Closing spread
NO -2
Total
41
Model margin
-2.2est.
CAR perspective
Push chance
2.1%est.
Availability
The injury report
The official league filing for this week — game designations first, then who missed or was limited in practice.
Saints
- OutAlontae TaylorCBKnee· DNP
- QuestionableAlvin KamaraRBRib· Limited
- QuestionableJameis WinstonQBBack· Limited
- QuestionableMarcus MayeSRib· Limited
- QuestionablePaulson AdeboCBAnkle· Limited
- QuestionableRyan RamczykTElbow· Limited
- QuestionableTaysom HillQBRib· Limited
Panthers
- QuestionableDonte JacksonCBHamstring· Full
- QuestionableStantley Thomas-OliverCBAchilles· DNP
- LimitedBrian BurnsDEAnkle
- LimitedMatt IoannidisDTGroin
Win probability
- Panthers
- Saints
How each play moved the game.
Matchup
Where the edges are
Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.
- -0.037EPA / play-0.036
- 45.5%Success rate40.8%
- +0.018EPA / dropback-0.062
- -0.109EPA / rush-0.005
- 8.6%Explosive rate9.4%
- +1.61CPOE-4.71
- 40.9%Third-down rate31.6%
- 57.5%Red-zone TD rate59.6%
- 1.59Points / drive1.70
- 2.3%Turnover rate1.8%
Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.
The rivalry
NO lead 31–24 since 1999
NO have won 2 straight. Meetings average 44.3 points. CAR are 28-26-1 ATS in the series.
Possession by possession
How it unfolded
Every drive: who had the ball, how far it went, how it ended, and the score as it settled.
| Ball | Start | Plays | Yards | Result | NO–CAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAR | Q1 15:00 | 4 | 15 | Punt | 0–0 |
| NO | Q1 12:37 | 9 | 67 | Punt | 0–0 |
| CAR | Q1 7:21 | 3 | 4 | Punt | 0–0 |
| NO | Q1 6:26 | 3 | -3 | Opp touchdown | 0–7 |
| NO | Q1 5:32 | 3 | 4 | Punt | 0–7 |
| CAR | Q1 4:26 | 9 | 40 | Field goal | 0–10 |
| NO | Q2 14:16 | 4 | 11 | Punt | 0–10 |
| CAR | Q2 11:44 | 3 | -4 | Punt | 0–10 |
| NO | Q2 10:05 | 4 | 13 | Punt | 0–10 |
| CAR | Q2 8:32 | 9 | 52 | Field goal | 0–13 |
| NO | Q2 2:56 | 9 | 70 | Missed field goal | 0–13 |
| CAR | Q2 0:27 | 2 | -6 | End of half | 0–13 |
| NO | Q3 15:00 | 13 | 62 | Missed field goal | 0–13 |
| CAR | Q3 7:16 | 5 | 24 | Turnover on downs | 0–13 |
| NO | Q3 5:06 | 3 | 6 | Punt | 0–13 |
| CAR | Q3 3:49 | 6 | 37 | Punt | 0–13 |
| NO | Q3 0:59 | 10 | 89 | Touchdown | 7–13 |
| CAR | Q4 12:31 | 2 | 67 | Touchdown | 7–19 |
| NO | Q4 12:06 | 3 | 11 | Turnover | 7–19 |
| CAR | Q4 11:19 | 6 | 19 | Field goal | 7–22 |
| NO | Q4 8:19 | 4 | 6 | Punt | 7–22 |
| CAR | Q4 6:50 | 7 | 37 | Punt | 7–22 |
| NO | Q4 3:28 | 3 | 90 | Touchdown | 14–22 |
| CAR | Q4 2:22 | 3 | 9 | Punt | 14–22 |
| NO | Q4 0:17 | 1 | 0 | Turnover | 14–22 |
| CAR | Q4 0:08 | 0 | 0 | End of half | 14–22 |
Box score
Individual performances
Saints
Passing
| Player | C/Att | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jameis Winston | 25/41 | 353 | 1 | 2 |
Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvin Kamara | 15 | 61 | 4.1 | 0 |
| Mark Ingram | 5 | 18 | 3.6 | 1 |
| Jameis Winston | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Olave | 9 | 13 | 147 | 0 |
| Tre'Quan Smith | 4 | 5 | 105 | 0 |
| Michael Thomas | 5 | 5 | 49 | 0 |
| Jarvis Landry | 2 | 5 | 22 | 0 |
| Alvin Kamara | 2 | 7 | 12 | 0 |
| Adam Trautman | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Nick Vannett | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Marquez Callaway | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Juwan Johnson | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Panthers
Passing
| Player | C/Att | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Mayfield | 12/25 | 170 | 1 | 0 |
Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian McCaffrey | 25 | 108 | 4.3 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 0 |
| DJ Moore | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 |
| Baker Mayfield | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laviska Shenault Jr. | 2 | 2 | 90 | 1 |
| Shi Smith | 2 | 2 | 22 | 0 |
| Giovanni Ricci | 1 | 2 | 15 | 0 |
| Robbie Chosen | 1 | 4 | 14 | 0 |
| Ian Thomas | 2 | 3 | 13 | 0 |
| Christian McCaffrey | 2 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| Tommy Tremble | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| DJ Moore | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
Where this game is likely to land
- Model
- Smooth (normal)
- Betting line
Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.
Positive margins favour Panthers; negative favour Saints.
Half-point at risk
2.14%
outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5
Model home win
43.3%
Expected total
43.4est.
Model
Where the number comes from
Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.
- Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)-0.61
- Home-field advantage+1.71
- Quarterback adjustment-3.26
- Rest differential0.00
- Expected margin-2.17



