3 keys for the Saints defense in Week 10 showdown vs. Panthers

November 13, 2026

For the New Orleans Saints, Week 10 brings their first divisional matchup of the back half of the season, as they take on the Carolina Panthers for the first time of two in five weeks. The late stretch of the year has five divisional games for the Saints, so there are both opportunities for gain and loss in the standings quite rapidly.

One of the biggest focuses down the stretch will be how to keep the defense going in pass rush, and how to get it going in the secondary and run defense, especially against some of these highly effective teams on offense. With Carolina on the dockett, here are three keys for the defense to hone in on in Week 10.

Get home on sacks and find ways to put pressure on Bryce Young

One of the biggest reasons that the Carolina Panthers have been struggling at their low points this year has been their pass protection, which has been abysmal. So far in eight games, they have allowed a whopping 26 sacks, the seventh most in the league so far.

The Saints are tied for No. 10 in sacks across the league this season, so they should be able to not only generate pressure, but also find ways to bring Bryce Young down and create negative plays, allowing the offense to get more touches, hopefully.

Find ways to close down on rushing lanes on the limited opportunities

The Panthers are not exactly a heavy rushing team so far this season, but the most notable component of their run game has been how efficient they have been when they do get the ball in the gaps. Currently, they are averaging 4.3 rush yards per attempt, but have the second-fewest rush attempts of the season with only 189.

Some of this certainly comes from trailing in many games to this point, but limiting their effectiveness early could force them to the air, giving opportunities to the pass rush and secondary, as previously discussed in the last point. We should see some opportunities for the younger interior players with Davon Godchaux out of the fold, so maybe Christen Miller and Khristian Boyd can find something the vets were unable to earlier this year.

Be fully prepared to go four downs every drive on defense

The Panthers are a team that is of the belief that going for it on fourth-down is a worthy investment, and whether or not it is true, it is a tall task for the Saints defense to take on. So far this year, the Panthers are tied for the most fourth-down conversion attempts with 18, making nine of them; for reference, the Saints are 12 for 15, one of their most notable strengths.

Considering the Saints are so efficient at it, they should know what types of plays they may be seeing on these opportunities and could have an advantage in trying to shut it down. It will certainly be a key in this game, as they try to limit offensive opportunities for Carolina.

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Nov 8, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) warms up before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

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