Final2021 Week 2

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

New Orleans Saints vs Carolina Panthers, Week 2 2021

New Orleans Saints

Away

7

Carolina Panthers

HomeWon

26

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Saints00077
Panthers7100926

NO 7CAR 26 Final

  • Passing leader

    Sam Darnold

    CAR · QB

    19.9PPR pts

    26/38, 305 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Christian McCaffrey

    CAR · RB

    24.7PPR pts

    24 ATT, 72 YDS, 1 TD, 5 REC, 65 REC YDS

  • Saints leader

    Jameis Winston

    NO · QB

    10.3PPR pts

    11/22, 111 YDS, 2 INT, 1 RUSH TD

  • Defensive playmaker

    Juston Burris

    CAR

    1 INT, 5 TKL

Panthers 26, Saints 7: Carolina leads from start to finish

Carolina led 17–0 at halftime and outscored New Orleans 9–7 after the break to win 26–7. The Panthers finished with a 383–128 edge in total offense and averaged 5.2 yards per play.

New Orleans didn't get on the board until the fourth quarter.

The gap showed up everywhere. The Saints went 2-for-11 on third down and committed two turnovers, while the Panthers kept the ball for 38:32.

The two teams meet again in Week 10 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.

Key advantages

  • +2.2 yards/play CAR 5.2 · NO 3.0
  • +1 turnover margin CAR 1 · NO 2 turnovers
  • +255 total yards CAR 383 · NO 128

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

Got a Saint or Panther on your fantasy team?

Check their next matchup with the Start/Sit Tool, compare their value in the Fantasy Trade Calculator, or connect your league for personalized advice in Redraft Command.

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Why the Panthers Won

Carolina won the efficiency, turnover, third-down, and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Saints vs Panthers
SaintsStatPanthers
3.0Yards per play5.2
2Turnovers1
128Total yards383
Other team stats
43Plays73
18%Third-down conversion53%
21:28Time of possession38:32

Scoring Summary

The Panthers scored three touchdowns and two field goals; the Saints scored one touchdown.

Scoring plays, Saints vs Panthers
TimeTeamPlayNOCAR
1st quarter
12:00CARSam Darnold → Brandon Zylstra, 20-yard TD Takes leadZane Gonzalez XP07
2nd quarter
11:11CARZane Gonzalez 20-yard FG Extends lead010
1:55CARSam Darnold → DJ Moore, 2-yard TD Extends leadZane Gonzalez XP017
3rd quarter
No scoring
4th quarter
14:37NOJameis Winston 8-yard TD runAldrick Rosas XP717
5:53CARChristian McCaffrey 11-yard TD run Extends leadXP missed723
3:26CARZane Gonzalez 42-yard FG Extends lead726

Fantasy Points: Saints vs Panthers, Week 2 2021

Fantasy leaders

  1. Christian McCaffreyCARRB24.7 PTSRB3
  2. DJ MooreCARWR21.9 PTSWR11
  3. Sam DarnoldCARQB18.9 PTSQB14
  4. Brandon ZylstraCARWR13.4 PTSWR40

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Sam DarnoldCARQB18.9QB1426/383052117099.1Start/Sit →
Jameis WinstonNOQB10.3QB2611/2211102319126.9Start/Sit →

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Christian McCaffreyCARRB24.7RB3RB2472165650Start/Sit →
DJ MooreCARWR21.9WR11WR———118791Start/Sit →
Brandon ZylstraCARWR13.4WR40WR———33441
Dan ArnoldCARTE8.5TE17TE———43550
Alvin KamaraNORB7.0RB39RB85064250Start/Sit →
Robbie ChosenCARWR6.8WR64WR———63380
Terrace MarshallCARWR4.7WR75WR———33170
Lil'Jordan HumphreyNOWR3.7WR85WR———21270Start/Sit →
Juwan JohnsonNOTE3.3TE35TE———31230Start/Sit →
Marquez CallawayNOWR2.8WR90WR———4280
Chris HoganNOWR2.6WR92WR———31160
Deonte HartyNOWR2.0WR99WR1102190
Ian ThomasCARTE1.7TE53TE———2170Start/Sit →
Taysom HillNOTE1.6TE55TE2160————
Ty MontgomeryNORB1.3RB70RB———1130
Chuba HubbardCARRB1.0RB72RB81001000Start/Sit →
Tony JonesNORB0.7RB77RB370————

Fantasy Usage

New Orleans Saints

Snap Share

  1. Alvin KamaraRB37 snaps84%
  2. Marquez CallawayWR32 snaps73%
  3. Lil'Jordan HumphreyWR24 snaps55%
  4. Adam TrautmanTE23 snaps52%
  5. Deonte HartyWR21 snaps48%

