Patriots-Panthers Week 4 news, notes, and fun facts
The New England Patriots are hosting the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium in Week 4, as the team looks to bounce back from a frustrating, turnover-filled loss to the Steelers last Sunday. The Pats and Panthers are both 1-2 on the year and are hoping to leave this weekend's game with a .500 record.
But wins at home have been hard to come by for New England over the last three years. The Patriots are 0-2 at Gillette Stadium this season, and just 3-15 at home since the start of the 2023 campaign.
While the Patriots are coming off a loss, the Panthers head into Sunday's matchup coming off a 30-0 beatdown of the Atlanta Falcons in Charlotte. The Carolina defense gave up 332 total yards but forced three turnovers -- including a pick-six touchdown by corner Chau Smith-Wade to start the second half -- in the shutout victory.
On the flipside, the Patriots turned the ball over five times to essentially hand a 21-14 win to the Steelers last Sunday. Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled twice, Antonio Gibson gave up another, and quarterback Drake Maye fumbled and threw a pick in the loss. It was the most turnovers by the Patriots in a game since a five-turnover loss to the Steelers at Gillette Stadium in 2008.
Here's everything you need to know about Sunday's Patriots-Panthers showdown at Gillette Stadium.
Patriots-Panthers history
Sunday will be just the ninth meeting between the Patriots and the Panthers, and the first time since the Patriots won in Carolina, 24-6, during the 2021 NFL season.
Sunday will be Carolina's first regular-season visit to Gillette Stadium since October of 2017, which the Panthers won, 33-30.
Overall, Carolina leads the regular-season series, 4-3. That record includes a 2-1 record in Foxboro and a 1-1 record at Gillette Stadium for the Panthers.
The two teams have met in the postseason once, as the Patriots won a thrilling Super Bowl XXXVIII showdown, 32-29, on Feb. 1, 2004 for the franchise's second Super Bowl title.
The Patriots don't have a winning record vs. the Panthers
Since 2000, the Patriots own a winning record against all but five NFL teams: Carolina (3-3), Green Bay (3-3), San Francisco (3-3), Kansas City (6-6), and Seattle (2-4).
The Panthers are picking off the football
While Carolina has a negative turnover differential (minus-1), the Panthers are in the NFL's Top 5 in turnovers forced thanks in large part to their secondary. Cornerbacks Jaycee Horn, Michael Jackson, and Chau Smith-Wade each have an interception, and linebacker D.J. Wonnum has also gotten in on the fun.
Those four interceptions are tied for the third-most in the NFL this season. The Carolina defense has only allowed 196.7 passing yards per game through the first three weeks, which is 12th-best in the NFL. The Patriots' pass defense has allowed an average of 256.3 passing yards per game, which ranks 29th.
Bryce Young's record on the road
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 1-15 as a starter on the road. His only road victory came in Week 18 last season with a 44-38 overtime victory over the Falcons in Atlanta.
Patriots' defense containing the run
The Patriots have held their opponents to under 65 yards rushing in each of the first three games of the season, with the Steelers picking up just 64 yards on the ground last Sunday. If New England holds Carolina to under 100 yards rushing this week, it will be the second time in team history the Patriots have held their opponent under 100 yards in the first four games of the season.
Robert Spillane is racking up tackles
Robert Spillane not only had his first interception for the Patriots last Sunday, but he led the team with 15 tackles against the Steelers. If he records 10 total tackles this weekend, the linebacker will be the first Patriots player with 10-plus tackles in consecutive games since Ja'Whaun Bentley had a streak of three-straight games with 10 or more tackles in 2022.
The best two-game tackle total in Patriots history is the 34 tackles that Jerod Mayo racked up over a two-week span (16 at Miami, 18 vs. Baltimore) during the 2010 season.
Hunter Henry climbing up Patriots record book
Coming off his two-touchdown, eight-reception effort against the Steelers, Hunter Henry enters this week ranked fifth among New England tight ends with 2,370 receiving yards. He needs 118 yards to move past Jim Whalen into fourth place on the Patriots all-time list among tight ends.
Henry also became just the fifth Patriots tight end to reach 20 touchdowns with the team. His 21 touchdowns with New England rank fourth on the team's all-time list, trailing Russ Francis (28), Ben Coates (50), and Rob Gronkowski (79).
Former Patriots with the Panthers
Cornerback Michael Jackson played one game for the Patriots during the 2020 season, and has spent the last two seasons in Carolina. He had an interception in Week 3 against the Falcons, and has three picks in his 20 games in a Panthers uniform.
Longtime NFL coach Dom Capers is currently a senior defensive assistant in Carolina. Capers was New England's special assistant and secondary coach in 2008.
Former Panthers with the Patriots
The Patriots don't have any former Panthers on their roster, but they do have a few former Panthers staffers on the sideline. Both senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo and tight ends coach/pass game coordinator Thomas Brown had brief stints as Carolina's offensive coordinator.
McAdoo held the position for the 2022 season, and Brown was the Panthers OC in 2023.