Panthers vs. Saints 2013, Week 14: New Orleans coasts in battle of top NFC South teams

Update (1:58 p.m.): It is believed that Stewart suffered a torn MCL on Sunday, according to a report from Adam Schefter.

Stewart did not see a lot of time before being injured in the third quarter. Stewart only had one carry and one reception for a combined 32 yards before getting knocked out of bounds on the hit which felled him.

This season, Brees has continued his march toward the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former Purdue Boilermaker has thrown for 4.107 yards and 33 touchdowns against only eight interceptions. With three games left in the campaign, Brees could reach 5,000 yards for the third consecutive year and fourth time in his career.

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New Orleans fell behind 6-0 then scored 31 unanswered points. Drew Brees led the way for the Saints, throwing for 313 yards and four touchdowns. Marques Colston was the main target throughout the night, catching nine balls for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Jimmy Graham also had a pair of touchdowns, hauling in six passes for 58 yards.

Over at Canal Street Chronicles, Jon Oliver wrote about Brees and the road ahead for the Saints:

Brees was clean for much of the night. Carolina’s vaunted defensive line wasn’t a factor, managing to sack the Saints quarterback once. A lack of pressure was a huge problem throughout the game; it exposed the Panthers’ weaknesses in its secondary and put pressure on a group of players that have hit their ceiling based on talent. Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden dubbed them “The Legion of Whom,” but the unit deserved no nickname on Sunday night.

Defensive problems bled into the Panthers offense, shut down by aggressive Rob Ryan defensive scheming. A suspect offensive line offered no protection for Cam Newton, who was pressured almost every passing snap and was sacked five times. Newton finished with 160 yards passing, and while he didn’t turn the ball over it was a terrible game.

Sunday Night Football was touted as one of the top games in Week 14 and so far it’s been a one-sided affair. Carolina got the early lead, but it’s been all New Orleans in the second quarter, with the Saints scoring three straight touchdowns and carrying a 21-6 lead into the half.

Carolina is under pressure following the break to adjust and bounce back, while New Orleans simply needs to keep it up. A shootout isn’t something the Panthers can hang in, especially without their pass rush stepping up. There’s a feeling this could get out of hand quickly.

He is Kraken, and he went to Hogwarts, best known as the alma mater of Harry Potter. Thoughts:

a) Isn’t Hardy breaking several of the international rules of wizardry by telling people on national TV that he went to Hogwarts? Don’t they go to great effort in the book series to ensure that no non-Wizards ever hear about Hogwarts, like, by making it invisible to outsiders and making you go through a wall in a train station to even get there?

Saints’ Passing Offense DVOA: 39% (3rd in the league)

Panthers’ Passing Defense DVOA: -14% (3rd)

Game Date/Time and Location: Sunday, Dec. 8, 8:30 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.

TV schedule and distribution map: NBC; The506.com

On the other sideline, no team is hotter than the Panthers. Head coach Ron Rivera has his team rolling with eight straight victories behind the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL. Carolina is one of the surprise teams this season and could move into the No. 2 seed with a win over the Saints.

Cam Newton is still the focal point of the offense, presenting a dual threat every time he touches the football. Newton has thrown for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns, albeit accompanied by 11 interceptions and 31 sacks. However, Newton has already run for 447 yards and a half-dozen touchdowns.

It’s a decidedly different affair over at CBS. Picks are split down the middle, with picks-leader Will Brinson favoring New Orleans. If the Panthers win it will be because of its defensive line. Shaking Drew Brees isn’t easy, but if Carolina’s pass rush can win the battle up front there’s a chance.

Our own panel of experts here at SB Nation believe in one of the league’s best home teams. The Saints are almost unstoppable at home, resulting in a clean sweep of six experts all siding with New Orleans.

For more details on this game, head over to OddsShark.

• Complete NFL Week 14 coverage | Live scores

The Carolina Panthers visit the New Orleans Saints Sunday night as the hottest team in football, owning an 8-0 SU and 7-1 ATS record over their last eight games.

Carolina’s hot streak has stemmed in large part from the team’s fantastic play on defense. The Panthers rank best in the league in scoring defense allowing just 13.1 points per game and second to only the Seattle Seahawks in total yardage allowed surrendering 289.8 yards per game.

The Panthers are currently riding an eight-game winning streak and could take the outright lead in the NFC South with a win over the Saints this Sunday, who they are tied for atop the division with a 9-3 record.

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