The Carolina Panthers faced a heavy defeat against the New Orleans Saints, losing 47-10 in their season opener.
In the first quarter, the Panthers struggled from the outset. The Saints started strong, with Derek Carr connecting with Rashid Shaheed for a 59-yard touchdown after a series of successful plays. Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn appeared to lack support from safety help. On the Panthers’ first attempt to respond, quarterback Bryce Young threw an interception after rushing a pass. Although the defense managed to hold the Saints to a 57-yard field goal, the Panthers’ offense failed to find its rhythm. Despite some promising runs from Chuba Hubbard, Young’s struggles continued, highlighted by a tripping incident over an offensive lineman and a missed opportunity to Diontae Johnson on third down. The Saints capitalized again, scoring another touchdown as Alvin Kamara’s big run set up a successful pass from Carr. The first quarter concluded with the Panthers trailing 17-0.
The second quarter brought no relief for the Panthers. After picking up a crucial third down that was nullified by a holding penalty, Young was sacked by an unblocked defender. The Saints’ drive continued with a boost from a late hit on Shaq Thompson, allowing them to move into field goal range, which they converted. A fumble by Jonathan Mingo on the Panthers’ next drive led to yet another Saints field goal, elevating the lead to 23-0. A lack of offensive production followed, culminating in a blocked punt by the Saints that allowed them to score once more.
In the second half, the Panthers attempted to regroup but quickly faltered. Young’s pass was intercepted after a misthrow, and the Saints extended their lead further with another touchdown from Kamara after a controversial 31-yard pass interference call kept their drive alive. The Panthers finally found the end zone with a fourth-down scramble from Young, cutting the deficit to 30-7. Yet, the Saints responded with a field goal after a disrupted handoff by Thompson.
The final quarter saw more struggles for the Panthers; a blocked punt put them at a disadvantage once again, resulting in another touchdown for New Orleans. Despite a long completion to Adam Thielen that brought the Panthers closer to scoring, the drive stalled before they could convert. As the game wound down, both sides exchanged moments of running out the clock, leading to a disappointing finish for Carolina.
Overall, the game was a disappointing display for the Panthers, as all facets of the team struggled against a dominant Saints performance. The defense failed to stop the Saints from scoring on every drive they played, while the offense struggled to deliver consistent plays. The Panthers aim to improve when they take on the Chargers at home next week.