Thursday Night Football open thread: Panthers at Texans

Can the Panthers continue their undefeated streak?

Tonight’s Thursday Night Football matchup features two teams with very different outlooks on the 2021 season.

The Carolina Panthers are one of the few remaining undefeated teams, but doubt still remains if they can compete for a playoff spot. Sam Darnold is looking rejuvenated playing for a team not named the New York Jets. There two victories have come against those same Jets and a New Orleans Saints team missing a majority of its coaching staff, but the early signs are promising.

The Houston Texans are a ship without a rudder. Pretending that Deshaun Watson doesn’t exist is an interesting strategy, to say the least—he is Schrodinger’s Houston Texan, both a Texan and not at the same time. With Tyrod Taylor suffering an injury, the starting role instead falls to third-round rookie Davis Mills. The Texans are 1-1 after winning the Week 1 Horri-Bowl against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but with such a poor roster, it could be one of their few wins all year.

Then again, Thursday Night Football is often full of surprises. It’s best to tune in and find out. Here’s how to watch tonight’s game:

Date: Thursday, September 23, 2021
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: NRG Stadium—Houston, TX
TV: NFL Network
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews & Kristina Pink
Online Stream/Replay: NFL Gamepass