The two teams that suffered the most gut-wrenching losses last week will hook up in what could be a playoff elimination game. The New Orleans Saints found a new way to lose a game with a defensive extra point off a blocked kick snatching a potential victory away from them. The Carolina Panthers literally had a victory ripped out of their grasp in a stunning loss to the Chiefs. Both teams are below .500 and need plenty of help and a lot of wins to get back in the playoff picture. If nothing else, their Week 11 matchup should be fun to watch.
This matchup in Week 11 of the regular season will take place on Thursday, November 17, 2016, at 8:30 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
New Orleans Saints +4
Carolina Panthers -4
Over/Under 52
Odds Analysis
The Saints won outright as a 2.5-point dog when the teams met earlier this season for their third straight cover win in the series. Despite their record and the result of that first game, the Panthers opened as a 4-point favorite in the rematch. The over/under was wagered down to its current number, but in the last seven meetings with the total above 50, the teams cashed the over. With both teams playing stingier defense, I don’t see that happening in this one.
Injury Report
Stephone Anthony – The Saints have been without their starting middle linebacker for much of the season due to a hamstring injury and it’s been a big reason for the unit’s collapse. Anthony returned to the lineup two weeks ago against the 49ers before aggravating the injury that put him on the shelf against the Broncos. Anthony was the team’s leading tackler last season.
Ryan Kalil – The Panthers have been without their starting center for the past two games and the effect has been noticeable. Carolina has scored just 30 points in those two games and Cam Newton has been under constant siege.
Matchup to Watch
For most of the season the Saints had one of the NFL’s most atrocious defensive units. There were several reasons for that, one of which was injuries. The team got first round pick Sheldon Rankins, Dannell Ellerbe and Delvin Breaux back in the lineup over the past two weeks and the unit had its best game of the season Sunday against the Broncos.
There were some struggles early on, but the group bottled up the Broncos’ offense for most of the game and came up with several big plays to put the Saints in line for a victory. Rankins, playing in just his second game of the year, recorded his first sack of the season as part of the six recorded by the defense. The unit also had 11 hits on Trevor Siemian and totaled seven tackles for loss and two interceptions. The Saints will need to have a disruptive front against Newton and the Panthers in order to pull out a victory on Thursday night. With Carolina’s offensive line possibly down two starters, the likelihood of that happening increases.
Free ATS Pick
Both teams are looking to stay within striking distance of a playoff spot in the NFC and if this game is anything like the first meeting, fans are in for a treat. The teams combined for 79 points, surpassing the total on the second play of the fourth quarter, and almost 1,000 yards of offense in what has become a typical NFC South contest. The team that overcomes the shock of last week’s loss the best will have the upper hand. Both seemingly had victory within their reach before getting kicked in the sack and having a big L pasted on their record. It was a devastating blow for both clubs with the first place Falcons also losing.
It’s hard to describe the collapse of the Panthers after one of the most memorable seasons in NFL history. Carolina has been maddeningly inconsistent and Newton is nowhere near what he did last season. But while the Panthers’ offense has struggled, the defense has fallen apart. New Orleans torched them in the last meeting and the teams typically play high-scoring games. The Saints have some key defenders back in the lineup and that should prove to be the difference in a game that won’t reach the heights of the first meeting. The Saints will limit Newton with the likes of Rankins and Ellerbe in the lineup while Brees does what he typically does. New Orleans deals another blow to Carolina’s fading playoff hopes, but the teams stay below the total.
NFL Odds: Saints 27, Panthers 24
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