Despite slow starts, the Panthers and Saints meet with a chance to become sole leaders of NFC South

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Never mind the Carolina Panthers' three-game losing streak, or that the New Orleans Saints dropped five of their first seven games this season.

The future is now for both franchises.

At stake in Sunday's game between the Panthers (3-5) and Saints (3-5) is sole possession of first place in the NFC South and the inside lane to capturing the playoff berth that comes with winning the division.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in this locker room and the guys we have here,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said this week as he forecast the impending returns of several players who've been sidelined recently by injuries.

"It’s just going to come down to us playing together, all three phases, and having that solid football product that we’re looking for Panthers football,” Canales said.

The Saints have won two of their past three games, but only narrowly escaped with a 23-22 overtime victory against Cleveland last week that came down to the Browns' do-or-die 2-point conversion attempt.

Saints second-year quarterback Tyler Shough, whose first and fifth wins as an NFL starter both came at Carolina's expense last season, said that while the Saints must be mindful of how close they came to losing last week, they also must seize the opportunity before them.

“It's significant because of obviously the situation that we're all in,” Shough said. “Every win, every single game, matters."

The Panthers, who won the division with an 8-9 record in 2025, could get a handful of starters back by Sunday.

They opened 21-day practice windows this week for cornerback Mike Jackson, wide receiver Xavier Legette and running back Jonathon Brooks to return from injured reserve.

Meanwhile, outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips, guard Damien Lewis and cornerback Will Lee III returned to practice after missing time with injuries. Versatile offensive lineman Brady Christensen also could be nearing a return from injured reserve after entering his second week in the 21-day practice window.

Similarly, Saints running back Travis Etienne, a top free-agent signing last spring who went on injured reserve after a Week 3 hamstring injury, began his 21-day practice window this week.

If Etienne returns, he'd rejoin an offense that also hopes to see rookie receiver and first-round draft choice Jordyn Tyson take on an increased workload after his return from injured reserve in Week 9.

“We'll certainly add a healthy dose more," Saints coach Kellen Moore said of plays planned for Tyson, who had four catches for 30 yards in his NFL debut last Sunday, but also lost a fumble inside the Cleveland 5-yard line. "It'll start feeling more like a normal volume moving forward.”

Given his team's sub-.500 record, Moore has largely avoided exuberant rhetoric about the Saints' playoff prospects, instead warning that there is a lot of work to do during the club's next nine games.

But he also billed Sunday's game in the Superdome as an “awesome opportunity.”

“We understand the journey we're on — and this is an important one," Moore said. "But we've really got to build off of last week.”

Carolina (3-5) at New Orleans (3-5)

When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox.

Latest odds: Saints by 1½.

Against the spread: Panthers 3-5, Saints 3-5.

Last week: Panthers lost to Broncos 26-21; Saints beat Browns 23-22 in OT.

Last meeting: Saints beat Panthers 20-17 on Dec. 14, 2025, in New Orleans.

Series record: Saints lead 34-29.

Saints QB Tyler Shough is bound to test Carolina's banged-up secondary, particularly if Mike Jackson, who returned to practice this week from a groin injury, is deemed to be not yet ready to be moved from injured reserve to the active roster. In a loss to Denver last week, Carolina allowed the Broncos' Bo Nix to complete 25 of 37 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns passing. Through Week 9, Shough's 1,986 yards passing this season ranked 13th in the NFL through and his 14 TD passes were tied for 12th most in the league (with Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes).

— Panthers QB Bryce Young is 1-5 against the Saints since coming into the league in 2023 and has only three touchdown passes in those six starts along with four interceptions. He has been limited to 151.5 yards passing per game vs. the Saints.

— Young has been sacked nine times in the past two games while playing behind an offensive line that is missing three starters. One of those sacks resulted in a fumble late in the fourth quarter last week against Denver, allowing the Broncos to seal a 26-21 win.

— Carolina cornerbacks Corey Thornton and Marco Wilson were called up from the practice squad last week and pressed into starting roles because of injuries. They were penalized a combined five times for defensive pass interference in the loss to the Broncos. How much they play this week could hinge on whether Jackson is deemed ready to come back.

— The New Orleans Saints' victory last week was their first in the Superdome this season after dropping three straight in their home stadium. The Saints are 7-14 at the Superdome since the start of the 2024 season, but have won both home games against the Panthers during that span.

— Shough passed for 265 yards and a TD, and also rushed for 51 yards, in Week 9.

— Receiver Chris Olave led New Orleans with seven receptions for 98 yards last week. He had six catches for 85 yards and a TD in his previous game against the Panthers and has had at least five catches for 85 yards and a score in each of his past two games against Carolina.

— Edge rusher Carl Granderson had two sacks last week and has had at least 1 1/2 sacks in each of his previous four games. His 7 1/2 sacks this season are tied for fourth most in the NFL this season entering Week 10.

— Edge rusher Chase Young had sack and broke up a pass last week. He now has eight sacks this season, tied for second in the NFL entering Week 10.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) carries for a first down after a long pass completion in the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales greets quarterback Bryce Young after their loss against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Scott Kinser)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young Denver Broncos during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) gestures to fans as he walks off the field after the Saints defeated the Cleveland Browns in overtime of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ella Hall)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Kings forward Kevin Fiala made his season debut in a 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday night, playing for the first time since breaking his left leg at the Milan Cortina Olympics. He had an assist and minus-1 rating in 16:37 of ice time.

Fiala was injured playing for Switzerland in a preliminary round game Feb. 13, causing him to miss the second half of the NHL season. He then missed training camp and the start of this season after undergoing a follow-up surgery in September.

“It was pretty challenging,” Fiala said. “To be honest, I think it's more complicated than a lot of people think about this injury. ... It's a lot of up and downs. But I'm playing now, so I'm very happy to put it behind me and look forward.”

Fiala got the start, playing on the second line with center Quinton Byfield and forward Mats Zuccarello. He got an immediate opportunity to shake off any possible nerves by chasing down a puck in the corner on his first shift.

“I think that moment helped me for sure to feel I'm here, you know,” Fiala said. “Especially after nine months or so missing games, you gotta get in there.”

Fiala had been one of the Kings' top offensive playmakers in his first four seasons with the club, including getting 18 goals and 22 assists in 56 games last season, and the hope was his presence would help shake off their current scoring struggles. Instead, they were held to two goals or fewer for the 10th time in their past 15 games. They are 0-9-1 in those contests.

“I think a lot is about momentum,” Fiala said. “I think we have played pretty good hockey. You know, even today, I thought we had a chance to win the game. ... In important moments, we have to show up. We have to play better, more desperate, better details and all that.”

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9), left wing Kevin Fiala (22) and right wing Quinton Byfield (55) celebrate a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

FILE - Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (22) in the second period of an NHL hockey game on Dec. 29, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)