5 Saints stars that the Panthers must slow down on Sunday to walk out of New Orleans with a victory

Matt Alquiza | Sep 3, 2024

Sep 18, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) crosses the goal line but was ruled to have stepped out of bounds earlier on the play in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. / bob donnan-usa today sports

It's game week. In five days the Carolina Panthers will kick off the 2024 season, mercifully bringing the most tumultuous offseason in franchise history to a bitter end. The NFL schedule-makers did the Panthers zero favors, sending Carolina on the road in week one to play a division rival in The Big Easy.

Vibes are off in New Orleans, but they still have a solidly constructed football team. Derek Carr is whatever the opposite of fan-favorite would be, but his surrounding cast on both sides of the ball is solid at worst. A season-opening win would be a treat for a Panthers squad looking to erase any memory of 2023's train wreck, and here are five Saints they'll need to shut down to make that happen.

Defensive Ends Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, and Chase Young

The Panthers are going to have their hands full up front. Dan Morgan and Dave Canales made a large (literally and figuratively) offseason investment into their interior offensive line. Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis inked two of the richest guard contracts in NFL history this offseason to fortify a leaky front that left Bryce Young on his back 62 times in his rookie season. However, in the bolstered front's first live action, the onus will be on two incumbent starters to hold down the fort, not the free agent splashes.

Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu will be tasked with shutting down the Saints prominent pass-rushing trio. Cameron Jordan and Chase Young are the names that live on the marquee at the Caesers Superdome, but Carl Granderson will bring just as much fight to the Carolina front. The blend of speed, power, skill, and straight up nasty beetween those three stars will have Ekwonu and Moton on their heels all afternoon. Granderson brought down Bryce Young twice in two matchups last season, and Panthers fans need no introduction to Cameron Jordan who has terrorized Carolina quarterbacks for over a decade.

Jordan has racked up 13.5 sacks in 26 career games against the Panthers. He'll be licking his chops to get his hands on Bryce Young, as Jordan has yet to sack Carolina's newest franchise quarterback. Chase Young, a former number one overall pick who has failed to produce numbers that match his draft price. Slowing down Granderson, Young, and Jordan is the Panthers first, second, and third priority on Sunday afternoon, and Bryce Young would surely be thankful if they are able to.

Wide Receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed

Chris Olave has done a number on the Carolina Panthers in his short career. In four matchups against the Panthers, Olave has either tallied at least 85 yards or hauled in a touchdown. He is a supremely talented wideout that dominates in a division full of them.

Jaycee Horn has had success against some of the NFC South's elite wide outs, but Olave is a different beast. He wins with slick route-running skills, leaving defenses cross-eyed with fancy footwork. Horn is a lanky, physical corner who will need to get his hands on Olave early in his routes. Jaycee Horn's summer dances with Diontae Johnson should have him well-prepared to take on the Saints number one option. Across from Olave on the Saints offense resides one of the most electrifying offensive weapons in the NFL.

Rashid Shaheed is a true burner that flies past defenses. He averaged 15.6 yards per reception in 2023, stretching the defense vertically to allow Olave and the Saints tertiary receiving options space to operate in the more shallow areas of the field. Mike Jackson, the current starter opposite of Jaycee Horn, will be tasked with slowing down the speedy Shaheed. Talk about being thrown to the wolves.

The Saints plan on offense is to hit single after single until they belt a grand slam that breaks the back of the defense. A steady diet of Alvin Kamara touches, Taysom Hill chicanery, and underneath throws create a false sense of security for a defense before Shaheed and Olave blow the top off with their track speed. Those two have single-handedly swung many a contest with one chunk play for the Saints, and Carolina would be well-suited to stay aware of their downfield presence at all times on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday's game is a winnable for the Panthers. The gambling line has fluctuated between 3.5 and 4.5 in New Orleans favor, meaning Vegas fancies the Saints by about a point on a neutral field. If (and it's a big if) Carolina can slow down the New Orleans pass rush and vertical passing game, Dave Canales has a great shot at starting his head coaching career 1-0.

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