New England Patriots
The Panthers have a few promising players on their roster despite their poor record over the last few years.
The Patriots will say hello to an NFC foe for the first time in 2025 when they host the Panthers on Sunday.
Just like New England, Carolina has been one of the league’s worst teams over the last couple of seasons as it’s had five or fewer wins in each of the last two years. But the Panthers were able to pick up a win in dominating fashion last week, shutting out the Falcons in a 30-0 victory.
As the Patriots seek to improve to 2-2, here are five things to know about the Panthers.
Bryce Young has been a bit of a mixed bag as of late.
Young has had one of the more interesting starts to a career for a No. 1 overall pick. He struggled mightily as a rookie in 2023 before getting benched early in 2024, but Young became the Panthers’ starting quarterback later in the season and had some solid moments. He threw for 1,583 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions to go with five rushing touchdowns in his final seven starts last year.
This year, Young hasn’t been too stellar. He’s thrown for 603 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions to go with a rushing score through the first three games. He didn’t contribute much to the Panthers’ win over the Falcons last week, throwing for just 121 yards.
Young hasn’t had much success throwing the ball down the field this year, either. He’s only completed 12 of 36 passes where the ball traveled at least 10 yards for 247 yards and two interceptions, per Pro Football Focus.
Their first-round pick has looked good so far, but is banged up.
Young’s life might be made a bit more difficult on Sunday due to injuries surrounding the Panthers. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is reportedly expected to play, but he’s dealing with a calf injury. So is lead running back Chuba Hubbard.
McMillan, who the Panthers took with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, has been a standout so far in Carolina. His stats might not necessarily pop at first blush (216 receiving yards, zero touchdowns), but his 15.4 yards per reception is the eighth-best mark in the league among receivers who have at least 10 catches this season.
McMillan’s massive 6-foot-5 frame also allows him to make some highlight plays along the boundary. He did that against the Falcons last week.
If Christian Gonzalez does return for the Patriots on Saturday, a matchup against McMillan could end up being a challenge.
Their offensive line is subpar.
After failing to sack Aaron Rodgers last week, this Sunday presents an opportunity for the Patriots’ pass rush to get back on track.
The Panthers’ offensive line hasn’t been among the best in the league this year. While they’re tied for eighth for fewest sacks allowed, the Panthers are 24th in pass-block win rate (56 percent) and ranked No. 21 in offensive play so far this year by Pro Football Focus.
Panthers starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu has given up 10 pressures this year through two games, which is tied for the most among all offensive linemen who’ve played in two games this year, per PFF.
There’s some reason for Carolina’s less-than-stellar play along the offensive line. Starting center Austin Corbett and guard Robert Hunt suffered injuries bad enough to place them on injured reserve in Week 2. So, they’ll miss Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
They have one of the few best defensive linemen in the league.
While the Panthers might not be great in the trenches on offense, they have one of the best trench players on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive tackle Derrick Brown has been among the best players at his position over the last few years, although he missed almost all of the 2024 season due to a meniscus injury.
Brown hasn’t logged a sack yet this year, but his eight solo tackles are the eighth-most among all defensive linemen. In his last full season, Brown ranked first among all defensive linemen in run stops (53) and had 41 pressures, per PFF.
Outside of Brown, though, the rest of the Panthers’ defensive front hasn’t been too great. They’ve only recorded one sack this year, ranking 28th in pass rush win rate (27 percent) and 30th in run-stop win rate (26 percent).
They also have one of the game’s best cornerbacks as their secondary hasn’t gotten off to a strong start.
As Carolina’s pass rush hasn’t been too stellar, its secondary has arguably been among the best in the league to start the year. It’s only allowed 196.7 passing yards per game, with its opponents’ quarterback rating ranking as the second-best mark in the league (66.7).
The Panthers’ secondary flexed their talent against the Falcons last week, intercepting Michael Penix twice. Cornerback Chau Smith-Wade returned his pick for six.
But Jaycee Horn is the star of the Panthers’ secondary. The 2024 Pro Bowler has allowed just six receptions on 15 targets for 67 yards to start the year, recording an interception in their Week 1 loss to the Jaguars.
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