2017 Wild Card · Sun, Jan 7, 2018 · Mercedes-Benz Superdome

Carolina Panthers

New Orleans SaintsWinner

NO -6.5 no coverO 47.5 ✓DomeSaints closed -6.5, won by 5 — but didn't cover.

New Orleans Saints 31–26.

Pre-2018 game — box score & context only; play-by-play visuals start in 2018

Who moved the needle

Top performers

Passing · NO

Drew BreesQB

23/33, 376 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT

16.4 expected points added · +14.5% completion over expected

Passing · CAR

Cam NewtonQB

24/40, 349 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT

7.8 expected points added · +1.0% completion over expected

Rushing · CAR

Jonathan StewartRB

11 att, 51 yds, 0 TD

-2.6 expected points added on the ground

Rushing · CAR

Cam NewtonQB

8 att, 37 yds, 0 TD

3.6 expected points added on the ground

Receiving · NO

Michael ThomasWR

8/9 for 131 yds, 0 TD

30% of team targets · 9.1 expected points added

Receiving · NO

Ted GinnWR

4/6 for 115 yds, 1 TD

20% of team targets · 8.0 expected points added

Full stat lines

Box score

Carolina Panthers

Passing

Player	C/Att	Yds	TD	INT	Sacked	EPA
Cam Newton	24/40	349	2	0	4	7.8
Derek Anderson	0/1	0	0	0	0	-0.9

Rushing

Player	Att	Yds	Avg	EPA
Jonathan Stewart	11	51	4.6	-2.6
Cam Newton	8	37	4.6	3.6
Christian McCaffrey	6	16	2.7	-2.3
Fozzy Whittaker	1	3	3.0	0.2

Receiving

Player	Rec	Tgt	Yds	TD	Tgt share	EPA
Greg Olsen	8	12	107	1	32%	8.2
Christian McCaffrey	6	8	101	1	21%	6.4
Devin Funchess	4	8	79	0	21%	0.9
Kaelin Clay	3	4	32	0	11%	1.2
Brenton Bersin	2	2	27	0	5%	2.3
Ed Dickson	1	2	3	0	5%	-1.3
Russell Shepard	0	2	0	0	5%	-0.7

Defense (top contributors)

Player	Solo	Ast	Sacks	INT	PD
Shaq Thompson	6	2	0.0	0	0
James Bradberry	7	1	0.0	0	0
Daryl Worley	6	0	0.0	0	1
Mike Adams	3	1	0.0	1	1
Thomas Davis	4	0	0.0	0	0
Luke Kuechly	4	0	0.0	0	0
Kawann Short	2	1	1.0	0	0
Julius Peppers	1	1	0.0	0	0
Bryan Cox	2	0	0.0	0	0
Fozzy Whittaker	1	0	0.0	0	0

New Orleans Saints

Passing

Player	C/Att	Yds	TD	INT	Sacked	EPA
Drew Brees	23/33	376	2	1	1	16.4

Rushing

Player	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	EPA
Alvin Kamara	10	23	2.3	1	-2.2
Mark Ingram	9	22	2.4	0	-3.3
Zach Line	1	1	1.0	1	0.8
Drew Brees	1	-1	-1.0	0	-0.5
Tommylee Lewis	1	-4	-4.0	0	-2.2

Receiving

Player	Rec	Tgt	Yds	TD	Tgt share	EPA
Michael Thomas	8	9	131	0	30%	9.1
Ted Ginn	4	6	115	1	20%	8.0
Josh Hill	3	4	49	1	13%	2.8
Brandon Coleman	4	5	44	0	17%	3.2
Mark Ingram	1	1	13	0	3%	1.2
Alvin Kamara	1	3	10	0	10%	-1.3
Zach Line	1	1	7	0	3%	0.3
Willie Snead	1	1	7	0	3%	0.8

Defense (top contributors)

Player	Solo	Ast	Sacks	PD
Vonn Bell	7	2	1.0	0
Marcus Williams	6	2	0.0	1
Ken Crawley	5	2	0.0	1
Tyeler Davison	1	5	1.0	0
Sheldon Rankins	4	1	0.0	0
Manti Te'o	2	3	0.0	0
Craig Robertson	1	4	0.0	0
Rafael Bush	4	1	0.0	0
Cameron Jordan	2	1	1.0	2
Jonathan Freeny	1	2	1.0	0

Closing number vs result

Betting context

Closing spread: NO -6.5
Closing total: 47.5
CAR moneyline: +235
NO moneyline: -265

Saints closed -6.5, won by 5 — but didn't cover.

Total closed 47.5; the game landed 57 — over by 9.5.

Conditions and crew

Game environment

Venue: Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Roof / surface: dome · sportturf
Kickoff weather: Indoors — weather neutralized
Referee: Tony Corrente
Rest: CAR 7 days · NO 7 days
Coaches: Ron Rivera vs Sean Payton

Division game — familiarity tightens these matchups; closing numbers tend to be sharper.