The Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints will face off in a Week 1 matchup on September 11th at 1:00 PM ET. Both teams are looking to start the season with a win, and this game is sure to be a close one.
The Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints will face off in a Week 1 matchup on September 11th at 1:00 PM ET. Both teams are looking to start the season with a win, and this game is sure to be a close one.
The Panthers are coming off a disappointing 5-11 season, but they have made some key additions this offseason, including quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Christian McCaffrey. The Saints, meanwhile, are coming off a 9-8 season, and they are hoping to make a run at the playoffs this year.
Panthers vs. Saints: Week 1 Game Thread
The Panthers' offense is expected to be one of the most potent in the NFL this season, with Mayfield at the helm and McCaffrey as his top target. The Saints' defense is also expected to be strong, led by cornerback Marshon Lattimore and safety Tyrann Mathieu.
The game is likely to be decided by which team can make the most big plays. The Panthers have the potential to score points in bunches, but the Saints have the defense to make stops when they need to.
Here are some key storylines to watch for in the game:
* **The quarterback matchup:** Mayfield is making his debut with the Panthers, while Winston is entering his second season with the Saints. Both quarterbacks have the potential to be very good, but it will be interesting to see who performs better in this matchup.
* **The running back matchup:** McCaffrey is one of the best running backs in the NFL, and he is expected to have a big game against the Saints. The Saints have a solid running back duo of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, but they will need to be at their best to slow down McCaffrey.
* **The wide receiver matchup:** The Panthers have a lot of talented wide receivers, including DJ Moore, Robbie Anderson, and Terrace Marshall Jr. The Saints have a solid wide receiver duo of Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry, but they will need to be at their best to slow down the Panthers' passing attack.
* **The defensive matchup:** The Panthers have a strong defense, led by Brian Burns and Shaq Thompson. The Saints have a solid defense, led by Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis. Both defenses will need to be at their best to stop the opposing offense.
The game is sure to be a close one, and it could go either way. The Panthers are the slight favorites, but the Saints are always a tough opponent at home.
