Saints Game Balls in Ugly Win Over Panthers

Here were the top performers from the Saints ugly win over Carolina in Week 14.

The New Orleans Saints snapped a three-game losing streak with a 28-6 home win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Thanks to a Tampa Bay win over Atlanta, the three teams are now tied atop the NFC South with 6-7 records.

Despite the lopsided score, it was not a pretty win for the banged-up Saints. Quarterbacks Derek Carr and Bryce Young combined for a meager 70 yards passing in the first half. New Orleans ran 18 of their 19 first quarter plays on the Carolina side of the 50. Yet, they couldn't get on the board until an Alvin Kamara TD run on the first play of the second quarter. The Saints managed a pathetic four yards of total offense in the third quarter to keep the game in doubt until late.

Carr was inaccurate all afternoon and had just 119 passing yards in the game, though he did throw two key touchdown passes. Through the first quarter and first play of the second, Saints RBs Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams combined for 72 rushing yards and a score on 11 carries. Inexplicably, New Orleans shifted away from that approach, with Kamara and Williams getting only 27 yards on 12 carries over the final three quarters. 

The Saints again were pummeled defensively by the run. Carolina rushed for 204 yards and averaged over 5.2 per carry. New Orleans did manage to sack Young four times, with one and several other pressures from a recharged Carl Granderson. However, the Panthers quarterback slipped out of their grasp several times and picked up 40 yards with his legs.

Dec 10, 2023; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) fumbles on a sack from New Orleans Saints S Jordan Howden as linebacker Pete Werner (20) recovers. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY

Another sack came from blitzing safety Jordan Howden, who stripped Young of the ball for a Pete Werner recovery. Linebacker Nephi Sewell also blocked a punt, later ruled a forced fumble, that was returned by LB D'Marco Jackson for a second quarter touchdown. 

That play forced the Panthers to play catch-up in the second half. A fourth quarter touchdown pass to Chris Olave made that even more difficult, with the Saints defense able to close out the day with a fourth down stop minutes later.

The defense held Carolina to just 1 of 7 on fourth down attempts. It wasn't a smooth performance on either side of the ball, but enough to get the much-needed win. Here were the top standouts for the Saints. 

Jimmy Graham, TE

Dec 10, 2023; New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) yells after catching a pass against the Carolina Panthers. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

On a day where the Saints wore throwback uniforms, their oldest player provided a bit of nostalgia. Graham wasn't even targeted until late in the fourth quarter. He caught both of those targets, one setting up Olave’s crucial score with the other a score of his own to seal the victory. 

Graham's first catch was a spectacular 12-yard leaping grab in heavy traffic. It converted a third and long to set the Saints up with first and goal. Carr hit Olave with the touchdown on the next play. 

The second Graham reception was a crisp route to provide immediate separation, giving Carr an easy throw for the score. Both plays were reminiscent of the Jimmy Graham from over a decade ago. A player that expertly used his body to shield defenders and made game-changing plays with his sure hands and route precision despite traffic around him.

Graham's score moved him past Dalton Hilliard into fifth place on the franchise's all-time touchdown list. His 54 career receiving touchdowns as a Saint are second only to Marques Colston's 72 receiving scores. He is just four from passing Mark Ingram (57) for fourth place in franchise history for total touchdowns. 

Graham has just four catches for 30 yards this season, but three went for touchdowns. At 37, he's no longer an every down player. It's also clear that he could play a critical situational role for the Saints as they chase a potential division title. 

Demario Davis, LB 

Dec 10, 2023; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) is sacked by New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56). Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Davis hasn't had a bad year. He led the Saints in tackles coming into Sunday's game, including four sacks and six stops for loss. However, he just hadn't been making the game-changing plays we've come accustomed to seeing. 

That changed against the Panthers. Yes, the defense (again) struggled against the run. However, Davis had a handful of crucial stops in critical situations with crushing tackles. He also had 1.5 sacks and three QB hits on Bryce Young, doing a great job of running down the Carolina quarterback.

Davis also joined elite company on Sunday. He recorded his 100th career tackle for loss. It's a milestone that only 24 other NFL players, including Saint DE Cameron Jordan, have achieved. As he always does, Davis was also a factor in coverage and helped take away short and easy throws away from Young. 

The New Orleans defense obviously has some issues to correct down the stretch, especially against the run. One of those issues aren't Demario Davis, who once again stepped up his level of play and intensity in an important game to the team.

Isaac Yiadom, CB

Oct 1, 2023; New Orleans Saints cornerback Isaac Yiadom (27) celebrates an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps the quietest top performance of the day belonged to Yiadom, a lightly regarded corner coming into this season. Even with injuries that sidelined CB Marshon Lattimore and S Marcus Maye, the Saints held Young to just 13 completions in 36 attempts for 137 yards.

Young completed just three of 15 throws for 29 yards in the first half. Yiadom was targeted frequently in the first two quarters. He responded by breaking up three throws and giving up just one short catch when playing softer coverage. 

Yiadom continued standout coverage into the second half. Eventually, the Panthers gave up even looking in his direction. That's the ultimate compliment to a corner in man coverage, especially for a New Orleans secondary that also has two other terrific corners in Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor. 

There will always be a drop-off when an elite corner like Lattimore is not on the field. Isaac Yiadom has played at a high level in every opportunity he's had this season, keeping the New Orleans secondary at a high level. Yiadom, Adebo, and Taylor essentially eliminated Carolina pass catchers, allowing the New Orleans pass rush to make key plays absent from this defense for six weeks.