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New Orleans Saints put best foot forward with thorough performance in season-opening victory

Offense, defense and special teams made significant contributions

Check out the game action shots from the New Orleans Saints game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Season on Sept. 8, 2024 in the Caesars Superdome.

Wow.

Just, wow.

Just, wow, wow, wow.

It'd be easy to go on and on, because it's difficult to imagine that the New Orleans Saints could have performed much better in a season opener than they did in Sunday's 47-10 victory over Carolina in the Caesars Superdome.

Perfection never can be attained, but the Saints were cleaner in all three phases than anyone likely dared to imagine, and it showed up in every way statistically.

OFFENSE: New Orleans scored on nine consecutive possessions. Yep, you read that correctly. Nine – five touchdowns and four field goals – and rookie Matthew Hayball didn't attempt his first NFL punt until 4:37 remained in the game. Balance (199 yards and three touchdowns passing, 180 yards and two touchdowns rushing) was exquisite and the run-pass mix (37 rushing attempts, 24 pass attempts) was the kind of balance New Orleans wants as it looks for a more effective run game this season. Add in the red zone perfection (4-for-4) and the third-down success (7 of 13) and even though there are things that need to be cleaned, the nits weren't backbreakers. Starting the game with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Rashid Shaheed on the opening possession of the game was the perfect tone-setter.

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DEFENSE: Speaking of balance, the Saints forced three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble recovery) and produced four sacks. When you have those numbers, and your offense doesn't commit a turnover and allows just one sack, the odds of winning greatly increase. New Orleans also made stops on nine of 10 third-down attempts and two of three fourth-down tries by Carolina and by the time the Panthers posted their only touchdown in the third quarter, the Saints had scored 37 in part because of the defense's ability to get off the field via turnovers or third-down stops. The Panthers were held to 193 net yards and never were allowed to get on track.

SPECIAL TEAMS: How about this: The Saints kicked four field goals, deflected a punt (which traveled 11 yards) and had kickoff returns of 33 and 32 yards, and a punt return of 47. That shrinking of the field on returns makes life easier for the offense and defense, and the field goals provide confidence that if a drive bogs down, points still will be produced. If any of those things (field goal, punt deflection, kick and punt returns) singularly happens in a game, it's a solid day. If all of them happen in the same game, it's a banner day.