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Stay Updated: Saints Week 9 Live Game Alerts and Notes!

Keep updated with all of the Saints in-game action from Week 9 with notes, observations scoring updates and much more from Charlotte.

John Hendrix

Oct 27, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) runs the ball against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Oct 27, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) runs the ball against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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CHARLOTTE -- New Orleans has had their backs against the wall for weeks, but Sunday feels like they're down to their final strike. A loss to the Panthers on Sunday would be detrimental for the Saints. A win, depending on the nature of it, could help the team out, but won't exactly make believers of others. They have a long ways to go, to say the least.

Keep updated with all of the lates from Bank of America Stadium as we'll update you with the latest, provide notes and observations as well as put the big play highlights in our weekly thread.

Pregame Notes

  • There's several Saints who will be making their season debuts on Sunday. That list includes Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Shemar Jean-Charles, Roderic Teamer and Tre Herndon. Injuries continue to be a common theme for New Orleans, and they enter down three of their top four corners.
  • I reported early in the week that Rico Payton's back injury was not serious, and he ended up not being able to go today. He got some rest throughout the week and made a brief appearance at practice on Friday, but he hopefully returns next Sunday against the Falcons. Kool-Aid McKinstry might be out multiple weeks.
  • The Saints have just a 4% chance of making the playoffs. A loss today should force the team to make changes, regardless of whether they want to or not. But would they? Hard to see it. I feel like New Orleans will show up today, however. Getting Derek Carr back does help.
  • Another return for the Saints that could happen next week is safety Will Harris. He's been out with a hamstring injury, and New Orleans could also get Shane Lemieux and Nephi Sewell back. What is interesting is who would you trim or trade to make room for someone like Sewell? They like Anfernee Orji a lot as well as D'Marco Jackson. Could Willie Gay Jr. be a candidate?
  • If there were any doubts, Shemar Jean-Charles is starting opposite of Alontae Taylor in walkthroughs. Millard Bradford was a backup corner with Tre Herndon. That's interesting.
  • Saints offense is up first after Carolina won the toss and elected to defer to the second half.

First Quarter - Saints 6, Panthers 0

Scoring

  • Saints, 10:51 (10-67, 4:09) - Blake Grupe 29-yard field goal.
  • Saints, 3:08 (11-72, 5:07) - Blake Grupe 33-yard field goal.

Notes

  • Great start to the game with Alvin Kamara getting a 20-yard gain on the first play. That should be the theme for today.
  • Very strong drive to start by the offense with ground and pound. The throw to Chris Olave from Derek Carr got them into Panthers territory, but the play selection has had the run first feel.
  • Panthers got away with a hip-drop tackle on Kamara. That's gonna result in a fine.
  • Drive stalls out and the Saints have to settle for a field goal. They've had just 12 points in the 1st Quarter in the past six games.
  • Good job by Alontae Taylor breaking up a pass coming across the middle that he had a shot at picking off.
  • Really nice play by Willie Gay Jr. on the 3rd-and-5 play to force a loss of 7 yards. There was an illegal formation penalty on the Panthers as well.
  • Very scary situation in Charlotte here with Chris Olave, who took a massive shot after making an attempt for a pass from Carr. He ended up leaving on a cart and backboard, but did move his arms and hands. At least that's a good preliminary sign, but he has a concussion history.
  • Huge hookup from Carr to Juwan Johnson over the middle on 3rd-and-11. That was something missing for weeks.
  • Olave has a concussion and is out for the rest of the game. A promising update to pass along, however. He has movement in all extremities and is undergoing further evaluation at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center.

Highlights

Second Quarter - Saints 13, Panthers 10

Scoring

  • Panthers, 9:59 (8-40, 4:50) - Xavier Legette 3-yard pass from Bryce Young.
  • Saints, 4:13 (9-78, 5:46) - Taysom Hill 7-yard run.
  • Panthers, 0:38 (4--2, 0:39) - Eddy Piñeiro 48-yard field goal.

