Panthers expected to lean heavily on RB Rico Dowdle in division matchup vs. Saints

BetMGM NFL Odds: Panthers by 5 1/2.

Series record: Saints lead 31-29.

Against the spread: Saints 2-7; Panthers 6-3.

Last week: Saints lost to Rams 34-10; Panthers beat Packers 16-13.

Last meeting: Panthers beat Saints 23-22 on Nov. 3, 2024, in Charlotte.

Saints offense: overall (29), rush (27), pass (22), scoring (31).

Saints defense: overall (18), rush (24), pass (14), scoring (t-24).

Panthers offense: overall (22), rush (5), pass (30), scoring (27).

Panthers defense: overall (13), rush (18), pass (15), scoring (16).

Turnover differential: Saints minus-4; Panthers minus-4.

Saints player to watch

WR Chris Olave. He leads the Saints in catches (55), yards receiving (560) and TDs receiving (three) this season. However, he will draw a tough matchup against Jaycee Horn, considered one of the best cornerbacks in the league.

Panthers player to watch

S Tre'Von Moehrig. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is using Moehrig in a number of different ways, including allowing him to spy on opposing QBs and to do some freelancing in the secondary. His versatility has been paying off. Against Green Bay, he had his first interception of the season off Jordan Love in the third quarter. He finished with five tackles (three solo), two tackles for loss, and two passes defensed.

Key matchup

Panthers RB Rico Dowdle vs. Saints run defense. The Saints can expect a heavy dose of Dowdle, who is now the primary ball carrier in Carolina after coach Dave Canales ditched the two-back approach last week. Dowdle, despite starting just three games, ranks third in the league with 735 yards rushing, including a league-leading 652 yards — an average of 130.4 yards per game — since Week 5. Dowdle’s 5.6 yards per carry ranks third in the league among players with at least 50 carries. His 16 explosive runs (considered 12 or more yards) are tied for second in the league. The Saints come in with the league’s 24th-ranked run defense and have allowed eight TDs rushing.

Key injuries

Saints: RT Taliese Fuaga missed practice this week with a high ankle sprain and coach Kellen Moore was not optimistic about the 2024 first-round draft pick's prospects for playing this week. While RB Alvin Kamara was practicing this week, he was limited by ankle soreness.

Panthers: Dowdle did not practice on Wednesday with a calf injury, but is expected to play. Guard Damien Lewis (oblique) and center Cade Mays (ankle) are also expected to be ready, along with OLB Princely Umanmielen (ankle) as the Panthers have taken a step toward getting healthy.

Series notes

The Saints are 3-1 against Bryce Young and have outscored the Panthers 117-56 in those games. Young's QB rating in those outings is a paltry 60.8, and he has completed just 51.2% of his passes while throwing for fewer than 156 yards per game. He has three TD passes and two interceptions.

Stats and stuff

The Saints are 0-4 on the road. ... Rookie QB Tyler Shough made first career start in Week 9, completing 15 passes for 176 yards and a TD. ... In eight-plus NFL seasons, Saints RB Alvin Kamara has 7,156 yards rushing yards and 4,912 yards receiving, and can become the sixth player ever with 5,000 yards rushing and 5,000 yards receiving. ... WR Chris Olave had five catches for 57 yards last week and has 50 or more yards receiving in his past five games. ... TE Juwan Johnson had three catches for 31 yards and his 20th career TD in Week 9. ... LB Demario Davis had a season-high 13 tackles last week. Davis is one of two players (along with Bobby Wagner) to make 10 or more tackles in six games this season. ... DE Chase Young had his 25th career sack last week. ... DE Jonah Williams had two tackles for loss and a sack last week. ... S Justin Reid had a career-high 13 tackles last week and a pass defensed. ... Rookie CB Quincey Riley has a pass defensed in four of his past five games. ... CB Kool-Aid McKinstry has a career-high seven passes defensed in 2025. ... CB Alontae Taylor had eight tackles and a tackle for loss last week. ... Rookie S Jonas Sankerhad first career pass defensed last week and has five-plus tackles in six games this season. ... The Panthers are 3-1 at home. ... QB Bryce Young led a nine-play, 40-yard drive on Sunday at Green Bay, ending in a game-winning 49-yard field goal by K Ryan Fitzgerald. It marked the ninth career game-winning drive by Young since entering the NFL in 2023, tied with QBs Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes and Geno Smith for the most among all QBs in that span. ... RB Rico Dowdle already has four games with at least 125 yards rushing. The team single-season record is five set by Stephen Davis in 2003. ... RB Chuba Hubbard needs 26 yards rushing to reach 3,500 for his career. ... The Panthers OL has had seven different starting combinations this season because of injuries, yet Carolina ranks fifth in the league in rushing. ... The Panthers have not allowed an opposing offensive touchdown in the first quarter. ... Of his 36 coverage snaps vs. the Packers, CB Jaycee Horn was targeted twice, allowing one reception for 5 yards and getting a pass defensed on the other. ... Fitzgerald, an undrafted rookie from Florida State, has two game-winning field goals for Carolina.

Fantasy tip

Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan has been the team's most productive wide receiver, although he only has two TDs this season, both coming against the Dallas Cowboys. McMillan should have a decent chance to get into the end zone against a Saints defense that is tied for 24th in points allowed.

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