NFL Predictions Week 5: New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers
Sunday, 10/9/11, 1:00 PM EST, TV: FOX
Opening Point Spread: New Orleans -6.5
Current Betting Line: New Orleans -6.5
Opening Total: 51.5
Current Total: 51
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton has led the team to a 3-1 ATS record through four weeks

New Orleans enters off a 23-10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars as nine-point road favorites and gets set for an NFC South matchup against Carolina. The Saints running game was the story last week in gaining 177 yards, which was their highest total since the middle of the 2010 season. Quarterback Drew Brees definitely can’t be forgotten, connecting on 31-of-44 passes for 351 yards with a touchdown. Offensively, the team ranks second in the league in gaining 471.5 yards a game, while sitting fifth in scoring 31.8 points a contest. New Orleans is 3-0 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.

The Saints were great defensively last week against the league’s worst offense, allowing Panthers rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert to complete just 16 of 42 passes for 196 yards with a touchdown and interception. The stakes are certainly raised in this game in facing another rookie, as Cam Newton has taken the league by storm, leading the Panthers to 451.8 yards a game. New Orleans has tightened things up on the defensive end since facing Green Bay in the league’s season-opening contest, coming into Week 5 ranked 15th in the league.

Carolina is 1-3 on the season and everyone seems to be confident that the team is nowhere near where it was a year ago when finishing 2-14. The Panthers know they are up against some stiff competition in the division, as the other four teams are 7-0 in non-division games this year. “It’s a heck of a challenge,” commented first-year head coach Ron Rivera. “One of the big reasons why we drafted Newton is that we felt like we had to find a franchise quarterback.” Carolina is 3-1 ATS on the year and 8-10 ATS at home over the last two-plus seasons.

The Panthers have learned once again how valuable wide receiver Steve Smith can be when the team has a quarterback that can get him the football. He has three games of finishing with at least 150 yards receiving and could go over that number again when going against a Saints’ secondary that is allowing 254 passing yards and two passing touchdowns a game. Offensively, the team is coming off a team-record 543 total yards and Newton is averaging 346.5 yards per game through the air, scoring on five passing touchdowns and running for four more.