Target Share21 targets

  1. Alvin Kamara29%, 6 targets
  2. Marquez Callaway19%, 4 targets
  3. Chris Hogan14%, 3 targets
  4. Juwan Johnson14%, 3 targets
  5. Lil'Jordan Humphrey10%, 2 targets
  6. Other14%, 3 targets

Carry Share17 carries

  1. Alvin Kamara47%, 8 carries
  2. Jameis Winston18%, 3 carries
  3. Tony Jones18%, 3 carries
  4. Taysom Hill12%, 2 carries
  5. Deonte Harty6%, 1 carries

Carolina Panthers

Snap Share

  1. DJ MooreWR67 snaps88%
  2. Robbie ChosenWR56 snaps74%
  3. Christian McCaffreyRB54 snaps71%
  4. Ian ThomasTE52 snaps68%
  5. Terrace MarshallWR39 snaps51%

Target Share36 targets

  1. DJ Moore31%, 11 targets
  2. Robbie Chosen17%, 6 targets
  3. Christian McCaffrey17%, 6 targets
  4. Dan Arnold11%, 4 targets
  5. Brandon Zylstra8%, 3 targets
  6. Other17%, 6 targets

Carry Share33 carries

  1. Christian McCaffrey73%, 24 carries
  2. Chuba Hubbard24%, 8 carries
  3. Sam Darnold3%, 1 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
DJ MooreCARWR6788%1131%0
Alvin KamaraNORB3784%629%8
Robbie ChosenCARWR5674%617%0
Marquez CallawayNOWR3273%419%0
Christian McCaffreyCARRB5471%617%24
Ian ThomasCARTE5268%26%0
Lil'Jordan HumphreyNOWR2455%210%0
Adam TrautmanNOTE2352%00%0
Terrace MarshallCARWR3951%38%0
Deonte HartyNOWR2148%210%1
Juwan JohnsonNOTE1841%314%0
Tommy TrembleCARTE2938%00%0
Chris HoganNOWR1636%314%0
Ty MontgomeryNORB1432%15%0
Dan ArnoldCARTE2229%411%0
Tony JonesNORB1227%00%3
Chuba HubbardCARRB1925%13%8
Taysom HillNOTE1023%00%2
Brandon ZylstraCARWR1418%38%0
Garrett GriffinNOTE818%00%0
Alex EricksonCARWR811%00%0
Royce FreemanCARRB34%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

  • Biggest overperformer+8.3Brandon Zylstra13.4 PTS vs 5.1 xFP
  • Biggest underperformer−8.2Alvin Kamara7.0 PTS vs 15.2 xFP
  • Highest expected volume25.5 xFPChristian McCaffrey24.7 PTS scored
Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
Christian McCaffreyCAR · RB24.725.5−0.871%73% car—02473%617%
DJ MooreCAR · WR21.918.5+3.488%31% tgt—000%1131%
Sam DarnoldCAR · QB19.917.4+2.5100%38 att—3813%00%
Alvin KamaraNO · RB7.015.2−8.284%47% car—0847%629%
Jameis WinstonNO · QB10.311.6−1.395%22 att—22318%00%
Robbie ChosenCAR · WR6.810.1−3.374%17% tgt—000%617%
Chuba HubbardCAR · RB1.06.8−5.825%24% car—0824%13%
Dan ArnoldCAR · TE8.56.7+1.829%11% tgt—000%411%
Marquez CallawayNO · WR2.86.7−3.973%19% tgt—000%419%
Brandon ZylstraCAR · WR13.45.1+8.318%8% tgt—000%38%
Chris HoganNO · WR2.65.1−2.536%14% tgt—000%314%
Juwan JohnsonNO · TE3.35.1−1.841%14% tgt—000%314%
Terrace Marshall Jr.CAR · WR4.75.1−0.451%8% tgt—000%38%
Deonte HartyNO · WR2.04.0−2.048%10% tgt—016%210%
Ian ThomasCAR · TE1.73.4−1.768%6% tgt—000%26%
Lil'Jordan HumphreyNO · WR3.73.4+0.355%10% tgt—000%210%
Tony Jones Jr.NO · —0.71.9−1.227%18% car—0318%00%
Ty Montgomery IINO · RB1.31.7−0.432%5% tgt—000%15%
Taysom HillNO · TE1.61.3+0.323%12% car—0212%00%

Team totals: Saints 21 targets and 17 carries; Panthers 36 targets and 33 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Jameis Winston

NO · QB · 10.3 pts on 11.6 expected

11 of 22 passing for 111 yards, 2 interceptions; 3 carries for 19 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 11.6 expected.

Start/Sit: Jameis Winston →

Sam Darnold

CAR · QB · 19.9 pts on 17.4 expected

26 of 38 passing for 305 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception; 1 carry for 7 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 17.4 expected.

