Intriguing Game– NFL, Week Two
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers
Saints: They really shocked me in week one. I didn’t see that coming at all! Look at all the storylines that surrounded them entering week one. Their first game was moved to Jacksonville due to Hurricane Ida and it was the first game of the post Drew Brees era. What was in store? This was Jameis Winston’s first start since the 2019 season and how would the Saints look without Drew moving forward? Sunday was one of their best displays of football in recent memory. So, how exactly did they do it? For years, I’ve always said football is won in the trenches and they did just that. The Saints dominated up front on both sides of the football. Their offensive line paved paths for the running backs and for Taysom Hill when he was on the field and they kept Jameis on his feet throughout the game. When your offensive line is doing its job, it allows your offense to basically do what they want. On the defensive side, they put continuous amounts of pressure on Aaron Rodgers and made him look lost. If we’re being realistic, the Saints defense deserves a ton of credit. They didn’t blitz much which is a good thing and the secondary which was thin recorded two takeaways and kept those Green Bay weapons in front of them. When you make an MVP quarterback look awful, you get love from me. They’ll face a divisional opponent on Sunday.
Panthers: If we’re being honest, they haven’t done much of anything since 2015 when they last won the NFC South, had the best regular season record and made it to the Super Bowl where they fell short to the Denver Broncos. This is now year two under Matt Rhule who came over from the college ranks at Baylor. In week one, the major storyline was Sam Darnold facing his former team. You can’t sit here and tell me that kid didn’t have an enormous chip on his shoulder. He had the chance to get revenge on the team who traded him away. The other storyline was Christian McCaffrey returning after an injury-riddled 2020. What I took away from the week one victory was their active defense. They bullied Zach Wilson and never let their foot off the gas pedal. They also forced an interception and a fumble. Also, Sam was better than his counterpart. In the off-season, I remember saying the Panthers could help Sam’s career. He’s in a completely better system in Charlotte than he was in each year he was with the Jets. There’s a top five running back he can depend on when healthy and he has previous chemistry with Robby Anderson back to their days with the Jets. Having CMC back also makes a difference because of the ability to impact the game as a runner and a receiver. The Panthers are back home on Sunday for an early season divisional tilt.
Saints X-Factor: Demario Davis– He’s such an underrated middle linebacker. I love the leader he’s become for this Saints defense. Demario is as complete of a defensive player as they come. He can defend the run well, defend the pass and get after the quarterback. Also, he’s the quarterback of the defense because he calls all the plays. He’s become one of the top linebackers in the league.
Panthers X-Factor: Brian Burns– I remember watching him closely while he was at Florida State. His speed stands out. Brian is a smart player who’s never fooled. I’ve seen RPO’s attempt to be ran around him and he just sheds the blocks to ruin the entire play. He’s violent when he gets to the quarterback and he lets his presence be known.
Final Thoughts: This was a game that stood out to me! The Saints dominated their last game in every phase from offense to defense. Carolina quietly got after the rookie quarterback to set the tone. Two of the best running backs in the league are featured in this one. Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey. Carolina needs to get Jameis off his spot. The same effort you showed against Zach, turn that up a bit. Watch the Saints mix it up offensively again. Some plays for Alvin, play action, find your receivers down the field and repeat. Divisional showdowns are always fun to watch.
Prediction: Saints 29 Panthers 21
