The Saints had 207 total yards. They missed a 29-yard field goal.
It didn’t matter.
New Orleans handled the Panthers 28-6. It improved the Saints to 6-7, with three teams now tied atop the NFC South, while the Panthers dropped to 1-12.
The Panthers had seven drives cross midfield but could manage only Eddy Pineiro field goals of 47 and 29. The kicker missed a 41-yarder.
Bryce Young went 13-of-36 for 137 yards. He also lost a fumble, taking four sacks and rushing for 40 yards on three carries. The Panthers, though, rushed for 204 yards, with Chuba Hubbard gaining 87 yards on 23 carries and Miles Sanders getting 74 on 10 carries.
Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who originally was questionable to play, went 18-of-26 for only 119 yards without many of his top weapons. But he threw two touchdowns, with an interception. Jimmy Graham and Chris Olave scored on Carr passes.
Alvin Kamara had 12 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown, and Jamaal Williams got 43 yards on 11 carries.
The Saints returned a blocked punt for a touchdown late in the first half when Nephi Sewell got through cleanly and nearly took the ball off punter Johnny Hekker’s foot. D’Marco Jackson scored it up and returned it 8 yards for a touchdown with 4:37 remaining in the second quarter.
The Saints gained only 115 yards in the first half. They lead 14-3.
Alvin Kamara scored on a 9-yard touchdown run with 14:55 left until halftime, giving the Saints a 7-0 lead. It was his third rushing touchdown in two weeks.
The Saints returned a blocked punt for a touchdown late in the first half when Nephi Sewell got through cleanly and nearly took the ball off punter Johnny Hekker’s foot. D’Marco Jackson scored it up and returned it 8 yards for a touchdown with 4:37 remaining in the second quarter.
They could lead by more but Blake Grupe had a terrible 29-yard missed field goal try and the Saints moved backward after Pete Werner’s interception of Bryce Young at the Carolina 36.
Derek Carr, who originally was questionable to play, is 10-of-15 for 41 yards and an interception. Kamara has eight carries for 45 yards.
Young has had a tough day, completing 3 of 15 passes for 29 yards with an interception. He has run for 32 yards on two carries.
The Panthers have 123 yards.
Alvin Kamara scored on a 9-yard touchdown run with 14:55 left until halftime, giving the Saints a 7-0 lead. It was his third rushing touchdown in two weeks.
The Saints should lead by more.
New Orleans kicker Blake Grupe had one of the ugliest misses in NFL history. He pulled a 29-yard field goal try in the first quarter. The Saints had driven 45 yards in 11 plays.
The Saints then got a short field following Pete Werner’s interception of Bryce Young. New Orleans took over on the Carolina 36 and went backward, punting from the 39.
Young is only 1-of-5 for 18 yards.
Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who originally was questionable to play, is 5-for-8 for 24 yards.
The Panthers did not make it through their first play before having a player go down.
Left guard Justin McCray injured his calf only 23 seconds into the game.
He needed a cart to get off the field.
The Panthers report McCray as doubtful to return.
Cade Mays replaced McCray at left guard.
McCray was playing only his fourth game of the season and making his second start.
Saints quarterback Derek Carr has had two concussions in three games. He has again been cleared to play without missing a week.
He becomes an obvious focal point for Sunday’s home game, against the Panthers. Will he suffer a third concussion in four games?
The first concussion, suffered against the Vikings, happened just before their bye week. So the two concussions were three weeks apart.
Still, he’s playing again, seven days after his latest concussion. At some point, it’s hard to imagine him being cleared to play in the next game.
That was the concern last year with Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Carr is becoming, for 2023, the quarterback whose concussions draw specific attention.
Carr said this week that he’s not concerned.
“I do not have any worries on that stuff,” Carr told a pool reporter in lieu of having a press conference (which in and of itself is cause for concern as to whether he’s fully 100 percent). “It didn’t feel like the two were even related to one another. So, for me, that’s just sometimes the price of doing business and playing football. So no concern on that part, long term or short term.”
Another concussion today will heighten the short-term concern, whether he likes it or not.
