The NFL Week 2 odds feature a pair of Monday Night Football games, beginning with an NFC South clash between the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers.
The Saints edged the Titans in their home opener last week and now head on the road to the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
The Panthers lost to the Falcons in Week 1, and they are expected to come up short versus a division rival again tonight, as NFL odds opened with them as 3-point underdogs.
With that said, let's jump right into the MNF odds and give my best free NFL picks for Saints vs. Panthers on September 18. Be sure to also check out our favorite Saints vs. Panthers props picks and Bryce Young prop picks.
Saints vs Panthers odds
Saints vs Panthers predictions
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young had an ugly NFL debut last week, completing just 20 of 38 passes for 146 yards and a pair of picks. The No. 1 pick in this year's draft was under constant pressure from Atlanta's mediocre front seven, and it didn't help that his subpar receivers were unable to create separation.
Young could be in for another rough outing against a stingy New Orleans Saints defense that ranked eighth in the NFL in dropback EPA in 2022 and picked off Ryan Tannehill three times last week.
That stingy stop unit was the primary reason New Orleans won in Week 1 as it held off the Titans in a low-scoring 16-15 contest. Despite scoring just 16 points in that game, the Saints showed the ability to move the chains but struggled to convert in the red zone, where they went just 1-4.
Derek Carr looked good in his Saints debut and he's a significant upgrade at QB from last year. The long-time Raider completed 23 of 33 passes for 305 yards and he displayed tremendous chemistry with sophomore wideout Chris Olave, who finished with 112 receiving yards.
While Carolina allowed just 115 passing yards in Week 1, that had more to do with Desmond Ridder at QB and an ultra-conservative Atlanta offense than anything special the Panthers did. The Falcons threw the ball just four times to wide receivers in that contest and Carr will be far more likely to test them downfield.
With Carr and an explosive group of wideouts, the Saints should be able to score enough to stay ahead of a Panthers offense that will suffer plenty of growing pains this year.
My best bet: Saints -3 (-106 at FanDuel)
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Saints vs Panthers same-game parlay
Saints -3 (-106)
Bryce Young Under 189.5 passing yards (-114)
Under 40 (-110)
Young averaged just 3.8 yards per pass attempt against the Falcons last week and he'll have a tough time going Over his modest passing yards prop in this matchup. The Saints have a stacked secondary and ranked second in the league in yards allowed per pass attempt (5.8) and passing yards allowed per game (184.4) last year.
These teams easily cashed the Under in Week 1, and that really shouldn't be surprising when you consider that both teams are better defensively than on offense. Carolina will be in plenty of low-scoring contests this year thanks to a solid defense and an offensive unit that will struggle to attack downfield.
The Panthers were able to run the ball against the Falcons, churning out 154 yards on the ground. If they lean on that ground game against the Saints, it should help take pressure off Young, drain the clock, and lead to fewer plays for both offenses.
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Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Saints vs Panthers spread and Over/Under analysis
The look-ahead line before Week 1 had the Saints as 1.5-point faves but reopened at -3 following the Panthers Week 1 loss. The total opened at 41 and has dropped to 40 at most books, with some moving to 39.5.
The Saints won in Week 1 but they failed to cover the spread as 3-point home faves when the Titans kicked a field goal with two minutes left in the game. Meanwhile, the Panthers lost by 14 points as 3.5-point road pups versus the Falcons.
The Panthers are 3-1 both straight and against the spread in the last four meetings between these division rivals, and the Panthers won all of those contests outright despite entering as underdogs.
Saints vs Panthers betting trend to know
These division rivals have a recent history of low-scoring clashes. The Under is 5-0 in their last five meetings with an average of just 30.8 points per game scored in those contests. Find more NFL betting trends for Saints vs. Panthers.
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Saints vs Panthers game info
| Location: | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
| Date: | Monday, September 18, 2023 |
| Kickoff: | 7:15 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN |
| Opening odds: | Panthers +2.5, 40.5 |
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Saints vs Panthers weather
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