Final2021 Week 3

Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX

Carolina Panthers vs Houston Texans, Week 3 2021

Carolina Panthers

AwayWon

24

Houston Texans

Home

9

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Panthers7071024
Texans06039

CAR 24HOU 9 Final

  • Passing leader

    Sam Darnold

    CAR · QB

    25.3PPR pts

    23/34, 304 YDS, 2 RUSH TD

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Brandin Cooks

    HOU · WR

    20.7PPR pts

    9 REC, 112 YDS

  • Texans leader

    Anthony Miller

    HOU · WR

    12.0PPR pts

    4 REC, 20 YDS, 1 TD

  • Defensive playmaker

    Haason Reddick

    CAR

    1.5 SACK, 3 TKL

Panthers 24, Texans 9: Carolina leads from start to finish

Carolina led 7–6 at halftime and outscored Houston 17–3 after the break to win 24–9. The Panthers finished with a 407–193 edge in total offense and averaged 5.8 yards per play.

The Texans went 1-for-9 on third down, while the Panthers kept the ball for 35:45 and finished without a giveaway.

Key advantages

  • +1.9 yards/play CAR 5.8 · HOU 3.9
  • +214 total yards CAR 407 · HOU 193
  • +34% third-down rate CAR 45% · HOU 11%

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Panthers Won

Carolina won the efficiency, third-down, and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Panthers vs Texans
PanthersStatTexans
5.8Yards per play3.9
407Total yards193
45%Third-down conversion11%
Other team stats
70Plays49
0Turnovers0
35:45Time of possession24:15

Scoring Summary

The Panthers scored three touchdowns and one field goal; the Texans scored one touchdown and one field goal.

Scoring plays, Panthers vs Texans
TimeTeamPlayCARHOU
1st quarter
6:36CARSam Darnold 5-yard TD run Takes leadZane Gonzalez XP70
2nd quarter
0:25HOUDavis Mills → Anthony Miller, 1-yard TDXP missed76
3rd quarter
6:20CARTommy Tremble 7-yard TD run Extends leadZane Gonzalez XP146
4th quarter
12:44CARZane Gonzalez 21-yard FG Extends lead176
9:09HOUJoey Slye 53-yard FG179
4:07CARSam Darnold 1-yard TD run Extends leadZane Gonzalez XP249

Fantasy Points: Panthers vs Texans, Week 3 2021

Fantasy leaders

  1. Sam DarnoldCARQB23.3 PTSQB9
  2. Brandin CooksHOUWR20.7 PTSWR11
  3. DJ MooreCARWR20.5 PTSWR12
  4. Anthony MillerHOUWR12.0 PTSWR39

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Sam DarnoldCARQB23.3QB923/3430400811295.7Start/Sit →
Davis MillsHOUQB10.7QB2719/281681010095.5Start/Sit →

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Brandin CooksHOUWR20.7WR11WR1501191120Start/Sit →
DJ MooreCARWR20.5WR12WR1-101281260Start/Sit →
Anthony MillerHOUWR12.0WR39WR———64201
Chuba HubbardCARRB10.9RB28RB1152053270Start/Sit →
Tommy TrembleCARTE10.7TE12TE17111300Start/Sit →
Terrace MarshallCARWR8.8WR53WR———54480
Jordan AkinsHOUTE7.2TE23TE———54320
Christian McCaffreyCARRB6.0RB42RB73102290Start/Sit →
Dan ArnoldCARTE4.3TE30TE———42230
Royce FreemanCARRB3.5RB52RB51701180
Alex EricksonCARWR3.5WR92WR———11250
Mark IngramHOURB3.0RB56RB621011-10
Robbie ChosenCARWR1.8WR108WR———2180
Rex BurkheadHOURB1.5RB63RB———1150
David JohnsonHOURB1.1RB64RB2110————
Phillip LindsayHOURB0.5RB73RB750————
Chris ConleyHOUWR0.0—WR———1000

Fantasy Usage

Carolina Panthers

Snap Share

  1. DJ MooreWR54 snaps74%
  2. Robbie ChosenWR47 snaps64%
  3. Terrace MarshallWR45 snaps62%
  4. Chuba HubbardRB40 snaps55%
  5. Ian ThomasTE37 snaps51%

