The Saints escaped the Panthers' lair with a win
The good, bad and ugly from the Saints win over the Panthers
Dec 18, 2018, 7:28 am
The Saints escaped the Panthers' lair with a win
The Saints continue their playing-with-fire ways and barely escaped Carolina with a 12-9 win over the Panthers. Here's how I saw it play out:
The Good
-Sean Payton dialed up the right play on 4th & inches just before the two minute warning in an attempt to ice the game. The Panthers packed the line in anticipation of an inside run or quarterback sneak. They rushed from the huddle and Drew Brees pitched it to Alvin Kamara for a first down.
-The pass rush was able to harass Cam Newton to the tune of four sacks. The number likely could have been higher if Newton wasn't the size of most tight ends or defensive ends.
-Eli Apple was sent packing from the Giants earlier this year. The former first round pick came up with a key interception in the end zone while playing man coverage on the 6'5 Devin Funchess.
The Bad
-Panthers go for it on 4th & 2 on the 50 yard line early in the first quarter. Not only did they convert, but they scored a touchdown on the play. Christian McCaffrey took the handoff then threw it to a wide open Chris Manhertz for the score.
-Left guard Andrus Peat was called for an unnecessary roughness penalty for pushing a Panthers defender well after the play had ended. The Saints were on their own 48 yard line and had gotten a first down. The penalty pushed them back to the 33 and they eventually had to punt.
-On their second and third possessions, the Saints failed to score touchdowns and had to settle for field goals. Those are drives this team had been finishing to start the season, but have settled for field goals or punts as of late.
The Ugly
-Center Max Unger went to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion. The team is already without starting left tackle Terron Armstead. Potentially playing the season ending stretch without two starting offensive lineman is scary.
-Brees threw the rare pick two on a two point conversion attempt after they took a 12-7 lead. The Panthers had everything covered, but Brees decided to force a pass in a tight window on the run. It cut the lead to 12-9. Had he been a tad more patient, he had a tight end at the back of the end zone that would've been a better option.
-Tommy Lee Lewis had one job: DON'T FUMBLE! All he had to do was stay in bounds. The Saints could've kicked a field goal. Instead, the fumbled ball goes into the end zone and ruled a touchback. Although it gave the Panthers life, they couldn't take advantage of it.
The Saints now have over a 90% chance to secure homefield advantage in the NFC playoffs. They're playing like a dumpster fire on offense instead of just being on fire like they were earlier this year. They've got some work to do in order to make another Super Bowl run. Good thing it seems as if that road will go through New Orleans.
The Houston Astros host the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night looking to keep momentum rolling and hand the Jays their fifth straight loss. First pitch is set for 7:40 p.m. EDT at Daikin Park.
Both teams enter the matchup with nearly identical records—Houston at 12-11, Toronto at 12-12—but they’re trending in opposite directions. The Astros have won six of their last ten and boast an 8-6 record at home, while the Blue Jays have dropped four straight and are just 4-7 on the road.
Ryan Gusto gets the start for Houston, entering with a 2-1 record, a 3.18 ERA, and 17 strikeouts across three appearances. He’ll go up against Bowden Francis, who brings a 3.13 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP into the game, along with 20 strikeouts in his four starts.
Jeremy Peña continues to spark the Astros lineup with three homers and three doubles, while catcher Yainer Diaz has added timely hits despite a recent slump. For Toronto, George Springer leads the team with a .333 average, and Bo Bichette has been steady at the plate, going 14-for-45 over his last 10 games.
The Blue Jays have found success when they out-hit opponents, going 10-3 in those games—but Houston’s pitching staff has held opponents to just a 2.86 ERA over the past 10 outings.
The betting line has Toronto as slight road favorites at -120, with Houston at +100 and the over/under set at 8 runs.
Here's a look at tonight's lineup. Cam Smith gets the night off in right field, with Zach Dezenzo filling in. It appears Dezenzo's thumb is fine after banging it up sliding into second base a couple of night's ago.
Image via: MLB.com/Screenshot.
Jake Myers is also getting the night off as Chas McCormick gets the start in center. And Mauricio Dubon is getting the nod, starting over Brendan Rodgers at second base.