The Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots are meeting for the seventh consecutive season on Thursday night in Foxborough. Only two of those contests counted, with Carolina winning both (2013 and 2017), but every other year these two franchises have used one another as a measuring stick during preseason play.
Historically meeting in the third game, where coaches typically play their starting personnel the most, Carolina is only 1-3 but it’s not the outcome fans should be worried about – choosing instead to focus on the matchups early in the evening.
Coach Ron Rivera has indicated quarterback Cam Newton will play “three or four good possessions” this week.