Saints 20-17 Panthers Recap (Dec 14, 2025) — A dramatic finish in New Orleans as a 47-yard boot in the final seconds gave the Saints a 20-17 comeback win over the playoff-hopeful Carolina Panthers. The victory prevented Carolina from grabbing sole control of the NFC South, and it marked another solid outing for rookie quarterback Tyler Shough.
Shough, making the 6th start of his NFL tenure for the 4-10 Saints, went 24 of 32 for 272 yards and delivered a tying 12-yard TD pass to Chris Olave with 2:29 left in regulation. He also led the team in rushing with 32 yards and did not turn the ball over. His late-game heroics culminated when his feet-first slide at the Carolina 44 set up the decisive field goal after a hit to his head from Lathan Ransom drew a roughness penalty that moved the ball 29 yards with 9 seconds remaining.
Carolina sophomore Bryce Young threw for 163 yards, including a 32-yard TD to Jalen Coker that helped put the Panthers ahead 17-7 in the third quarter. The Panthers jumped ahead early courtesy of Rico Dowdle’s 4-yard scoring run to claim a 7-0 lead.
New Orleans clawed back with Devin Neal’s 4-yard TD run capping a staggering 17-play, 95-yard drive that consumed 11:22 and featured key conversions on third-and-13 and a fourth-and-1. Fitzgerald’s ensuing 40-yard field goal extended Carolina’s lead to 10-7 at halftime.
After Smyth’s 42-yard kick trimmed the margin to 17-10, Carolina moved into Saints territory early in the fourth but was thwarted when Bryan Bresee stopped Chuba Hubbard on a fourth-and-1 rush at 10:56 remaining.
A critical decision near the end turned the tide. Smyth’s 46-yard try would have pulled New Orleans to 17-13 with 7:02 left, but an offside penalty on Carolina nullified the points and forced a fresh drive. The Saints responded with a quick stand, getting the ball back and marching 78 yards in 2:08, capped by Shough’s tie-capitalizing drive.
Injuries shaped the night for both sides. Carolina’s defense was without Turk Wharton due to a hamstring issue. For New Orleans, Devin Neal left the game after scoring in the second quarter with a hamstring injury, and safety Justin Reid missed his second straight game. Right guard Cesar Ruiz also briefly left for ankle treatment, and Devaughn Vele returned to the locker room after his shoulder was checked.
Upcoming opponents
- Panthers visit Tampa Bay on the road next Sunday.
- Saints welcome the New York Jets to town the following Sunday.
Explainer notes
- Shough’s performance continued to improve as he builds chemistry with receiver Chris Olave, and the Saints’ offense showed resilience in a tight, late-game scenario.
- The decision to erase points on the offside penalty proved a sharp, high-stakes gamble that ultimately paid off with the decisive final sequence.
Discussion prompts
- Should Carolina have pressed to kick the game-tying field goal earlier, given the risk of a charged crowd and momentum shift? Or was the aggressive stance justified by the potential division-clinching opportunity?
- How much weight should be given to a late-season rookie quarterback’s progress when evaluating a team’s longer-term plans at the position? Share your take in the comments.
