Carolina Panthers (3-3 3-3 ATS) at New Orleans Saints (3-2 2-3 ATS)
The Panthers had their three-game win streak snapped in their last game and are on the road in the Big Easy in a tough NFC South matchup against a rested Saints’ team that is coming off a bye week. The Saints are a 7 -point betting favorites in this division showdown with a total sitting at 49.5.
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Carolina is coming off a 23-16 loss to the Chicago Bears in their last game, which dropped them to .500 on the season. The team has been legit on offense, for the most part, but they still only rank 23rd in the league in ppg.
The Saints have won two in a row since losing two straight and while their D has not been great in the last two games they did total 65 points in the wins.
The Panthers rank higher in rushing and passing yards per game but, again, rank 23rd in the league in PPG while the Saints rank fifth. New Orleans’ defense has been the main issue this season giving up 30 ppg.
Last season the Saints beat the Panthers in both games.
Not only are the Panthers 4-1`ATS in their last 5 games facing the Saints but 15-5 ATS in their last 20 games facing them in New Orleans.
Not Clutch
The Panthers had their three-game win streak snapped in their last game where they outgained the Bears (303 yards to 261 yards) and stuffed the run (63 yards),but were only 3/13 on third-down conversions and committed three turnovers.
Teddy Bridgewater accounted for two of the three turnovers with two picks and did not have any TD. In his previous two games, he had four TD and one INT. he has a pretty good WR with the likes of Robbie Anderson, who has the second-most receiving yards in the league, and DJ Moore but he has to avoid the pick.
The Panthers are .500 even though Christian McCaffrey has been out for most of the season with an injury. He will not play in this game and backup Miles Davis had two pretty solid games out of the backfield before only rushing for 52 yards on a paltry 2.9 per yard average in the loss to Chicago.
Old Man Delivers
In the Saints last game they beat the L.A. Chargers 30-27 in OT where Drew Brees came up big. He did have a pick and only had one TD but passed for 325 yards and led the Saints to the game-tying TD drive late in regulation and then on the game-winning drive in OT.
Star WR Michael Thomas was suspended for the Chargers game and while questionable he should go in this game. Emmanuel Sanders has 215 receiving yards in his last two games and looks like the newcomer is getting used to Brees and the New Orleans offense.
Alvin Kamara only rushed for 45 yards against the Chargers but averaged 4.1 yards per carry and also had 74 receiving yards.
The Panthers’ defense has had issues against the run this season and their pass rush has been weak with only five sacks in six games. If they cannot play well facing Brees and Kamara they will be in for a long game.
Prediction
The Panthers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games following a loss. However, the Saints are only 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games and failed to cover in the OT win over the Chargers.
I have to go with the Saints in this one, as while the Panthers are a feel-good story so far they are minus their best player and on the road. Look for Brees and Kamara to light up the Carolina defense and the Saints will get the home W and cover the spread.
PICK: Saints -7