Panthers face beatable Saints Team
by Sharon Thorsland
The Panthers return to division play Sunday, hosting the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America stadium. Both of these teams are struggling – the Panthers have lost five straight, while the Saints have dropped six in a row after opening the season with a pair of impressive wins, including one over the Panthers. So what’s gone wrong in New Orleans? Much like the Panthers, the Saints have had injuries to key players, including quarterback Derek Carr, star receiver Rashid Shaheed, and multiple players on defense. But they are expected to get Carr back this week, which should settle down an offense that still has plenty of weapons. Standout receiver Chris Olave is back from a concussion, so is tight end Taysom Hill, who missed five games with a rib injury. And of course, there’s All-Pro running back Alvin Kamara. The dual threat is producing most of the Saints offense, he’s got 505 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and has 307 receiving yards with another score. Kamara will be a challenge for this Panthers defense that ranks dead last in the NFL allowing over 154 rushing yards per game. “Alvin is a big part of their offense,” said Panther cornerback Jaycee Horn. “He’s got the most receptions on their team and is their leading rusher. We’ve got to be ready.”
The Saints defense has been decimated by injuries, an d as a result they rank last in the league allowing nearly 393 yards per game. Both starting cornerbacks are out, as leading tackler Paulson Adebo is on IR and All-Pro Marshon Lattimore is dealing with a hamstring injury. Starting safety Will Harris is also on IR, and all three starting linebackers have missed time this season. They’re all healthy again, and the Saints also have veteran safety Tyrann Mathieu and star defensive ends Cam Jordan and Chase Young. “Their d-line is one of the best in the league,” said Panther center Brady Christensen. “ It’s been like that for years and years and years. They’re a very big, very physical d-line, and they bring a lot at you. The linebackers are very good pass rushers as well, so we’ve got to be on our a-game.”
For the second straight week it will be Bryce Young leading the offense as quarterback Andy Dalton continues to deal with a sprained thumb. Can he lead them to their first division win?