NFL Playoffs Wk 1 Injury Lines Panthers Saints

No Notable Injuries As The Panthers Take On The Saints

It would be a shame if Wildcard Weekend’s best game was marred a lack of key players in important positions, so it’s a very good thing that there are no notable injuries as the Panthers take on the Saints. By all accounts, both teams are set to come out swinging at full strength. Yeah, the Saints lost some important players to various ailments down the stretch (Terron Armstead, Michael Hoomanawanui, etc.), but no other starters are scheduled to miss Sunday afternoon’s tilt (4:40 PM, FOX). The Panthers, meanwhile, are getting their starting safety Kurt Coleman back from an ankle injury, and RB Jonathan Stewart – who missed Week 17 with a back issue – is back, too. As such, the best game of the weekend promises to be all that and more.

Since both teams (which have identical 11-5 records) are healthy and champing at the bit for a chance to get back to the second round of the NFL playoffs, most legal online sportsbooks have this as perhaps the closest matchup for week one. The Bovada odds on the Panthers vs. Saints has Nola as 7-point favorites, but if you expect an upset and bet on the Panthers, you’ll get a pretty decent payout of +245. The game’s over/under is currently set at 48.5 points, which seems a little low for two clubs that can often score at will both on the ground and through the air. Of course, other betting shops like BetOnline or SportsBetting offer different lines, and all the top books will have updated Panthers and Saints odds as gameday approaches.

If you haven’t signed up at a legal online sportsbook at legal betting sites yet, take a minute to check out the best of the bunch, sign up for free, and deposit a few bucks before tuning in to watch Drew Brees and his boys mount what could be the future hall of famer’s last deep playoff run. After all, once Brees retires, you probably won’t want to bet on the Saints ever again. Maybe you’ll be betting on Cam Newton instead.