The Carolina Panthers fell flat when they needed a win the most — and were knocked out of the playoffs — in a 30-24 loss to the Buccaneers in Week 17, and bettors don’t have little confidence in their ability to win their final game of the 2022 season as the Panthers are 4.5-point home underdogs against the Saints heading into Week 18, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is currently set at 39 points.
The Panthers are 6-10 after losing to the Bucs and were knocked out of the playoffs. The Saints are 7-9 after beating the Eagles yesterday, but they are also knocked out of the playoffs. As a result, this game will only be played for the good feelings of beating a divisional rival.
The Saints have won three of their last four games and hope to ensure they finish second in the NFC South, and the Panthers are really only playing for pride at this point. While some would say they should lose to improve their draft position, I’m sure Steve Wilks disagrees and will do his best to inspire the Panthers to win and finish 7-10 this year.
The Panthers won the first meeting between the two teams in a 22-14 victory in Week 3, so if Carolina can play Sunday’s game the same way they played the first time these two teams met, the Panthers will salvage a terrible 1-5 start. to finish 7-10 and give David Tepper more valid reason* to hire Wilks as a full-time head coach for 2023.
This week’s odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook, where you can also find odds for every NFL game.
*- If you ask me, Wilks should get the job. He showed he can win with the same players as Matt Rhule, and the team bought into his philosophy. The Panthers should give Wilks a chance to coach with a roster he helped build in the offseason with a good quarterback so he has a real shot at something.