Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints: Game Preview

by Dave Cariello on Sep 29, 2010 12:00 PM CDT

Official NFL Release

CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-3) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-1)

SERIES

	PANTHERS	SAINTS
SERIES LEADER	17-13
STREAKS	7 of past 9
COACHES VS. OPP.	Fox: 11-5	Payton: 2-6
LAST WEEK	L 20-7 vs. Bengals	L 27-24 vs. Falcons (OT)
LAST GAME	1/3/10: Saints 10 at Panthers 23. Carolina RB Jonathan Stewart rushes for 125 yards, including 62-yard TD, as Panthers defeat New Orleans.
LAST GAME AT SITE	11/8/09: Saints 30, Panthers 20. New Orleans DE Anthony Hargrove returns Carolina fumble for TD with 2 minutes remaining as Saints score final 10 points en route to victory.
BROADCAST	FOX (12:00 PM CT): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 129 (Car.), 127 (NO). XM: 104 (Car.).

STATS

PASSING	Clausen (R): 23-48-247-0-2-46.1	Brees: 85-112-856 (3C)-6 (T1C)-2-107.6 (3C)
RUSHING	D. Williams: 43-180-4.2-0	P. Thomas: 46-147-3.2-1
RECEIVING	Smith: 11-163-14.8-2 (T3C)	P. Thomas (RB): 17-133-7.8-0
OFFENSE	260.7	331.0
TAKE/GIVE	-6	+3
DEFENSE	318.0	362.3
SACKS	Connor, C. Johnson: 1	Ellis: 2
INTs	Godfrey: 3 (1L)	3 tied: 1
PUNTING	Baker: 43.0	Morstead: 45.7
KICKING	Kasay: 12 (3/3 PAT; 3/3 FG)	Hartley: 19 (7/7 PAT; 4/7 FG)

NOTES

PANTHERS: Rookie QB JIMMY CLAUSEN (2nd round) made 1st career start last week & passed for 188 yards...RB DE ANGELO WILLIAMS aims for 3rd 100-yard game in row vs. NO. In past 2 meetings, has rushed for 327 yards (163.5 per game) & 2 TDs. Ranks 2nd in NFC with 2,812 rush yards since start of 2008. RB JONATHAN STEWART has rush TD in 3 of 4 career meetings. In last game vs. NO, rushed for 125 yards & TD...WR STEVE SMITH has 8 TDs (7 rec., 1 rush) in past 9 meetings. Has 15 catches for 320 yards (106.7 per game) & TD in past 3 vs. Saints. Since start of 2005, Smith is 1 of 5 players with 6,000+ rec. yards & leads those 5 with 14.7 yards per catch avg. Has 8 rec. TDs in past 10 games...Defense aims for 6th in row vs. NO QB Brees with INT. Panthers have 6 INTs in past 5 vs. Brees. CB CHRIS GAMBLE ranks 2nd in team history with 24 INTs. Had 41-yard INT in last game at NO. S CHARLES GODFREY leads NFL with career-high 3 INTs. DE TYLER BRAYTON had sack & FF in last game at NO...

SAINTS: QB DREW BREEShas 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. Since 2008, Brees is 15-5 (.750) at home (incl. playoffs), completing 490 of 697 (70.3 pct.) for 6,162 yards (308.1 per game) with 53 TDs vs. 11 INTs for 116.3 rating...RB PIERRE THOMAS had 81 scrimmage yards (50 rush, 31 rec.) & rush TD in last meeting. Has 13 TDs (9 rush, 4 rec.) in past 13 at home (incl. playoffs)...WR-PR LANCE MOORE had 6 catches for 149 yards & 2 TDs last week & added 72-yard PR. WR MARQUES COLSTON had career-long 86-yard TD vs. Car. (10/1/06). Had 5 catches for 132 yards (26.4 avg.) in that game. WR ROBERT MEACHEM had 5 catches for 98 yards & TD (54 yards) in last home meeting...In past 2 vs. Panthers, DE ANTHONY HARGROVE has 2 FR (1 FR-TD), sack & FF. Scored only TD of career in 11/8/09 meeting. DE WILL SMITH had 2 sacks & FF in last home game vs. Car. Had sack last week. LB JONATHAN VILMA has INT in 2 of past 4 vs. division.

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Comments

Ol' Payton

doesn’t fair too well against the Panthers.

"Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." --Mike Tyson

by vicvega26 on Sep 29, 2010 12:03 PM CDT reply actions

Of course not!

They run the ball all of the time!

by nolanative on Sep 29, 2010 12:22 PM CDT up reply actions

That's what scares me

Don’t let the 0-3 record fool you. If they’re successful with the run, we may be in trouble. If we stay ahead of them and force them in passing situations, we should be fine.

Teams with bad records seems to give us problems.

by Jricky70 on Sep 29, 2010 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions

Don’t let the 0-3 record fool you.

Oh, I’m not fooled. I’m not fooled at all. Steep decline. Death spiral, as in the death of John Fox’s career. And the GM’s, whatever his name is. Right, a wounded animal is dangerous. But I expect the Saints to just, you know, shoot it in the head.

jeffduncantp . Uh, no. I'm a journalist. Are you just realizing that? @yelpinwienerdog: are you even a saints fan?

by stujo4 on Sep 29, 2010 4:40 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Do not falter! Crush what resistance remains!

jeffduncantp . Uh, no. I'm a journalist. Are you just realizing that? @yelpinwienerdog: are you even a saints fan?

by stujo4 on Sep 29, 2010 4:43 PM CDT up reply actions

Take it to ’em! Make every bullet count!

jeffduncantp . Uh, no. I'm a journalist. Are you just realizing that? @yelpinwienerdog: are you even a saints fan?

by stujo4 on Sep 29, 2010 4:45 PM CDT up reply actions

Rec'd!

Play hard and score on every drive.

by Jricky70 on Sep 29, 2010 4:57 PM CDT up reply actions

keep in mind

those 6 losses include two meaningless week 17 games in which many/most of the starters didn’t suit up. It’s three if you count 2008 – the starters played, but they seemed more interested in getting as many passing yards for Brees as possible.

by HB-NOLA on Sep 29, 2010 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions

“S CHARLES GODFREY leads NFL with career-high 3 INTs.”

That’s a guy I was really hoping the Saints would draft a couple of years back.

"I was not on the boat in question" -Darren Sharper

by coldpizza on Sep 29, 2010 1:19 PM CDT reply actions

wohoo!! Saints are on regular TV here in Dallas!!

Want to go to the Saints vs. Cowboys game? I've got an extra ticket.

by Dan Kelly on Sep 29, 2010 2:32 PM CDT reply actions

Even when they are on regular TV

I still go to BWW in Bedford. It’s just so much fun being in that atmosphere.

"Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." --Mike Tyson

by vicvega26 on Sep 29, 2010 6:17 PM CDT up reply actions

I’m still considering it… I’d be good to get out.

SarahT goes there too… not sure about this week though.

How early do you get there?

Want to go to the Saints vs. Cowboys game? I've got an extra ticket.

by Dan Kelly on Sep 30, 2010 2:09 PM CDT up reply actions

I wish

I could say I get there at 1030 because apparently that’s when you need to get there to get a table. I’m usually get there around 1145 for noon games. After Saturday nights I don’t usually get home until about 4:30am so getting up and being there at 1030 is rough. So I’m usually standing for most of the game until someone leaves and I jump on their table. It probably won’t be as crowded this week though considering people can stay home and watch.

"Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." --Mike Tyson

by vicvega26 on Sep 30, 2010 6:06 PM CDT up reply actions