Written by Gianna Forbis, a contributor for WRAL Sports.

Carolina Panthers	6
New Orleans Saints	28
Final

The NFC South is currently in a three-way tie, with the New Orleans Saints securing their spot alongside the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a record of 6-7. This was achieved by defeating the eliminated Carolina Panthers today with a score of 28 to 6.

Carr increases the Bar’s level.

Derek Carr’s status for today’s game against the Panthers was questionable, but less than a day later, his rib, right shoulder, and concussion appeared to be a thing of the past.

Carr began with a slow and steady march towards victory, but his performance in the second half transformed him into a dominant force in long passes and scoring drives.

He successfully connected on 18 out of 26 passes, accumulating 119 yards, scoring 2 touchdowns, and throwing 1 interception.

How do Derek Carr and Bryce Young differ today? The answer is that they are both making plays and throwing the ball.

Carr’s scoring plays revolved around:

Running back Alvin Kamara had 12 rushing attempts, gaining 56 yards and scoring 1 touchdown.

Chris Olave had 4 catches for 28 yards and scored a touchdown.

Jimmy Graham caught 2 passes for a total of 16 yards and scored 1 touchdown.

Young Struggles

More difficult. Superior. Quicker. More powerful. This is the narrative desired by supporters of the Panthers, and necessary for rookie QB Bryce Young.

The 1-12 Panthers have been facing persistent challenges on offense. These include issues with miscommunication, missed catches, and overthrown passes. As a result, Bryce Young has had to adapt to running the ball.

Young had a 13 out of 34 completion rate, gaining 137 yards and scoring 0 touchdowns. The first half was difficult, as Saints LB Pete Werner sacked and forced a fumble from Carr, giving the Saints a good opportunity to score.

Unwavering Defensive and Special Teams

The defense of the Panthers seemed to possess all four qualities in the first half, but as Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams had success with their rushing game, their fatigue became apparent.

Carolina’s defensive tackle, Derrick Brown, made a superb play by swatting down and intercepting Derek Carr’s pass. This gave the team a great opportunity to score before halftime, but they were ultimately unable to take advantage of it.

D’Marco Jackson’s touchdown from a forced fumble added to the Saints’ lead and made it more challenging for the Panthers offense, including their special teams.

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The Saints’ kicker, Blake Grupe, missed a field goal, giving the Panthers a favorable opportunity to begin the first quarter. However, they were unable to capitalize and had another unsuccessful drive, continuing the trend for Carolina.

Pounding Panthers

There were two clear frontrunners today despite the defeat against the Saints in Carolina.

Chuba Hubbard continues to be a leading running back with almost 100 yards today and 23 carries. However, a 43 yard run by running back Miles Sanders really set Bryce Young up for greatness on the one-yard line.

Nonetheless, the Saints’ defense effectively restrained Young and generated significant pressure in the pocket.

Adam Thielen remains effective with his out-route, while Bryce Young discovered a way to outmaneuver the Saints’ defense.

Thielen caught 5 passes for a total of 74 yards during today’s game, but did not score any touchdowns.

Up Next

The Carolina Panthers will finally return to their home field after a stretch of three away games. They will face the Atlanta Falcons in a divisional game on December 17th at 1:00 p.m.

The match is scheduled to take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Scoring Summaries:

In the fourth quarter, the Saints scored two touchdowns – a 7-yard reception by Chris Olave (with a successful kick by B. Grupe) at 5:59 and a 4-yard reception by TE Jimmy Graham (also with a successful kick by B. Grupe) at 4:29. The Panthers attempted a 42-yard field goal but E. Pineiro missed, leaving the score at Saints 28, Panthers 6.

In the third quarter, the Panthers scored a 29-yard field goal by E. Pineiro at the 4:57 mark. The Saints were leading 14-6.

In the second quarter, the Saints’ running back Alvin Kamara scored a 9-yard touchdown by rushing (kicked by B. Grupe) at 14:55. Later, D’Marco Jackson returned a blocked punt for a touchdown (kicked by B. Grupe) at 4:37. The Panthers also scored with a 47-yard field goal made by E. Pineiro at 9:16. The score at this point was Saints 14, Panthers 3.

Quarter 1: Panthers 0, Saints 0.

Preview:

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

Tabor explained that the key to winning on the road is not actually a big secret. The key is to have a strong team.

Our goal is to prepare our team for the task at hand.

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

In their initial matchup with the Saints during Week 2, the Panthers displayed a commendable performance. Similarly, in their recent game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they put up a good fight. However, the consistent issue in both of their 3-point defeats was their struggle with passing the ball effectively.

Bryce Young, the quarterback, has an average of 159 passing yards against teams in his division this year. He has not been able to surpass 200 yards in any of the past five games.

The newcomer has faced challenges, but he is focusing on self-reflection to find his footing and handle difficulties.

According to Young, it is important to maintain consistency in your actions and not solely focus on achieving specific outcomes. While acknowledging the nature of the business being results-driven, it is crucial to not let the results dictate your approach. There may be uncontrollable circumstances or periods of adversity, but it is essential to not decrease effort, concern, concentration, or dedication.

A potential solution for Young and the passing game to improve in the later part of the season may be 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 yet as a professional, with six receptions for 69 yards against the Buccaneers. He attributes his recent improvement to better physical fitness.

“I am now prioritizing my physical health,” Mingo stated. “During college, my classes and other obligations often interfered with my ability to take care of my body. But now, after football, I have more time to focus on my well-being.”

It is uncertain which Saints quarterback the Panthers will encounter 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 but with some limitations.

If he is unable to attend, Jameis Winston, who has a 5-7 record against the Panthers, will take over as the quarterback for New Orleans.

Tabor advised, “You must be ready for both opponents. These are experienced players who have achieved success and competed in high-stakes matches. They have the ability to perform exceptionally well at any given moment.”

Game Strategy: Panthers vs Saints

Carolina’s defense recorded four sacks, matching their season-high, in their Week 2 game against the Saints. Whether it’s an injured Carr or Winston starting on Sunday, the Panthers must replicate this performance to be successful.

2. Locate Taysom Hill: While Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave are well-known, it was Taysom Hill who made the biggest impact against the Panthers in their previous encounter. Hill recorded 75 rushing yards on only nine carries, resulting in crucial first downs for New Orleans. Carolina must constantly be mindful of Hill’s position before the play begins, and aim to limit his total yardage to 50 in their upcoming matchup.

3. Ride Chuba Hubbard: The Saints have allowed at least 113 rushing yards in each of their last seven games. Hubbard is coming off 104 yards last week and has taken the lead role in the Panthers backfield. Carolina needs another 100-yard game from Hubbard to help them reach 150 yards as a team on the ground.

Numbers to know

The overall record between the Panthers and Saints is nearly tied. In the regular season, New Orleans has a slight lead of 29 wins to Carolina’s 28, with both teams having won 14 games at the Superdome.

This season, the Panthers defense has only allowed an average of 6.6 yards per pass attempt, which ranks seventh among all teams in the NFL.

The Saints have limited opposing quarterbacks to a 77.2 passer rating and have made 14 interceptions so far this season, both of which rank second in the league.

In the past two weeks, Mingo has been the leading receiver for the team, making 10 catches for 129 yards on 16 targets. During that same time, Adam Thielen has only managed four catches for 27 yards on nine targets.

In NFL games, Kamara leads all running backs with an average of 6.7 catches, 7.7 targets, and 45.9 receiving yards per game.

Source: wralsportsfan.com