**CAROLINA PANTHERS VS. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
MONDAY, SEPT. 18, 2023 ● BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM
GAME NOTES**
- The Saints defeated the Carolina Panthers 20-17 to move to 2-0. With the win, New Orleans starts the season 2-0 for the first time since 2013 and the ninth time in franchise history.
- The Saints are now 25-25 all time on "Monday Night Football" and 30-28 all time against the Panthers (regular season and postseason combined).
- New Orleans out-gained Carolina 341-239, including 134 yards on the ground and 207 yards through the air.
- The Saints defense allowed just four first downs in the first half and 88 total net yards. New Orleans did not allow a touchdown until 1:16 remaining in Week 2 of the 2023 campaign, the longest such streak to begin a season in team history.
- New Orleans has now gone 10 straight games allowing less than 20 points to its opponent, the longest such streak in team history.
- The Saints allowed just four third-down conversions on 14 attempts (28.6%).
- Quarterback Derek Carr moved into 30th on the all-time passing yards list, surpassing Alex Smith.
- Carr completed 21 of 36 passes for 228 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception.
- Carr is now 3-0 in his career against the Panthers, including two victories over Carolina with the Las Vegas Raiders. He also improves to 7-4 all-time on "Monday Night Football."
- Running back Jamaal Williams carried the ball nine times for 29 yards before exiting the game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury.
- Running back Tony Jones Jr. took over the backfield after Williams exited. Jones finished with 12 carries for 34 yards and two touchdowns, including his first NFL touchdown, a two-yard rush in the third quarter.
- Receiver Michael Thomas moved into second on the Saints' all-time receptions list with his second reception in the first quarter on New Orleans's second drive. Thomas surpassed receiver Eric Martin, who stands at 532 career receptions. Thomas finished the night with seven catches for 55 yards and now has 538 career receptions.
- Thomas' seven first-half receptions were the most he had in the first half of any game since Dec. 16, 2019, against the Indianapolis Colts, where he had nine receptions and finished with 12 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.
- Receiver Chris Olave led New Orleans with 86 yards receiving on six receptions, including a highlight-reel, one-handed catch that went for 42 yards in the third quarter.
- Receiver Rashid Shaheed caught a game-long 45-yard pass from Carr in the fourth quarter. Shaheed finished with four receptions for 63 yards.
- Tight end Foster Moreau recorded his first reception as a Saint on New Orleans' second drive, a 14-yard catch. Moreau finished with with two catches for 20 yards.
- Quarterback Taysom Hill led the Saints with a team-high 75 yards rushing on nine carries and completed one pass for eight yards.
- Defensive end Cameron Jordan played in his 205th career game (regular + postseason), tying punter Thomas Morstead for second on the franchise's all-time games played list.
- The Saints defense forced its fourth turnover in six quarters when defensive end Carl Granderson forced a Bryce Young fumble that cornerback Paulson Adebo recovered in the second quarter.
- Linebackers Demario Davis and Pete Werner and safety Marcus Maye all tied for the team-lead with seven combined tackles. Maye and Davis both added one sack.
- Kicker Blake Grupe nailed both his field-goal attempts. Grupe has not missed an attempt in his NFL career yet, making his first five attempts through two games.
Check out the game action from the New Orleans Saints game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season.