If you listen carefully you can hear the panic coming from the New Orleans Saints. Off to a winless start, the Saints could be without their quarterback Drew Brees, who suffered a shoulder injury last week, when they face the undefeated Panthers in an NFC South showdown.
A win gets the Saints back in the race in the division, but those have been hard to come by with New Orleans going just 3-7 SU in its last 10 and 1-5 ATS in its last six.
ODDS
The line opened at Carolina -3.5 but came off the board when news of Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees’ injury hit. The total opened at 44 and that too came off the board while oddsmakers wait for more news on the status of Brees.
KEY INJURIES
Drew Brees – Conflicting reports have surfaced regarding the severity of his shoulder injury. Some have the Saints quarterback missing several weeks and others have him as a game-time decision. Either way, we know his shoulder is hurting, as evidenced by the wobbly passes and inaccuracy against Tampa Bay last week after Jacquies Smith hit his shoulder. Journeyman Luke McCown would step in as the starter.
Jairus Byrd – Remains sidelined with a knee injury and there is no timetable for his return. The Saints starting safety was replaced by Rafael Bush, who sustained a torn pectoral and was placed on injured reserve, leaving Kenny Phillips as the starter.
Luke Kuechly – Missed last week’s game with a concussion and has yet to be cleared, making his status for Sunday questionable. He was replaced at middle linebacker by A.J. Klein.
KEY MISMATCH
Carolina’s defense ranks second in the NFL in points allowed and fifth overall, but the group won’t relax, even if they don’t have to face Drew Brees. If journeyman McCown or third-round pick Garrett Grayson starts, it could be a huge break for a team looking to start 3-0 for the first time since 2003. That year the Panthers went 5-0, ending the season with a loss to New England in the Super Bowl. The Panthers have done a solid job against Brees and the Saints recently. In his last three games against Carolina, the 2010 Super Bowl MVP has thrown only three touchdowns with four interceptions and had a quarterback rating below 75 in two of those games. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will continue to form a scheme that will pressure and confuse the quarterback, as he did against Houston’s Ryan Mallett and Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles.
KEY STAT
28.5 – New Orleans scoring defense. The saints were one of the worst in the NFL last season and not much has changed under Rob Ryan so far in 2015. Carolina hasn’t been lighting it up this season, but the Panthers have the ever-dangerous Cam Newton running the show.
BETTING ANGLE
It’s not time to push the panic button just yet. Reports say that Brees has a bruised rotator cuff and not torn. And it’s possible he could play Sunday, depending on how he responds to treatment. But losing Brees has always been the worst case scenario for the Saints, even when they were fielding one of the best offenses in the league, there was always the, “as long as Drew Brees stays healthy” disclaimer. And now that the Saints are 0-2 and their offense has become a mere shadow of what it was in those glory days, they don’t just need Brees back in the lineup – they need him back close to full strength.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Saints might be better off sitting Brees for this game, especially considering how bad he looked after the shoulder injury last week. He missed badly on a few short tosses and his deep balls weren’t even close. Turn it over to McCown, let the troops regroup and use it as a motivation tool against your division rival. If the defense can’t get a pass rush and slow down the other team, it won’t matter who is playing quarterback, because Newton and the Panthers will take it to New Orleans. Never underestimate the passion of NFL players. Just when you think it’s time to write a team off, they surprise you. And the Panthers haven’t looked all that great in getting a couple of wins. I like the Saints to pull the upset as the team rallies around its quarterback and defensive coordinator.
New Orleans 23, Carolina 19
BookMaker sent out the NFL betting odds for this Sunday game at Panthers -3.5 with a total of 44. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time odds and player props during the game. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers game is scheduled for Sunday, September 27, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium. The contest will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
