Predicting the Carolina Panthers 2021 season game by game

Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans

• Week 3 (Thursday, September 23)
• 8.30 pm
• NFL Network

The Carolina Panthers get their taste of prime time early in the 2021 season when they visit the Houston Texans, which was added to the schedule as part of the league shifting to a 17-game campaign. This also represents a fantastic opportunity to pick up a win on the road against a team that has undergone a complete roster overhaul and has plenty of questions lingering about their star quarterback Deshaun Watson.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Watson faces an uncertain future. He is currently going through some serious legal accusations that may result in a suspension somewhere down the line. But even if this does resolve before the season, it’s highly unlikely the former Clemson star will be turning out for the Texans again.

Watson handed in a trade request that saw the Panthers reportedly willing to do whatever it takes to bring him back to an area where he starred in college. Such was their level of interest, team owner David Tepper and others within the organization took one last look at his situation before pulling the trigger on Sam Darnold.

Prediction: Win

The Panthers have to win this game to stand any chance of making some noise further down the line. There is certainly enough talent to achieve this, which would put them at 3-0 and with plenty of positive momentum in this scenario.