Will The Saints End Their 3-Game Losing Streak on Sunday?
The Panthers vs Saints Lines Still Have Saints Favored With QB Derek Carr Questionable
The Carolina Panthers have already been eliminated from the playoffs. At 1-11 on the season, the Panthers have had back-to-back horrible seasons.
The Panthers drafted Bryce Young with the first overall selection in last year’s NFL draft. However, to get that No. 1 selection last year, the Panthers traded the Bears a haul that included this year’s first-round pick.
While the Panthers will finish as one of the worst teams in the NFL this season, they won’t be using that No. 1 pick. It’s Chicago’s pick this year.
That said, the Panthers need to figure things out with the NFL players in-house. They’ll take on a New Orleans Saints team that has lost three straight games to fall to 5-7 on the season.
Derek Carr is currently in concussion protocol. Therefore, the Saints could turn to Jameis Winston as the quarterback in this game.
The Saints are still -4.5, with the total at 37.5. Oddsmakers don’t expect much scoring but still believe the Saints will have enough to escape the Panthers at home.
Let’s talk about the Panthers vs Saints lines for the Week 14 matchup.
Carolina Panthers vs New Orleans Saints 
Day/Time:
Location: Caesars Superdome
Streaming: FOX
Panthers vs Saints Lines & Trends
The Panthers are 1-11 on the season and are currently 2-8-2 against the spread, but it just won its most recent NFL matchup against the Buccaneers despite losing 21-18.
The Panthers were 3.5-point underdogs.
Meanwhile, the total has hit the Under in eight of 12 games, and the Panthers have gone 0-7 on the road this year. They’ll be on the road against the Saints on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Saints are 5-7 on the season but only 2-9-1 against the spread. The Saints have been much worse than oddsmakers projected this season. However, the total has also hit the Under in eight of 12 games this season for the Saints.
The Panthers and Saints last played on September 18. The Saints earned a 20-17 win as a three-point favorite. Meanwhile, the total was at 40 for that game. The Under hit after only 37 points were scored.
Carolina’s Hunger Games Culture
The Carolina Panthers fired Frank Reich a couple of weeks ago in his first season as head coach for this NFL team.
Reich will go down as one of the quickest fires in NFL history.
He coached the Panthers to just one win and led a dysfunctional organization.
The Athletic reported that owner David Tepper would get texts from staffers behind Reich’s back about issues inside the organization.
Tepper hasn’t been a great owner, either. He’s said to be one of the more hands-on owners in the sport. There’s a reason why the Panthers continually struggle to find success under Tepper.
Derek Carr Isn’t Loved In New Orleans
The Saints haven’t played well offensively this season. Part of the problem has been Derek Carr, who was supposed to be the next star quarterback for the Saints.
Instead, through 12 games, Carr has 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. Bryce Young has almost the same amount of touchdown passes as Carr.
It’s just unacceptable for a veteran quarterback with Carr’s talent to struggle to find the endzone with players like Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara on the field.
Meanwhile, WR Michael Thomas has voiced his displeasure with Carr. He’s currently on the IR with another injury but hasn’t shied away from social media about Carr.
Thomas and many Saints fans are excited for Jameis Winston to get a real opportunity on Sunday. It seems likely that Winston will start with Carr in concussion protocol.
We’ll see how this goes.
Is Winston The Answer?
Jameis Winston has played in five games this season. He’s thrown 47 passes and has completed 25 of them. He’s also thrown two touchdowns and three interceptions but has only been sacked twice.
Winston’s numbers certainly don’t pop out next to Carr’s stats. But sometimes, a change of pace and a little personnel change can go a long way.
New Orleans has scored 21.42 points per game. That’s not where the Saints expected to be at the beginning of the season. The Saints have still added 243.25 yards in the air and 105.08 yards on the ground. But the touchdowns and execution are lacking around the red zone.
Luckily, the Saints will take on a Panthers defense that has given up over 26 points per game. Carolina has only allowed 180.83 yards in the air and another 125.17 yards on the ground. It hasn’t been awful this season.
But what has stood out the most is the missed tackles by Carolina. The Panthers have performed well in the passing game and even have a reliable pass rush that can get through against the Saints’ pass protection.
On the other hand, the Panthers have added under 16 points per game. The offense hasn’t been consistent under Bryce Young. However, in Young’s defense, he’s had multiple coaches game-planning as offensive coordinator since he got into the NFL.
He needs consistency. Once he gets that consistency and better players, Young will improve, too.
You won’t find the Panthers listed in the NFL Super Bowl odds. However, the Saints are also a long shot at this point. The NFC South playoff picture is a race between the Falcons, Buccaneers, and the Saints. However, the Saints have the lowest chance of making the playoffs between those two other teams.
Divisional games on the NFL schedule will amp up football fans. After looking at the Panthers vs Saints lines, we’ll take the Under 37.5 (-110).
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