The Carolina Panthers are 3-0 for the first time since their last Super Bowl appearance, but injuries to star running back Christian McCaffrey and top 10 Jaycee Horn have loomed over their 24-9 victory over the Houston Texans Thursday.
McCaffrey, who led the NFL in scrimmage for two weeks, left the game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. Horn, the No.8 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, had to be helped off the field and transported to the locker room in the third quarter. After the game, coach Matt Rhule said he broke his foot.
Sam Darnold carried the Carolina offense without McCaffrey, passing for 304 yards and rushing for two touchdowns. The Carolina defense stifled a Texans offense led by rookie quarterback Davis Mills, who made his first career start.
McCaffrey left the game in Carolina’s third practice and was seen entering the team’s medical tent on the sidelines. The running back star spent 22 minutes in the tent before finally emerging and heading back to the locker room with a trainer. Rhule said he did not know the severity of McCaffrey’s injury and an MRI is pending.
He finished the game with seven carries for 31 yards and two receptions for 9 yards before the injury.
Carolina’s injury problems continued into the second half when she lost Horn, who had already established himself as a starter. Safety Juston Burris, another high school starter, left the game with a groin injury.
After becoming the highest-paid running back in the NFL last year, McCaffrey missed 13 games in 2020 with three different ankle, shoulder and quad injuries.
The last time Carolina started 3-0, in 2015, it rose to 15-1 and reached the Super Bowl before losing to the Denver Broncos.
This story will be updated. More soon.
(Photo: Bob Levey / Getty Images)