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NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-4) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-10) SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2021 – 3:25 P.M. (CST) BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM – CHARLOTTE, N.C. TV: FOX (WVUE FOX 8 locally) LOCAL RADIO: WWL (870 AM and 105.3 FM) – Zach Strief (play-by-play) and Deuce McAllister (color analyst) SPANISH LANGUAGE RADIO: KGLA (830 AM and 105.7 FM) – Mario Je- rez (play-by-play), Juan Carlos Ramos (color analyst) and Victor Quinonez (color analyst) grabs for 83 yards) and tight end Jared Cook, who posted THE MATCHUP three grabs for 82 yards With their chances to be the NFC’s number one seed In winning the time of possession battle 36:47-23:13, in the postseason still alive, the New Orleans Saints (11-4) New Orleans’ bruising rushing attack was complemented will travel to Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers (5-10) by a defense that made timely third down stops, two key in the regular season finale for both clubs at Bank of Amer- sacks and forced fumbles and solid performances by its ica Stadium. The contest with a 3:25 p.m. kickoff will be leaders. After Vikings running back Dalvin Cook carried regionally televised on FOX. nine times for 51 yards (5.7 avg.) in the first half, he just The Saints are coming off of a dominating 52-33 nation- managed six carries for 22 yards (3.7 avg.) in the final two ally televised Christmas day victory over the Minnesota quarters as the Saints run defense tightened up. The de- Vikings, where the ground game took charge with 264 fense’s veteran leadership came through against an of- yards rushing. Running back Alvin Kamara put forth one of fense known for explosive plays. Linebacker Demario Da- the most dominating individual performances of 2020, as vis led the Saints with eight tackles (six solo), increas- he carried 22 times for 155 yards (7.0 avg.) with six touch- ing his club-best total to 114 stops. Safety Malcolm Jen- downs, adding three receptions for 17 yards. Kamara, who kins posted seven stops, a split sack with defensive had just been selected to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl tackle David Onyemata and one forced fumble. Defensive the prior Monday, tied the National Football League record tackle Cameron Jordan recorded the 100th sack (regular for total touchdowns and rushing touchdowns, while set- season and postseason combined) of his career on a ting career-highs in carries and rushing yardage. A stout fourth quarter play that resulted in a forced fumble and 11- offensive line blocked for the seventh-most rushing yards yard loss. in a contest in club record books. A stout offensive line New Orleans will face an opportunistic Carolina team blocked for the seventh-most rushing yards in a Saints that kept the Washington Football team from clinching the game, spurred a franchise-record seven touchdowns on NFC East with a 20-13 win at FedEx Field, behind 197 the ground and did not allow quarterback Drew Brees to yards passing from former Saints signal-caller Teddy be sacked once as the signal-caller, became the first play- Bridgewater and an opportunistic performance on de- er in NFL history to reach 80,000 career passing yards. fense and special teams. 5-0 in the division, New Orleans Completing 19-of-26 throws for 311 yards. Brees’ top two will look to become the first team to finish 6-0 in the NFL targets in the passing game were wide receiver Emmanuel South on Sunday in their quest for the top seed. Sanders, who led the team in catches and yards (four Saints at Panthers: Week 17 2 SAINTS-PANTHERS CONNECTIONS receiver Robby Anderson and safety Juston Burris with the Jets in 2017...New Orleans defensive end Trey Hendrick- Carolina quarterback Teddy Bridgewater played for Saints son and Panthers linebacker Adarius Taylor were col- from 2018-19. In 2019, Bridgewater started a five-game lege teammates at Florida Atlantic in 2013...New Orleans stretch from Weeks Three-Eight, where he and the Saints running back Dwayne Washington and Panthers linebacker won all five of his starts. Bridgewater, Saints center/guard Shaq Thompson were college teammates at the Univer- Nick Easton and running back Latavius Murray were sity of Washington. Swearinger and Panthers running back teammates in Minnesota in 2017. Defensive Tackle Shel- Mike Davis were college teammates with the Game- don Rankins and Bridgewater and Carolina guard John cocks. Saints Special Teams Assistant Michael Wilhoite Miller were also college teammates at Louisville. Mur- played with Davis in San Francisco from 2015-16 and in ray, Easton and Carolina wide receiver Brandon Zyslstra Seattle in 2017...Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins and Pan- were teammates in Minnesota in 2018....New Orleans safe- thers cornerback Rasul Douglas were teammates with the ty D.J. Swearinger Sr. prepped at Greenwood (S.C.) HS Philadelphia Eagles from 2017-19...Panthers cornerback and played at South Carolina. Swearinger and Panthers S Donte Jackson prepped at Riverdale High School and Tre Boston were teammates with the Arizona Cardinals played at Louisiana State University as a college teammate in 2018...Carolina defensive end Marquis Haynes played of New Orleans practice squad center/guard Will at the University of Mississippi...New Orleans linebacker Clapp...Panthers defensive tackle Woodrow Hamilton, Alex Anzalone and Panthers quarterback Will Grier who played at the University of Mississippi, was on the were teammates at the University of Florida...Panthers of- Saints practice squad from 2017-18 and also was a team- fensive coordinator Joe Brady served as an offensive as- mate in New England of Saints defensive tackle Malcom sistant in New Orleans from 2017-18. Brady also served as Brown...Saints wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at played with Panthers defensive tackles Zach Kerr, guard Louisiana State University in 2019 for the College Football Michael Schofield, center Matt Paradis and tackle Rus- Playoff National Champions. Brady also played wide re- sell Okung in Denver. Janoris Jenkins and Panthers ceiver at William and Mary when Saints Assistant Offensive cornerback Corn Elder were teammates in New York in the Line Coach/Running Game Brendan Nugent served on 2019 preseason...Panthers defensive back Natrell Jamer- their offensive coaching staff...Saints tight end Jared Cook son was a fifth round draft pick by the Saints out of the played at the University of South Carolina from 2005- University of Wisconsin in 2018, where he was a college 07...New Orleans defensive tackle Shy Tuttle prepped at teammate of both Saints linebacker Zack Baun and tackle North Davidson (Welcome, N.C.) HS...New Orleans Defen- Ryan Ramczyk. sive Line Coach Ryan Nielsen served as defensive line coach/recruiting/run game coordinator at North Carolina State from 2013-16, serving on the same Wolfpack coach- NEW ORLEANS – CAROLINA ing staff with Panthers wide receivers coach Frisman Jack- son the first two seasons. Nielsen and Jackson served STATISTICAL COMPARISON on the same coaching staff at Northern Illinois in 2012...Saints Wide Receivers Coach Ronald Curry was a 2020 NFL Regular Season Rankings four-year starter at quarterback at the University of North Saints Panthers Carolina and also was the starting point guard on the school’s 1998-99 and 2000-01 basketball teams...New Or- Record 11-4 5-10 leans cornerback Marshon Lattimore and Panthers wide Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) 29.9(4) 22.9 (23) receiver Curtis Samuel were also teammates at Ohio State. Opp. Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) 22.0 (9) 24.6 (18) Nugent and Carolina Defensive Line Coach Mike Phair Total Off. (NFL Rank) 378.4 (9) 351.5 (20) served on the same Chicago staff in 2013. Nugent also Rushing Off. (NFL Rank) 140.6 (7) 108.7 (20) served on the same Montreal Alouettes (2012) and Bears Passing Off. (NFL Rank) 237.8 (19) 242.8 (17) (2013-14) offensive staffs with Panthers Offensive Line Total Def. (NFL Rank) 310.3 (3) 360.9 (18) Coach Pat Meyer...Saints Senior Def. Asst. Peter Giunta Rushing Def. (NFL Rank) 95.2 (4) 118.7(16) and Panthers Head Coach Matt Rhule served on the same Passing Def. (NFL Rank) 215.1 (6) 242.3 (17) New York Giants coaching staff in 2012...Carolina tight end Kickoff Return Avg. (NFL Rank) 25.4 (6) 25.5 (5) Chris Manhertz played for the Saints from 2015- Punt Return Avg. (NFL Rank) 10.2 (8) 5.7 (27) 16...Saints guard/tackle Derrick Kelly and Panthers defen- Turnover Margin (NFL Rank) +4 (9t) +6 (7t) sive end Brian Burns were college teammates at Florida Penalties 94 97 State...Saints linebacker Demario Davis and Panthers line- Penalty Yards 974 747 backer Julian Stanford were teammates with the New York Opp. Penalties 63 81 Jets in 2015 and 2017 and Davis played with Carolina wide Opp. Penalty Yards 512 682 Saints at Panthers: Week 17 3 THE COACHES Matt Rhule was named the fifth head coach in Carolina Panthers history on January 8, 2020 and has guided them Saints Head Coach Sean Payton has posted a 150-88 to a 5-10 record in his first campaign. Rhule joined Carolina overall record (.640), including an 8-7 postseason mark after three seasons (2017-19) as the head coach at Baylor after the franchise had won only one playoff game prior to University. Rhule helped rebuild the Baylor program, guid- his arrival in 2006. Payton holds both the club’s top victory ing the team from a 1-11 finish in his first season to a 7-6 total and winning percentage.