The New Orleans Saints could not put up 20 points in a game right now, even if their jobs depended on it… and for some players and staff members, that may not be an exaggeration. Unfortunately, the Saints fell once again, 34-10, to the Los Angeles Rams. The loss dropped New Orleans’ overall record to 1-8, and things will not get any easier in their final game before a much-needed bye week.
On Sunday, the Saints will play their third road contest in four weeks. This time, Kellen Moore’s squad will head
to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a divisional duel against the Carolina Panthers. Following an upset victory over the then-NFC-leading Green Bay Packers, Bryce Young and the Panthers moved to 5-4 on the year. The above .500 record has led Carolina to exceed expectations for this year already- by far.
Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough got his first NFL start last weekend versus an elite Rams’ pass rush, so with all things considered, his box score was not terrible. He finished the day 15-24 for 176 yards and threw his first touchdown pass. Although it may have been meaningless in the result of the game, Shough also threw a late-game interception in an atrocious decision, even for a rookie QB. He also managed to be sacked just once, which is a testament to both his mobility and the effort put forth by the Saints’ offensive line.
One step forward… two steps and five hops this time backwards. Taliese Fuaga is dealing with a high-ankle sprain after sustaining the injury in Los Angeles. The starting left tackle is considered week-to-week, but is another concern for a position group that has already lost starting center Erik McCoy for the year to a torn bicep.
No push from the line up front typically equates to not having an efficient run game. That has been the exact case for New Orleans this year, as starting running back Alvin Kamara has managed under 400 rushing yards total for the season to this point and is averaging just over 3.5 yards per tote. The next two players with the highest rushing totals for the Saints thus far are Kendre Miller (torn ACL, out for the season) and Spencer Rattler (backup QB).
The receiving room does not make things any easier. New Orleans’ top three pass catchers, Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and tight end Juwan Johnson, lead the Saints with 560, 499, and 399 receiving yards, respectively. After that, no other player has more than 165 yards through the air.
As much as the Saints have struggled offensively, they are due for a break against an easy opponent, right? Wrong. They will once again have to face a top-15 defense in the league. The Panthers currently rank 13th across all teams by giving up an average of just 316.6 yards per game. Opposing offenses also manage under 23 points per game.
Carolina’s Jaycee Horn is tied for fourth in the league with three interceptions on the year. He could certainly improve upon that number against the Saints’ offense, which has ten giveaways over the previous three weeks.
Nic Scourton, the Panthers’ second-round pick in the past offseason’s NFL Draft, could also be due for a big game off the edge. The rookie linebacker has two sacks already in his campaign.
I expect the Saints’ struggles to continue well throughout the game versus Carolina and into the upcoming bye week. The Panthers should excel with the home-field advantage behind them as they press forward, in the thick of contention for a playoff spot in a muddled NFC.
