The Carolina Panthers faced a tough challenge in their Week 2 “Monday Night Football” matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers were limited to just 239 total yards and ultimately lost the game 20-17. Let’s take a closer look at the key highlights from the game.
Carolina quarterback Bryce Young made his home debut and completed 22-of-33 passes for 153 yards. While he showed promise, the Panthers’ offense struggled to find its rhythm throughout the game. On the other side, New Orleans’ Derek Carr had a solid performance, going 21-of-36 for 228 yards passing. The first touchdown of the game came from Tony Jones Jr., who rushed for a 2-yard score late in the third quarter. This marked Jones’ first career touchdown and gave the Saints a much-needed boost. He later added another touchdown in the fourth quarter to secure the victory for his team.
One positive note for the Panthers was their late fourth-quarter touchdown, which was the first touchdown allowed by the Saints this season. In their Week 1 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, the Saints managed to keep their opponents to just five field goals. This touchdown showed that the Panthers were able to find some success against a strong Saints defense.
A key stat from Monday’s game was that it marked the Saints’ 10th consecutive game holding their opponents to 20 or fewer points. This defensive prowess has been a significant factor in the team’s recent success and has played a crucial role in their victory over the Panthers.
As the game concluded, it was evident that both teams had areas to improve upon. The Panthers’ offense struggled to generate significant yardage and will need to find ways to be more productive moving forward. On the other hand, the Saints’ defense continued to showcase its dominance, but their offense will need to find more consistency to complement their strong defensive efforts.
Overall, this matchup between the Panthers and the Saints was a closely contested game that highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of both teams. The Saints’ ability to hold their opponents to low-scoring games has been a significant factor in their recent success, while the Panthers will need to work on their offensive execution to bounce back from this loss.
For more in-depth coverage of the game, be sure to check out The Athletic’s live coverage of the Saints-Panthers matchup on “Monday Night Football.” Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
(Photo: Bob Donnan / USA Today)