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FLASHBACK: Saints, Panthers meet in another Week 3 duel in Charlotte

BY Cory Spiers
coryspiers@gmail.com

The last time the Saints came to Charlotte in Week 3 of the regular season, it was part of the beginning of a long streak of smiles and success in Carolina.

And now, the circumstances feel eerily similar.

New Orleans came to Carolina in Week 3 of the 2015 season. The Panthers would eventually finish the regular season a franchise-best 15-1 and go to the Super Bowl.

But when the Saints met the Panthers in the third game of the season, the Super Bowl was a long way off and few thought Carolina would win close to 15 games.

Just like this season, the 2015 Saints entered their first game against Carolina 0-2. The Panthers, after wins over Jacksonville and Houston, were 2-0.

Much like Week 1 this season, Carolina's defense was stout in its Week 1 win, limiting the host Jaguars to just nine points in a 20-9 win.

In a Week 2 win over the Texans, it was the Cam Newton show. Big No. 1 threw for two touchdowns and somersaulted over the offensive line and into the end zone for a dramatic rushing touchdown that made Carolina's 2-0 start a reality.

The Saints played that Week 3 game against the Panthers in 2015 without the services of Drew Brees-- something that Panthers won't get so lucky with this Sunday.

Brees missed his first start as a Saint that week after suffering a bruised rotator cuff, giving way to journeyman Luke McCown.

McCown was surprisingly serviceable. He picked apart the Panthers defense-- which was led by eventual all-pro corner and future Redskin Josh Norman-- to the tune of 310 yards.

McCown's favorite target on the day was now-New England Patriot Brandin Cooks, who amassed 79 receiving yards.

The Brees-less Saints marched out to a quick start in Charlotte, kicking a first-quarter field goal and adding a touchdown on a Mark Ingram run to the right side of the field.

It was gut-check time for the 2-0 Panthers, and respond they did.

In the final six minutes of the half, Newton hit Greg Olsen for a touchdown and Graham Gano added a field goal to tie things at 10 at the break.

What ensued was a wild second half in which the Panthers outscored their division rivals 17-12 down the stretch and sealed their win with an interception by Norman that came when the Coastal Carolina product leaped skyward in front of Cooks and while fully extending his body, pulled the ball into his chest in the corner of the end zone.

It was close and it wasn't pretty, but Carolina was 3-0.

The team's positive momentum kept churning when they beat Tampa Bay by two scores the next week and following an early Week 5 bye, faced what many called their first true test of the season against a Seahawks team that had long given the Panthers fits.

Even in what had been a house of horrors for Carolina in Seattle, more late game heroics from Newton and Olsen allowed Carolina to ace the test against the Seahawks.

The Panthers went on to win their next nine games before a setback at Atlanta.

Those Panthers had Olsen, but they didn't have Benjamin, who was lost for the season to a torn ACL.

Those Panthers also dealt with a banged-up Charles Johnson on defensive end for the first half of the season.

Does that sound a bit like this season's slightly banged up Panthers? Maybe a bit.

At Week 3 in 2015, few seemed sure of what to make of the Panthers. They had beaten Blake Bortles and the Jaguars and the Ryan Mallett-led Texans.

They hadn't faced a "true test".

This season's Panthers feel similar. Brian Hoyer and the 49ers were far from an explosive offense and Carolina's offense was anemic against the Bills in Week 2 but the defense did enough to win.

We're still waiting on the first true test.

The Patriots are probably that test, just like the Seahawks served as Carolina's first exam in 2015.

If the Super Bowl season taught us anything, it's that a Week 3 home win over the Saints can certainly light a fire of momentum.

Of course, a lot has changed since then. Still, it's fun to remember history and wonder how closely, if at all, it will repeat itself-- so buckle up and enjoy the ride.

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