Sean's Free Pick
(NFL) Carolina vs. New Orleans, 12/08/2013 3:30 PM, Score: 13 - 31
Point Spread: -3.00 | -109.00 New Orleans (Home)
Result: Win
Sean Higgs with your FREE PICK in the NFL tonight. The Sunday Night NFL Game of the Week heads to New Orleans as the 9-3 Carolina Panthers face the 9-3 Saints in a battle for supremacy in the NFC South. The Saints are a perfect 6-0 SU at home this season, but are on a short week after being beaten by the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. The Panthers are absolutely red-hot right now, winners of 8 straight. Should be quite a show in the Mercedez-Benz Superdome this evening as these two teams will face each twice over the next 3 weeks and the winner will be in the drivers seat for the #2 seed in the NFC.

We will start out with the scorching hot Carolina Panthers. Winners of 8 straight including 4 road contests. Cam Newton gets a lot of the buzz, as he should. Panthers have put up 30 points in 5 of the last 8 games. But let's not overlook a defense that has allowed only 1 team to score more than 20 points over that same period of time.

But as I look deeper into those wins, I come away feeling a little less than impressed. Their best win was obviously at SF. They also had a come from behind home win over the Patriots. I think anyone who had New England remembers how that game ended. You can only play who you have in front of you. But I think the Panthers have taken advantage of some lesser opponents during this run.

What is our last visual of the Saints? A 34-7 white-wash on ESPN Monday night. The entire country sees New Orleans get man-handled by a physical team. And what is the general perception of Carolina. Big, physical defense. Smash mouth football, run the ball down your throat. And you are getting points with the Panthers. Woo Hoo. What can go wrong taking Carolina here?

I will tell you the stats. Carolina 11-1 ATS last 12 in NO and 8-2 ATS last 10 overall in the series.

I'm not buying people. Not buying one bit. Now I will tell you here that I think when they meet in 2 weeks in Carolina I think the Panthers are the play. But here at home, the Saints come marching in.

Under HC Sean Payton, these guys are 14-0 SU and 13-1 ATS. Remember he wasn't coaching this group last year. I will gladly back NO at home here. They just played a team that has the same style of play. Short week won't matter much because it is a division foe they face twice a year. Not many new wrinkles. Carolina sweep this series last year. Do we not think the Saints have had this date circled?

My final thoughts for tonight's game is this. Brees at home with Payton behind him, nearly unstoppable. Team off an embarrassing loss on prime time. The eye test says that everyone will be on the hot team with a big win streak not the team who was just abused. I am going to lay the FG with the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS -3. Time to march to the ticket window and collect our cash ~ BURY THE MAN!