Game 1 - The Carolina Panthers
 

Blah! Enough of these reports that go back and forth. "The Saints will play their home games at LSU...the Saints will play their home games in San Antonio." No official decision has been made yet.

"Shuttup with the broccoli!"

:arrow: The fact is, the season starts this Sunday. The Saints are traveling to Carolina to take on Jake Delhomme, Julius Peppers, and the rest of the Carolina Panthers. Discuss!

RE: Game 1 - The Carolina Panthers
 

Good call Oldies. As if there wasn't enough riding on this game. I think that the Saints can have a really sucessful season if they can come out of Carolina with a win. If they lose they may fall into a tailspin. The defense looked pretty good against the run when they played the Raiders, lets hope it continues to improve.

RE: Game 1 - The Carolina Panthers
 

I'm thinking a highly emotional and fired up Saints team comes on the field for the first quarter. They start goofing up and the next thing you know, they're playing flat as hell. Haslett gets on them at half time and they come out with a bit of spring in their step. Third quarter they play consistent with hardly any penalties. Fourth quarter, expect to see them start an emotional comeback.

This is going to be a very interesting game. Its way too close for me to pick a winner in this one.

RE: Game 1 - The Carolina Panthers
 

Saints 21
Panthers 20...
"You can take that to the bank"......

RE: Game 1 - The Carolina Panthers
 

Wow this will be a game, lets see if our "Great QB" Aaron Brooks can get a win from the "Good QB" Jake Delhomme......

I'm really looking forward to this game. The series is tied 10-10, and it looks like a rivalry is brewing. I'm hoping the Panthers win this game, but I think it will be very close. Whoever has the ball last may need to score to win. Too close to call.

I'll be pulling for you all season except for this Sunday and when we meet again.

I hate to see what has happened to New Orleans. I wish I had visited there before, but hopefully I will be able to in the future. I'm also hopeful that the city will keep the Saints and get a new stadium.

As for the Panthers, we have a good number of our starters returning from injury - as you may know. Steve Smith, Kris Jenkins, DeShaun Foster, and Steven Davis to name a few. We have another rookie starting on defense at saftey - Thomas Davis. They say he may be able to play linebacker as well. We have Chris Gamble at corner (rookie from last year) and signed Ken Lucas to fill the other corner. Both were tied for the league lead in intercetptions last year, so Brooks needs to keep an eye peeled. Ricky Manning comes in during nickel packages. We have some real depth at linebacker - Will Witherspoon and Dan Morgan lead the charge.

We rely on our defense to win games, but our offense has been opening it up quite a bit. Delhomme has really become the leader and he has no problem feeding the ball downfield to Smith and Keary Colbert. We signed Rod Gardner from the Redskins and we hope he turns things around. He has the talent, he just needs the right situation. We also have Ricky Prohl and Drew Carter and Karl Hankton as receivers. Our line has improved dramatically. We signed Wahle and moved Gross back to right tackle where he exceled in our Super Bowl year. We have a stable of running backs, and our special teams is very agressive. John Kasay is still booting field goals, but we have a new punter who can handle kickoffs, too.

All in all - a very talented group, but they need to show they know how to put it all together. The Saints will be a good test.

It looks like it will be a battle of our D versus your O. If we can put up 24 points, I think we'll win it.

Good luck, and I hope there are no injuries.

Thanks for the rundown of the panthers Fever, very detailed. I'm of the opinion that our Linebacking crew determines whether or not we win the game. I have major concern for this unit, I see no improvement from last year and even the good preseason game aside, the ability to stop the run. We shall see, preseason is totally different than the regular season. We all know this.

Jammal Brown vs Julius Peppers Lets see wat you got Jammal ....

Saints in a blow-out!
AB to Horn all day. Very few mistakes by AB, accually plays like he is proud to be a Saint!
22 runs away with the "OL" making huge holes
Defense totally dominates!

Here's to the dream fellas! :drink:

22????
Freddy runs the rock now? :roll:

That is an Ole Miss reference, duh. :roll:

Sorry....Cali boy here..

no big deal. :drink:

RUN DEUCE RUN!!!!!! :hump:

How long exactly has "Fast" Freddy been part of this team?

I am an Eagles fan and season ticket holder living in southern New Jersey. I was thinking of buying tickets to the monday night game and of course rooting for the Saints. I think it is extremely unfair that Giants ticket holders get to buy tickets before the general public. I am sure most people have other things to worry about than home field advantage but if any Saints fans have a season ticket account # they want to lend me I would like to go up there and root for the Saints.

