Week 10 includes a battle for first place in the NFC South with the New Orleans Saints hosting the Carolina Panthers. The Saints and Panthers are both 3-5, with the winner grabbing sole possession of the division lead. New Orleans has won two of their last three games, while the Panthers are in the midst of a three-game losing streak.
Most of the success that the Saints have had offensively has been because of quarterback Tyler Shough and his receivers. However, New Orleans has gotten off to excruciatingly bad starts in every game this year. They'll be facing a Carolina defense that ranks 21st overall but has fared better statistically against the pass. It's there that we focus this analysis of Sunday's clash.
Panthers pass defense
▪︎ 211.5 yards per game (9th)▪︎ 63.3%
completion percentage▪︎ 12 touchdowns (16th)▪︎ 5 interceptions (20th)▪︎ 11 sacks▪︎ 32 QB hits
If not for 406 passing yards given up to Detroit in Week 4, the Panthers would rank even higher against the pass. Four of Carolina's other seven opponents have been held to less than 200 net yards through the air. However, the Packers and Broncos have both put up over 220 passing yards against the Panthers in the last two weeks. This can be mostly attributed to mounting injuries in the team's secondary.
Carolina has been without starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson for five games each, greatly thinning their coverage unit. The good news for the Panthers is that Jackson (groin) was a full participant in practice by the end of this week and could be activated off injured reserve to play against the Saints. Rookie fourth-round choice Will Lee (knee) also was back at practice in full capacity and likely resumes his starting duties. Lee's 7 pass breakups lead the Panthers, but practice squad player Corey Thornton is the only Panthers corner to have an interception. Undersized Chau Smith-Wade and rookie Malcolm DeWalt IV round out the team's current corner crew.
Carolina does have two physical safeties in Tre'von Moehrig and Nick Scott with two solid backups in Lathan Ransom and Zakee Wheatley. Scott, the usual free safety, has by far the most range. Wheatley has probably the best ball skills of the four and has an interception with four passes broken up. At linebacker, Devin Lloyd and Brian Okereke are not only Carolina's leading tacklers but also strong in coverage. The athletic Lloyd has a team-high two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, with him and Okereke (one interception) combining to break up nine opposing throws, but Okereke (foot) will be sidelined against the Saints.
Carolina was one of the league's worst at pressuring the quarterback last year. Despite a handful of new additions, the same trend has continued this season. Edge Princely Umanmielen, a 2025 third-round pick, leads the Panthers with just 3 sacks. Pricey free-agent acquisition Jaelan Phillips has contributed 2.5 sacks and a team-best 6 QB hits. Both are capable of much more disruption, which the Panthers are counting on for their stretch run. Carolina is also capable of disruption on the inside, but hasn't gotten it from Derrick Brown, Lee Hunter, Tershawn Wharton, or Bobby Brown III. The Panthers' down linemen have yet to record a sack this season, with the group combining for just six QB hits.
Saints passing attack
▪︎ 230.5 yards per game (14th)▪︎ 66.2% completion percentage▪︎ 14 touchdowns (12th)▪︎ 6 interceptions (16th)▪︎ 20 sacks
Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough has been under tremendous pressure all year thanks to a porous offensive line and the absence of a competent running game. Despite this, Shough has been productive on a fairly consistent basis and particularly clutch in critical situations. Dealing with an injured non-throwing hand, Shough has shown both poise and accuracy from the pocket and the ability to escape the rush to make plays with his legs or deliver with pinpoint precision on the move.
Shough's favorite target is wideout Chris Olave, who is well on his way to the best numbers of his five-year career. Olave has caught 56 of his 83 targets for 734 yards and two touchdowns. Those impressive numbers are only part of the story. Olave's route precision and ability to quickly diagnose coverages allow consistent production in spite of heavy defensive attention.
Wideout Devaughn Vele has been a terrific complement to Olave, particularly on third downs or key situations. Vele has 35 receptions for 365 yards and three scores, with 19 of his catches resulting in a first down. Shough's trust in Vele is clear, with the receiver often converting with acrobatic catches in traffic. Tight end Juwan Johnson is another security blanket for Shough. Though he's cooled after a hot start, Johnson has 28 catches for 289 yards and a team-best four touchdowns while providing a huge matchup problem for most defenses.
New Orleans has young depth at wideout. Rookies Barion Brown and Bryce Lance have been involved and have flashed some playmaking skills, but not on a consistent enough basis. Rookie first-round pick Jordyn Tyson got his first NFL action against the Browns last week. Tyson immediately showed why he was a top-10 pick with impressive routes and athleticism. Look for him to be a bigger part of the offense with each week.
Alvin Kamara has not been productive as a runner, but still has lethal value as a pass catcher. The return of Travis Etienne (hamstring) from injured reserve will not only boost the running game, but also give Shough another legitimate receiving weapon out of the backfield. The Saints also have two good pass catchers at tight end to back up Johnson with Noah Fant and rookie Oscar Delp. Neither has been a big contributor as a pass catcher, combining for 16 catches and 116 yards. However, both have been used as extra pass protectors recently (as have the running backs) and each is a capable receiver at all three levels.
New Orleans pass protection got a huge boost with the return of left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. from injured reserve last week. Banks and left guard David Edwards make a formidable duo on that side, but there are major questions about the middle and right side of the Saints line. Center Erik McCoy also sustained a biceps injury in that same game and will be sidelined for a minimum of a few weeks. At least initially, right guard Cesar Ruiz will slide into McCoy's spot at center, with either William Sherman or rookie Jeremiah Wright stepping in at guard. Right tackle Taliese Fuaga (knee) will also be sidelined against Carolina, with his spot taken by either Asim Richards or rookie Mason Murphy. This is typically the spot where Derrick Brown lines up, so certainly an area of concern for New Orleans on Sunday.
Tyler Shough notched his first career victory against Carolina by throwing for 282 yards and two scores in a 2025 Week 10 matchup. Five weeks later, Shough tossed for 272 yards and a touchdown to complete the season sweep. In those two meetings, Shough has completed 72.9% of his throws for 554 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Chris Olave has also forged All-Pro numbers against the Panthers. In eight career games against Carolina, Olave has 38 receptions for 534 yards and four scores with two 100-yard games and two more outings of over 80 yards.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints passing attack has advantage in matchup versus Panthers
