Only six teams remain undefeated through two weeks of NFL action, meaning a ton of squads will be looking to prove they have what it takes to win in Week 3. The Carolina Panthers will attempt to secure their first win of the season when they host the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium.
The Saints fell apart in the second half of a Week 2 divisional contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and ended up losing by a final score of 20-10. Meanwhile, the Panthers have lost their first two games by a combined five points and are on the cusp of improving enough to earn a victory.
Should New Orleans really be favored in a tough road environment? Do the Panthers have any chance of avoiding a disappointing 0-3 record with an upset win? Here's what projection models and experts across the industry have to say about the Saints vs Panthers Week 3 matchup.
Saints vs Panthers Projections
ESPN FPI:'Panthers (50.6%)
numberFire:'Saints (58.1%)
FiveThirtyEight:'Saints (58%)
Betting Favorite:'Saints (-3)
Projected Winner:'Saints (3), Panthers (1)
Saints vs Panthers Expert Picks
ESPN Experts:'Saints (6), Panthers (2)
Sports Illustrated Experts:'Panthers (3), Saints (2)
CBS Sports Experts:'Saints (6), Panthers (1)
Expert Totals:'Saints (14), Panthers (6)
Six upset choices is nothing to scoff at here, but the majority of experts are still backing the Saints to win on Sunday. Their selections line up with what the betting market is saying.
The projection model expect a close contest. None of the three models listed give Saints more than a 60% chance of winning and one model even favors the Panthers at home.
Divisional matchups are always tough to predict, so fans should prepare for a thrilling game on Sunday.