Carolina Panthers Vs. New Orleans Saints Weeek 10 NFL Picks and Parlays

Rattler Roulette and the Looming Deadline Chaos: Panthers vs Saints Preview

It's been a rough week in the NFC South, but somehow, Carolina is feeling good—or at least, better than expected. The Panthers are rolling into New Orleans this Sunday after earning an ugly win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday that felt like pulling teeth. Seriously, 16-13 against a reeling Packers squad at home? Not exactly a statement game, but hey, a W is a W when you’re fighting for your division life. The defense held up its end of the bargain, though, especially with that Green Bay offense falling apart late after the brutal-looking injury to tight end Tucker Kraft.

But the real drama isn’t the Panthers' offensive struggles; it's the absolute quarterback carousel down in the Big Easy. The Saints, sitting at a miserable 1-7, officially hit the panic button last week, benching second-year pro Spencer Rattler for rookie Tyler Shough. That move alone tells you everything you need to know about where this franchise is headed. They invested a second-round pick in Shough, so they’re obligated to see what they have, especially since Rattler’s eight starts—while showing flashes—resulted in way too many stalled drives and inconsistent play.

And here’s where the clock starts ticking: Spencer Rattler could be a last-minute trade candidate for the Saints today at 4 pm, the deadline. New Orleans clearly wants to roll with Shough now, and Rattler is a guy who has starting experience, is still on a cheap rookie deal, and needs a change of scenery. A desperate, quarterback-needy team—maybe a team with a late-season injury to their starter—could absolutely pick up the phone right now and offer a mid-round pick. If the Saints are fully committed to the Shough evaluation, turning Rattler into more draft capital would be smart business. It’s pure leverage, and Saints GM Mickey Loomis is known for making moves right down to the wire.

This game is less about the NFC South title and more about pure desperation. Can Carolina’s offense do anything besides grind out a field goal? Will Shough look poised in his first home start, or will the weight of the city—and the Rattler rumors—crush him? The tension is high, and if the Saints don’t deal Rattler, he’ll be watching from the sidelines as the trade deadline passes, adding an extra layer of awkwardness to an already intense divisional battle. It’s going to be a messy, high-stakes slugfest. You won't want to miss the fallout from this one, regardless of the final score.

I like that oddsmakers are tilting this one toward the Panthers with a 5-point spread. Perhaps they only got off to a slow start and were saving their energy for the second half of the season.