Plan and simple... The Saints are playing for their city. I have read and heard all the stories and interviews with Horn, Stallworth, Conwell and the entire team. These guys are playing with everything they have come game time. They are now America's Team. From Horn text messaging Stallworth and telling him to ...handle our businees and ride for our people. To Conwell going into a Wal-Mart and buying a new engagment ring for a man with no money to give to his wife, to Stallworth clearing the shelves at a Wal-Mart. These guys are playing for NO and they are gonna ride, PERIOD!!!

This game has a 7 point spread, which I think is crazy. These teams always play super close games. The only way I see Carolina covering is if the mental fatigue sets in late and the Saints fall apart.

I like Carolina this year. I think they are set up to have a good season and I pick them to win the South. The Saints are even more of an enigma now than ever. This could go 2 ways....increased focus and passion leading to a team that finally lives up to the potential. Or the wheels falling off and life being a bit too much for the boys to take.

Having said that...I was inspired by what Horn said. The idea that they will ride for the city....that makes me want to put on a helmet. But....that won't keep him or Dante from dropping a ball on 3rd down. The difference may be their ability to immediately bounce back. Maybe they'll say...it's just football, let's do this.

Carolina has a really well rounded football team and a better defense than us. That could be the difference.

Yasoon's keys to the game:

1) Neutralize Peppers. I fear a backside rush where he smacks the ball out of Brooks' hand.
2) Which Jake shows up? He was off the last time we saw him, let's hope it happens again. We need Mike/Dwight to pull one out of the air in a big spot.
3) Saints run D. No explanation needed
4) Beerman vs. hehateme. Haven't heard this mentioned...not sure why. Close games in the NFL are often determined by a key play on teams. We look primed for a breakdown in coverage. Let's all hope that the little man from the big easy comes through the wedge with a fury.
5) AB has to pick his spots and let Deuce be the man. Work some playaction and loosen the secondary with some deep balls. Get the ball out on time and don't run backwards.

1st Note , Hope that everyone in NO is as well as can be and I hope that the football provides some temporary peace of mind for you all.

Well No way that's happening on 3rd down, 1st.....maybe!

Anyways Deuce always seems to step up against Carolina and that will have to be the case here too. Control the clock early and don't let Car get off to an early lead as happened last year in the 1st encounter. On D I really like our Agressive secondary. With Brown, Mckenzie and Smith all ready for int's, it's up to the front line to get pressure on Jake and make him throw those lame ducks he's capable of. With Smith,Grant and Howard pass rushing I like our chances. after setting the tone with the run, Open up the play action and let Donte loose to test the Secondary out!

See how things go from there and enjoy the win! :bananajoy:

Jake wasnt off vs the Saints last time, he just had no time to throw and got injured early in the game. The last 10 games of the season Jake threw 22 tds and 5 int.
The Panthers oline is key, they have looked great in preseason. Mike Wahle is a beast, Gross is back at RT and doing great like he did in 2003. the only question is Wharton who is a 2nd year vet but the first time playing LT, in preseason he looked really good and rather good going up against Rucker. I dont think the Saints will have the same success against the Panthers oline this time around like they did in week 16. 3rd stringer Matt Willig was playing RT and got owned all day long.



also Deuce had 22 yards against the Panthers in there 1st meeting so i dont think he ALWAYS steps it up.

Wrong. He missed moose wide open deep at least twice. Watch the tape. Jake had a bad game. I'm no Jake hater....I love his game, but week 17 of last year was not a good game for him. He fumbled all over the place. And we took advantage.

You're obviously a Panthers fan and that's fine. But you gotta admit when your boy has an off day. If Jake hits those throws to Moose, ya'll are in the playoffs.

Again, Back to my point, If the Saints can get to Jake AGAIN, Wich they will, He will have a similar game to the finale from last year. Aknowledged that it is a new season ,and the Panthers are much healthier this year, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Also I now Deuce had a rough game in the 1st meeting last year, and Jake in the 2nd, but I look for both to have solid games, making it a great match up as always.

One last thing for all you stat guys checking in, It seems to me Deuce does always step up vs Car, but I wouldn't mind seeing his carreer vs Car stats to back it up??? Can anyone get them??