Who will win between Panthers, Saints at 4:25 pm? Our Observer experts pick the score

The fact that the NFL moved the Panthers-Saints kickoff back to 4:25 p.m. Sunday makes no real sense.

C’mon, NFL! You’re only supposed to do that when you’ve got a couple of winning teams and playoff seeding is truly at stake. Here you’ve got a couple of losing teams — New Orleans (7-8) vs. Carolina (5-10).

So a lot of Panther fans are going to be surprised Sunday when they turn on their TVs at 1 p.m. and don’t see a game. But it’s still on Fox — it just starts 3 hours and 25 minutes later.

As for what we’ll see when kickoff finally gets here? Our Observer panel, which went 3-1 last week, forecasts Panthers-Saints, Round 2.

Jonathan Alexander, Panthers beat writer: Both teams are going through COVID issues, but the Saints are in much better shape after getting their two quarterbacks back. The Panthers will be missing some pass rushers and defensive backs. The Saints are a better team than they were in Week 2. They’ll get pressure on Sam Darnold and make things difficult. Saints 27, Panthers 24.

Ellis Williams, Panthers beat writer: Sean Payton hasn’t forgotten about Carolina beating New Orleans by 19 back in September when nearly 10 Saints’ coaches were on the reserve/ COVID-19 list. He’ll be looking for revenge against a thin Panthers defense dealing with its own COVID outbreak. Saints 24, Panthers 10.

Matt Stephens, McClatchy Southeast senior sports editor: Weird thought: The Panthers are starting a better quarterback than their opponent this week. Other than PJ Walker vs. Colt McCoy, have we been able to say that at any point this season? But even if Sam Darnold outguns Ian Book or Taysom Hill, let’s face it, this Panthers defense has too many guys on the COVID list to win in New Orleans. Saints 31, Panthers 24.

Scott Fowler, sports columnist: New Orleans is at least 10 points better at home than on the road and the Saints still have an outside shot at the playoffs. That will be enough, as Carolina loses its sixth straight game. Saints 33, Panthers 20.

This story was originally published January 1, 2022 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Who will win between Panthers, Saints at 4:25 pm? Our Observer experts pick the score."

Scott Fowler

The Charlotte Observer

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Columnist Scott Fowler has written for The Charlotte Observer since 1994 and has earned 26 APSE awards for his sportswriting. He hosted The Observer’s podcast “Carruth,” which Sports Illustrated once named “Podcast of the Year.” Fowler also conceived and hosted the online series and podcast “Sports Legends of the Carolinas,” which featured 1-on-1 interviews with NC and SC sports icons and was turned into a book. He occasionally writes about non-sports subjects, such as the 5-part series “9/11/74,” which chronicled the forgotten plane crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 in Charlotte on Sept. 11, 1974. Support my work with a digital subscription