New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers: Report-Card Grades for New Orleans
The New Orleans Saints went on the road Thursday night and made a strong statement with a 28-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
With the win, New Orleans (4-4) jumped into the driver's seat in the NFC South, as the Saints turned in a solid all-around performance to earn their first road victory of the season.
The Saints' triumph also snapped a seven-game road losing streak that stretched back to November 2013.
For the second straight game, Saints running back Mark Ingram tallied 100 yards rushing, as he pounded the Carolina defensive front throughout the game.
Despite two early turnovers, Saints quarterback Drew Brees was solid once again, carving up the Panthers secondary in the second half.
With the New Orleans offense balancing the run with the pass and having success with both, the Panthers would need a stellar performance from quarterback Cam Newtown, but they didn't get it.
Newton was chased and harassed all night by Saints pass-rushers, and his strong-armed throws often sailed on him against the Saints' tight man coverage.
After the two teams went scoreless for over a quarter-and-a-half, New Orleans finally got on the scoreboard when Ingram plunged in from three yards out. The play was set up by Saints linebacker Junior Galette's hit on Newton, which jarred the ball loose and allowed the Saints to recover in excellent position to score.
New Orleans' second touchdown came just before the half. Brees worked the two-minute drill to perfection and found tight end Jimmy Graham for a one-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 halftime lead.
The Panthers marched for a touchdown to start the second half, but the Saints answered with a scoring drive of their own to keep Carolina at bay.
Although they did manage a field goal, the Panthers weren't much of a threat from that point on, and New Orleans added another score after a seven-minute march in the fourth quarter.
Continue reading for full report-card grades for the Saints following their Week 9 victory.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Brees came out looking sharp on the Saints' first possession, but the drive ended when Panthers' cornerback Antoine Cason deflected a pass intended for Kenny Stills, and the ball floated right into the arms of Carolina defensive tackle Dwan Edwards.
On the Saints' next possession, Brees fumbled after being hit by Panthers end Charles Johnson, and the loose ball was quickly scooped up by Carolina.
After that, things were all good for the perennial Pro Bowler, as he spread the ball around to eight different receivers while shredding the Carolina defense for nearly 300 passing yards.
Brees was decisive, accurate and confident throughout the contest, although the Saints didn't have the points to show for it until the late second and early third quarters. That's when New Orleans put up touchdowns on three consecutive drives, thanks in large part to Brees' efficiency in the passing game.
Grade: B
Running Back
2 of 10
Mark Ingram again turned in an eye-opening performance on the ground, as the fifth-year back carried 30 times for 100 yards and two scores.
New Orleans turned to Ingram early and often, and with Pierre Thomas again out with an injury, the Saints lined up frequently in the I formation and hammered away at the A- and B-gaps.
Ingram's consistency between the tackles helped open things up for Brees and the passing game, and New Orleans' balanced offense tallied 27 first downs on the night.
Travaris Cadet, while not much of a running threat, did haul in three passes for 29 yards, including a 20-yard gain off a screen pass.
Fullback Erik Lorig didn't get any carries this week, but he put in a full day's work as Ingram's lead blocker. He did, however, allow Charles Johnson to get to Brees on the quarterback's first-quarter fumble, and Ingram missed on at least one block in pass protection, as well.
Overall, it was a solid night for the New Orleans running backs, and that usually equates to a win.
Grade: B
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Jimmy Graham was the primary weapon in the Saints' aerial assault Thursday night, and the Panthers didn't have an answer for him. He grabbed seven receptions for 83 yards, and he brought in a one-yard touchdown pass in tight coverage with just 0:03 left in the first half.
Kenny Stills was also heavily involved in the passing game, and a couple of his five catches kept the chains moving for the Saints. He did, however, get outmuscled by defenders on a few pass attempts and wasn't able to come up with the catch.
After a stellar outing last Sunday, Brandin Cooks had a somewhat quiet night with three catches for 38 yards, but he again proved his worth as a blocker.
Marques Colston, meanwhile, had another respectable outing, and his first-quarter reception from Brees could easily be used as a demonstrational video on the back-shoulder throw.
The Saints receivers were solid Thursday night and proved that when they're all healthy, they're an extremely tough group to slow down.
Grade: B-
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
The New Orleans offensive line was exceptionally good in last Sunday's win over the Green Bay Packers, but the unit went up against a more resilient defensive front in the form of the Panthers, and the yardage didn't come nearly as easily.
Nevertheless, Jahri Evans, Ben Grubbs and Co. ground out yards, and while they lost some battles, they gave Ingram some running lanes on a consistent basis. In doing so, they helped the Saints achieve true balance in the offensive attack, which hasn't been the case too often in recent years.
Brees was routinely pressured throughout the game, however, and was sacked four times.
The offensive line is capable of better play in both the passing and running games, but against Carolina, the group did what it needed to do.
