New Orleans offense vs. Carolina defense

	SAINTS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	19
	Pass	20
	Tot. Yds.	19
	Scoring	28
	Int's allowed	26
	Sacks allowed	38
	PANTHERS DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	25
	vs. Pass	21
	Total yds. allowed	26
	# of Ints.	11
	# of Sacks	32
	Turnover differential	-8

The emergence of QB Jake Delhomme provided New Orleans offense with a much-needed spark this week in the team's upset win over Dallas. Delhomme was 16-27 for 278 yards and two touchdowns against the 'Boys, and provided the mobile pocket presence that the Saints have sorely lacked this season.

RB Ricky Williams returned, albeit at less than 100%, from a turf toe injury that has sidelined him for the last four weeks to carry the ball 23 times for 63 yards.

This week against the Panthers, expect New Orleans offensive coordinator Danny Abramowicz to try and establish the passing game early, as Carolina is likely to blitz a lot and put eight men on the line of scrimmage on almost every play.

If Delhomme is effective early, this should open up the running game for Williams against a defense that last week surrendered 206 rushing yards. If Delhomme is under pressure, he will not hesitate to run as he showed against the Cowboys, but will also look to make quick hits to his hot reads, WRs Keith Poole and Eddie Kennison, both of whom are capable of picking up big yardage after the catch.

New Orleans has a huge offensive line, so look for them to try to dominate the point of attack against an undersized Carolina defensive line and a Panther linebacking corps that has trouble wrapping the ball carrier.

After a month of solid defensive play, Carolina's defense hit a stumbling block against the Steelers. Pittsburgh RB Jerome Bettis had a huge day, and the Steelers as a team racked up over 200 yards on the ground. Carolina's defensive line was pushed around at the point of attack, and was unable, even with the help of eight and nine man fronts, to slow down "the Bus."

This week, Carolina will again face a team that can run the football behind a big offensive line, so expect defensive coordinator John Marshall to challenge the Saints to throw the football early. This will leave LDC Eric Davis and RDC Doug Evans in single coverage against New Orleans' receivers on the outside. Both are solid man-to-man cover guys, but could struggle, particularly against Kennison, who can stretch a defense. This means that Carolina's front seven must get to Delhomme and rattle the youngster, who has yet to see any complex blitz schemes. The zone blitz looks that the Panthers are likely to throw at Delhomme should confuse him and cause him to hurry his throws. His mobility also creates a problem for Carolina, as the Cowboys found out last week when Delhomme used his athletic ability to keep plays alive long enough to find his receivers after coverage broke down.

Carolina offense vs. New Orleans defense

It appears as though Biakabutuka will be unable to go again this weekend against New Orleans, so it will be backup RB Fred Lane's job to carry the football. Last weekend Lane was having a decent game against the Steelers until his goal-line fumble was returned 102 yards for a touchdown.

QB Steve Beuerlein will look to capitalize on a New Orleans secondary that has been susceptible to the big play, particularly RDC Fred Weary. When WR Muhsin Muhammad is matched up with Weary, expect Muhammad to run routes where he can use his size to go up and take the ball away from the smaller, less athletic cornerback. WR Patrick Jeffers is becoming a nice compliment to Muhammad on the other side of the field, and will also be looked to when he is covered by Weary.

The challenge for the Panthers in this contest will be to control the New Orleans front four, which is undoubtedly the strength of the defense. Carolina's offensive line has to prevent the Saints from getting penetration at the point of attack so that Lane can get outside where he can use his quickness to make people miss.

RDC Fred Weary, who has been a target of opposing QB's for much of the year, had a huge day. Weary scored the game-winning touchdown when he recovered a Dallas fumble and returned it 58 yards. Weary also had 10 tackles and an interception. Weary's job will not get any easier this week, as he faces a Carolina offense that is one of the more explosive units in the league.

Defenses that have been able to slow down the Panthers this season have done so by getting to QB Steve Beuerlein. Beuerlein is not nearly as effective throwing on the run as he is when he has time to set up in the pocket, so expect the Saints to use blitzes up the middle of the field to flush Beuerlein out of the pocket.

The New Orleans front four has had a solid year, and is capable of pressuring Beuerlein without any help from a blitzing secondary. When the Saints do blitz, they will probably bring linebackers or one safety, leaving the other to roll to Fred Weary's side of the field. LDC Ashley Ambrose is a solid cover guy who is capable of playing on an island.

Special teams

Key matchups