Panthers vs Saints NFL Week 17 Odds & Pick

The Week 17 matchup between the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints is a tricky game as far as sports betting is concerned. The 6-9 Panthers are eliminated from the postseason, and Cam Newton is likely to be on the bench in favor of Taylor Heinicke once again, thanks to Newton’s injuries over the course of the season. Heinicke made is debut last week and went 33 for 53 for 274 yards and a touchdown — and three picks. Heinicke suffered an injury of his own (elbow) and underwent an MRI, so it’s unclear which injured quarterback the Panthers will start. Then there’s the uncertainty as to how long the Saints’ starters will stay in the game, because the Saints are guaranteed home field through the playoffs thanks to their win over the Rams and the fact that they are a game ahead of them right now. Saints coach Sean Payton has said that, as far as lineups go, he is approaching this game like any regular season or playoff matchup, but if the Saints are cruising at halftime, he’d be nuts not to get his starters out of a meaningless second half — and the Panthers’ reserves could crawl back inside that touchdown-sized point spread. Take a look at our thoughts about this NFC South matchup.

Panthers vs Saints NFL Week 17 Odds & Pick

Ron Rivera is at the podium https://t.co/60N5XaJo9w

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 27, 2018

When: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 1:00pm ET Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans TV: FOX Radio: WBBT 1110 AM Charlotte / WWL 870 AM New Orleans Live Stream: NFL Live NFL Week 17 Odds: New Orleans -7.5

Why should you bet on the Panthers?

Carolina comes in on a seven-game losing streak, including a 24-10 setback against Atlanta last week. They do have an offensive bright spot in the midst of all of these injuries, though, in the person of Christian McCaffrey, who leads the team in rushing (1,080 yards, seven touchdowns) AND receiving (106 catches, 845 yards, six touchdowns). The Panthers’ defense has been stingy once again, permitting just under 23 points per game behind 92 tackles from linebacker Luke Kuechly. With that said, the Panthers have covered just once in their last seven games and haven’t covered in any of their last four games on the road. If you like the Panthers, you think the Saints will come into this game largely uninterested and will play down to the Panthers’ level, looking ahead to the bye week and the divisional round of the playoffs. I’m not sure that either Newton or Heinicke can lead the Panthers to enough offense to cover, but these two teams played an extremely close game in Week 15, with New Orleans escaping with a 12-9 win. Can the Panthers muster the same kind of resolve without any hope of a postseason berth?

Why should you put your money on the Saints?

New Orleans won a barnburner of a game last week, outlasting Pittsburgh, 31-28. Drew Brees’ numbers continue to speak for themselves, as he has 3,992 yards, 32 scores and just five picks. Alvin Kamara is within striking distance of a 1,000-yard season, as he has 883 yards and 14 scores. He also has 81 catches for 709 yards and four scores. While the Saints’ offense receives the majority of the praise, the rushing defense is tops in the NFL in terms of yards permitted per game, with just 78.1 allowed. The Saints have become a reliable cover in divisional games, covering in 16 of their last 23 NFC South games. At home, they have covered in four of their last five. However, when the Panthers and Saints play, the underdog has covered in eight of their last nine. If you like the Saints, you see the Panthers coming out flat and the Saints putting up enough numbers to cruise to a comfortable win.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

Because of the issues at quarterback for Carolina and because of the meaninglessness of this game for both teams, this is a game that could get unpredictable in a hurry. The Saints have the talent to roll over Carolina here. With a healthy Newton, I’d pick Carolina to cover, but with either a hobbled Newton or Heinicke likely to run the Panther offense, I’m predicting a final score of New Orleans 24, Carolina 9.