A key NFC South matchup is on tap Sunday when the Carolina Panthers travel to face the New Orleans Saints. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Panthers enter Sunday's game with a 3-3 record, while the Saints are a half-game ahead in the division standings at 3-2. But for either the Panthers or the Saints to gain any ground on division-leading Tampa Bay, a victory in the Big Easy is a must.
New Orleans is a 6.5-point home favorite in the latest Saints vs. Panthers odds from William Hill, down a half-point from the opening line. The over-under for total points expected is 50, down from opening at 51. Before entering any Panthers vs. Saints picks, you'll want to see the NFL predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up over $7,800 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception five-plus years ago. It's off to a strong 14-6 roll on top-rated NFL picks this season. The model also enters Week 7 on an incredible 110-71 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season.
The model ranked in the Top 10 on NFLPickWatch three of the past four years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 95 percent of CBS Sports office pool players three times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Saints vs. Panthers. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NFL betting lines for Panthers vs. Saints:
- Saints vs. Panthers spread: Saints -6.5
- Saints vs. Panthers over-under: 50 points
- Saints vs. Panthers money line: New Orleans -290, Carolina +245
What you need to know about the Saints
New Orleans is enjoying another strong season from future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. The 41-year-old veteran has passed for 1,331 yards and nine touchdowns against three interceptions. But the Saints win when Brees isn't the only star on the field. Running back Alvin Kamara is perhaps the most potent dual-threat player in the league, piling up 676 yards from scrimmage and scoring seven touchdowns so far in 2020.
While New Orleans will be without its wide receiver duo of Michael Thomas (hamstring) and Emmanuel Sanders (COVID-19), the Saints are still plenty potent in the air. Look for Marquez Callaway, Tre'Quan Smith and Deonte Harris to see increased roles in the passing game, and Taysom Hill can break a big play from anywhere on the field.
What you need to know about the Panthers
Carolina came up short against the Chicago Bears this past Sunday, 23-16. Mike Davis remains the starting running back as he continues to fill in for the injured Christian McCaffrey (ankle). Davis had 52 rushing yards and his second rushing TD of season last week. Robby Anderson had four catches for 77 yards last week. He has 100-plus receiving yards in two of his three road games this season
Teddy Bridgewater, now starting for Carolina, won all five of his starts for New Orleans last year. He passed for 1,384 yards and nine TDs vs. two INTs for a 99.1 rating in nine games with the Saints. Bridgewater has 300-plus passing yards in two of his three road starts in 2020. The Saints are fourth worst in the NFL in passing touchdowns allowed, with 11 on the season. Shaq Thompson has seven-plus tackles in three of his past four meetings with the Saints.
How to make Saints vs. Panthers picks
The model has simulated Saints vs. Panthers 10,000 times and the results are in. It is leaning over on the total, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Panthers vs. Saints? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Panthers vs. Saints spread to jump on Sunday, all from the model that enters Week 7 of the NFL season on an incredible 110-71 roll.