Target Share33 targets

  1. DJ Moore36%, 12 targets
  2. Terrace Marshall15%, 5 targets
  3. Chuba Hubbard15%, 5 targets
  4. Dan Arnold12%, 4 targets
  5. Robbie Chosen6%, 2 targets
  6. Other15%, 5 targets

Carry Share33 carries

  1. Chuba Hubbard33%, 11 carries
  2. Sam Darnold24%, 8 carries
  3. Christian McCaffrey21%, 7 carries
  4. Royce Freeman15%, 5 carries
  5. DJ Moore3%, 1 carries
  6. Other3%, 1 carries

Houston Texans

Snap Share

  1. Brandin CooksWR52 snaps95%
  2. Chris ConleyWR49 snaps89%
  3. Anthony MillerWR35 snaps64%
  4. Jordan AkinsTE34 snaps62%
  5. Pharaoh BrownTE31 snaps56%

Target Share25 targets

  1. Brandin Cooks44%, 11 targets
  2. Anthony Miller24%, 6 targets
  3. Jordan Akins20%, 5 targets
  4. Mark Ingram4%, 1 targets
  5. Rex Burkhead4%, 1 targets
  6. Other4%, 1 targets

Carry Share17 carries

  1. Phillip Lindsay41%, 7 carries
  2. Mark Ingram35%, 6 carries
  3. David Johnson12%, 2 carries
  4. Brandin Cooks6%, 1 carries
  5. Davis Mills6%, 1 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
Brandin CooksHOUWR5295%1144%1
Chris ConleyHOUWR4989%14%0
DJ MooreCARWR5474%1236%1
Robbie ChosenCARWR4764%26%0
Anthony MillerHOUWR3564%624%0
Jordan AkinsHOUTE3462%520%0
Terrace MarshallCARWR4562%515%0
Pharaoh BrownHOUTE3156%00%0
Chuba HubbardCARRB4055%515%11
Ian ThomasCARTE3751%00%0
David JohnsonHOURB2138%00%2
Dan ArnoldCARTE2737%412%0
Mark IngramHOURB1935%14%6
Christian McCaffreyCARRB2230%26%7
Colin ThompsonCARTE2027%00%0
Brandon ZylstraCARWR1926%00%0
Tommy TrembleCARTE1926%13%1
Antony AuclairHOUTE1324%00%0
Phillip LindsayHOURB916%00%7
Royce FreemanCARRB1115%13%5
Rex BurkheadHOURB815%14%0
Alex EricksonCARWR68%13%0
Chris MooreHOUWR24%00%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

  • Biggest overperformer+8.4Tommy Tremble10.7 PTS vs 2.3 xFP
  • Biggest underperformer−4.6Chuba Hubbard10.9 PTS vs 15.5 xFP
  • Highest expected volume20.9 xFPDJ Moore20.5 PTS scored
Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
DJ MooreCAR · WR20.520.9−0.474%36% tgt—013%1236%
Sam DarnoldCAR · QB25.320.1+5.2100%34 att—34824%00%
Brandin CooksHOU · WR20.719.2+1.595%44% tgt—016%1144%
Chuba HubbardCAR · RB10.915.5−4.655%33% car—01133%515%
Davis MillsHOU · QB10.713.0−2.3100%28 att—2816%00%
Anthony MillerHOU · WR12.010.1+1.964%24% tgt—000%624%
Jordan AkinsHOU · TE7.28.4−1.262%20% tgt—000%520%
Terrace Marshall Jr.CAR · WR8.88.4+0.462%15% tgt—000%515%
Christian McCaffreyCAR · RB6.07.9−1.930%21% car—0721%26%
Dan ArnoldCAR · TE4.36.7−2.437%12% tgt—000%412%
Mark Ingram IIHOU · RB3.05.5−2.535%35% car—0635%14%
Royce FreemanCAR · RB3.54.9−1.415%15% car—0515%13%
Phillip LindsayHOU · RB0.54.5−4.016%41% car—0741%00%
Robbie ChosenCAR · WR1.83.4−1.664%6% tgt—000%26%
Tommy TrembleCAR · TE10.72.3+8.426%3% tgt—013%13%
Alex EricksonCAR · WR3.51.7+1.88%3% tgt—000%13%
Chris ConleyHOU · WR0.01.7−1.789%4% tgt—000%14%
Rex BurkheadHOU · RB1.51.7−0.215%4% tgt—000%14%
David JohnsonHOU · —1.11.3−0.238%12% car—0212%00%

Team totals: Panthers 33 targets and 33 carries; Texans 25 targets and 17 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Sam Darnold Ran hot

CAR · QB · 25.3 pts on 20.1 expected

23 of 34 passing for 304 yards; 8 carries for 11 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 20.1 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Start/Sit: Sam Darnold →

Davis Mills

HOU · QB · 10.7 pts on 13.0 expected

19 of 28 passing for 168 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 carry for 0 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 13.0 expected.

