The New England Patriots are in the last days of preparing for the Week 4 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. With both teams entering the game with a 1-2 record on the season, this is a huge game for each team's chances at making the postseason. For the Patriots, the strongest aspect of the team to begin the season has been the play of the defensive line.
Following the release of the Panthers' injury report, they could be in for another strong performance.
Panthers Could Be Down Top Offensive Weapon vs. Patriots
Heading into the Week 4 matchup, the Panthers could be down their starting running back, Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard popped up on the injury report on Thursday as a limited participant with a calf injury. Along with Hubbard being questionable, receiver Xavier Legette was also ruled out for Week 4.
Since entering the league, Hubbard has been a productive player, especially in these past two seasons, rushing for 902 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2023, then rushing for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. If he ends up missing the game against the Patriots, that would be a massive loss for the Panthers.
Without Hubbard, the Patriots' defensive line could see its best performance yet. Another positive sign for the Patriots' defense this week is that the Patriots could finally see the season debut of top cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
If the Panthers are without Hubbard, then expect to see former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle receive a bulk of the carries, with rookie Trevor Etienne being another option.
The Panthers are also down two starting offensive linemen going into the game, as they were placed on IR following Week 2. With all of these circumstances, the Patriots' defensive line should wreak havoc on the Panthers in Week 4.
While it may not seem like a big game, if the Patriots have any hope of making the postseason, they need to win this game. The Panthers are one of the easier teams on the schedule, and if they lose to them, fans should be ready for another season without the Patriots in the postseason. The Patriots and Panthers Week 4 game takes place on Sunday, Sept 28.