If four words could sum up the situation of the hosts of the Panthers vs Saints game, it would be, “That didn’t go well.” The Carolina Panthers lost at home on Sunday against the (now) 2-8 New Orleans Saints. That disappointing result brings the Panthers to 5-5 on the season.
Being a divisional loss, it stings even more. Figuring this Panthers team out is like trying to bathe a cat. Well, unless you’re the Saints, apparently. However, there are many key takeaways the team must have drawn from the game.
What Went Right for the Carolina Panthers in Week 10
It’s going to take some deep digging to find three things that went right for Carolina in the Week 10 game, but the first one is an obvious positive. Punter Sam Martin had a terrific game.
Martin compiled a total of 204 yards on his four punts. He pinned two of them inside the 20-yard line. His 51-yard per punt average was his third-highest of the season. Martin effectively flipped field position on every one of his opportunities on Sunday.
Next up in the ‘good’ column is Nic Scourton. The rookie outside linebacker (four tackles and one sack) wasn’t perfect on the day by any metric, leaving meat on the bones in at least two sack opportunities that the former Texas A&M Aggie just couldn’t finish.
But Scourton did register one sack on Sunday and was generating pressures against the Saints’ fill-in starter at right tackle, Asim Richards. I wrote about that matchup in the Week 10 game preview.
The pressure that Scourton turned into a sack for an eight-yard loss came in a pivotal moment on fourth down and four for New Orleans in the fourth quarter. At that point, the Panthers still trailed by just three points and had momentum from the pass rusher.
Lastly, Derrick Brown continued his ever-solid play on the interior of the Panthers’ defensive front. Brown was credited with nine total tackles, including one tackle for loss. Brown has proven to be perhaps the most reliable player on the entire Carolina roster.
What Went Wrong for the Panthers in Week 10
If I answer frankly, everything after the first 7:01 of the game went south.
That was the first drive for the offense that ended in a Rico Dowdle rushing touchdown, and it was executed very well. After that, the Carolina Panthers’ offense was stuck in the mud. Let’s start with the passing attack as our first mark in the ‘bad’ column.
Bryce Young came into this game as No. 32 in PFSN’s QBi rankings. His box score line was 17-25 for 124 passing yards, zero touchdowns, one interception, and one fumble lost. The third-year quarterback wasn’t accurate enough and made a bad read and throw on the interception, despite head coach Dave Canales saying after the game, “I think he’s throwing the ball great.”
Watch Dave Canales speak to the media. https://t.co/pkfErsC6IE
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 9, 2025
The ineffectiveness of the passing game is also an indictment of Canales and his offensive plan this week. Too many instances of the Saints bringing pressure or defending concepts soundly, and the offense having no answers.
The offensive line will be the next topic of conversation, with what went wrong. The Panthers’ unit allowed twelve pressures, many of which came from the interior and disrupted the pocket, preventing Young from stepping up.
In the ground game, the Carolina offensive line has been moving the line of scrimmage with regularity over the last handful of weeks. Today, the Saints came in with a game plan that involved bringing extra defenders on both run and pass blitzes.
Dowdle didn’t enjoy the type of running room he’s been accustomed to, averaging just 2.9 yards per carry.
Miscommunications, blown assignments, and plain being overwhelmed.
The final talking point is the play of cornerback Jaycee Horn. Horn has been terrific for the Panthers this season. And everyone has challenging games and/or challenging moments. Unfortunately, that was how his game went today.
Horn was in coverage on the game’s most explosive play, the 62-yard passing touchdown from Tyler Shough to Chris Olave. Horn also looked to have slipped on the Bank of America turf on Juwan Johnson’s 30-yard touchdown catch and run in the fourth quarter to seal the game.
Per Panthers’ staff writer Kassidy Hill, Horn said after the game, “We got to keep our mojo because they all played their a** off. I let them down today; two big plays that cost us the game. That’s it. I feel like everybody else played good.”