Carolina will play host to the New Orleans Saints for a Week 2 matchup at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers are coming off a season opening victory against the New York Jets by a score of 19-14. It marked the first Week 1 win for Carolina since 2018. Carolina has not started a season 2-0 since 2017. New Orleans won its Week 1 matchup with the Green Bay Packers in a home game played in Jacksonville, Fla. The Saints defeated the Packers 38-3.
This week will mark the first NFC South divisional matchup for either team. The clubs will meet again in Week 17 at New Orleans. The Saints have won each of the last four games
between the divisional foes.
The Numbers
About the Panthers
- QB Sam Darnold made his Carolina debut and recorded 279 passing yards and 1 touchdown, while completing 24-of-35 attempts. His 279 passing yards were the 7th most in a single game in his career. Darnold added one rushing touchdown on a five-yard score before the end of the first half, marking his sixth-career rushing touchdown.
- RB Christian McCaffrey returned to the lineup for the first time since Week 9 of 2020. He racked up 187 yards from scrimmage (98 rushing, 89 receiving) and led the team with 9 receptions. His performance Sunday marked the seventh game in his career with 75+ rushing yards and 75+ receiving yards, the third most such performances by any player in the Super Bowl era (Marshall Faulk 11, Priest Holmes 9).
- Carolina’s defense tallied 6 sacks against the Jets for a combined loss of 51 yards. 51 sack yards is tied for the ninth-most sack yards in a single-game in franchise history and the most since Week 14 of the 2015 season (59 vs.Atlanta, 12/13/2015).
- Six different Panthers players (OLB Haason Reddick – 1.5 sacks; DT Derrick Brown – 1.0 sack; DE Brian Burns – 1.0 sack; DE Marquis Haynes – 1.0 sack; LB Shaq Thompson – 1.0 sack; DT Daviyon Nixon – 0.5 sack) contributed to the team’s sack total. The defense added 8 passes defensed and allowed just 2.65 yards per rush.
- LB Shaq Thompson recorded 10 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 INT, 1 TFL, 1 QBH and 3 passes defensed against New York. Thompson recorded an interception off of Jets QB Zach Wilson in the second quarter, marking his second-career interception. Thompson tipped the Wilson throw with one hand before securing the interception and returning the ball 29 yards to New York’s 32-yard line.
- WR Robby Anderson scored his 10th career touchdown of 40+ yards, ripping off a 57-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter. His 10 receiving touchdowns of 40 or more yards ranks in the top five in the NFL since entering the league in 2016.
About the Saints
- New Orleans comes off a dominating 38-3 win over the 2020 NFC Championship finalist Packers in a contest originally scheduled to be played in New Orleans but relocated to Jacksonville due to the recovery process for the Gulf South from Ida. The 35-point loss was the largest deficit of Aaron Rodgers’ career as a starting quarterback.
- In win featured a performance on offense by quarterback Jameis Winston, making his Saints starting debut, an offensive line that did not give up a sack despite the early loss of center Erik McCoy which necessitated two position shuffles and a running attack that finished with
171 yards rushing against what was the NFL’s ninth-ranked defense in 2020. The seven-year veteran was efficient, posting a 130.8 passer rating, completing 14 of 20 passes for 148 yards, but showing a penchant for big plays with a career-high tying five touchdowns and zero interceptions.
- Running back Alvin Kamara served as a workhorse for a New Orleans offense that won the time of possession battle 34:36-25:24, as he carried 20 times for 83 yards and caught three passes for eight yards with the Saints’ first touchdown, continuing to move up the club’s rushing, receiving and scoring charts.
- The Saints’ defense held the Packers scoreless until the final play of the third quarter and Green Bay mustered only 229 total net yards, including only 43 on the ground on 15 attempts (2.9 avg.). Rookie CB Paulson Adebo and S Marcus Williams recorded picks. Defensive ends Marcus Davenport and Tonah Kpassagnon led the New Orleans pass rush with sacks.
Panthers vs Saints
- Regular Season Series: 53 total matchups | New Orleans leads the series 28-25
- Last Regular Season Game: 1/3/21 | New Orleans Saints 33 @ Carolina Panthers 7
- Current Streak: New Orleans has won the last four matchups
- Series Record At This Week’s Venue: New Orleans leads series in Charlotte 14-12
- Saints’ Largest Margin of Victory: 32 points, Saints won 42-10, 12/28/19 at Bank of America Stadium
- Panthers’ Largest Margin of Victory: 32 points, Panthers won 45-13, 1/2/00 at Ericsson Stadium
- Saints’ Longest Win Streak: Five games, 10/15/00-11/10/02
- Panthers’ Longest Win Streak: Four games (twice), 12/18/05-10/7/07 (most recent) and 12/29/02-12/5/04
- Most Points by Saints in a Game: 45 points, Saints won 45-17, 1/1/12 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome
- Most Points by Panthers in a Game: 45 points, Panthers won 45-13, 1/2/00 at Ericsson Stadium
- Most Combined Points (Both Teams): 82 points, Panthers won 44-38, 12/30/12 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome
- Fewest Points by Saints in a Game: Zero points, Panthers won 13-0, 10/19/97 at Superdome
- Fewest Points by Panthers in a Game: Three points, Saints won 34-3, 11/7/10 at Bank of America Stadium
- Fewest Combined Points (Both Teams): 13 points, Panthers won 13-0, 10/19/97 at Superdome
Connections
- Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson is a native of Metairie, La. and played three years at LSU from 2015-17.
- Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. is a native of Bossier City, La. and played three
seasons at LSU from 2018-20.
- Saints defensive tackle Albert Huggins played his collegiate years at Clemson from 2015-18.
- Saints offensive line James Hurst spent his collegiate years at North Carolina from 2010-13.
- Saints defensive tackle Shy Tuttle is a native of Welcome, NC and attended North Davidson High School.
- Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady served as an offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints from 2017-18. Brady also served as the passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach for national champion Louisiana State in 2019.
How to Watch
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET FOX: Chris Myers (play-by-play), Daryl Johnston (color analyst) and Jennifer Hale (sideline)
Live Stream: Panthers.com
Radio: WBT-AM 1110 AM in Charlotte market; On The Call: Mick Mixon, Jake Delhomme, Jim Szoke, Kristen Balboni