Game Recap: Saints vs Panthers

The New Orleans Saints hosted their NFC South rival Carolina Panthers in the Caesars Superdome on Sunday. Here’s a quick recap of all the action from the divisional matchup.

First Quarter

After New Orleans went three-and-out to begin the day, the visitors found a hot start on a 13-play drive that included a 15-yard scramble by Bryce Young and a 15-yard throw to Jalen Coker.

Facing 3rd-and-4 in the red zone, Chuba Hubbard found 5 yards for a first down before Rico Dowdle ran in a touchdown two plays later to give Carolina a 7-0 lead.

Tyler Shough proceeded to find Juwan Johnson for 12 yards for a first third-down conversion of the game for the black and gold, but the drive soon dwindled into another punt.

An unnecessary roughness call against Ikem Ekwonu pinned Carolina back as they got the ball back, and they soon punted themselves.

Second Quarter

A variety of receivers got involved on the ensuing Saints drive, with Shough finding Devaughn Vele for 16 yards on a third-and-long to keep the possession alive.

Shough found Chris Olave and Vele again, with Devin Neal breaking off a 15-yard run as New Orleans drove into Panthers territory.

More runs and a pass to Johnson put the Saints inside the 5 before Neal ran in a 4-yard score to tie the game.

Young found Coker for 24 yards and Tetairoa McMillan for 21 yards as Carolina elicited a quick response, as a 40-yard field goal gave them a 10-7 lead before the half.

Third Quarter

The Panthers picked up where they left off to begin the third quarter, with a 5-minute, 70-yard touchdown drive highlighted by a 34-yard throw to Xavier Legette and a 32-yard connection from Young to Coker for the score and a commanding 17-7 lead.

Shough converted another third-and-long through Vele as the hosts sought a response. He found Vele again, as well as scrambling himself for first downs, though consecutive sacks in the red zone meant a field goal attempt. Charlie Smyth was good from 42 yards to cut into the lead.

Fourth Quarter

The Panthers faced 4th-and-1 as they looked to restore their two-score lead, and Dowdle was able to find the first down as the final 15 minutes got underway.

But they soon faced the same situation on the edge of field goal range, and this time the Saints came up with the stop to force a turnover on downs.

Shough connected with Kevin Austin Jr for 18 yards to move New Orleans past midfield. A pair of incompletions soon meant another field goal attempt, but an offside penalty against Carolina moved the Saints to 4th-and-1.

Electing instead to go for it, Shough too was stopped short of the yard to gain, and Carolina regained possession.

But they went three-and-out, and the Saints got the ball back with just under 5 minutes to play.

Shough put an impressive drive together to tie the game at 17-17, with three straight big passes to Olave for a total of 53 yards and another throw to Johnson to set up a 12-yard touchdown pass to Olave once more.

Carolina’s ensuing drive lasted just over a minute, as Young was able to find just one first down with a scramble. They punted back to the Saints with just under a minute to go.

Shough connected twice with Audric Estime as well as with Olave as he looked to set up a game-winning field goal, helped massively by an unnecessary roughness penalty against Lathan Ransom in the dying seconds.

Charlie Smyth had time to attempt a 47-yard kick, which he nailed to secure a 20-17 win for the Saints.

Attention now turns to another home game as the Jets visit New Orleans on December 21st.