LAST WEEK: Beat the Detroit Lions 42-7

WHAT WENT RIGHT

The Saints rolled up a season-high 532 yards in total offense.

They scored a touchdown on each of their first six possessions.

They converted on 11 of 11 third-down plays, except for a kneel-down at the end of the game.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Lions receiver Calvin Johnson caught a 52-yard pass in the first quarter. But that turned out OK for the Saints when it was called back because of a penalty.

BY THE NUMBERS

1

NFL rank in average points scored (28.8), total offense (410.3) and passing yards (307.3) per game

6

Straight losses to the Panthers in Louisiana (five in the Superdome, one in Baton Rouge)

432

Points scored this season, already tying a team record

PLAYERS TO WATCH

QUARTERBACK Drew Brees: He's having one of the better seasons an NFL quarterback has ever had. He needs 402 passing yards to break Dan Marino's single-season record of 5,084.

RUNNING BACK PIERRE THOMAS: He has taken over the starting spot and has rushed for 625 yards (a 4.8-yard average). His best game this season was a 102-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Atlanta Falcons.

CORNERBACK JASON DAVID: His five interceptions are tied for fourth in the league. He has become one of the top corners in the league, coming to the Saints in 2007 after three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.

OBSERVATIONS

The Saints might be the league's biggest disappointment.

Picked by many to win the NFC South, they never really got going, then things got worse when Reggie Bush hurt a knee in their first game against the Panthers. Tight end Jeremy Shockey and receiver Marques Colston also have missed games with injuries.

They might have something to play for, though, when the host the Panthers on Sunday (1 p.m., WRAZ, WFXI). There's the chance of a winning record. Or knocking the Panthers from the second seed to the fifth seed in the playoffs. Or helping Brees get the single-season passing record.

More injury intrigue might surface this week with Shockey, who left the Lions game with an ankle problem in the first half.

THE SERIES

Panthers lead 15-12. Carolina won 30-7 in October, overcoming a 7-3 Saints lead early in the second quarter. The big play was Julius Peppers knocking the ball loose from Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey, leading to the Panthers' 18-yard go-ahead touchdown by Jonathan Stewart.

TUESDAY'S MOVES

The Panthers signed defensive tackle J'Vonne Parker to the active roster and placed defensive tackle Gary Gibson on injured reserve. Parker, signed off the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad, has appeared in 11 games since being signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns in 2005. The Panthers also added defensive tackle Lorenzo Williams from the University of Missouri to the practice squad.