Carolina Panthers (7-6) @ New Orleans Saints (3-10)
Sunday, December 14, 4:25 PM ET
After upsetting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past week, can the New Orleans Saints go out there and do it again with another division rivalry game on tap?
The Saints might have found something in second-round pick Tyler Shough. We didn’t see a ton of it in what he put on tape at the college level, especially because he was floating around from one school to the next. There was a time when people were talking about Shough as a possible 1st-round prospect before his college career took such a long and winding path, so the talent has always been there.
We saw his dual-threat abilities on display in a game played in the elements, and he helped lead his team to victory. We’ve seen Shough make important strides week after week, so maybe the Saints won’t be fixated on the quarterback position in next year’s draft.
A win against the Carolina Panthers, and another strong performance from Shough, could go a long way.
The Panthers have been a fun story to watch unfold all season. Bryce Young has been playing really well over the last three weeks, save for a couple of bad mistakes in a loss to the 49ers. The Panthers were on a bye this past week, so they had a long time to sit back and prepare for this one.
Their last win against the Los Angeles Rams was a statement game. The Panthers now have a chance to see what the Bucs will do against the Falcons on Thursday night, and either match them and keep pace or find a way to take over the top spot in the NFC South for good.
The Saints are getting some decent respect in this one with Carolina just a 2.5-point favorite on the road.
Prediction: Saints win 19-17