Panthers 26 @ Saints 31 Final - FOX

It's PLAYOFF TIME and YOUR NFC SOUTH CHAMPION NEW ORLEANS SAINTS are back in the postseason for the 1st time since 2013!!!

This is the 1st time the Saints and Panthers meet up in the postseason and it's the 3rd time the Saints will face a Division Opponent for a 3rd time in a season, with both previous occasions when the Saints were in the old NFC West (1991 - Atlanta Falcons, L 27-20; 2000 - St. Louis Rams, W 31-28)

The Saints enter today's game with a 3-5 record in the Wild Card Round
Jim Mora, Sr. (0-4)
Jim Haslett (1-0)
Sean Payton (2-1)

The Saints enter today's game with a 6-3 home record all-time in the playoffs... and are currently riding a 6-game win streak in the Superdome in the postseason (all rounds)
Jim Mora, Sr. (0-3)
Jim Haslett (1-0)
Sean Payton (5-0)

With the Atlanta Falcons already locked in to play the at the Philadelphia Eagles next Saturday at 3:35 PM CT, that means the winner of this game will play at the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday at 3:40 PM CT in the Divisional Round. A win would mean the Saints would meet the Vikings for the 4th time in the playoffs, making them our most common postseason opponent, breaking a current tie with the Philadelphia Eagles (3 previous postseason meetings with each)

Scoring Plays:
1Q - NO - Drew Brees to Ted Ginn, Jr. 80 yd TD pass (PAT good) 7-0 NO
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2Q - CAR - Graham Gano 27 yd FG GOOD 7-3 NO
2Q - NO - Drew Brees to Josh Hill 9 yd TD pass (PAT good) 14-3 NO
2Q - CAR - Graham Gano 39 yd FG GOOD 14-6 NO
2Q - NO - Zach Line 1 yd TD rush (PAT good) 21-6 NO
2Q - CAR - Graham Gano 58 yd FG GOOD 21-9 NO
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3Q - CAR - Graham Gano 29 yd FG GOOD 21-12 NO
3Q - NO - Wil Lutz 57 yd FG GOOD 24-12 NO
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4Q - CAR - Cam Newton to Greg Olsen 14 yd TD pass (PAT good) 24-19 NO
4Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 2 yd TD rush (PAT good) 31-19 NO
4Q - CAR - Cam Newton to Christian McCaffrey 56 yd TD pass (PAT good) 31-26 NO

Officiating Crew (since playoffs are "All-Star crews"; the head referee of the crew the official was part of during the regular season is in parenthesis):
Referee - Tony Corrente

Umpire - Bryan Neale (Pete Morelli)
Down Judge - Derick Bowers (Walt Coleman)
Line Judge - Tim Podraza (Pete Morelli)
Field Judge - Steve Zimmer (Craig Wrolstad)
Side Judge - Terry Brown (Jef Triplette)
Back Judge - Dino Paganelli (Gene Steratore)
Replay Official - Larry Nemmers
Alternates - Jerome Boger, Kevin Codey, Tony Steratore

Inactive Lists:
CAR-
QB Garrett Gilbert
C Greg Van Roten
DE Zach Moor
OT Blaine Clausell
G Amini Silatolu
CB Kevon Seymour
DE Charles Johnson

NO-
RB Jonathan Williams
DE Kasim Edebali
C Cameron Tom
OL John Fullington
WR Austin Carr
TE John Phillips
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad