Panthers face Saints as both 3-5 teams vie for division lead

The Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, both 3-5, meet Sunday at the Caesars Superdome, with the winner taking sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

The winning team will move to 4-5, while the loser drops to 3-6. The Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers each entered Sunday's games 3-6.

Since the NFL's 2002 realignment, a division has had no team with more than three wins through nine weeks only once before, in the NFC East in 2020.

"Every win, every single game, matters," Saints quarterback Tyler Shough said.

Panthers coach Dave Canales expects several injured players to return. "I've got a lot of confidence in this locker room and the guys we have here," he said.

Carolina opened 3-2 but has since lost three straight. The Panthers fell 26-21 at home to Denver on Nov. 8, when a late fourth-quarter sack-fumble by quarterback Bryce Young helped the Broncos seal the victory, The Associated Press reported.

With three offensive line starters missing, Bryce Young has taken nine sacks over the past two games. The line next faces New Orleans rushers Chase Young and Carl Granderson, who rank tied for second and tied for fourth in the NFL with eight and 7 1/2 sacks, respectively, according to the AP.

Turnovers have divided Carolina's results. The Panthers have given the ball away 12 times across their five losses but have none in their three wins, according to NBC Sports' ProFootballTalk.

Bryce Young's eight games this season have produced 2,197 passing yards and 16 touchdown throws, according to Sports Illustrated.

His record against New Orleans is 1-5 since he entered the NFL in 2023, with four interceptions and three touchdown passes across those starts.

New Orleans dropped five of its first seven games but has since won two of its past three. The Saints beat Cleveland 23-22 in overtime last week, with the game coming down to a Browns 2-point attempt. The win ended three straight home losses and gave New Orleans its first Superdome victory this season.

Shough earned both his first and fifth victories as an NFL starter against Carolina last season.

This season, Shough has nine turnovers, consisting of six interceptions and three fumbles lost, according to Sports Illustrated. Against Carolina, receiver Chris Olave has caught four touchdown passes in eight games, his highest total against any NFL opponent.

The Saints swept the 2025 series and have won five of the teams' past six meetings. On Dec. 14, 2025, New Orleans trailed 17-10 in the fourth quarter before winning 20-17 on Charlie Smyth's 47-yard field goal with two seconds remaining.

Running back Travis Etienne Jr. opened his 21-day practice window this week and is questionable after going on injured reserve with a Week 3 hamstring injury.

Saints coach Kellen Moore said his team needs to build on the Cleveland victory. "We understand the journey we're on — and this is an important one," he said.

Carolina took the NFC South title last season at 8-9. Elsewhere in the division, Atlanta dealt safety Jessie Bates before Tuesday's trade deadline. "Our fans are smart enough to know in no way, shape or form would we punt on this season," Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski told Atlanta media.

Fox will televise Sunday's game at 1 p.m. EST. New Orleans then visits Chicago and Cincinnati before playing host to Green Bay; those three teams are a combined 19-7.