Thursday Night Football Week 9: TV Schedule, Live Stream for Saints vs. Panthers

The path traveled may not be what most people had marked on the map, but the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers are headed into an NFC South first-place duel on the Week 9 edition of Thursday Night Football.

Drew Brees and the Saints enter after a critical win last week over the Green Bay Packers, but the season has been anything but pretty for the 3-4 team. The week before that was a loss to the Detroit Lions, and, despite offseason additions, the defense continues to be a serious issue.

Cam Newton's Panthers have been one of the worst teams in the NFL over the past three weeks, tying the Cincinnati Bengals, getting blown away by the Packers and losing late to the Seattle Seahawks last week.

So no, the buildup is not exactly appealing, but the implications and each team's downright dislike for the other make for a stellar prime-time matchup with plenty of star power to keep things interesting.

Game Information

When: Thursday, November 30, 8:25 p.m. ET

Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

Watch: NFL Network

Betting Info: (via Odds Shark)

• Over/Under: 49.5
• Spread: New Orleans (-3)

Storylines to Watch

Ground Wars 

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Last week is a great example of just how strange this season has been for the Saints. Not only did the team defeat its first opponent with a winning record, but it did so by way of 193 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Mark Ingram had 172 yards and one TD of his own.

As NFL.com's Chris Wesseling captures, Ingram is rushing at a league-best clip when healthy:

For the Panthers, owners of the league's No. 28 overall rush defense despite the presence of Luke Kuechly, that is worrisome. As if having to account for Drew Brees and a bevy of weapons is not enough, the Saints also have a talented running back who seems healthy.

The counter, of course, is a strong running game by Carolina. The Panthers have been unable to do anything of the sort this season from the running back position, thanks to injuries.

There is good news, though. Jonathan Stewart looked strong last week against an elite Seattle defense, gaining 79 yards on just 16 carries. Even better, starter DeAngelo Williams is expected back after a four-game absence.

"It'll be a nice boost," said coach Ron Rivera, per Stats LLC, via ESPN.com. "When he and Jonathan get rolling and doing the things they do that's a huge thing for us. That could be a nice shot in the arm."

The problem that awaits the pair of talented backs is twofold. For one, the Saints are a top-10 defense against the rush. Two is a tad more complicated and the biggest thing to watch Thursday night. 

Patchwork and Cam

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Newton was somewhat hobbled to start the season, and he is easily the most important player in Carolina, so it should go without saying that the team needs to protect him as much as possible.

ATT	YDS	AVG	TD
17	107	6.3	1
7	41	5.9	0
12	24	2.0	0

Instead, Newton's rushing attempts have skyrocketed over the course of the past three weeks, while the linemen around him have dropped like flies.

As Around The NFL points out, Newton is heading into a divisional clash on short notice down three important players in front of him:

The starting left tackle against a Saints pass rush that includes Cameron Jordan, among others? Undrafted rookie David Foucault out of the University of Montreal.

"It's going very fast for me," Foucault said, per ESPN.com's David Newton. "I'm very stressful a little bit. When I came here for my first day, they put me on the practice squad, and in two hours, they put me on the roster, and after two games, I was on the field."

If Newton is going to remain healthy, not to mention actually productive, a patchwork line will need to jell quickly and play at a high level beneath the microscope of a national audience.

Prediction

Were it not for a home-field advantage rivaled only by Seattle, the Saints would probably be winless right now, as the team has lost every single road game this season. 

That ends Thursday.

The Saints are on a roll. Regardless of whether it occurred on home turf, the oft-criticized defense picked off Aaron Rodgers twice in an upset of Green Bay. At the same time, Carolina was suffering a major setback just as things appeared to be turning around.

Speaking of turnarounds, a short one for teams that play on Thursday favors the team with momentum. Add the fact that returning starters need time to get their feet back under them and that the Panthers offensive line has been decimated with injuries, and it is quite clear the Saints will take control of the division.

Prediction: Saints 34, Panthers 24

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).