The New Orleans Saints' 18-10 win Sunday over the Carolina Panthers improves New Orleans' record to 8-8, giving it sole possession of second place in the NFC South, and keeping the team's playoff chances alive heading to a Week 18 matchup at Atlanta.
The win improves the Saints' all-time record against the Panthers (regular season/postseason combined) to 29-26. The win gives them a 14-12 mark in contests in the Saints-Panthers series played at the Caesars Superdome. The win improves the Saints' division record to 3-2, guaranteeing them at least a .500 record in the division for the fifth consecutive season. It also helps them avoid being swept by the Panthers for the first time since 2015 and avoids getting swept by a division opponent for the first time since Atlanta in 2016. The win also improves Coach Sean Payton’s record (regular season/postseason combined) against the Panthers to 17-13.
The Saints extend their streak to 320 regular season games without having been shut out, dating to a 26-20 win at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 6, 2002 at Raymond James Stadium, the longest running streak in the NFL.
The victory gives Payton a 3-1 record against Carolina Coach Matt Rhule, giving Payton a winning record against 63 of the 88 head coaches he's faced.
Payton's 160 combined regular season/postseason victories move him into a tie for 21st all-time with Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin, whose Steelers host the Cleveland Browns on "Monday Night Football."
New Orleans surrendered a season-low 178 total net yards and managed a season-high seven sacks.
Defensive end Cameron Jordan recorded a team-high tying eight tackles (six solo), 3.5 sacks Sunday, moving his career sack total to 106.0, three stops for loss and three quarterback hits. The 3.5 sacks are the second-highest total in his career behind four takedowns at Atlanta on Thanksgiving night in 2019. This is Jordan's fifth career game with at least three sacks. Jordan moves into a tie for 29th in league record books with Kevin Carter and Neil Smith. Sunday was also his 25th career game with multiple takedowns, putting him two behind franchise leader and Pro Football Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson (27). Sunday's sack total marks only the second time in Jordan's career that he has had three straight multi-sack games, joining a three-game stretch from Nov. 22-Dec. 9, 2008. Notching his 10th career sack Sunday against Carolina, Jordan has double-digit sack totals against all three NFC South division teams. Panthers signal-caller Sam Darnold became the 41st player for Jordan to have a quarterback takedown against. With 11.5 sacks on the season in 15 games with one contest remaining, Jordan joins Jackson as only the second Saint with six double-digit takedown campaigns.
Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson recorded his third interception of the season to seal the win Sunday, tying him for the team lead in picks with Marshon Lattimore and P.J. Williams.
Linebacker Demario Davis became the first Saint to reach 100 total tackles in four consecutive seasons since safety Roman Harper (2008-12). Davis recorded five tackles Sunday.
Defensive back J.T. Gray now has a career-high and league-best 18 special teams tackles after recording one special teams takedown Sunday.
Quarterback Taysom Hill notched 45 rushing yards Sunday bringing his season total to 356, surpassing Saints legend Archie Manning's 351 yards in 1972 for third place in franchise record books. Hill completed 17-of-28 passes for 222 yards and one score.
Safety Malcolm Jenkins played in his 102nd career game as a Saint, moving into a tie with running back Wayne Wilson, wide receiver Joe Horn, defensive lineman Bruce Clark and long snapper Justin Drescher for 53rd on the club's all-time games played list. Jenkins posted six stops (three solo).
Defensive end Marcus Davenport recorded his first career fumble recovery on a P.J. Williams strip sack deep in Carolina territory midway through the second quarter. The fumble recovery led to a 27-yard field goal converted by kicker Brett Maher.
Maher made four field goals, matching his career-high for field goals made in one game (9/30/18 vs Detroit and 10/14/18 vs. Jacksonville) as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. Maher's 12 consecutive field goals made is the second longest streak of his career, behind 16 straight field goals made from Sept. 16, 2018 through Oct. 21, 2018 as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.
Running back Alvin Kamara totaled 100 yards from scrimmage, 32 rushing yards on 13 carries, and 68 receiving yards on five catches. Kamara scored on a 12-yard reception from Hill with 7:55 remaining in the contest.
Wide receiver Marquez Callaway recorded six catches for 97 yards with a long of 30 yards.
Tackle Jordan Mills played in his 100th career game (combined regular season and postseason).
Linebacker Kwon Alexander tied for the team lead with Jordan with eight tackles (six solo) and also split as sack with Jordan and had two quarterbacks hits.
