Saints vs. Panthers: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread, Radio, Game Time and More

Both the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers are coming off losses and will desperately try to avoid dropping to 0-2.

The Saints were the victims of a dazzling debut from Robert Griffin III, as the Washington Redskins upset the reigning NFC South champions. The Panthers faced high expectations as Cam Newton headed into his second season, but the offense stalled and the team lost 16-10 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The teams will be looking to fix errors in a hurry before they take the field against each other.

Here is everything you need to know about the game.

Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.

When: Sunday, September 16, 1 p.m. ET

Watch: FOX

Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket, NFL Audio Pass

Listen: WWL 870 AM, Sirius 86 (New Orleans), 1110 AM WBT, Sirius 92 (Carolina)

Spread: New Orleans -3 (according to Sports Book)

Saints Injuries (via ESPN, as of Sep. 12)

CB Jabari Greer, Questionable, Groin

WR Adrian Arrington, Probable, Knee

LB Jonathan Vilma, Out, Knee

Carolina Panthers (via ESPN, as of Sep. 12)

RB Jonathan Stewart, Questionable, Ankle

What’s At Stake 

New Orleans did little to prove that the bounty suspensions will not hurt them, and they were upset in Week 1. A second loss to a team they would almost certainly beat if Sean Payton were on the sidelines could push the Saints into panic.

For the Panthers, the offense must get rolling in this game. Putting up 10 points against a Buccaneers defense that was awful a season ago was a terrible way to start the season, and they must right the ship.

Fantasy Impact

Drew Brees had three touchdown passes, while Jimmy Graham and Darren Sproles both found the end zone. Even with a poor performance in real football, the Saints’ fantasy stars performed just fine. 

The Panthers, however, finished the game with 10 total rushing yards. It was an abysmal day on the ground, and Cam Newton and DeAngelo Williams must turn in a better performance, or fantasy owners will start to lose faith.

Saints Player to Watch: Drew Brees, Quarterback

The Saints success hinges on Brees’ arm. This has been the case every season, but this year, the team will rely on his leadership even more due to the adversity it faced in the offseason.

2012 is off to a rocky start for New Orleans, and it will take a gutsy performance from Brees to keep his team together when mistakes occur. He will need to be spectacular all season for the Saints to finish with a winning record.

Panthers Player to Watch: Cam Newton, Quarterback

Newton is one of the NFL’s most exciting players due to his physical skills. He has an incredibly powerful arm and is not afraid to take risks down the field.

At 6’5” and 245 pounds, Newton is nearly impossible to tackle. In addition to being an elusive runner, he is one of the few quarterbacks capable of running right through linebackers. Seeing a QB truck a defender is always entertaining.

What They’re Saying

ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas provided statistical evidence that the Saints’ offense has lacked the explosiveness that had characterized it in the past.

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When it comes to yards after the catch (YAC), that’s an area where the New Orleans Saints have thrived throughout the Drew Brees era. 

But they’re not off to a good start in that department this season. In the opener against Washington, only 25.4 percent of New Orleans’ passing yards came after the catch. That ranks No. 31 in the league. The Saints averaged only 3.6 yards after the catch per reception. 

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Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer also shared statistics, but his numbers showed how surprising and awful the Panthers’ running game was in Week 1. 

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In Sunday’s 16-10 loss to Tampa Bay, many of the Panthers’ offensive players looked like they’d spent too much time lounging around the pool during their week in Florida.

The Panthers mustered 10 rushing yards—a franchise low and 140 fewer than their average in 2011, when they had the NFL’s third-best rushing attack. They were stymied by a Bucs defense that was the league’s worst against the run last season, allowing 156.1 rushing yards a game

 

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Key Matchup: Panthers Running Game Against Saints Front Seven

If Carolina fails to run the ball effectively again this week, it will be catastrophic for the team. A poor performance on the ground will lead to short drives, and it will put Drew Brees on the field for a significant portion of the game.

If the Saints’ offense is constantly getting the ball back after three-and-outs, it will put up an eye-popping amount of points against nearly any defense.

Cam Newton and DeAngelo Williams must find holes and grind out tough yardage against a Saints defense that allowed 153 rushing yards to the Redskins in Week 1.

Prediction: Saints 37, Panthers 28 

The New Orleans offense will get off to a hot start and Cam Newton will get back on track, providing plenty of scoring. Ultimately, Brees gets the last laugh and builds up a big enough lead to bury Carolina.