Kyle Allen earned Panthers’ confidence in New Orleans. That faith may be fading.

It’s a homecoming of sorts Sunday for second-year Carolina Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, but don’t look for the New Orleans Saints and their rabid fan base to roll out the welcome mat.

Unless he’s underneath it.

A year ago, Allen earned a ton of respect by coming into the Superdome and leading the Panthers past the newly crowned two-time defending NFC South-champion Saints in his first NFL start.

A number of Saints starters were healthy scratches in that final tuneup before the playoffs, including quarterback Drew Brees, clearing the way for backup Teddy Bridgewater to make his first start for the Black and Gold.

Allen outdueled Bridgewater and the Panthers prevailed, winning 33-14.

That was was 11 months ago. Things are vastly different now for the 2019 Saints who have their eyes on the league prize known as the Lombardi Trophy.

These Saints (8-2) currently have a stranglehold on the NFC South — three games up on the Panthers (5-5) and five ahead of Atlanta (3-7) and Tampa Bay (3-7) with six games to play — and are waist-deep in the race for NFC home-field advantage with division leaders San Francisco (9-1) and Green Bay (8-2) and their closest threats in the NFC West and NFC North, Seattle (8-2) and Minnesota (8-3), respectively.

Two games with NFC homefield implications to watch Sunday: The 49ers host the Packers (7:20 p.m., NBC) and the Seahawks visit Philadelphia (noon).

A year ago, Allen, then a wide-eyed undrafted rookie living the dream, didn’t know what he didn’t know. Ignorance is bliss. Now, he knows full well what to expect after going 5-3 as a starter the past eight games in the absence of injured starter Cam Newton.

In fact, Allen is being viewed as the Panthers’ long-term replacement for Newton, who has one year remaining on his contract and has suddenly become the object of rampant trade speculation when the 2020 league season commences in March.

Panthers owner David Tepper has thrown cold water on those reports, though in the next breath says he will not tolerate “long-term mediocrity,’‘ words perhaps meant more for the ears of coach Ron Rivera and GM Marty Hurley than Newton.

No disrespect meant, but Allen would be fourth on the Saints depth chart at quarterback, behind Brees, Bridgewater and Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill. Like most young NFL quarterbacks, he is experiencing weekly growing pains as he tries to navigate his way through the many challenges of a 16-game schedule.

After winning his first four starts and posting a stellar touchdown-to-INT ratio of 7-to-0, he has struggled mightily the past four games going 1-3 with a 3-to-9 ratio, including four picks in last week’s stunning 29-3 home loss against the Falcons.

They are the same Falcons who shocked the Saints 26-9 in Week 10 inside the same Superdome where Allen will try to catch lightning in a bottle for a second consecutive year.

Don’t bet on it.

I’m not.

Look for the Saints to walk all over Allen and the Panthers.