The Carolina Panthers (3-4-1) and New Orleans Saints (3-4) have combined for just six wins through the first eight weeks of the season, but the winner of Thursday night's matchup in Charlotte will move into first place in the NFC South. The Saints haven't won a regular-season game on the road in nearly a year (Nov. 21 last season) and the Panthers haven't won a game anywhere in more than three weeks, yet one of these two teams will be in the driver's seat in the divisional race after Thursday night's game. Such is life in arguably the worst division in football this season.
‘Thursday Night Football,’ Saints vs. Panthers 2014: NFC South foes collide in primetime
The Saints and Panthers clash on “Thursday Night Football” with first place in the NFC South on the line.
The Saints at least have some momentum heading into the prime-time game, having dismantled the Green Bay Packers last Sunday night at the Superdome. However, that impressive victory won't mean much if they can't follow it up with a win on the road against their rival. The Saints have yet to win back-to-back games this season and have been among the league's most disappointing teams so far. Predicted by many to make a deep playoff run, the Saints' only wins this season before beating Green Bay were against the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings, teams that are a combined 4-11 entering Week 9.
The Panthers were also pegged to be among the NFC elite, but instead are nearing train wreck status. Carolina has won just once since starting the season 2-0, and against the Seattle Seahawks this past Sunday failed to score a touchdown for the first time since Week 5 of 2013. The Panthers hope their offense improves with the return of running back DeAngelo Williams, who has played in just two games this season due to various injuries. Despite the limited workload, Williams is still the team's third-leading rusher with 106 yards on 25 attempts -- a stat that says more about the Panthers' meager rushing attack than Williams' production this season.
Digits
The Panthers failed to a score a touchdown in three red zone trips in their 13-9 loss to the Seahawks, a recurring theme for Carolina’s offense this season. The team has scored a touchdown on just 46.2 percent of its possessions inside the 20, ranking them 28th in the NFL. They have completely self-destructed near the goal line, with a league-leading 11 plays for negative yards in the red zone. The Panthers have also been one of the most predictable teams inside the 20, rushing on 59 percent of their red zone snaps (third in NFL), yet their 1.2 yards per rush inside the 20 is the lowest among all teams.
The Saints are coming off perhaps their most impressive performance of the season, a 44-23 thrashing of the Packers at the Superdome on Sunday night. Now they need to carry that confidence with them on the road, where they are 0-4 this season and have lost their last seven games dating back to last season, the longest active road losing streak in the league. If there is any optimism in that winless record it’s that three of the four road losses this season have come by three or fewer points. The Saints are the only team this season to lose three games by a field goal or less, regardless of location.
One of the key takeaways from Sunday's win over the Packers was the monster performance by running back Mark Ingram, who rushed for 172 yards on 24 carries, the most rushing yards by a Saints player since Deuce McCallister in 2003. Ingram now ranks first among running backs in yards per rush (5.7) and his four rushing touchdowns are tied for fifth-most in the league. Ingram's ability to attack the line of scrimmage has opened up the offense for Drew Brees, who is excelling on play-action this year. His passer rating of 139.4 after a run-fake leads all qualified quarterbacks, and only Philip Rivers (82.1) has a higher completion percentage on play-action than Brees (77.4). With Ingram grinding out yards on the ground and Brees airing it out downfield, the Saints should have the offensive balance needed to compete for a playoff spot this season.
Who to watch
Two of the best rookies in the league this season, wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Kelvin Benjamin, will share the prime-time spotlight on Thursday night. New Orleans traded a first- and third-round pick to Arizona to move up seven spots to get Cooks with the 20th pick, and the Panthers chose Benjamin at No. 28.
Both have been among the finest players in a star-studded first-year class. Cooks leads all rookies with 40 receptions; Benjamin is tied for the lead in touchdown catches (five) and ranks second in receiving yards (571).
Cooks has excellent hands, catching 40 of his 49 targets, the seventh-best rate in the NFL. He had a breakout game on Sunday against the Packers, with a career-high 94 yards on six catches. Cooks also is a threat to run some reverses, with 68 yards rushing on six carries this season.
Despite his size (6’5, 240 pounds), Benjamin is deceptively fast and has the ability to stretch the field. He ranks fourth among rookies and in the top 25 among all players with 15 yards per reception. And of course he can do this:
That highlight alone is reason enough to watch Benjamin when he’s on the field tonight.
The Venue
Bank of America Stadium, located in downtown Charlotte, opened in 1996 for the inaugural season of the Panthers. The 74,000-seat stadium is known for its unique architectural features, such as massive arches and towers at the entries. Fans are also greeted by a pair of 8-foot-tall black panthers perched on 10-foot pedestals, located on both sides of the arched entrances. The stadium recently underwent a $65 million renovation, which added new high-definition video boards and an enhanced sound system to the current infrastructure.
How to watch
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
When: 8:25 p.m. ET
TV: NFL Network
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson
Online streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile
Odds
The Panthers opened as 2.5-point favorites at home, but now the Saints are favored by 2.5 points, according to OddsShark.
Preliminary Judgment
The experts think this game should be as close as the Vegas odds imply. Four of the seven here at SB Nation are taking the home team, while six of the eight at CBS Sports have the Saints as road winners.
Further reading
For more on the Saints, check out Canal Street Chronicles. For additional coverage of the Panthers, head on over to Cat Scratch Reader.
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