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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Dylan Sanders

Week 2 picks: Who the experts are taking in Saints vs. Panthers

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The New Orleans Saints are looking to right the ship from last year and do something they were unable to: beat the Carolina Panthers. The Saints will travel to Carolina for their first road test of the regular season, taking on Bryce Young in his home debut. Derek Carr was put on a pedestal during the offseason as the best quarterback in the division (for now) and this his first chance to prove it. The Panthers are coming off a loss to the Atlanta Falcons and will be looking to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start.

New Orleans is favored (narrowly, by BetMGM) to win on the road on Monday. But what are the experts predicting? Let’s take a look at 50 of them:

USA TODAY

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

USA TODAY’s Week 2 Picks

Chris Bumbaca: Saints

Jarrett Bell: Saints

Lorenzo Reyes: Panthers

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Saints

Nate Davis: Saints

Safid Deen: Saints

Tyler Dragon: Saints

Victoria Davis: Saints

NFL.com

Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports

NFL.com’s Week 2 picks

Ali Bhanpuri: Saints

Brooke Cersosimo: Saints

Dan Parr: Saints

Gennaro Filice: Panthers

Tom Blair: Saints

ESPN

Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

ESPN’s Week 2 picks

Stephania Bell: Saints

Matt Bowen: Saints

Mike Clay: Saints

Jeremy Fowler: Panthers

Dan Graziano: Saints

Kimberley Martin: Saints

Eric Moody: Saints

Jason Reid: Saints

Lindsey Thiry: Saints

Sam Wickersham: Saints

CBS Sports

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

CBS Sports’ Week 2 picks

Pete Prisco: Saints

Will Brinson: Panthers

Jared Dubin: Saints

Ryan Wilson: Panthers

John Breech: Saints

Tyler Sullivan: Saints

Dave Richard: Saints

Jamey Eisenberg: Saints

MMQB

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

MMQB’s Week 2 picks

Albert Breer: Saints

Mitch Goldich: Saints

Claire Kuwana: Saints

Gilberto Manzano: Panthers

Conor Orr: Panthers

John Pluym: Saints

Matt Verderame: Saints

SportingNews

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Bill Bender: Panthers 23, Saints 18

NFC South rivals face off as a part of a Monday Night Football doubleheader, and it will be the home debut for No. 1 pick Bryce Young. Derek Carr passed for 302 yards in his Saints’ debut, and he established an immediate connection with Chris Olave. Young’s best days are ahead, but it will be tough against an improved Saints’ defense. Carolina swept this series last year and has won the last two at home, so this is a potential upset. We’ll bite. 

Athlon Sports

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Athlon Sports’ Week 2 picks

Alek Arend: Saints

Matt Audilet: Panthers

Cameron Flynn: Saints

Bleacher Report

Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports

Bleacher Report’s Week 2 picks

Gary Davenport: Saints

Brad Gagnon: Panthers

Ian Hanford: Saints

Kris Knox: Saints

Maurice Moton: Saints

Wes O’Donnell: Saints

Brent Sobleski: Saints

Bottom line

Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

An overwhelming majority of experts have the Saints taking down the Panthers in the Week 2 matchup. Most sites only have one of their people taking the Panthers, two at most (10 total). The experience of the Saints seems to trump the young hopefulness of the Panthers.

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