Start/Sit: Sam Darnold →

Alvin Kamara Unlucky

NO · RB · 7.0 pts on 15.2 expected

6 targets (29% of the team's), 4 catches for 25 yards; 8 carries (47% of the team's) for 5 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 15.2 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Trend: Season high in targets (6).

Start/Sit: Alvin Kamara →

Marquez Callaway

NO · WR · 2.8 pts on 6.7 expected

4 targets (19% of the team's), 2 catches for 8 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 6.7 expected.

Christian McCaffrey Volume, no payoff

CAR · RB · 24.7 pts on 25.5 expected

6 targets (17% of the team's), 5 catches for 65 yards; 24 carries (73% of the team's) for 72 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 25.5 expected.

Trend: Season high in carries (24).

Start/Sit: Christian McCaffrey →

DJ Moore Strong role

CAR · WR · 21.9 pts on 18.5 expected

11 targets (31% of the team's), 8 catches for 79 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 18.5 expected.

Trend: Season high in targets (11).

Start/Sit: DJ Moore →

Chuba Hubbard Unlucky

CAR · RB · 1.0 pts on 6.8 expected

1 target (3% of the team's), 0 catches for 0 yards; 8 carries (24% of the team's) for 10 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 6.8 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Chuba Hubbard →

Brandon Zylstra Ran hot

CAR · WR · 13.4 pts on 5.1 expected

3 targets (8% of the team's), 3 catches for 44 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 5.1 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Stock Up, Stock Down

New Orleans Saints

  • Stock up: Juwan Johnson played 41% of the snaps, up from a 19% season average.
  • Stock up: Lil'Jordan Humphrey played 55% of the snaps, up from a 29% season average.

Carolina Panthers

  • Stock down: Christian McCaffrey played 71% of the snaps, down from a 89% season average.
  • Stock down: Dan Arnold played 29% of the snaps, down from a 52% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Saints defense and Panthers defense
Points allowed toSaints DPanthers D
QBs16.315.3
RBs17.719.4
WRs34.831.9
TEs9.412.3

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Carolina opened at 41% win probability and passed 98% in the third quarter on the way to the win.

Panthers win probability

Panthers win probability by game minutePanthers started at 41%, stood at 94% at halftime and finished at 100%, across 6 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. +21Darnold → Zylstra, 20-yd TD41% → 62%Q1 12:00
  2. +9Gonzalez 20-yd FG67% → 76%Q2 11:11
  3. +14Darnold → Moore, 2-yd TD80% → 94%Q2 1:55
  4. −7Winston 8-yd TD run99% → 92%Q4 14:37
  5. +1McCaffrey 11-yd TD run99% → >99%Q4 5:53

Swing in Panthers win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Saints vs Panthers
New Orleans SaintsMeasureCarolina Panthers
43Plays73
60%Pass rate55%
3.1Yds / dropback7.3
2.8Yds / carry2.7
2/11Third downs8/15

Efficiency edge Carolina ran 30 more plays and gained 4.3 more yards per dropback.

  • Top targets
  • NO Kamara 29% · Callaway 19% · Hogan 14%
  • CAR Moore 31% · McCaffrey 17% · Chosen 17%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Saints vs Panthers
ResultNOCAR
Touchdowns13
Field goals02
Punts64
Turnovers21
Turnovers on downs20
Missed field goals01

CAR turnover edge: +1

  • The Panthers opened the scoring on their first possession, a 5-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
  • The Panthers drained the clock with two second-half drives of four to five minutes.
All 24 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
CARQ1 15:005753:00Touchdown
NOQ1 12:003142:04Punt
CARQ1 9:566503:08Punt
NOQ1 6:48361:40Punt
CARQ1 5:0815648:57Field goal
NOQ2 11:115193:46Punt
CARQ2 7:2510725:30Touchdown
NOQ2 1:556201:32Interception
CARQ2 0:233330:23End of half
NOQ3 15:00301:38Punt
CARQ3 13:2210454:55Missed FG
NOQ3 8:275-23:02Downs
CARQ3 5:25391:26Punt
NOQ3 3:59342:17Punt
CARQ3 1:42100:08Interception
NOQ3 1:345181:57Touchdown
CARQ4 14:377144:55Punt
NOQ4 9:42361:00Punt
CARQ4 8:427532:49Touchdown
NOQ4 5:53401:25Downs
CARQ4 4:28481:07Field goal
NOQ4 3:212230:45Interception
CARQ4 2:365192:14Punt
NOQ4 0:221-10:22End of game
About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Saints vs Panthers Head-to-Head

The Saints and Panthers first met in 1995 and have played 63 times since. They have been NFC South rivals since 1995.

