Win, lose, or draw — one way or another, one of the NFL’s longest losing streaks will end in Week 9. Either the New Orleans Saints or the Carolina Panthers will have a new lease on life by Monday.
Because the New York Jets won on Thursday night and the New England Patriots pulled out a win last week, the Saints are in sole possession of the NFL’s longest active losing streak, having dropped six in a row. The next-longest losing streak belongs to the Panthers, who haven’t won a game in their last five tries.
The Saints need a win in the worst way. The goodwill their 2-0 start earned them has been burnt away by a monthlong losing skid. Even if it’s just the Panthers, who they beat handily to start the season, a win would do a lot to buy them some room to breathe. Right now New Orleans is just above Carolina at the bottom of the conference standings.
At the same time, the Panthers could really use a win, too. Bryce Young has struggled as badly as any former first overall draft pick could and his return to the starting lineup is hardly secure. Managing to beat the Saints, even if they’re badly injured in the secondary, would do a lot for him, too.
These are two bad teams, but that doesn’t mean they have nothing to play for at the season’s midway point. Pride, job security, and a long-shot playoff bid are still on the line. All that’s left to see is who comes out on top.
