For a third straight year, the Panthers and New England Patriots will meet in the third exhibition of the preseason.
Media members have long referred to the third exhibition as a “dress rehearsal” for the regular season.
Of course, if the media say it, Patriots coach Bill Belichick probably disagrees.
Belichick bucked at the notion of Friday night’s contest between the two top-tier teams as being a dress rehearsal for the regular season, and Panthers coach Ron Rivera agrees.
“I love what coach Belichick said,” Rivera said after Wednesday’s practice. “It’s a complete world apart.