New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) carries against Carolina Panthers safety Jordan Fuller (20) during an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Gerald Herbert
The New Orleans Saints (1-8) take on the Carolina Panthers (5-4) Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. Here are the predictions from our staff.
**Jeff Duncan (Season record: 6-3)**
**Panthers 24, Saints 19:** There was a time not long ago when this was free square on the Saints' schedule. Those days are long gone. The Saints' chances of scoring the upset and ending their four-game losing streak hinge on their defense's ability to stop Carolina's running game and Tyler Shough's ability to convert in the red zone. I like the Saints to keep it close but winning on the road is a lot to ask for the rookie QB.
**Zach Ewing (Season record: 6-3)**
**Saints 23, Panthers 19:** Carolina is 5-4 and New Orleans 1-8, but the reality is that this is still the type of the team the Saints can beat on the right day. Tyler Shough showed promising signs in his debut, and it feels like the Saints are due a couple of breaks (a fumble or a tipped-ball interception) that haven't been bouncing their way in recent weeks.
**Luke Johnson (Season record: 7-2)**
**Panthers 21, Saints 18:** While I think there's an opportunity for this to be the best game we've seen yet from rookie Tyler Shough, I don't like the matchup between a Jekyll and Hyde Saints run defense against the Panthers' Rico Dowdle, who has rushed for 652 yards in his last five games.
**Matthew Paras (Season record: 6-3)**
**Panthers 21, Saints 18:** Can it still be the Cottonelle Doo-Doo Bowl if one team is now over .500? For those who don't recall, former Saints defensive tackle Khalen Saunders tweeted that unofficial nickname for this matchup when New Orleans had lost to the Panthers last year. This year won't necessitate a coaching change like the last one did, but I still see the Saints on the losing end. The surprising 5-4 Panthers are playing too well at the moment, and the Saints will likely struggle with running back Rico Dowdle.
**Rod Walker (Season record: 7-2)**
**Panthers 24, Saints 17:** Carolina hasn't been above .500 this late in a season since 2019. They have won four of their last five games, including last week's win over the Packers at Lambeau Field. They are trending up while the Saints are trending down. I'll give the edge to the Panthers at home against a team that traded one of its best weapons (Rashid Shaheed) and a starting lineman (Trevor Penning) this week.