Start/Sit: Davis Mills →

DJ Moore Volume, no payoff

CAR · WR · 20.5 pts on 20.9 expected

12 targets (36% of the team's), 8 catches for 126 yards; 1 carry (3% of the team's) for -1 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 20.9 expected.

Trend: Season high in targets (12).

Start/Sit: DJ Moore →

Chuba Hubbard

CAR · RB · 10.9 pts on 15.5 expected

5 targets (15% of the team's), 3 catches for 27 yards; 11 carries (33% of the team's) for 52 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 15.5 expected.

Trend: Season high in carries (11).

Start/Sit: Chuba Hubbard →

Brandin Cooks Strong role

HOU · WR · 20.7 pts on 19.2 expected

11 targets (44% of the team's), 9 catches for 112 yards; 1 carry (6% of the team's) for 5 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 19.2 expected.

Start/Sit: Brandin Cooks →

Anthony Miller Short-yardage role

HOU · WR · 12.0 pts on 10.1 expected

6 targets (24% of the team's), 4 catches for 20 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 10.1 expected.

Tommy Tremble Ran hot

CAR · TE · 10.7 pts on 2.3 expected

1 target (3% of the team's), 1 catch for 30 yards; 1 carry (3% of the team's) for 7 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 2.3 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Start/Sit: Tommy Tremble →

Stock Up, Stock Down

Carolina Panthers

  • Stock up: Chuba Hubbard led the backfield with 55% of the snaps after trailing Christian McCaffrey before this game.
  • Stock down: Christian McCaffrey lost the backfield lead: 30% of the snaps to Chuba Hubbard's 55%.

Houston Texans

  • Stock up: Chris Conley played 89% of the snaps, up from a 71% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Panthers defense and Texans defense
Points allowed toPanthers DTexans D
QBs15.318.2
RBs19.425.7
WRs31.935.7
TEs12.313.5

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Houston opened at 28% win probability and fell below 2% in the fourth quarter.

Texans win probability

Texans win probability by game minuteTexans started at 28%, stood at 30% at halftime and finished at 0%, across 6 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. −16Darnold 5-yd TD run29% → 13%Q1 6:36
  2. +17Mills → Miller, 1-yd TD13% → 30%Q2 0:25
  3. −23Tremble 7-yd TD run32% → 9%Q3 6:20
  4. −4Gonzalez 21-yd FG6% → 2%Q4 12:44
  5. +3Slye 53-yd FG1% → 4%Q4 9:09

Swing in Texans win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Panthers vs Texans
Carolina PanthersMeasureHouston Texans
70Plays49
53%Pass rate65%
7.8Yds / dropback4.7
3.5Yds / carry2.5
5/11Third downs1/9

Efficiency edge Carolina ran 21 more plays and gained 3.1 more yards per dropback.

  • Top targets
  • CAR Moore 36% · Hubbard 15% · Marshall 15%
  • HOU Cooks 44% · Miller 24% · Akins 20%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Panthers vs Texans
ResultCARHOU
Touchdowns31
Field goals11
Punts36
Turnovers00
Turnovers on downs11
  • The Panthers opened the scoring on their second possession, a 10-play, 88-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
  • The Panthers drained the clock with three second-half drives of four to seven minutes.
All 19 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
CARQ1 15:00370:58Punt
HOUQ1 14:02341:26Punt
CARQ1 12:3610886:00Touchdown
HOUQ1 6:365173:06Punt
CARQ1 3:3014817:43Downs
HOUQ2 10:476315:00Punt
CARQ2 5:47321:47Punt
HOUQ2 4:00321:52Punt
CARQ2 2:08310:31Punt
HOUQ2 1:377641:12Touchdown
CARQ2 0:25240:25End of half
HOUQ3 15:0010394:23Punt
CARQ3 10:379914:17Touchdown
HOUQ3 6:203-52:05Punt
CARQ3 4:1510566:31Field goal
HOUQ4 12:448403:35Field goal
CARQ4 9:0912755:02Touchdown
HOUQ4 4:075191:36Downs
CARQ4 2:31592:31End of game
About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Panthers vs Texans Head-to-Head

The Panthers and Texans first met in 2003 and have played 7 times since.

