NFL Matchups: A New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers Series History

A look at the Saints history against their season opening and Week 9 opponent, the Carolina Panthers

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) eyes up Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) before a snap / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Saints will open up their 2024-25 regular season by playing the Carolina Panthers at home. New Orleans is 21-36 in season openers through their previous 57-year history, a winning percentage of just .368.

The Saints are 6-9 all-time when opening the year against one of their current NFC South rivals. However, New Orleans has won five consecutive season openers dating back to 2019. Head coach Dennis Allen has won both of his season openers since taking over for Sean Payton.

After missing the playoffs for three consecutive years, it is crucial that New Orleans gets off to a strong start. The Saints stayed home for the playoffs in large part because they came up short on conference and divisional tiebreakers.

Five of the first six games for New Orleans are against NFC opponents, including three contests against the NFC South. Over the last two years, the Saints are just 11-13 against NFC foes, which includes a mediocre 6-6 mark in their division.

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New Orleans is coming off a 9-8 season in 2023. Meanwhile, the Panthers had an NFL-worst 2-15 mark. It was their sixth consecutive losing season and fifth straight with at least 10 losses.

Here's a quick look at how the Saints have historically fared against the Carolina Panthers.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) passes against the Carolina Panthers / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Saints-Panthers Series History

• 31-28 all-time record
• 16-14 at home
• 15-14 away

The Saints are 7-3 in their last 10 meetings against Carolina and have won seven of the last nine contests against them at home.

These teams have been in the same division since Carolina entered the NFL in 1995. First in the NFC West, then both were moved into the newly created NFC South upon the league's realignment in 2002.

New Orleans has faced Carolina twice to open a regular season, going 1-1 in those matchups. The Saints defeated the Panthers by a 19-10 score to kick off the 1999 campaign. In the Hurricane Katrina tragedy of 2005, the Panthers edged New Orleans by a 23-20 score in Week 1 at Carolina.

These teams will wage a rematch on November 3 (Week 9) of the year. It will be the fourth of five matchups the Saints have against NFC South rivals over their first 10 games.
New Orleans has traditionally played well on the road against the Panthers. They are 15-14 all-time in Carolina, taking five of the last seven road matchups between the teams.

The Saints swept the Panthers in 2023, winning a 20-17 game at Carolina in Week 2 and a dominant 28-6 decision during the rematch at home in Week 14. That made up for surprisingly getting swept by the Panthers in 2022.