The Carolina Panthers travel to Arizona for a Week 10 matchup with the Cardinals. Carolina enters this week with a 4-5 record after falling to New England last Sunday by a score of 24-6. Arizona holds an 8-1 record, the best in the NFL through nine weeks of play. The two clubs previously faced off in Week 4 last year and the Panthers defeated the Cardinals at home, 31-21.
Numbers
About Carolina
- Carolina placed quarterback Sam Darnold on injured reserve. He’s expected to miss at least four weeks with a shoulder injury. The Panthers plan to start P.J. Walker Sunday against the Cardinals, with just-acquired Matt Barkley and Cam Newton in reserve.
- DE Brian Burns and OLB Haason Reddick have combined for 14.0 total sacks this season. Reddick (8.5) and Burns (5.5) are 1-of-6 teammate duos in the NFL with 5.5+ sacks apiece in 2021. This year, the pass rush duo has combined for 55 nhits on opposing QBs, according to Next Gen Stats.
- Through nine weeks, QBs are averaging 181.4 passing yards per game against Carolina (2nd lowest in then NFL) and a passer rating of 88.2 (8th lowest).
- Carolina’s 23 total team sacks are tied for 6th most in the league.
- The Panthers have tallied seven interceptions by five different players this year – CB Stephon Gilmore (2x), LB Shaq Thompson (2x), CB Jaycee Horn, FS Juston Burris and CB Donte Jackson.
- Carolina has held its opponents to 293.1 total yards per game this season, the 2nd fewest by any team. Opposing teams are averaging 4.99 yards per play against the Panthers, the 2nd lowest average in the league. Carolina gives up an average of 17.3 first downs per game
this season, the 3rd fewest by any team.
- McCaffrey started the 2021 season with back-to-back games of 100+ yards from scrimmage. In his four games played this season, McCaffrey is averaging 117.5 scrimmage yards per game, the 3rd most in the NFL.
- Rookie RB Chuba Hubbard has played in every game this season, starting five contests in place of an injured Christian McCaffrey. Hubbard has racked up 394 rushing yards on 111 attempts, averaging 3.5 yards per carry. He’s added 152 receiving yards on 19 catches.
- Through nine games this season, Carolina has started six different lineups along the offensive line. Through Week 9, C Matt Paradis is the only Panthers offensive lineman to start every game at the same position in 2021. Paradis, who started every game for Carolina since joining the team in 2019, was placed on injured reserve 11/8/21. T Taylor Moton has started all nine games this season, eight at RT and one at LT.
- WR DJ Moore enters Week 10 of the 2021 season ranked 8th in the NFL in receptions (53) and 7th in receiving yards (677). Since Week 1 of the 2019 season, Moore has totaled 3,045 receiving yards, 6th most in the NFL over that span. Moore has averaged 14.78 yards per reception since 2019, the 4th-most by any player with at least 150 receptions in that span.
About Arizona
- Through the first nine weeks, Arizona ranks second in the NFL in scoring offense (30.8 ppg) and third the NFL in scoring defense (17.2 ppg).
- LB Markus Golden has 29 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, 13 QB hits, 4 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries this season. He is the only player in the NFL with 9.0+ sacks, 4+ forced fumbles and 2+ fumble recoveries in 2021.
- After scoring a career-high three TDs last week at San Francisco, RB James Conner has an NFL-high 11 TDs (10 rushing, 1 receiving) in 2021. All 11 of Conner’s TDs have come in the last seven games.
- RBs Conner (2 rushing; 1 receiving) and Eno Benjamin (1 rushing) accounted for all four of the Cardinals TDs against the 49ers last week. Dating back to Week 7 vs. Houston, Arizona’s last eight TDs have been scored by RBs: Conner (5 rushing, 1 receiving), Benjamin (1 rushing) and Chase Edmonds (1 rushing).
- Through nine games this season, second-year LB Isaiah Simmons has 58 tackles, 4 passes defensed, an INT, 3 forced fumbles, 2 tackles for loss and a half sack. He joins Colts All-Pro LB Darius Leonard as the only players in the NFL this season with 50+ tackles, 3+ forced fumbles and 4+ passes defensed.
- Last week in San Francisco – despite playing without QB Kyler Murray, WRs a DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green and RB Chase Edmonds – the Cardinals offense put up 31 points and 437 total yards. It was the Cardinals fifth game this season with 30+ points and 400+ yards, the most in the NFL.
- The Cardinals starting O-Line last Sunday consisted of LT D.J. Humphries, LG Justin Pugh, C Rodney Hudson, RG Max Garcia and RT Kelvin Beachum. That was the sixth different O-Line combination on so far this season – and fifth different combination in the last seven games.
- QB Kyler Murray – who will be 24 years, 99 days old on Sunday when the Cardinals face the Panthers – enters the game needing just 31 passing yards to become the fourth-youngest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 career passing yards.
- Kyler Murray (AZ) 24 years, 99 days on Sunday Murray also enters Sunday’s game with 1,510 career rushing yards. He can join Cam Newton (11,299 passing yards; 2,032 rushing yards) as the only players in NFL history with 10,000+ passing yards and 1,500+ rushing
yards in their first three NFL seasons.
Connections
- Panthers LS JJ Jansen is a native of Phoenix, Ariz and attended Brophy College Preparatory.
- Panthers K Zane Gonzalez played his collegiate years at Arizona State from 2013-16.
- Cardinals WR A.J. Green is a native of Summerville, SC and attended Summerville HS.
- Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins is a native of Central, SC and attended D.W. Daniel HS. Hopkins played his collegiate years at Clemson from 2010-12.
- Cardinals OL D.J. Humphries is a native of Charlotte and attended Mallard Creek HS.
- Cardinals P Andy Lee is a native of Westminster, SC and attended West Oak HS.
- Cardinals CB Antonio Hamilton is a native of Johnston, SC and attended Strom Thurmond HS before playing at South Carolina State from 2013-15.
- Cardinals OLB Victor Dimukeje played his collegiate years at Duke from 2017-20.
- Cardinals ILB Isaiah Simmons played his collegiate years at Clemson from 2017-19.
Panthers vs Cardinals
All-Time Series: (15 regular season, 3 post season): 18 total matchups | Carolina leads the series 13-5
Last Regular Season Game: 10/4/20 | Cardinals 21 @ Panthers 31
Series Record at Venue: Carolina is 5-2 in road games against Arizona
Series Streak: Carolina has won the last 5 matchups (includes 2 postseason)
How to Watch
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET FOX: Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Sara Walsh
Live Stream: Panthers.com
Radio: WBT-AM 1110 AM in Charlotte market; On The Call: Mick Mixon, Jake Delhomme, Jim Szoke, Kristen Balboni
Per Release
