4 bold Carolina Panthers predictions vs. the Saints in Week 9
By Luke Gray
Carolina Panthers secure a two-touchdown win
In a league where close games that come down to the wire are considered the norm, the Carolina Panthers seem to have made a conscious effort to buck that trend this season.
All eight contests throughout the 2024 campaign to date this season have been decided by more than one score. The smallest margin was the 10-point loss at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Sportsbooks across the country expect this trend to continue as the New Orleans Saints are 7.5-point favorites on the road. This is a damning indictment of the Carolina Panthers' current stats despite so much hope among fans during the summer.
More than a touchdown underdog at home against a team that is currently on a six-game losing streak after starting the season 2-0 is embarrassing. It should also add more fuel to Carolina's fire against a division rival.
Dave Canales has built his coaching career on a happy-go-lucky positive persona. However, the head coach needs to show a little more fighting spirit in preparing his team for an important divisional matchup.
The reaction of star cornerback Jaycee Horn to the tactics of Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton in Week 8 shows there are still some of general manager Dan Morgan's so-called “dawgs’ in the locker room, even if they are in the minority. It's about time the Panthers showed some heart and stopped accepting their fate as a perennial bottom-feeder in league circles.
The Panthers head to the Allianz Arena in Germany for a Week 10 matchup against the New York Giants before their long-awaited bye. Embarking on an international game with a division win under their belt will do wonders for a head coach looking for any positives in what is already turning into a tough first season in charge.
It won't be easy and it could go the other way, but don't count the Panthers out entirely.
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