In the opening Week 1 matchup between two redesigned offenses, the Panthers are +4 road underdogs at gambling sites for the NFL against the New Orleans Saints, their division opponent. BettheSuperBowl Website has set a 41.5-point total for this game because they anticipate a low-scoring contest. In their two games together last season, these clubs scored just 71 points total, and we might witness more of the same this year.

Dave Canales’ offense is being adopted by Carolina after his success in Tampa Bay the previous season. After serving as San Francisco’s passing game coordinator, Klint Kubiak, who intends to inject some Kyle Shanahan influence, will be writing the offensive plays for the Saints. The Saints will be swimming against the current beginning in Week 2 (at Dallas, vs. Philadelphia, at Atlanta, at Kansas City), so this game is very important. The Saints may easily start 0–6 if they lose this game.

Carolina Panthers vs. New Orleans Saints NFL Odds By BetAnySports

Team	SP/RL	TOTAL	ML
Panthers	+4 ( -110 )	41½ ( -110 )	+170
Saints	-4 ( -110 )	41½ ( -110 )	-200

Betting Carolina Panthers

It was a disappointing season in 2023—they went just 2–15 in their first year with QB Bryce Young. In the end, it was the poorest season Carolina has had since finishing 2-14 in 2010. Dave Canales, who spent 2023 as the OC for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, makes his way here.

Dave Canales, who is credited with resurrecting the careers of Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith, will be calling plays for Young. Though we don’t want to overreact to the preseason, it’s important to note that in his lone preseason play (6-for-8, 70 yards, and a touchdown), Young appeared at ease.

Legette and Johnson are receiving more attention, therefore we expect forgotten man Adam Thielen to be successful. The veteran will fit in well with whoever New Orleans inserts in the slot after he recorded 12 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown in two games against the Saints last season.

This is Canales’s first head coaching position. The Panthers attempted to reassemble their roster around Young by acquiring Diontae Johnson from the Steelers and selecting Jonathan Brooks and Xavier Leggette as offensive skill players to complement returning veteran Adam Thielen.

Miles Sanders was a free-agent bust for Carolina, and Chuba Hubbard is coming off a good year. Shaq Thompson will have Jadeveon Clowney and K’Lavon Chaisson by his side. Together, they comprise Carolina’s defensive front seven. This season, Jaycee Horn will lead the Panthers’ secondary as well.

Betting New Orleans Saints

After finishing with a 9-8 record in 2023 but missing out on a postseason berth due to tiebreakers in the division and wild-card races, the New Orleans Saints attempt to improve in 2024.

The Saints have renewed their faith in Derek Carr as their starting quarterback; in spite, or perhaps because of that, the attack needs to improve. The team scored 20 points or fewer just seven times last season, and their figures at the end of the season did not accurately reflect how poor the offense was going to be at times in 2023.

As offensive coordinator, Gary Kubiak will take over and work to remodel an attack that still has some strong players, such as Chris Olave, who recently finished two seasons with 1,000 yards or more.

If the Saints can assist Alvin Kamara to become the Kamara of the past, they have a chance to be a formidable team in the NFC South. In defense, Chase Young joins New Orleans as a free agent to strengthen an aging front, but a neck issue may limit his playing time in 2024.

With Tyrann Mathieu returning and Kool-Aid McKinstry selected in the second round of the draft out of Alabama, the secondary will again be the cornerstone of the New Orleans defense. Demario Davis returns at linebacker for the Saints.

Carolina Panthers vs. New Orleans Saints NFL Pick

In this one, we are taking the under. If we are sincere, we made more money betting against both of these teams last year than we did for either of them, and neither of them did enough in the offseason to improve.

Both had inexperienced or poor quarterback performance, so we don’t think either team will become much better. As was the case in many NFC South matches last year, we believe this will be an unpleasant slugfest for the entire sixty minutes. Take the under.

According to gambling sites for the NFL, in the last 15 games for Carolina, they are 5-10 ATS. Nine of Carolina’s previous eleven games have seen the total fall UNDER. In their previous five games, New Orleans is 4-1 SU and ATS. 14 of the previous 20 games for New Orleans have seen the total fall UNDER.