Carolina Panthers vs

New Orleans Saints Prediction

Carolina Panthers vs New Orleans Saints Prediction

One of the more intriguing matchups of the upcoming week will take place on Sunday, October 25th, when the Carolina Panthers go on the road to take on the New Orleans Saints. This game will be played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. New Orleans’ mayor LaToya Cantrall has restricted large gatherings in the city, so this NFC South battle will happen without fans. The Saints had been exploring the possibility of playing games in Baton Rouge’s Tiger Stadium which would allow them to fill the stands to 25% capacity. However, the Saints will remain in New Orleans for Week 7. New Orleans is currently a 7.5-point home favorite and the total is set at 51 points. For more information on this game, please read our full New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers prediction below.

New Orleans Saints Preview

The New Orleans Saints have a straight-up record of 3-2 through 5 games of the 2020 season. They are a ½-game behind the 4-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the lead in the NFC South. After starting the year 1-2, the Saints are riding a two game winning streak. High-scoring wins against the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers put them over .500 for the year. Having had a bye in the previous week, New Orleans should be relatively healthy and well-rested for this game. The Saints are 2-3 ATS and Overs are 5-0 in New Orleans’ games. New Orleans is the only team that has been involved in 5 Overs and 0 Unders this season. Offensively, the Saints haven’t been quite as explosive as they have been in years past. New Orleans ranks just 14th in yards per play this season. However, they’ve been able to keep drives alive by converting 3rd downs. New Orleans ranks 4th in 3rd down conversion percentage, earning a 1st down on 48.5% of their 3rd down attempts. The Saints also do a great job of taking care of the football. New Orleans ranks 7th in offensive turnover percentage, giving the ball away on just 7.4% of their drives. With their high 3rd down conversion rate and low turnover rate, the Saints scoring offense of 30.6 points per game ranks 5th in the NFL. On defense, New Orleans is hampered by poor play on key downs. The Saints rank 9th in yards per play allowed (5.2 ypp), but 24th in scoring defense (30.0 ppg). New Orleans gives up 1st downs on 48.6% of their opponents’ 3rd down attempts, ranking 26th in 3rd down defense. They are 31st in defensive red zone touchdown percentage, giving up touchdowns on 85.0% of their opponents’ red zone trips. New Orleans has potential on defense but they often come up small in crucial situations. Continue reading our Carolina Panthers vs. New Orleans Saints prediction for a preview of the Panthers.

Carolina Panthers Preview

The Carolina Panthers have been somewhat of a surprise in 2020. Last year, Carolina’s season flamed out in an embarrassing manner. After going 5-3 through 8 games, the Panthers lost each of their final 8 games. Head Coach Ron Rivera was fired after Week 14 and the Panthers organization went into rebuilding mode. They hired Coach Matt Rhule from Baylor to take over as head coach and hired LSU Passing Game Coordinator Joe Brady to be the offensive coordinator. These moves, along with the signing of QB Teddy Bridgewater, have proven quite successful for Carolina. Through 6 games, the Panthers have a 3-3 SU and ATS record. Carolina was listed as an underdog in each of their first 5 games before last week’s loss to Chicago as a 2 point favorite. The Panthers’ first 2 games went over the betting total, but each of their last 4 games have gone under. The Carolina Panthers average 23.0 points per game on offense. They rank 11th in yards per play, averaging 6.0 yards per snap. Carolina lost star RB Christian McCaffrey early in the season, but that hasn’t prevented them from moving the ball. An argument could be made McCaffery’s absence could be felt most in the red zone. Carolina ranks 28th in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage, scoring on just 47.8% of their red zone trips. Defensively, the Panthers are near the middle-of-the-pack. They rank 13th in scoring defense, giving up 23.5 points per game. The Panthers rank 14th in yards per play allowed. However, Carolina has a huge weakness on 3rd down. The Panthers give up conversions on 50.7% of their opponents’ 3rd down attempts (29th in the NFL).

Full Game Prediction

For New Orleans to win this game, they must continue to excel on 3rd down. Among quarterbacks with at least 96 plays, Saints QB Drew Brees ranks last in the NFL in terms of air yards. The Saints’ passing game does not push the ball down the field. They rely on short passes and timing routes. That means New Orleans must sustain long drives. Their strong 3rd down play has allowed them to do that in a sufficient way. It’s necessary for them to do that against Carolina, especially when considering how poor Carolina’s 3rd down defense is. For Carolina, it is important that the Panthers cash in on red zone opportunities. The Bridgewater-led offense has been able to move the ball with ease between the 20s. However, they often stall in the red zone. New Orleans’ defensive woes in the red zone have been on display all season, so failure on Carolina’s part to take advantage of that would be a very bad sign. Subscribe to BetQL to get our model’s New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers prediction and see all the data we have on this game.