All-time series
5–2Panthers lead, 7 meetings since 2003
Postseason
0No playoff meetings
Largest Panthers win
24–92021
Largest Texans win
34–212007

Since 2021

2–0 Panthers lead

2 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. P = Panthers win, T = Texans win, outlined = this game.

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Panthers vs Texans
PanthersStatTexans
5-12Record4-13
17.9Points per game16.5
298.9Yards per game278.1
4.6Yards per play4.7
23.8Points allowed per game26.6
305.9Yards allowed per game384.4

Panthers vs Texans Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread
CAR −8Panthers covered by 7
Total
43Under: 33 points scored (by 10)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
TeamImpliedActualDifference
Panthers25.524−1.5
Texans17.59−8.5

Both offenses finished under the market's expectation, which matches the low fantasy output in the Fantasy tab.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Carolina Panthers

Against the spread
3–0
Over/under
0–3
ATS as favorite
2–0
ATS as underdog
1–0
ATS on the road
1–0

Houston Texans

Against the spread
2–1
Over/under
2–1
ATS as underdog
2–1
ATS at home
1–1

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Panthers and Texans in Fantasy

The two teams don't meet again this season. If you roster a Panther or a Texan, these answer the week-to-week question.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Panthers vs Texans Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Panthers vs Texans Week 3 game?

The Carolina Panthers beat the Houston Texans 24–9 in Week 3 of the 2021 season. The game was played at Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX, on September 23, 2021. See the Panthers' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Panthers vs Texans?

The final score was Panthers 24, Texans 9. The Panthers led 7–6 at halftime, and the second half went Panthers 17, Texans 3.

What happened in the Panthers vs Texans game?

Carolina led 7–6 at halftime and outscored Houston 17–3 after the break to win 24–9. The Panthers finished with a 407–193 edge in total offense and averaged 5.8 yards per play. Sam Darnold led all players with 23 of 34 passing for 304 yards, plus 8 carries for 11 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Panthers vs Texans?

Sam Darnold led the game with 23.3 PPR fantasy points, the QB9 of Week 3, on 23 of 34 passing for 304 yards, plus 8 carries for 11 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. Brandin Cooks was next with 20.7 (WR11). See Sam Darnold's 2021 game log.

Who led Panthers vs Texans in passing, rushing and receiving?

Sam Darnold (CAR) led all passers with 23 of 34 for 304 yards. Chuba Hubbard (CAR) led in rushing with 11 carries for 52 yards. DJ Moore (CAR) led in receiving with 8 catches for 126 yards.

How many fantasy points did Sam Darnold score against the Texans?

Sam Darnold scored 23.3 fantasy points against the Texans in Week 3 of the 2021 season, the same in PPR, half-PPR and standard scoring because he had no catches, on 23 of 34 passing for 304 yards, plus 8 carries for 11 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Panthers vs Texans?

Tommy Tremble outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 10.7 PPR points on 2.3 xFP (+8.4). Chuba Hubbard fell furthest short, with 10.9 points on 15.5 xFP (−4.6). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Panthers vs Texans?

DJ Moore had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 20.9 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 20.5. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Panthers beat the Texans?

The Panthers beat the Texans 24–9 because they averaged 5.8 yards per play to 3.9 and outgained them 407–193.

What is the all-time Panthers vs Texans record?

The Panthers lead the all-time series 5–2 across 7 meetings since 2003.

When did the Panthers and Texans last play before this game?

Before Week 3 of 2021, they last met in the 2019 season on September 29, 2019, when the Panthers beat the Texans 16–10.

What is the Panthers vs Texans record since 2021?

The Panthers lead 2–0 across 2 meetings since the 2021 season, including this game.

What was the closing spread for Panthers vs Texans?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Panthers −8, making the Carolina Panthers 8-point favorites, with a closing total of 43. That implied about 25.5 points for the Panthers and 17.5 for the Texans.

Did Panthers vs Texans go over or under the total?

The game went under. The consensus closing total was 43, and the teams combined for 33 points, 10 under the number.

Who covered the spread in Panthers vs Texans?

The Panthers covered by 7 against the closing line of Panthers −8. The final margin was 15 points.