All-time series
34–29Saints lead, 63 meetings since 1995
Postseason
1–0Saints won in 2017
Largest Saints win
47–102024
Largest Panthers win
45–131999

Since 2021

6–4 Saints lead

10 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. S = Saints win, P = Panthers win, outlined = this game.

2026 Meetings

  • Week 10 Panthers at Saints Upcoming
  • Week 14 Saints at Panthers Upcoming

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Saints vs Panthers
SaintsStatPanthers
9-8Record5-12
21.4Points per game17.9
304.5Yards per game298.9
4.9Yards per play4.6
19.7Points allowed per game23.8
318.2Yards allowed per game305.9

Saints vs Panthers Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread
NO −3Saints failed to cover by 22
Total
45Under: 33 points scored (by 12)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
TeamImpliedActualDifference
Saints24.07−17.0
Panthers21.026+5.0

The Panthers beat their implied total and the Saints fell short of theirs; the Fantasy tab has the player lines behind it.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

New Orleans Saints

Against the spread
1–1
Over/under
0–2
ATS as favorite
0–1
ATS as underdog
1–0
ATS on the road
0–1

Carolina Panthers

Against the spread
2–0
Over/under
0–2
ATS as favorite
1–0
ATS as underdog
1–0
ATS at home
2–0

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Saints vs Panthers Fantasy Outlook for 2026

Two meetings are left on the 2026 schedule: Week 10 in New Orleans and Week 14 in Carolina. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Saints vs Panthers Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Saints vs Panthers Week 2 game?

The Carolina Panthers beat the New Orleans Saints 26–7 in Week 2 of the 2021 season. The game was played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC, on September 19, 2021. See the Panthers' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Saints vs Panthers?

The final score was Panthers 26, Saints 7. The Panthers led 17–0 at halftime, and the second half went Saints 7, Panthers 9.

What happened in the Saints vs Panthers game?

Carolina led 17–0 at halftime and outscored New Orleans 9–7 after the break to win 26–7. The Panthers finished with a 383–128 edge in total offense and averaged 5.2 yards per play. Christian McCaffrey led all players with 5 catches for 65 yards, plus 24 carries for 72 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Saints committed 2 turnovers, the Panthers 1.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Saints vs Panthers?

Christian McCaffrey led the game with 24.7 PPR fantasy points, the RB3 of Week 2, on 5 catches for 65 yards, plus 24 carries for 72 rushing yards and a touchdown. DJ Moore was next with 21.9 (WR11). See Christian McCaffrey's 2021 game log.

Who led Saints vs Panthers in passing, rushing and receiving?

Sam Darnold (CAR) led all passers with 26 of 38 for 305 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Christian McCaffrey (CAR) led in rushing with 24 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown. DJ Moore (CAR) led in receiving with 8 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.

How many fantasy points did Christian McCaffrey score against the Saints?

Christian McCaffrey scored 24.7 points in PPR leagues, 22.2 in half-PPR and 19.7 in standard scoring against the Saints in Week 2 of the 2021 season, on 5 catches for 65 yards, plus 24 carries for 72 rushing yards and a touchdown. He handled 73% of his team's carries.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Saints vs Panthers?

Brandon Zylstra outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 13.4 PPR points on 5.1 xFP (+8.3). Alvin Kamara fell furthest short, with 7.0 points on 15.2 xFP (−8.2). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

How did the Panthers beat the Saints?

The Panthers beat the Saints 26–7 because they averaged 5.2 yards per play to 3.0, won the turnover battle 2–1, and outgained them 383–128.

Which team won the turnover battle in Saints vs Panthers?

The Panthers won the turnover battle 2–1: the Saints gave the ball away 2 times and the Panthers 1 time. The Panthers won the game.

What is the all-time Saints vs Panthers record?

The Saints lead the all-time series 34–29 across 63 meetings since 1995, including a 1–0 record in the postseason.

When did the Saints and Panthers last play before this game?

Before Week 2 of 2021, they last met in the 2020 season on January 3, 2021, when the Saints beat the Panthers 33–7.

Have the Saints and Panthers met in the playoffs?

Yes, 1 time, most recently in the 2017 playoffs. The Saints are 1–0 against the Panthers in the postseason.

What was the closing spread for Saints vs Panthers?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Saints −3, making the New Orleans Saints 3-point favorites, with a closing total of 45. That implied about 24.0 points for the Saints and 21.0 for the Panthers.

Did Saints vs Panthers go over or under the total?

The game went under. The consensus closing total was 45, and the teams combined for 33 points, 12 under the number.

Who covered the spread in Saints vs Panthers?

The Panthers covered as 3-point underdogs against the closing line of Saints −3. The final margin was 19 points.