The article was written by Clark Gerber, a contributor for WRAL Sports.

Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
The event is happening on Sunday, December 10th at 1:00 PM EST on FOX.

In his first game as interim head coach of the Panthers, Chris Tabor has discovered the key to success when playing away games in the NFL.

Tabor stated, “The key to winning on the road is not actually a big secret. It’s all about having a strong team.”

Our goal is to prepare our team.

Carolina is approaching the last game of their current three-game away series. The team will attempt to defeat the New Orleans Saints at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.

The Panthers displayed a respectable performance in their initial encounter with the Saints (during Week 2) and also in their recent game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, the issue in both of their 3-point defeats was their difficulty in passing the ball effectively.

This season, quarterback Bryce Young has averaged 159 passing yards against divisional opponents, but has not been able to surpass 200 yards in the last five games.

The rookie has had a challenging experience so far, but he states that he is focusing on himself to regain equilibrium and handle challenges.

According to Young, it is important to maintain consistency in your actions and not solely focus on achieving specific results. While acknowledging that the business is ultimately driven by results, it is essential to not let them dictate your approach. Despite facing uncontrollable circumstances or negative outcomes, it is crucial to maintain the same level of effort, concern, and focus.

A potential solution to help Young and the passing game improve towards the end of the season is the rise of fellow first-year player Jonathan Mingo.

The wide receiver from Ole Miss who was drafted in the second round had his best performance as a professional player (six receptions for 69 yards against the Buccaneers). He attributes his recent improvement to his enhanced physical fitness.

Mingo stated that he now prioritizes taking care of his body. He felt that during college, his academic responsibilities hindered his ability to do so. However, now that he is no longer playing football, he has more time to focus on his physical well-being.

The Panthers will face a mystery Saints quarterback on Sunday.

Derek Carr, the usual starting player, is currently undergoing concussion protocol for the second time in a month. However, he was able to participate in practice in a limited manner.

If he is unable to attend, Jameis Winston, with a record of 5-7 against the Panthers, will take the position of quarterback for New Orleans.

According to Tabor, it’s important to be ready for both of them. These are two experienced players who have won many football games and have played in numerous important games. They have the ability to go on hot streaks at any moment.

Strategies for the match: Panthers vs. Saints

1. Pressure the Quarterback: The Carolina defense recorded four sacks, matching their season-high, in the Week 2 game against the Saints. It will be crucial for them to replicate this performance on Sunday, whether it is Derek Carr or Jameis Winston starting for their opponent.

2. Locate Taysom Hill: While Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave are well-known players, it was actually Taysom Hill who dominated the Panthers in their previous game. Hill was the top rusher for New Orleans with 75 yards on only nine carries, making crucial first downs. Carolina must constantly monitor Hill’s positioning before the snap and aim to restrict him to 50 yards in this rematch.

Chuba Hubbard is poised to have a strong performance against the Saints, who have consistently given up over 113 rushing yards in their past seven games. With 104 yards in his previous game, Hubbard has solidified his position as the primary running back for the Panthers. In order for Carolina to reach a total of 150 rushing yards as a team, they will rely on another 100-yard game from Hubbard.

Numbers to know

The Panthers and Saints have a closely matched history in their all-time series. In the regular season, New Orleans holds a slight lead of 29 wins to 28 for Carolina, with a tied record of 14 wins each at the Superdome.

The Panthers’ defense has only allowed an average of 6.6 yards per pass attempt so far this season, ranking them seventh in the NFL.

The Saints have limited opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 77.2 and have recorded 14 interceptions so far this season, placing them second in the league in both categories.

In the past two weeks, Mingo has been the leading receiver for the team, making 10 catches for 129 yards out of 16 targets. In comparison, Adam Thielen has only managed four catches for 27 yards on nine targets during the same period.

Kamara has the highest average of catches, targets, and receiving yards among all NFL running backs at 6.7 catches, 7.7 targets, and 45.9 receiving yards per game.

Source: wralsportsfan.com