Carolina Panthers vs New Orleans Saints Betting Pick & Prediction 9/8/24

FOX will broadcast the week one matchup between the Panthers and Saints, with the Saints favored at -201 on the money line. The game, set for 1:00 ET, will be the first of the season for both teams. The Panthers are +167 on the money line and +4 on the point spread. The over/under line is set at 41.5 points for this NFC South battle.

CAROLINA PANTHERS VS NEW ORLEANS SAINTS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Carolina Panthers +4

This game will be played at Caesars Superdome at 1:00 ET on Sunday, September 8th.

WHY BET THE CAROLINA PANTHERS:

• We have the Panthers winning this one by a score of 22 to 20
• Not only do we have the Panthers winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +4
• Look for this game to go over the line of 41.5 points

Will The Panthers Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs

The Panthers, who are coming off a season in which they won just two games, were the underdog in all of their matchups. Carolina’s only two wins came at home, as they were winless on the road with an 0-9 record. Their only win against above .500 teams came in one of their non-conference games, as they went 1-11 against above .500 teams and 1-4 against below .500 teams.

Against the spread, the Panthers were 4-11-2, with a 3-4-1 record at home and a 1-7-1 record on the road. Their over/under record for the season was 5-12, and the average over/under line in their games was 40.3, with an average combined scoring of 38.4 points per game.

Carolina’s offense was one of the worst in the league last season, finishing 30th in the power rankings and scoring only 13.9 points per game, which was 31st. They were dead last in both yards per game (265.3) and yards per play (4.1), and their passing game was the least productive in the NFL, averaging just 161.2 yards per game.

The Panthers’ inability to move the ball through the air was a major issue, as they ranked 32nd in passing yards and 34th in passing attempts. Their struggles on third down were evident, as they converted only 34.1% of their third down attempts.

Despite allowing just 171.5 passing yards per game, the Panthers’ defense struggled to get to the quarterback last season, finishing with only 24.5 sacks, which was 21st in the NFL. They were 27th in our power rankings, giving up 24.5 points per game, and their road defense allowed 28.1 points per game.

Carolina’s defense was tough to move the ball against, giving up just 293.9 yards per game, which was 3rd best in the NFL. They also excelled in defending the run, giving up 4.1 yards per attempt (6th). However, their inability to pressure the quarterback and create turnovers hurt them, as they were below average in both of those areas.

Are The Saints Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?

The Saints’ ATS record last season was 6-10-1, and they were 3-5 vs. the spread both at home and on the road. As favorites, they went 7-6 straight-up and 4-8-1 ATS. When playing as the underdog, they went 2-2 ATS. Their over/under record was 6-11, with their games averaging 42.9 points per game.

Against teams within the NFC South, the Saints went 4-2, but they were just 2-6 against teams with above .500 records. They performed better against weaker teams, going 7-2 against below .500 teams. Overall, the Saints finished the 2023 season with a 9-8 record, placing 2nd in the NFC South. Their 9 wins included a 5-3 record at home and a 4-5 record on the road.

The Saints were 4-4-1 against the spread vs. below .500 teams last season and 2-6 vs. above .500 teams. Their over/under record was 6-11, and their games averaged a combined 42.9 points per game. This placed them 21st in the league in average combined scoring.

New Orleans finished the 2023 season with a 9-8 record, placing 2nd in the NFC South with a 4-2 division record. They were tough as home favorites, going 5-2 straight-up. When favored overall, they went 7-6, and when they were the underdog, they went 2-2. Against the spread, the Saints were 6-10-1, with a 3-5 record ATS at home and 3-5-1 on the road.

New Orleans’ defense was one of the best at taking the ball away last season, ranking 3rd in the league with 29 takeaways. They also excelled in defending the pass, giving up 207.3 passing yards per game and holding quarterbacks to a 59.7% completion percentage, which was the 2nd best in the NFL. Overall, the Saints’ defense allowed just 19.2 points per game, placing them 6th in the league, and their turnover differential was the 2nd best in the NFL.

Despite not generating a lot of sacks (18th) or quarterback hits (23rd), the Saints finished the season with the 8th best-ranked defense based on yards allowed. They gave up an average of 327.2 total yards per game and were tough against the run, ranking 4th in rushing touchdowns allowed.