3 reasons the Carolina Panthers will win vs. the Saints in Week 2

Carolina Panthers defense will get pressure on Derek Carr frequently

With the Carolina Panthers having a new coordinator in Ejiro Evero, fans were able to get their first legitimate look at the defensive alignment and scheme against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1. Overall, they performed well and played decent enough to win the game. 

The Panthers' defense was able to sack quarterback Desmond Ridder four times.  With Brian Burns' contract situation up in the air, his performance was viewed under a microscope and he got off to a hot start on the season with two sacks on the day. 

Derrick Brown tallied his first sack on the season and he looked dominant.  Edge rusher opposite of Burns, Justin Houston did not record a sack in Week 1 but look for him to get more pressure on the quarterback in Week 2 versus the Saints as he’ll line up frequently against second-year left tackle Trevor Penning.

Penning struggled in his first career start last week against the Titans, giving up two sacks. The Saints' offensive line gave up four total sacks against the Tennessee Titans' defense in Week 1. 

Expect the Panthers to prioritize getting pressure on Derek Carr on Monday night. If they are in the backfield early and often, they’ll have a good chance to win the game.