3 best non-NFC South games on the Panthers 2021 schedule

Carolina Panthers vs. New England Patriots (Week 9)

Speaking of revenge, Week 9 will be the long-awaited homecoming of Carolina Panthers legend Cam Newton.

His new team, the New England Patriots, comes to Charlotte as the second AFC East team the Panthers face off against in 2021. Admittedly, this excitement surrounding this matchup could be derailed if Newton isn’t starting, but only time will tell when first-round pick Mac Jones will be thrown in at the deep end.

In hindsight, Carolina’s decision to release Newton instead of letting him play on the last of year of his deal was a mistake. The Panthers essentially paid journeyman quarterback Teddy Bridgewater more money to play for one year than they would have if they had just stuck with No. 1 under center.

Although Newton’s 2020 season in Foxborough was disappointing, it was painfully obvious that lack of skill position talent and the effects of testing positive for COVID-19 were major obstacles for the former NFL MVP. If the former Auburn star is still the starting quarterback by the time this game rolls around, it may be a good indicator of his value moving forward.

New England has suffered defeat in the past two meetings against Carolina, including a classic on Monday Night Football. But Newton was wearing a Panthers uniform in those games.

The Panthers are 4-3 all-time against the six-time Super Bowl champions, with a record of 2-1 in Charlotte. This will also be a big game for Sam Darnold who never beat the Patriots during his tenure as the New York Jets quarterback.