New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Thursday’s NFL Matchup
CAROLINA (2-0) AT HOUSTON (1-1)
KICKOFF: 8:20 p.m. (NFL Network)
OPENING LINE: Panthers by 7½, according to FanDuel SportsBook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Panthers 2-0, Texans 2-0.
SERIES RECORD: Panthers lead 3-2.
LAST MEETING: Panthers beat Texans 16-10 on Sept. 29,
2017 in Houston.
LAST WEEK: Panthers beat Saints 26-7; Texans lost to Browns 31-21.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Panthers DE Brian Burns has been getting steady pressure on opposing quarterbacks, although he has just two sacks to show . ... Texans rookie QB Davis Mills will make his first career start after Tyrod Taylor was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Mills, a third-round draft pick from Stanford, threw for 102 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the second half against the Browns after Taylor was injured.
KEY INJURIES: The Panthers will be without LG Pat Elflein (hamstring), so Dennis Daley will start. … Second-year DE Yetur Gross-Matos injured his ankle against the Saints and there’s a chance he could miss the game. … RB Christian McCaffrey will start despite experiencing leg cramps against the Saints. … Houston rookie WR Nico Collins was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. … WR Danny Amendola will likely miss the game with a thigh injury. … DB Terrance Mitchell is in the concussion protocol and probably won’t play. … S Justin Reid missed practice this week with a knee injury but coach David Culley said he’ll play against the Panthers.
STATS AND STUFF: The Panthers are 2-0 for the eighth time in team history. They have reached the playoffs six of the previous seven times they started 2-0. … This is Carolina’s first road game. … The Panthers have outscored their opponents 33-0 in the first half this season and outgained them 547-147. … Carolina has allowed just 93 yards rushing, the fewest in the NFL. The Panthers held RB Alvin Kamara to 5 yards rushing on eight carries. … Carolina has an NFL-leading 10 sacks in three games, led by three from OLB Haason Reddick. … QB Sam Darnold has completed 68.5% of his passes for 584 yards with three TDs and one interception. … Rookie CB Jaycee Horn had his first career interception against the Saints. … Veteran CB A.J. Bouye is expected to return and play nickel back for the Panthers after missing the first two games serving a suspension. Bouye played four seasons for the Texans (2013-16). … Houston RB Mark Ingram ran for a TD and caught a touchdown pass in his last Thursday night game in 2019 with Baltimore. … RB Phillip Lindsay had a TD reception last week and is one of two players in the NFL this season with a rushing and receiving touchdown.