Grade: B-
Defensive Line
5 of 10
The New Orleans defensive line was stellar on Thursday night, and the group often had its way with Carolina's injury-riddled offensive line.
Cam Jordan recorded a sack for the second straight game, and fellow end Akiem Hicks got his first sack of the season. Hicks was highly active all game and made some excellent stops, including an impressive tackle for loss in the second quarter, when he chased down running back Jonathan Stewart after pursuing him down the line of scrimmage.
Granted, the Carolina offensive front had its moments in the game, and it took control in spurts, but the Saints were simply too good up front to be had all game.
The New Orleans defensive front was the dominant group many had envisioned at the start of the season, and the unit won the line of the scrimmage far more often than not on Thursday.
Grade: A-
Linebacker
6 of 10
Junior Galette made a huge impact from his outside linebacker spot, as he rang up two sacks while relentlessly pressuring Newton. He did revert to his old habit of shooting too far to the inside when defending the read-option, thus making Newton's decision an easy one on a big first-down run. On the whole, however, it was another solid night for Galette, who's hitting his stride as a pass-rusher.
On the inside, Curtis Lofton had a productive night, as he totaled seven tackles and helped corral the Carolina running backs for most of the contest. The veteran is having a fine season in 2014, and his leadership on the defensive side is invaluable.
Ramon Humber filled in for the injured David Hawthorne at the other inside 'backer spot, and the drop-off was noticeable as he was late filling gaps on a couple of occasions.
Parys Haralson didn't register many statistics from his position on the outside, but he played with passion and intensity for most of the game.
Grade: B
Secondary
7 of 10
To put things in simple terms, Keenan Lewis put on a clinic Thursday night.
His coverage on Panthers wideout Kelvin Benjamin was masterful, as he locked up in shadow coverage with the hulking rookie and stayed with him, step-for-step, on nearly every play. Lewis' performance was perhaps the finest by a Saints defensive back this season, and for that, he deserves recognition.
Corey White wasn't too shabby either, and he picked off a pass for the second straight game while applying reliable coverage against Jerricho Cotchery.
Patrick Robinson also had a quality outing, as did safety Rafael Bush, who led all Saints tacklers with eight and was also solid in coverage.
Kenny Vaccaro unleashed some big hits in the secondary, although he was a bit quiet in the playmaking department.
Carolina did collect some big yards on a screen to DeAngelo Williams and a seam route to Cotchery, but by game's end, Newton had only reached a total of 151 passing yards.
Grade: A
Special Teams
8 of 10
After last week's barrage of field goals, extra points and onside kicks, the special teams in this one were largely uneventful.
New Orleans kicker Shayne Graham nailed all of his extra points, while punter Thomas Morstead tallied four punts for a 46.8-yard average. Morstead's pooch that landed inside the 10 helped set up Galette's forced fumble on Newton near the goal line late in the second quarter, and the Saints subsequently scored their first touchdown.
In the return game, the Saints once again couldn't get Cooks off and running on punt returns, but some credit is due to the Panthers' punt coverage unit for that.
New Orleans didn't run back any kickoffs, but aggressive Panthers return men Brenton Bersin and Joe Webb ran back four kickoffs for a 22.3-yard average.
Grade: B
Coaching
9 of 10
For the second time in five days, Sean Payton called an exceptional game.
The Saints' pass-happy coach and offensive extraordinaire did something many Saints fans never thought they'd see him do: He called more runs than passes.
Payton opted to utilize Ingram and the strong running game to set up the pass against the Panthers, and the strategy seemed to have a crippling effect on the Panthers defense. The Saints' balanced offense didn't take off quite as quickly as the pass-heavy version did, but the eventual toll that was levied on the Carolina defense was backbreaking.
Corralling Ingram while slowing down Brees was too lofty a task for Ron Rivera's defense, and this became more evident as the game wore on.
There was also Payton's decision to go for it on fourth down inside the 1-yard line, as his gutsy call helped put the Saints up by 14 just after a long Carolina touchdown drive.
On the other side, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan allowed Lewis to shadow Benjamin, while Galette, Jordan and Co. were responsible for containing Newton.
Newton ripped off some runs, but it became apparent that if the Panthers were to get their offense revved up, he would have to make some pinpoint throws downfield. This never happened, of course, and the Saints allowed just 10 points on the road in a decisive victory.
Grade: A
Final Grade
10 of 10
The New Orleans Saints silenced many critics who questioned their ability to go on the road and win, and they did it in impressive fashion Thursday night.
With a balanced offense and a stingy defense, New Orleans seized the top spot in the NFC South, and they also bumped their record up to .500 for the first time this season.
Winning on the road is rarely an easy task in the NFL, but the Saints made it look that way with their methodical takedown of their divisional rival.
Final Grade: B+
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