Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints Week 1 Preview: Best Bet, Odds, and Prediction
Saints Look to Dominate at Home as Panthers Face Tough Week 1 Test
Kate Constable - Aug 29, 2024, 9:18am EDT
Week 1 Matchup Preview: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints
Date: September 8, 2024, 1:00 PM ET
Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
BetMGM Odds: Saints -200, Saints -4, O/U 40.5
The NFL season begins with a divisional clash as the Carolina Panthers visit the New Orleans Saints in a Week 1 matchup at Caesars Superdome. The Saints, looking to leverage their home-field advantage, are favored with BetMGM setting the odds at -200 and a spread of -4. The Panthers, aiming to make an early impact in the NFC South, will face a tough challenge on the road. With the over/under set at 40.5, this game is projected to be a low-scoring, hard-fought battle. In this article, we’ll explore the best bets, odds, and predictions for this exciting Week 1 showdown.
My Best Bet: Panthers +4
Bryce Young had a terrible rookie season last year, throwing just 11 touchdown passes, which tied for the fewest of any quarterback with at least 500 attempts in NFL history. As the No. 1 overall pick, he wasn’t brought into the best situation, but that should begin to turn around with first-year head coach Dave Canales taking over.
The Panthers made a few moves in the offseason that should contribute to more success on the offensive end. They bolstered the interior by signing veteran guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, who are expected to be significant upgrades for a line that struggled with pass protection. Carolina also traded for former Steelers WR Dionte Johnson who’s known for his ability to create separation and will be a top target for Young, alongside rookie receiver Xavier Legette.
Canales is an offensive-minded head coach and has a reputation for resurrecting quarterback's careers. He did so with Geno Smith while in Seattle and with Baker Mayfield last season in Tampa Bay. With all the positive changes that Carolina underwent this offseason, I like the Panthers to cover +4 against the Saints.
New Orleans has the more talented roster, but I don’t believe in Dennis Allen or Derek Carr. The Saints went 9-8 in 2023 but were just 6-10-1 ATS. For Carr to have success, he needs to be behind a dominant offensive line and he doesn’t have that this season. New Orleans lost starting guard Andrus Peat and top backup tackle James Hurst. All-Pro right tackle Ryan Ramcyzk will also miss the entire season due to lingering knee issues. Sure, the Saints defense should be a top-10 unit once again, but with Carr expected to struggle, I don’t see them covering many games again this year.
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