Tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET the class of the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers (9-3) and New Orleans Saints (9-3) will clash in a battle that will establish control of the division and affect postseason seeding. Watch the Sunday Night Football matchup on NBC, or live stream it free here. Panthers fans can listen to the game on WBT 1110 AM, while Saints fans may do the same on WWL 105.3 FM.
The Saints were thrashed on Monday Night Football last week by the Seahawks, and the Panthers' defense doesn't figure to be any easier for Drew Brees. Saints coach Sean Payton has quickly tried to bury the bad memories of that beating so his charges can get focused on this equally tough game.
"It's a setback and now you're on a short week, but we have to make the corrections," Payton said. "We can't just say it didn't happen. But that being said, we have to quickly get focused on Carolina. They're playing as good football as anybody in the league right now."
The Saints are at home, and have more experience in a position of power than Carolina, but their confidence has grown immensely with each win they rack up. "There is no roof, no sky," Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy said. "We're going up. Every person on this team, every coach on this team has the same mentality right now. I feel like it's contagious. Fans are getting it. They feel like they can't be beat."
As much as the Panthers defense will test Brees and co., the same can be said of the Saints' high-powered offense, as Panthers head coach Ron Rivera noted.
"There are a lot of things they're doing offensively that make you say, 'Wow,'" Rivera told the team's official website. "A lot of people thought last year that Jimmy Graham had an off-year, but now watching him he looks like he's in the form he was two years ago. Darren Sproles, I've got a bottle of Tums next to me because he is a heck of a football player. And Drew Brees is having a classic Drew Brees season."
Panthers Injury Report:
|
G |
Knee |
Out (Definitely Will Not Play) |
Out |
|
|
G |
Not Injury Related |
Full Participation in Practice |
Probable |
|
|
|
RB |
Thigh |
Full Participation in Practice |
Probable |
|
DE |
Knee |
Full Participation in Practice |
Probable |
|
|
RB |
Ankle |
Full Participation in Practice |
Probable |
|
|
|
LB |
Hamstring |
Did Not Participate In Practice |
Doubtful |
|
T |
Not Injury Related |
Full Participation in Practice |
Probable |
|
|
DT |
Not Injury Related |
Full Participation in Practice |
Probable |
|
|
T |
Knee |
Full Participation in Practice |
Probable |
|
|
TE |
Knee |
Full Participation in Practice |
Probable |
|
|
RB |
Knee |
Full Participation in Practice |
Probable |
Saints Injury Report:
|
DT |
Ankle |
Limited Participation in Practice |
Questionable |
|
|
DE |
Knee |
Did Not Participate In Practice |
Questionable |
|
|
T |
Ankle |
Limited Participation in Practice |
Questionable |
|
|
CB |
-- |
Full Participation in Practice |
-- |
|
|
T |
-- |
Full Participation in Practice |
-- |
|
|
LB |
Calf |
Did Not Participate In Practice |
Questionable |
|
|
S |
Ankle |
Did Not Participate In Practice |
Questionable |
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