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Panthers at Saints: Game preview, odds, prediction

By John Buhler

Dec 6, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) throws the ball against the New Orleans Saints in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Panthers won 41-38. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) throws the ball against the New Orleans Saints in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Panthers won 41-38. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New Orleans Saints will host the Carolina Panthers in Week 6. Here is a game preview, the betting odds, and a prediction of the final score.

Week 6 will feature a must-win game between NFC South rivals. The New Orleans Saints (1-3) will host the Carolina Panthers (1-4) in one of the weaker matchups on the Sunday slate.

New Orleans is coming off its Week 5 bye. The Saints started the year out 0-3 but knocked off the dysfunctional San Diego Chargers in Week 4 to get their first win of the season. New Orleans still has Drew Brees at quarterback. Putting up points hasn’t been an issue for the Saints, but giving them up in bunches has been for much of the last decade.

Carolina has had a dreadful start to its 2016 NFL season. The Panthers have lost games to the Denver Broncos, the Minnesota Vikings, the Atlanta Falcons, and now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their only win on the season was against the lowly San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 at home. This is not the same team that went 15-1 en route to Super Bowl 50 just a year ago.

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According to OddsShark.com, the Saints will be given three points at home as an underdog to the Panthers. The associated money lines are Carolina -179 and New Orleans +149. The over/under comes in at a combined 53 points.

Odds

Point Spread: New Orleans +3

Moneyline: Carolina -179, New Orleans +149

Over/Under: 53

New Orleans is 4-2 against the spread in its last six games, but 1-5 straight up in its last six home games. Carolina is 1-5 against the spread and straight up in its last six games. The Panthers have gone 0-5 against the spread in their last five games away from Charlotte.

With neither defense playing well, it might be a wise decision to go with the over in this one. As for the point spread, this should be a one-possession game of great desperation for both teams. The Saints are getting three points at home coming off a bye so that’s not a bad play.

The Panthers did get back quarterback Cam Newton and running back Jonathan Stewart in practice this week. Newton didn’t play in Week 5’s loss to the Buccaneers from a concussion suffered in Week 4 to the Falcons in Atlanta. Stewart hasn’t played since the first half of Week 2’s win over the 49ers.

If both star offensive players for the Panthers can go, Carolina is probably going to end up winning the game. However, Brees is more than capable of leading a comeback in the Saints’ shootout-or-bust offense.

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Both secondaries in this game are terrible, but the Panthers at least have a strong front seven. Neither kicker is a world beater so this Week 6 rivalry game should be tight, but Carolina has the better of the two rosters. The Panthers win, but the Saints cover the three-point spread.

Pick: Panthers 28, Saints 27

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