Panthers look to slow down QB Derek Carr, who's expected to start after missing 3 games with injury

New Orleans (2-6) at Carolina (1-7)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.

BetMGM Odds: Saints by 7 1/2.

Against the spread: Saints 3-5, Panthers 1-7.

Series record: Saints lead 31-28.

Last meeting: Saints beat the Panthers 47-10 on Sept. 8, 2024, in New Orleans.

Last week: Saints lost to Chargers 26-8; Panthers lost to Broncos 28-14.

Saints offense: overall (21), rush (21), pass (19), scoring (17)

Saints defense: overall (13), rush (26), pass (t-8), scoring (26)

Panthers offense: overall (29), rush (25), pass (30), scoring (t-29)

Panthers defense: overall (32), rush (28), pass (28), scoring (25)

Turnover differential: Saints: plus-2; Panthers: minus-6.

Saints player to watch

QB Derek Carr. The Saints' ability to emerge from a recent slump could hinge on his performance. Before his Week 5 oblique injury, he completed 70.3% of his passes for 989 yards and eight TDs with four interceptions. In the three games he missed, the Saints have averaged scoring 15 points per game. Meanwhile, versatile RB Alvin Kamara has continued to be productive, with 812 yards and seven TDs from scrimmage.

Panthers players to watch

WR Xavier Legette. The Panthers traded No. 1 WR Diontae Johnson to the Ravens earlier in the week and will be more reliant on Legette, the team's first-round draft pick from South Carolina. Legette hauled in his third receiving touchdown of the season on the opening drive last week against Denver and finished the game with four receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown. Legette has three TDs in his past five games and ranks sixth among all NFL rookies with 22 receptions and ninth with 211 yards receiving.

Key matchup

Carr vs Panthers secondary. The veteran QB is expected to return this week for the first time since Week 5 looking to snap the Saints’ six-game losing streak. Carr was outstanding in New Orleans’ Week 1 win against Carolina, completing 19 of 23 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns as the Saints built a 30-0 first half lead and cruised to a victory. He faces a Carolina defense that has allowed 17 touchdown passes this season, tied for the most in the league.

Key injuries

Saints top CB Marshon Lattimore and RB Kendre Miller have been sidelined this week by hamstring injuries. Rookie WR Bub Means has an ankle injury and fellow receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. has a hip injury. CB Rico Payton has a back injury. Carr (oblique) was listed as limited in practice early this week but was expected to play. ... The Panthers are hoping to get veteran WR Adam Thielen back after he missed the past five weeks with a hamstring injury. It's unclear if rookie RB Jonathan Brooks will make his NFL debut.

Series notes

The Saints are 3-0 against Bryce Young and have won the past two games by a combined 59 points. The Saints have won 12 of 17 meetings since 2017.

Stats and stuff

Carr is 5-0 in five career starts vs. Carolina with eight TDs vs. three interceptions. He had three TDs and a 142.5 rating in New Orleans' Week 1 meeting with the Panthers. ... Carr has 40,089 yards passing, making him the seventh NFL QB with 40,000 yards passing in his first 11 seasons. ... Kamara had six catches and 122 scrimmage yards (67 rushing, 55 receiving) in Week 8, his 22nd game with 50-plus yards rushing and receiving, the fifth most such games in NFL history. ... Kamara has 545 catches and needs four more to surpass Marshall Faulk for the most catches by an RB in his first eight seasons. ... WR Chris Olave made eight catches for a season-high 107 yards receiving last week, his ninth career game with 100-plus yards. ... LB Demario Davis has had a sack in four of his past five games against the Panthers. ... DE Chase Young has a tackle for loss in four of his past five games. ... DT Khalen Saunders had his first sack of the season last week. ... CB Alontae Taylor had a career-high three sacks vs. Carolina in Week 1, but is expected to move from nickel back to cornerback in this meeting because of injuries to perimeter defenders. ... S Tryann Mathieu had a fumble and fumble recovery against the Panthers in Week 1 ... Andy Dalton will serve as Carolina's backup QB, missing his second straight start because of a thumb injury sustained in a Oct. 22 car crash. ... Panthers WR Jalen Coker, an undrafted free agent from Holy Cross, had his best game with four catches for 78 yards and his first career touchdown last week against the Broncos. He will get more playing time after the Panthers traded WR Diontae Johnson. ... LB Trevin Wallace leads the rookie class and is tied for eighth overall league wide with 35 total tackles. The 35 tackles are most ever by a Panthers player through their first four career starts. ... The Panthers will travel to Munich, Germany, to take on the New York Giants next week.

Fantasy tip

This could be a good week for a lot of Saints to get right, including Kamara, Olave and Taysom Hill, who always seems to play well against Carolina. Only three teams in the Super Bowl era have allowed more points than the Panthers: the 1966 Falcons (299), 1973 Oilers (277) and 2018 Bucs (275).

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The Associated Press