Closing out the New Orleans Saints regular season

Carolina

The Panthers had played us extremely tight in the first meeting in the dome just over a month earlier. They were a missed field goal away from potentially winning this game. It was a typical meeting between these two division foes.

Fast forward to the last game of the season.

Panthers’ coach Ron Rivera had been fired and the Panthers came in on a seven-game losing skid. They were working out their third quarterback to see his potential. This was a team looking forward to the offseason and to put this year’s debacle behind them.

It absolutely showed in their performance. Starting QB Will Grier completed only one pass in eight attempts for four yards.

The Panthers’ defense, normally a strength, had no answers for the Saints offense which moved the ball down the field at will. The Panthers didn’t get on the board until just before halftime with a field goal.

By the half the game was essentially done with the Panthers offering little resistance. The Saints began to substitute liberally and take starters off the field late in the third quarter.

Backup Panthers QB Kyle Allen has had some success against the Saints, and once he was subbed in, the Panthers’ offense moved a bit more efficiently, but not nearly well enough and a bit too late for them to do much.