursday Night, 28-10

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Okay Panthers fans....it's Halloween Day and officially time to panic.

The Panthers laid an egg at home last night, losing to the road warrior I mean road kitten Saints, 28-10 on Thursday Night Football.

Offense was at a premium for both teams in the first half as the Saints took a 14-0 lead into halftime. One of the two TDs came on a long, hard-fought, 4-yard drive of two plays thanks to a Newton fumble at his own goal line after a sack by Junior Gilette.

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C3 On the Line: Saints at Panthers

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C3

On the Line

series bets the Carolina Panthers line and discusses the stakes of the game in the context of the Panthers season. CarolinaCatChronicles.com

On the Line

is not betting advice, but a means for football discussion.

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers

Saints -3 (49.5 O/U)

Here we are again, the Saints are marching to town and the division could be

On the Line

as it was last season when they visited Charlotte.   The stakes are strikingly similar to last season’s Saints at Panthers matchup, but the circumstances are the polar opposite.  Here’s what C3’s On the Line piece for this game last season noted:

Two 10-4 juggernauts meet Sunday at Bank of America Stadium to decide the NFC South division champion.  The Carolina Panthers host the New Orlean Saints in what looks to be a match between two titans.  The high powered Saints’ offense will try to take their game outdoors and topple Carolina’s league leading defense.  There is clearly a lot On the Line for both teams....This is like having an NFC South Championship game.  

Well 2014 has hardly produced the two titans bound for the playoffs as in 2013.  The Saints offense has sputtered at times, and the Panthers’ defense is among the league worst.  Like last year, the spread is 3 points (last year Carolina was favored) and likely this game will go a long way in determining the division champion.  This season, however, there will only be one playoff team representing the NFC South, and it may just be the winner of this game.  Again, there is a lot

On the Line

.

All Bets Are In:

Professor’s Bet: Panthers -3   (Taking the Under 49.5)

My head tells me to pick the Saints, but my heart is in Carolina.  The defense showed signs of life last week, Star and Ealy played particularly well, and continue to see signs of offensive life.  Yes, the Panthers didn’t get into the endzone, but they did move the ball.  Hopefully, Shula, who has taken considerable heat, will rev up the offense a bit this week and get some results that ward off his termination.

The pieces have to come together at some point.  This week is going to have to be that week.  The Panthers back is to the wall after 1-4-1 in the last six weeks.  Another loss here would be devastating.  This to me is a division title match right here.  The team that walks out of BOA has to be the favorite to win the division.  Yes, New Orleans schedule gets tough and the Panthers gets easy.   I just don’t see Carolina winning in Philadelphia after a demoralizing loss at home.  There’s no choice, the Panthers have to get this win.  If they do, there’s a real chance they can parlay the victory into some real momentum.  

Carolina 24-20

Commish’s Bet:

Panthers +3

(Under the 49.5)

Tonight, all eyes in the NFL will be on Charlotte in a case of a “hot potato” ball game. Neither team has much that points to any sort of advantage over the other. Carolina’s offensive line (and team in general) has been completely decimated by injuries and the unit has been maligned lately even when healthy. Center Ryan Kalil can’t block TWO guys at once! We know the Panthers generally don’t play well at night, and the Saints don’t fare well on the road. Yeah - SOMETHING has to give, doesn’t it? Reminds me of the ancient commercial with “Mikey” eating cereal even though he “hates everything.” A bad road team going to play a bad night team on the road at night, ouch! I’m half expecting the Three Stooges to come out in the opening series and take up spots on the offensive line. With the Saints defense having regressed to 2012 and our own defense having played quite well last week at home, I’m just going to throw my hands up and say that the trend continues. The question becomes if the offense can put things together enough to score a few times. I think that they will, and a healthy backfield duo of Stewie and DeAngelo should help keep Brees on the sideline just enough to win it.

Carolina 24-21

Justin Raymond’s Bet: Panthers -3  (Taking the Over 49.5)

Like I wrote in my latest article, the Carolina Panthers are a bipolar team and we don’t know what to expect from week to week. The offense shows up one game and the next game the defense shows up. When will they both come together? This might be the game where the Panthers solve this issue. The Panthers are at home against a rival team and should bring their “A” game. Brees has plenty of weapons on offense and the Panthers defensive secondary will have to step up, and make some plays. The only way I see the Panthers winning this game is if the defense can get to Brees and pressure him all night. I believe  that the Panthers will make this a good game, but they won't come out on top.

Saints 28-24