Experts trust that the Saints can handle the Panthers in Week 3
The New Orleans Saints might be 1-1 but one could argue that they could easily be 2-0 or 0-2. They got off to a slow start against the Falcons and needed a crazy fourth-quarter performance to topple Atlanta. Meanwhile, the defense kept the Buccaneers in check for most of the Week 2 matchup but Jameis Winston sunk the ship with three costly interceptions.
Week 3 gives the Saints another divisional foe, this time in the form of the Carolina Panthers, who are not off to a good start this year. Carolina sits at 0-2 and are desperate to earn their first win of the Baker Mayfield era. Will it come against the Saints?
Saints vs Panthers Expert Picks
The experts were mostly on New Orleans to move to 2-1 this week, with four people picking the Panthers in this NFC South matchup.
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports had the good guys winning 24-13 over the Panthers and noted that neither team has been ferocious on offense by any means.
The MMQB staff was the most "split" on the game with three of the five going with the Panthers to get their first win of the season. Mitch Goldich, Gary Gramling, and John Pluym were all on Carolina.
Lastly, there's the Bleacher Report staff, where all but one expert picked the Saints to win this ball game. Kristopher Knox was the only one to go with Carolina. The blurb on the game suggested that Alvin Kamara's presence in this game will make the Saints a bigger favorite than they already are.
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It's not surprising to see most of the experts skew toward New Orleans but the Saints haven't been playing like a team that's worthy of so many people leaning toward them in games. Carolina isn't a good team but if the Saints offense continues to stumble, the Panthers can absolutely record their first win this weekend.