Carolina Panthers Stumble in Foxborough: A Tough Start to the Season

The Carolina Panthers faced a challenging start to their season with a 3-17 loss against the New England Patriots, moving their record to 0-1. The game, held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, was attended by 64,628 fans who witnessed the Panthers struggle to find their rhythm against a formidable Patriots defense.

The Panthers' punter Johnny Hekker had a busy day on the field with ten attempts totaling 464 yards, but unfortunately, none landed inside the 20-yard line. On defense, T.J. Smith and Derrick McLendon each recorded a sack and tackle for loss, contributing to the team's total of two sacks and four tackles for loss. Despite these efforts and forcing two three-and-outs against the Patriots offense, it wasn't enough to secure a win.

Offensively, Carolina struggled throughout the game. Quarterbacks Jack Plummer and Jake Luton combined for only 124 passing yards with no touchdowns. Plummer faced significant pressure from the Patriots' defense resulting in five sacks for a loss of 35 yards overall. The rushing attack managed just 62 yards across seventeen attempts led by Mike Boone with thirty-four yards on eight carries.

Receiving contributions were spread thin without any standout performances; Jordan Matthews led with forty-eight receiving yards from three catches including one that went for twenty-eight yards - marking one of few offensive highlights for Carolina.

Penalties also hindered Carolina's progress as they accumulated nine penalties costing them sixty-one crucial yards during key moments of play.

Looking ahead, fans can catch Carolina's next game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte against the New York Jets scheduled on August 17th at 7:00 PM EDT where they'll seek redemption after this tough opening defeat.