The New Orleans Saints may be getting a timely boost on offense just as their NFC South matchup with the Carolina Panthers arrives Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported Saturday morning that New Orleans plans to activate running back Travis Etienne Jr. from injured reserve, putting him in line to return for a game that already has the feel of a high-scoring one. The Panthers have allowed the fourth-most points per game at 27.4, while the Saints are right behind them, surrendering 27.0 per contest. It’s also the first meeting between the division rivals this season, and with all four NFC South teams sitting on three wins apiece, the race remains wide open.
Etienne’s return would give the Saints another major piece after they invested heavily in him in March, when he signed a four-year, $52 million deal in free agency. He spent his first four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and was coming off a strong year there, posting 1,107 rushing yards, 292 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns. Jacksonville moved on and turned to a younger backfield led by Bhayshul Tuten, while Etienne landed in New Orleans with the expectation of becoming the team’s featured runner.
That plan hit a snag early. Etienne suffered a hamstring injury three games into the season and was placed on injured reserve soon after.
He has missed the last five games, during which the Saints went 2-3. In those first three appearances, he ran for 128 yards on 30 carries, good for 4.3 yards per attempt, and added 51 receiving yards on 11 catches, averaging 4.6 yards per reception.
He never quite got rolling before the injury, and now he’ll try to make a stronger statement in his first game back.
The timing matters for New Orleans, which had to rely on Audric Estime in last week’s 23-22 win over the Cleveland Browns. Estime, who the team had just signed, handled 15 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He was productive, but the Saints clearly view Etienne as the more explosive option and the player they brought in to lead the backfield.
If Etienne is active Sunday, New Orleans will have a chance to add more punch to an offense that could use it as the Saints try to push ahead in the division.
In Other News...
Panthers Saints Matchup Gets An Officiating Twist After Last Weeks Controversy
A week after replay decisions drew plenty of attention around the Panthers, their matchup with the Saints will come with a different kind of officiating setup. Because of a nationwide FAA ground stop affecting air travel, the NFL has shuffled officials for Week 10 and assigned crews to games within driving distance of their hometowns, a rare logistical wrinkle that puts a familiar face in a different role for Carolinas latest division test.
For this one, umpire Duane Heydt will serve as referee, while replay responsibilities will be handled remotely from New York instead of on-site. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes change most fans never notice unless the game itself turns on a call, and after last weeks controversy involving Panthers replay decisions, the spotlight around the officiating will be hard to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Keep Making One Mistake That Could Ruin The NFC South Race
The Panthers have spent much of the first half trying to climb back into the NFC South picture, but the margin for error keeps shrinking because of the same self-inflicted problem. Carolina has been flagged far more often than it was a year ago, and head coach Dave Canales has already pointed to the discipline issue in the wake of the Broncos game as one that cannot keep following the team from week to week.
At 3-5, the Panthers are still very much alive in the division race, which is why the penalties matter so much. Canales has already responded with a staff adjustment, promoting Todd Wash to interim defensive coordinator, but the bigger challenge is getting the entire operation cleaner before those mistakes become the difference between staying in the hunt and watching the NFC South slip away. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Playoff Push Now Hinges On Dan Morgans Biggest Gamble
The Panthers are still hanging around the NFC South race despite a losing record, but the stretch run has exposed a familiar problem: the secondary does not have much room for error. Injuries have thinned the cornerback group in particular, leaving Carolina to patch holes with the players already on hand while hoping the current group can survive long enough for some help to come back.
Dan Morgan had a chance to add depth before the trade deadline and chose not to make a move, a decision that now looms larger as the season tightens. Several injured players are moving toward a return to practice, which could ease the pressure in the short term, but the bigger question remains the same for Carolina: whether the front office can find a longer-term answer at cornerback without the kind of deadline help it passed on. [Read more 🡒]