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.

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