New Orleans at Carolina (10/19/2008)

New Orleans entered the season as the consensus favorite in the NFC South, but the team's inconsistent start coupled with the overall strength of the division has seemingly caused many backers to abandon ship. Keep in mind that the Saints' three losses have been by a combined 10 points, and Payton's troops have been hit noticeably hard by injuries through the first six weeks. New Orleans is not only getting healthier by the week, but the turnovers, penalties and defensive breakdowns that plagued the club early on appear to be becoming less prevalent. While the Panthers have been stingy on defense, the unit also hasn't shown a propensity to force the opposition into costly mistakes, which may be the only way to keep New Orleans' dangerous offense in check. The Saints may not move the ball or score at will this week, but they'll do enough to outscore a Carolina team that too often struggles to put points on the board. Saints 23, Panthers 17