Saints hope to end Panthers' streak in La.

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 5, 2009

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METAIRIE — When the New Orleans Saints meet the Carolina Panthers in the Superdome on Sunday, the Saints will have to reverse a disturbing trend in order to remain unbeaten.

The Saints have lost seven straight times to the Panthers in the state of Louisiana, with six of those losses coming in the Superdome. The other came in Tiger Stadium when the teams met there in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.

The Panthers started the streak in 2002 with a 10-6 win in the final game of the season and it was extended with a 33-31 victory in the 2008 finale. John Kasay’s 42-yard field goal with only one second remaining secured the win.

“I think that they have played very good football,” Saints coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. “Last year, they got up early on us, and we battled back and then they found a way to finish at the end. I don’t know there is one specific area, they do a number of things well.”

On the other hand, Panthers coach John Fox doesn’t want to mess with whatever his team is doing.

“I don’t really look back too much,” said Fox, who started the streak in his first season as head coach. “I know it’s going to be really tough to do this time.”

Delhomme works

Former Saints quarterback Jake Delhomme practiced fully Wednesday and should be ready for this week’s game after being knocked out of his team’s 34-21 victory at Arizona on Sunday.

Delhomme left the game in the third quarter after taking a hard hit in the chest and was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

“I feel good. … Physically, I feel fine,” Delhomme said on a conference call with Louisiana reporters. “I took a good shot the other day. But other than that, I’m good. Everything’s good to go.”

Fujita improving

Payton said he anticipates that strongside linebacker Scott Fujita, who has missed the last two games with a strained left calf, will be able to practice some time this week despite missing Wednesday’s workout.

“I’m hopeful,” Payton said. “It’s getting better, so we’re shooting for it.”