Key ingredients to win: Saints vs. Panthers

If there's one thing no one has to worry about Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., it's that the New Orleans Saints will take their game against Carolina lightly.

The Panthers are 1-7, and the last time they saw the Saints – in the season opener this year – New Orleans suffered a 47-10 loss. But the Panthers' only win against Las Vegas on September 22nd is more recent than the Saints' last win (2-6), which beat Dallas on September 15th.

The teams are on a losing streak of six (New Orleans) and five (Carolina) games. Something has to give; Here are some ways New Orleans can do this:

Saints quarterback Derek Carr returns after a three-game absence due to an oblique injury, and New Orleans has missed him. The team needs a stabilizing influence on the offense and hopefully also on the performance that comes with it. The Saints averaged 15 points per game and scored three touchdowns on offense in his absence. The relatively healthy offensive line should be better than it was against the Chargers, and Carr should be able to help by quickly diagnosing and getting rid of the ball.

The Saints trailed in the final 10 quarters. Taking an early lead is paramount because it's just the right thing to do to force Carolina's offense into a comeback. The Panthers are averaging 15.5 points per game and have struggled just as much as the Saints, if not more. By putting pressure on this offense to score, New Orleans is in a better position to generate sacks and turnovers.