Saints vs. Panthers prediction, odds, spread, injuries, trends for NFL Week 2

It wasn't pretty at times, but the New Orleans Saints got the job done against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, walking away with the 16-15 victory.

In Week 2, they'll face their first NFC opponent when they take on the Carolina Panthers in the first leg of the Monday Night Football double-header. The Panthers fell to the Falcons in Week 1, so they're already behind the eight ball in the division.

In this article, we're going to take a look at everything you need to know to bet on the game, including odds, trends, players to watch, and my best bet. If you want my pick for the other 15 games this week, check out the latest edition of the "Road to 272 Bets".

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Now, let's dive into the odds for Monday night's showdown.

Saints vs. Panthers odds, spread, and total

Saints vs. Panthers betting trends

• The UNDER is 7-0 in the Saints' last seven games
• Saints are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games against Panthers
• The Saints are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against NFC South opponents
• Panthers are 8-4 ATS in their last 12 games
• The UNDER is 5-0 in the last five meetings between these two teams

Saints vs. Panthers injury reports

New Orleans Saints injury report

• Payton Turner - DE - Doubtful
• Keandre Miller - RB - Questionable
• JT Gray - S- Questionable

Carolina Panthers injury report

• DJ Chark Jr. - WR - Questionable (hamstring)
• Brady Christensen - G - Injured Reserve (bicep)
• Jaycee Horn - CB - Doubleful (hamstring)

Saints vs. Panthers how to watch

• Date: Monday, September 18
• Game Time: 7:15p.m. EST
• Venue: Bank of America Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): ESPN/ESPN2
• New Orleans Saints Record: 1-0
• Carolina Panthers Record: 0-1

Saints vs. Panthers key players to watch

New Orleans Saints

Chris Olave: Picking up right where he left off in his rookie season, Chris Olave was the MVP of the Saints offense in Week 1, hauling in 8-of-10 targets for 112 yards. He continues to be the key to this offense, especially while Alvin Kamara serves out his suspension.

Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young: It was a less than ideal first start for Bryce Young. He completed just 52.6% of passes for 146 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. You would hope from more from the No. 1 overall pick. Perhaps he can take a step forward in Week 2 against the Saints.

Saints vs. Panthers prediction and pick

I felt the Saints played much better than the final score indicated against the Titans. They finished the week with a net yards per play of +0.7, which usually leads to more than just a one point lead. A couple of ill-timed turnovers cost them, but their overall level of play was promising.

Now, they get to feast against a rookie quarterback who struggled against an average-at-best defense in the Atlanta Falcons. In fact, he was the worst ranked quarterback in Week 1, according to PFF.com. The Panthers may be taking strides in the right direction as a team, but they're not there yet.

The Saints are the more complete team with the much better quarterback. I'll back them to win and cover the field goal spread.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!