Saints @ Panthers: Game Preview

by Dave Cariello on Dec 30, 2009 6:00 AM CST

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (13-2) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (7-8)

SERIES

	SAINTS	PANTHERS
SERIES LEADER		16-13
STREAKS	3 of past 5 on road	6 of past 8
COACHES VS. OPP.	Payton: 2-5	Fox: 10-5
LAST WEEK	L 20-17 (OT) vs. Buccaneers	W 41-9 at Giants
LAST GAME	11/8/09: Panthers 20 at Saints 30. New Orleans overcomes 17-3 deficit to improve to 8-0, best start in franchise history. Saints QB Drew Brees throws for 330 yards & TD.
LAST GAME AT SITE	10/19/08: Panthers 30, Saints 7. Carolina QB Jake Delhomme throws for 195 yards & 2 TDs, including 39-yarder to WR Steve Smith, who finishes game with 122 yards.
BROADCAST	FOX (1:00 PM ET): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick. SIRIUS: 126 (NO), 152 (Car). XM: 103 (NO).

STATS

PASSING	Brees: 363-514-4,388 (1C)-34 (1L)-11-109.6 (1L)	M. Moore: 71-115-891-7-2-98.9
RUSHING	P. Thomas: 147-793-5.4-6	D. Williams: 216-1,117-5.2-7
RECEIVING	Colston: 69-1,071-15.5-9	Muhammad: 46-496-10.8-1
OFFENSE	416.5 (1L)	331.3
TAKE/GIVE	+14 (3L)	+3
DEFENSE	359.8	322.7
SACKS	Smith: 13 (2C)	Peppers: 10.5
INTs	Sharper: 9 (T1L)	Gamble, Marshall: 4
PUNTING	Morstead (R): 43.1	Baker: 44.3
KICKING	Hartley: 33 (9/10 PAT; 8/10 FG)	Kasay: 86 (29/30 PAT; 19/24 FG)

NOTES

SAINTS: Lead NFL with 500 points ...QB DREW BREES has 4,388 yards & needs 12 to become 1st QB in NFL history with 4 consecutive 4,400-yard seasons. Has completed 54 of 84 (64.3 pct.) for 716 yards with 5 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 101.1 rating in past 2 meetings. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Car. with 330+ yards...RB PIERRE THOMAS had rush TD in last meeting. RB REGGIE BUSH had 7 receptions in last meeting. Needs 95 rush yards & 66 rec. yards to reach 2,000 career in each category...WR MARQUES COLSTON has 11 rec. TDs in past 12 Dec. games. Has 3 TDs vs. Car., incl. career-long 86-yarder (10/1/06). WR ROBERT MEACHEM aims for 3rd in row vs. Car. with TD. Had 30-yard TD last week. WR DEVERY HENDERSON avgs. 27.1 yards per catch (15 catches, 407 yards) in past 6 meetings & 14 of 15 receptions have gone for 1st down (93.3 pct.)...LB JONATHAN VILMA has 25 tackles in past 2 meetings. DE WILL SMITH has 10.5 sacks in past 9. Had 2 sacks & FF in last meeting. S DARREN SHARPER has 9 INTs for NFL-record 376 yards. DE ANTHONY HARGROVE had 2 FRs (FR-TD) & FF in last meeting...

PANTHERS: QB MATT MOORE has 6 TDs, 0 INTs & 133.4 rating in past 2 starts & club is 2-0. Aims for 3rd in row with 3+ TDs, 0 INTs & 120+ rating...RB DE ANGELO WILLIAMS has rushed for 327 yards (163.5 per game) & 2 TDs in past 2 meetings. Has 937 rush yards (133.9 per game) & 8 TDs in past 7 vs. division. RB JONATHAN STEWART rushed for franchise-record 206 yards & TD last week. Has 326 rush yards in 1st 2 career starts, 2nd most since 1970. When he has 15+ att., has rushed for 1,180 yards (98.3 per game) & club is 12-0. Williams (1,117) & Stewart (1,008) are 5th RB duo in NFL history to each rush for 1,000 yards...WR MUHSIN MUHAMMAD had 22-yard TD last week...DE JULIUS PEPPERS has 10.5 sacks, his 6th 10+ sack season. S CHRIS HARRIS had INT last week & aims for 6th in row with INT or FF. CB CHRIS GAMBLE had INT in last meeting. LB JON BEASON had sack & FF last week. Has team-high 134 tackles, 3rd 100+ tackle season in row.