The Panthers don’t appear ready to face a team like the Saints, who have dominated Carolina and the rest of the NFC South for three seasons running. Nevertheless, they’re next on the schedule. While the team’s 2019 playoff hopes are basically finished, this is still a critical game for the franchise.

There are a ton of questions about where the Panthers are going and how they’ll manage their most important assets as the regular season winds down. Here are seven we will be keeping in mind on Sunday.

1. Will the Saints close the door on the division again?

New Orleans comes into this matchup with a significant lead over Carolina in the division race. A win would push their lead over the Panthers to four games with only five left to play in the season. With both the Falcons and the Buccaneers out of the picture, that means the Saints can effectively clinch their third straight division title on Sunday. On the flip side, the Panthers have a chance to play the spoiler. Their odds aren’t great. At the moment, they’re 9.5-point underdogs.