Week 3 of the 2021 NFL season is set to get underway with the Houston Texans hosting the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night.
The Panthers have been one of the biggest surprises of the season thus far. Carolina has looked dominant defensively during wins against the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints. Christian McCaffrey has looked healthy, while Sam Darnold has resembled the blue-chip player he was supposed to be when the Jets drafted him third overall in 2018.
Houston, meanwhile, has also been surprisingly competitive. The Texans blew out the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 and stood tall against the Cleveland Browns despite losing starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor at halftime in Week 2.