Notes

  • That was not a good punt by Matt Hayball. Just 30 yards. Gives the Panthers ideal field position. Willie Gay Jr. was a gunner on that play too, which was nuts. Carolina's offense got flagged for a false start to begin their possession.
  • Panthers got a nice play over the middle to David Moore for 11 yards, but then went backwards on the next play with a Jordan Howden 3-yard loss on Miles Sanders.
  • That's what happens when you only get field goals and then give up field position.
  • Juwan Johnson took a shot on the incomplete pass to start, and they stopped the next play to pull him out of the game to be evaluated.
  • Alvin Kamara is getting plenty of touches in this game and he's looking great.
  • Liked the Taysom Hill screen play that picked up 15. They need more of those.
  • Juwan Johnson is out of the medical tent and back on the Saints sideline with his helmet.
  • Getting Taysom Hill involved works. He finds pay dirt from 7 yards out.
  • Cedrick Wilson Jr. has a shoulder injury and is questionable to return. Another receiver down for New Orleans.
  • Ugo Amadi on Ja'Tavion Sanders is not the ideal matchup.
  • Chuba Hubbard is finding some success on the ground, averaging 4.2 yards/carry right now.
  • That's a really nice sideline play by Alontae Taylor and he displayed his closing speed there.
  • I know it's not the ideal spot for him, but Isaiah Foskey has looked good on special teams today.
  • Ugly two-minute sequence for New Orleans running a three-and-out.
  • Horrible penalty to take by Willie Gay Jr. It's always the last guy.
  • Close one for Alontae Taylor to get a pick. He's been pretty stellar.

Highlights

Third Quarter - Panthers 17, Saints 16

Scoring

  • Panthers, 9:55 (9-86, 5:05) - Chuba Hubbard 1-yard run.
  • Saints, 4:15 (12-37, 5:40) - Blake Grupe 51-yard field goal.

Notes

  • Cedrick Wilson Jr. is back on the Saints sideline to start the 3rd Quarter. He was talking to the training staff, so we'll see if he gets back in the game.
  • Big hookup from Bryce Young to Miles Sanders that picked up 46 yards. That's the explosive play the Saints defense didn't need to give up.
  • That's a great play by Alontae Taylor to stay with the play and break up the potential David Moore touchdown.
  • Really not a good way to start the quarter for the Saints defense letting the Panthers march down the field to capture the lead.
  • Saints don't really have much to lose at this point I'd say, so I like the aggressive call with Matt Hayball on 4th-and-1. He picked up 11 yards.
  • New Orleans just burned their second timeout of the half with just 7:10 to play in the quarter.
  • Taysom Hill on 4th-and-1 is the right call. Huge first down to get.
  • Lucas Patrick (calf) is questionable to return for the Saints.
  • Nice tackle for loss by Pete Werner to start the ensuing Panthers drive. Carl Granderson was there first, but a big loss of 5.
  • Nick Saldiveri is in at left guard with Patrick out.
  • Why not run on 3rd-and-2? Carr gets an unnecessary hit but is thankfully helped by his dump off to Alvin Kamara for 20 yards.

Highlights

Fourth Quarter - Panthers 23, Saints 22

Scoring

  • Saints, 11:55 (11-70, 5:40) - Foster Moreau 17-yard pass from Derek Carr. 2-point attempt fails.
  • Panthers. 2:18 (4-64, 1:08) - Chuba Hubbard 16-yard run. 2-point attempt fails.

Notes

  • Huge pickup on 3rd-and-6 to start the quarter. Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara have been so valuable today.
  • That's an incredible catch by Foster Moreau on 3rd-and-7 to get the Saints into the end zone. That's a grown man grab.
  • Shemar Jean-Charles made an insane play on Xavier Legette. He took away what looked like a big catch to get a pick.
  • So how do you follow up the pick? Get two holding calls in a row to back yourself up to 2nd-and-29 and then 3rd-and-29.
  • Saints offense got 28 of it back, but they can't get a yard on 4th-and-1?
  • Well, the Saints defense did their job and were able to get a big stop. We're under 5 minutes. The Saints need to put this game away.
  • J.T. Gray just came out of the injury tent and is going back to the Saints locker room.
  • How do they miss the jersey grab in the back on Alvin Kamara?
  • Running out of bounds on 3rd-and-13 isn't a good decision.
  • Saints give up a 3rd-and-10 to help the Panthers get into Saints territory and then Demario Davis gets a pass interference call. Chuba Hubbard gets into the end zone right after. The collapse is real.

Highlights

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John Hendrix
JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net

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