Overview

• Kickoff is Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium, with sportsbooks listing New England as roughly a 5.5-point favorite.
• New England is coming off a five-turnover loss to Pittsburgh, while Carolina’s offense has six giveaways through three games, tied for the second-most in the league.
• Carolina’s defense ranks top 10 in takeaways and EPA per dropback, setting up a key test for Drake Maye and the Patriots’ passing attack.
• The Panthers will be without tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, wideout Xavier Legette’s status is uncertain, and starting linemen Austin Corbett (torn MCL) and Robert Hunt (torn biceps) are on injured reserve.
• Maye, a Charlotte-area native, enters with 261.7 passing yards per game, five touchdowns and two interceptions, and he has been sacked 12 times.