TEAM STATS
- The Panthers defense held the Texans to 193 net yards, the third straight game of holding an opponent under 200 yards. Carolina has only allowed 573 yards through its first three games, the fewest allowed by any NFL team starting 3-0 since 1992.
- The Panthers defense gave up just 42 rushing yards, and Carolina now has the fewest rush yards allowed (135) through the first three games of a season in franchise history. It’s the eighth-fewest in the NFL, dating back to 1995.
- The Panthers recorded four sacks and nine quarterback hits. Carolina’s 14 sacks through the first three games tie the 1998 team for the best start in terms of total sacks.
- The Panthers limited held the Texans to 1-of-9 on third down. Carolina has allowed just a 21.2 percent third-down conversion rate, second-best (20.5, 2002) in franchise history through three games.
- Offensively, the Panthers scored on all three second-half drives before the final kneel-downs. Carolina’s 220 second-half scrimmage yards were its most in the second half since Week 14 of 2020 against Denver.
- The Panthers scored touchdowns on three of five red zone opportunities, including all three goal-to-go chances.
- The Panthers committed a season-high eight penalties for 64 yards.
- Carolina won its first primetime game since Monday Night Football in 2017 against the Dolphins. It was the first win on Thursday Night Football since 2016.
PLAYER STATS
Panthers
- Quarterback Sam Darnold threw for 304 yards on 23-of-34 passing with no interceptions for a passer rating of 95.7. He also ran for two touchdowns, his first career multiple rushing TD game and the ninth by a quarterback in Panthers history. Darnold has now passed for over 275 yards with a rating above 95 in three straight games, a new career-best.
- Wide receiver DJ Moore recorded his 10th career 100-yard receiving game as he finished with 126 yards on eight receptions. He had 76 receiving yards in the first quarter.
- Tight end Tommy Tremble scored a rushing touchdown on his first NFL offensive touch, then followed it up with a 30-yard reception on his second touch to set up a field goal on the next drive.
- Running back Chuba Hubbard finished with 52 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards on 14 touches after taking over for the injured Christian McCaffrey.
- Linebacker Haason Reddick had 1.5 sacks for the third-straight game, tying Julius Peppers (2004) for the second-longest streak of games with at least 1.5 sacks in franchise history.
- Defensive end Brian Burns had a sack for a fifth-straight game dating back to 2020. Burns and Reddick tied Mike Rucker/Mark Fields (2002) and Kevin Greene/Lamar Lathon (1996) for most consecutive games (3) that a pair of Panthers teammates each had a sack.
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Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass against the Houston Texans during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
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Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills (10) is tackled by Carolina Panthers’ Haason Reddick (43) and Morgan Fox (91) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
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Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates his touchdown run with Dan Arnold (85) and Cameron Erving (75) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
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Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold calls a play against the Houston Texans during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
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Houston Texans safety Eric Murray (23) reaches to tackle Carolina Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore (2) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
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Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) scrambles out of the pocket against the Houston Texans during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
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