Derek Carr and the Saints rout the Panthers 47-10 in Klint Kubiak’s play-calling debut

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – It took Derek Carr and the Saints’ new offense one series to produce a touchdown on an explosive play — and one half to score 30 points.

New Orleans’ defense didn’t look too bad, either.

Carr passed for three touchdowns and the New Orleans Saints scored on their first nine possessions in a 47-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

“That was a fun way to start the season,” said Carr, who got booed in the Superdome at times last season, but heard only rousing applause this time. “They liked us a lot today. That was nice.”

Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams each ran for touchdowns and Blake Grupe kicked four field goals — two from beyond 50 yards — in an extraordinary debut for new Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. His first game calling plays resulted in the most points the Saints have ever scored in a season opener.

“That’s what we made some changes for,” Kamara said. “I’ve been here a while and I know what it’s supposed to feel like — and it felt good today.”

The Panthers, who went 2-15 last season, made front office, coaching and key roster changes in hopes of improving this season. But this season opener could not have gone much worse for new coach Dave Canales and second-year quarterback Bryce Young.

“The nature of the loss matters, but whether it was by three points or as much as it was today, you have to just count them as a loss and then move forward to the next challenge,” Canales said. “In weeks from now, it’s not going to matter what the score was.”

Young was 13 of 30 passing for 161 yards and was intercepted twice — once each by safeties Will Harris and Jordan Howden.

The Saints profited from another turnover when safety Tyrann Matthieu forced and recovered a fumble by receiver Jonathan Mingo.

“Everyone’s going to want to talk about how exciting it was for your offense. But our defense gave us a lot of short fields,” Carr said. “Them setting us up with short fields and us executing allows a day like that to happen.”

Young was sacked three times by defensive back Alontae Taylor and once by linebacker Demario Davis.

Carr was 19 of 23 for 200 yards, highlighted by his 59-yard touchdown pass to Rashid Shaheed on the game’s opening series. Carr also found tight ends Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson for touchdowns of three and 16 yards, the latter putting New Orleans up 30-0 before Carolina scored its first points on a field goal as the first half ended.

Johnson also got a hand on a Johnny Hekker punt that went just 11 yards, setting up the Saints on the Panthers’ 36. Williams’ 14-yard, fourth-quarter TD run came two plays later.

Kamara finished with 83 yards rushing and 27 receiving for his 50th game with at least 100 yards from scrimmage.

Young scored the Panthers’ lone touchdown on a three-yard scramble in the third quarter.

“This doesn’t define us,” Young said. “It’s a long year.”

Franchise history
The Saints were founded in 1967 and Taylor became the first New Orleans defensive back to record as many as three sacks in a game.

“That’s just Week 1, though. So, plenty more to come,” Taylor said. “Someone told me as I was coming off the field, ‘Sacks get you paid just like interceptions get you paid.”

Saints coach Dennis Allen, who calls defensive plays, has wanted to develop Taylor as a blitzer because “he’s fast. That would be No. 1. And he’s aggressive.”

“It’s one thing to say that you’re going to send somebody on a pressure, but they’ve got to be willing to go in and deal with the noise that’s in there,” Allen continued. “There’s big, 300-pound offensive linemen and things of that nature.”

Injuries
Saints: Left guard Lucas Patrick left the game with a toe injury in the first half. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore left with a hamstring injury. … Moreau was pulled from the game with concussion symptoms after a first-down catch in the fourth quarter.

Up next
Panthers : Host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

Saints : Visit Dallas on Sunday.

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