New Orleans has a chance to wreck the Panthers' plans to take over the NFC South.
The NFC South is chaotic. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reeling after consecutive losses to New Orleans and Atlanta, while Carolina is in the drivers seat to win the division. Here are the Saints with a chance to sweep Carolina and throw a wrench into their divisional plans. Tampa Bay would greatly appreciate it, but how can New Orleans upset Carolina for the second time in 2025?
New Orleans use of pre-snap motion
The Saints offense utilizes pre-snap motion at the sixth-highest rate in the NFL (61.5%). The Panthers struggle against motion and sit 29th in the NFL in defensive EPA against motion at 0.15. On the flip side, Carolina has faced motion at the ninth-highest rate (57.3%) and the Saints are 29th in offensive EPA using motion (-0.11).
This will be a matter of who can create opportunities off motion, which the Saints haven't been successful with so far, but motion with Tyler Shough running zone read can cause issues for the Panthers defense and give them a numbers advantage in the box.
The Saints blitz plan
With the sixth-highest blitz rate in the NFL (35.8%), the Saints will send different pressure and looks at Bryce Young. Carolina has struggled when blitzed. They haven't been blitzed much (29.6%, 18th), but when they have been, their EPA drops to 25th in the NFL (-0.14).
The Panthers offense is net zero on non blitzes, but at number 23 in the NFL with an EPA of 0.00. The key will be pressuring Young and forcing him into quicker decisions. Carolina is 24th in the NFL under pressure with an EPA of -0.55. The Saints will have to raise their 27.5% pressure rate to disrupt the offense.
Creating and limiting explosive plays
The Saints are on opposite sides of the spectrum with explosive plays offensively and defensively. Unfortunately, the Saints are dead last with an explosive play rate of 6.6%. However, the Saints defense is seventh-best in the NFL at limiting explosive plays at 8.7%. The good news is Carolina is 24th in explosive play rate at 8.9%.
The Saints have to find a way to stretch the field and put pressure on the Panthers defense, whether it's through the air or on the ground. Running the football and utilizing play action (30th in the NFL, 18.3%) could be an interesting wrinkle to throw at Carolina, but that can't happen without an effective rushing attack.