Week 2 picks: Who the experts are taking in Saints vs. Panthers
The New Orleans Saints are looking to right the ship from last year and do something they were unable to: beat the Carolina Panthers. The Saints will travel to Carolina for their first road test of the regular season, taking on Bryce Young in his home debut. Derek Carr was put on a pedestal during the offseason as the best quarterback in the division (for now) and this his first chance to prove it. The Panthers are coming off a loss to the Atlanta Falcons and will be looking to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start.
New Orleans is favored (narrowly, by BetMGM) to win on the road on Monday. But what are the experts predicting? Let’s take a look at 50 of them:
USA TODAY
Chris Bumbaca: Saints
Jarrett Bell: Saints
Lorenzo Reyes: Panthers
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Saints
Nate Davis: Saints
Safid Deen: Saints
Tyler Dragon: Saints
Victoria Davis: Saints
NFL.com
Ali Bhanpuri: Saints
Brooke Cersosimo: Saints
Dan Parr: Saints
Gennaro Filice: Panthers
Tom Blair: Saints
ESPN
Stephania Bell: Saints
Matt Bowen: Saints
Mike Clay: Saints
Jeremy Fowler: Panthers
Dan Graziano: Saints
Kimberley Martin: Saints
Eric Moody: Saints
Jason Reid: Saints
Lindsey Thiry: Saints
Sam Wickersham: Saints
CBS Sports
Pete Prisco: Saints
Will Brinson: Panthers
Jared Dubin: Saints
Ryan Wilson: Panthers
John Breech: Saints
Tyler Sullivan: Saints
Dave Richard: Saints
Jamey Eisenberg: Saints
MMQB
Albert Breer: Saints
Mitch Goldich: Saints
Claire Kuwana: Saints
Gilberto Manzano: Panthers
Conor Orr: Panthers
John Pluym: Saints
Matt Verderame: Saints
SportingNews
Bill Bender: Panthers 23, Saints 18
NFC South rivals face off as a part of a Monday Night Football doubleheader, and it will be the home debut for No. 1 pick Bryce Young. Derek Carr passed for 302 yards in his Saints’ debut, and he established an immediate connection with Chris Olave. Young’s best days are ahead, but it will be tough against an improved Saints’ defense. Carolina swept this series last year and has won the last two at home, so this is a potential upset. We’ll bite.
Athlon Sports
Alek Arend: Saints
Matt Audilet: Panthers
Cameron Flynn: Saints
Bleacher Report
Bleacher Report’s Week 2 picks
Gary Davenport: Saints
Brad Gagnon: Panthers
Ian Hanford: Saints
Kris Knox: Saints
Maurice Moton: Saints
Wes O’Donnell: Saints
Brent Sobleski: Saints
Bottom line
An overwhelming majority of experts have the Saints taking down the Panthers in the Week 2 matchup. Most sites only have one of their people taking the Panthers, two at most (10 total). The experience of the Saints seems to trump the young hopefulness of the Panthers.
