Scoring Plays:
1Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 15 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | NO 7, CAR 0
1Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 1 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | NO 14, CAR 0
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2Q - NO - AJ Klein 14 yd interception return for TD (PAT Good) | NO 21, CAR 0
2Q - NO - Drew Brees to Tre'Quan Smith 1 yd TD pass (PAT Good) | NO 28, CAR 0
2Q - NO - Drew Brees to Jared Cook 21 yd TD pass (PAT Good) | NO 35, CAR 0
2Q - CAR - Joey Slye 23 yd FG GOOD | NO 35, CAR 3
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3Q - NO - Drew Brees to Taysom Hill 45 yd TD pass (PAT Good) | NO 42, CAR 3
3Q - CAR - Christian McCaffrey 1 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | NO 42, CAR 10
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4Q - NONE
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Hello Who Dats & Who Datettes, and welcome to the Game 16/Week 17 Saints Game Thread

The end of the regular season is neigh as today the Saints head to Charlotte to close out the 2019 season with a game against the Carolina Panthers.

But unlike most week 17 games since the NFL expanded the schedule back in the early 1990s, there's quite a bit for the Saints to play for in this contest with a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs still available for the black & gold to clinch. But what the Saints will do during this game will be dictated by what's going on in Detroit at the same time (more on this coming up later with a full listing of playoff scenarios, including the fact that the Saints don't even need to win to get a 1st round bye).

Carolina, however, only has pride (Run CMC looking for a 1,000/1,000 season) and draft position to play for. With Riverboat Ron Rivera out, interim head coach Perry Fewell says the Panthers will play this game like a playoff game because, well, he is among those trying to get that job full time for next season. Will the players hear that message, though? TE Greg Olsen lit into the team after the Panthers scored just 6 points in an embarrassing loss last week to the Indianapolis Colts, a Colts team, mind you, that the Saints trounced just 6 days prior on MNF.

LET'S TROUNCE THE PANTIES AND HEAD INTO THE PLAYOFFS HEALTHY AND READY FOR ANOTHER SUPER BOWL RUN!!!

While the Saints appear to be getting healthy at the right time, the back line of the Saints D is still hurting pretty bad as CB Eli Apple (ankle), S Vonn Bell (knee), & S Marcus Williams (groin) are all OUT of today's game. Another worry is FB Zach Line popping back up on the injury report on Friday where he was limited with a knee injury and is QUESTIONABLE for today's game. But the good news is the return of LB Kiko Alonso... and our OL is back to full strength as both Andrus Peat & Larry Warford are good to go. Drew Brees & Michael Thomas both were dinged up following last week's game, but both will play.

The Panthers will be without perhaps their best wide receiver as DJ Moore couldn't get through concussion protocol in time for today's game. LB Shaq Thompson is also OUT with a foot injury. LB/DE Marquis Haynes is QUESTIONABLE with a knee issue, as is CB Corn Elder, who apparently ate some bad Christmas leftovers on Thursday and missed practice Friday with an illness.

Weather: It's not going to be the best day today in Charlotte. High of 69 with an 80% chance of rain during the 2nd half according to Google with winds out of the SSE around 8-10 mph

Uniforms: Final road game of the regular season means 1 last look at the all-white uniforms in 2019

Playoff Clinching Scenarios: The Saints have already clinched the NFC South Division Championship

Saints Clinch Homefield Advantage Throughout NFC Playoffs With:
1) Saints win + Packers loss or tie + 49ers loss or tie
2) Saints tie + Packers loss + 49ers loss

Saints Clinch First-Round Bye With:
1) Saints win + Packers loss or tie
2) Saints win + 49ers loss or tie
3) Saints tie + Packers loss
4) Saints tie + 49ers loss
5) Packers win or tie + 49ers loss

Saints Playoff Seeding Games of Note:
New Orleans Saints 42 @ Carolina Panthers 10 | Final
Green Bay Packers 23 @ Detroit Lions 20 | Final
San Francisco 49ers 26 @ Seattle Seahawks 21 | Final

Current Standings:
NFC South
Saints 12-3
Bucs 7-8
Falcons 6-9
Panthers 5-10

Want to listen to Zach Strief & Deuce McAllister instead of Kenny Albert & Ronde Barber?
Find your local Saints Radio Network affiliate at this link

Today's Officials:
Referee: #62 Ron Torbert

Umpire: #77 Terry Killens
Down Judge: #53 Sarah Thomas
Line Judge: #84 Mark Steinkerchner
Field Judge: #25 Ryan Dickson
Side Judge: #3 Scott Edwards
Back Judge: #67 Tony Josselyn
Replay Official: Saleem Choudhry
Replay Assistant: Chad Adams

Inactive Lists:
NO-
CB Eli Apple
S Vonn Bell
OL Ethan Greenidge
FB Zach Line
DE Noah Spence
LB Manti Te'o
S Marcus Williams

CAR-
DE Marquis Haynes
LB Shaq Thompson
WR DJ Moore
CB Corn Elder
OL Matt Kaskey
DE Christian Miller
DT Woodrow Hamilton

This post was edited on 12/30/19 at 12:55 am