Live Updates From Saints-Panthers Week 2 Game

Follow along for live updates from the Saints-Panthers game, as Week 2 is close to the end from Bank of America Stadium.

CHARLOTTE -- The Saints (1-0) are not far off from taking on the Panthers (0-1) as part of a ESPN Monday Night doubleheader. Kickoff is set for 6:15 p.m. CT, and if you need to know anything else for this matchup, be sure to hop on over to our Pregame Report. Keep it tuned here for live updates and notes from the game, as Ross Jackson and myself are in attendance at Bank of America Stadium for Saints News Network.

Pregame

The Saints elevated Tony Jones Jr. and Ty Summers from the practice squad ahead of the game on Monday night. Inactives will drop around 4:45 p.m. CT. The inactives list dropped, which sees rookie Isaiah Foskey making his rookie debut.

Pregame Notes

• Kendre Miller and Kirk Merritt were on the field during pre-game warmups. Miller and Merritt was doing some running and drills with running backs coach Joel Thomas. However, they're both out today.
• With Lynn Bowden Jr. sitting, we'll be sure to see Rashid Shaheed back in the return game. Hopefully, he'll have some better decisions there to include the league's new fair catch rule. Starting field position was certainly an opportunity against the Titans.
• The Saints are only carrying two running backs on the day, so that means a heavy workload for Jamaal Williams and possibly seeing some Taysom Hill in the run department. New Orleans also has only four wide receivers dressed.
• No changes in the offensive line during walkthroughs, which is not a surprise. The team will roll out Trevor Penning, James Hurst, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, and Ryan Ramczyk. The hope is that we see much better pass protection for Derek Carr.
• The Saints won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half kickoff.

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First Quarter - Panthers 3, Saints 3

Scoring

• 7:09, Panthers - Eddy Pineiro 52-yard field goal. (9-31, 4:53)
• 0:36, Saints - Blake Grupe 28-yard field goal. (15-65, 6:28)

Notes

• First drive had a nice start to it with the ground game. Getting Jamaal Williams involved early was a good sign.
• Giving up a sack on 3rd Down to end the drive wasn't so good. Pressure came off the left side initially, but it was the right side who got the sack.
• Not a particularly good punt by Lou Hedley to start. It only went 29 yards.
• Nathan Shepherd getting some pressure on the first play of the game defensively was a good sign.
• Giving up the 14-yard run to Miles Sanders was a bit rough, but credit the defense for bending, but not breaking.
• Marcus Maye was credited with a sack on the no gain play by Bryce Young.
• Marshon Lattimore came off a play due to what looked to be a shoe issue.
• Nice run execution by Taysom Hill with Derek Carr being split out right. We missed those plays last week, but it was a good gain of 9.
• That Jeremy Chinn pass breakup when Carr tried the flats was a bit scary. 
• Very nice blitz pickup by Jamaal Williams when Carr connected with Foster Moreau for his first catch of the season for a gain of 14.
• Red zone struggles continue after coming up short. The personnel was out there to get a first down, but the execution just didn't work.

Second Quarter - Saints 6, Panthers 3

Scoring

• 9:52, Saints - Blake Grupe 23-yard field goal. (12-51, 4:23)

Notes

• Alontae Taylor nearly had his first pick again. However, the ball was bobbled towards the end and ruled incomplete. Good stand by the Saints defense.
• Nice punt return of 16 yards by Rashid Shaheed.
• Taysom Hill had a really nice run inside off a designed play fake. Good to see those up the middle.
• Good pass protection for Derek Carr on a play that didn't connect. He had forever and a day. You like seeing those.
• What an insane catch by Michael Thomas to pick up 19 yards. The officials ruled it incomplete at first, but after discussion gave Thomas the catch.
• Red zone struggles continued. They have to find a way to punch it in with all the talent on the field.
• Jamaal Williams ended up leaving the field with an injury. The official word is it was a hamstring injury and he is questionable to return.
• Very nice tackle for loss by Carl Granderson on Miles Sanders to force a loss of 4 yards.
• Good second punt by Lou Hedley to pin the Panthers inside their own 10-yard-line.
• Nice recovery by the Saints defense after giving up the big play to start the drive. Marshon Lattimore had a nice pass breakup on the 3rd-and-3 to get the Panthers off the field.
• Not a good decision by Derek Carr to float a ball into what looked like triple coverage with Chris Olave in the area.
• Seriously a huge play by Carl Granderson when the Saints needed it most. He had a strip-sack on Bryce Young with the Panthers facing a 3rd-and-6 from the New Orleans 18-yard-line. Paulson Adebo eventually recovered the fumble after Bryan Bresee kept the ball alive. He's going to get paid.
• The Saints offense went backwards. They gave up back-to-back sacks, which is not a good look. Pass protection hasn't been the greatest.

Third Quarter - Saints 13, Panthers 6

Scoring

• 9:15, Panthers - Eddy Pineiro 54-yard field goal. (4-5, 1:16)
• 2:56, Saints - Tony Jones 2-yard run for a touchdown. (10-75, 6:14)

Notes

• Tremendous job by Cam Jordan and Bryan Bresee getting to Bryce Young to force a fumble. It got wiped out by a holding call on Paulson Adebo. That ended up flipping the field position by a lot, as the Saints got pinned at their own 3-yard-line.
• The Saints defense did a really nice job despite the field position not being on their side. This was the second time in the game that the officials got together and changed a ruling on the field that helped the Saints and saved them a challenge.
• Andy Dalton came in for the 4th-and-1 play, but it almost immediately drew a false start penalty on the Panthers.
• When the Saints needed a big play, they got it from a Derek Carr to Chris Olave hookup for 42 yards. It was an insane catch by Olave, and will be one to keep watching.
• The officials looked like they missed a face mask or horse collar tackle on Juwan Johnson going out of bounds. 
• The red zone offense finally cashed in, getting a big touchdown from Tony Jones Jr. to help take the lead. That drive built off the momentum of Chris Olave's catch.
• Nathan Shepherd got the third sack of the night for the Saints, forcing a 6-yard loss on Young.
• Isaiah Foskey almost got a blocked punt. It was the second time he was close on the night.
• Chris Olave made an insane catch near the sidelines with Carr rolling to his right to pick up 21 yards. He's truly something.
• Taysom Hill had a nice 11-yard up the middle to end the quarter. New Orleans was up to 93 yards rushing through three quarters.

Fourth Quarter - Saints 20, Panthers 17

Scoring

• 5:30, Panthers - Eddy Pineiro 36-yard field goal. (11-62, 7:17)
• 3:14, Saints - Tony Jones Jr. 2-yard run for a touchdown. (6-79, 2:16)
• 1:16, Panthers - Adam Thielen 3-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young. (11-75, 1:58)

Notes

• The Saints had something going on their drive, but it got shut down because of another sack on Derek Carr. The offensive line can't continue to allow these. It went from 3rd-and-3 to 4th-and-8.
• Real nice tackle by Alontae Taylor to force a 3-yard loss to set up a long 3rd-and-11. Unfortunately, Bryce Young was able to take off on the next play and pick up 26 yards.
• I don't like that pass interference that was called on Paulson Adebo. It looked like it was just a hand battle with D.J. Chark. 
• Very nice play by Demario Davis on Bryce Young to get a 5-yard sack to force a field goal.
• Really outstanding hookup between Rashid Shaheed and Derek Carr to pick up 45 yards. 
• Taysom Hill had a really nice run off the right side to pick up 19 yards. 
• Chris Olave looked to have a touchdown, but he was ruled out at the 7-yard-line after further review. Regardless, tremendous blocking by Foster Moreau and Keith Kirkwood to help spring him.
• Touchdown Tony Jones Jr. got another short yardage score to help put the Saints up 20-9. He'll be needed against the Packers next weekend.
• I get you want to be a passive at the end of the game, but the situation is too close to call. It was the first touchdown given up by the Saints this season.
• Very nice hands team play by D'Marco Jackson.
• The Saints rolled in Andrus Peat and Landon Young and used Taysom Hill at quarterback to help seal the game with a 12-yard run.

Week 2 Saints-Panthers Coverage

• Saints Rushing Attack Needs to Come Alive Against Panthers
• Saints Injury Roundup: No Players Ruled Out for Monday Night Football
• Saints vs. Panthers Predictions, Picks & Odds For NFL Week 2
• Saints Pass Defense Must Capitalize on Advantages Vs. Panthers Passing Attack
• Saints Players Reachable Milestones, Facts Against Panthers | Week 2
• Saints Must Protect Carr, Have Major Advantages Over Panthers Pass Defense
• NFL Week 2: First Look at Saints vs. Panthers
• Saints Run Defense Looks For Continued Improvement Against Panthers
• Saints at Panthers: Week 2 Score Predictions
• Saints Must Unleash Jamaal Williams
• Saints 'Back to the Future' X-Factor Against Panthers