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DOWN X DOWN › week 16 › Panthers at Steelers
Updated Nov 2, 5:48 PM ET
2026
2026this season2025final

Week 16 · Sunday 1:00 PM ET · Acrisure Stadium

PITvsCAR

Steelers offensevsPanthers defense

Season numbers through Week 8: 8 games for Steelers, 7 for Panthers. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.

CAR offensePIT offense
Keys to the game · where this matchup tilts, from the season numbers4 reads
01
Biggest edge

Run it at them

Steelers' run game is 1st in EPA per carry (+0.11). Panthers allow -0.01 (28th).

02
Opportunity

Short middle is open

Panthers are worst against short middle throws, allowing +0.29 EPA per attempt. Steelers send 19% of their throws there.

03
Watch out

Passing lanes are closed

Steelers gain -0.11 EPA per dropback (26th). Panthers allow +0.02 (16th).

04
Wash

EPA per play

Call this one even. Steelers average -0.03 EPA per play (20th). Panthers allow +0.03 (20th). League average is +0.00.

Players to watch

CAR Panthers

9Bryce YoungQB · 158/269 · 1921 yds · 13 TD · 5 INTEPA per dropback +0.06 · 17th30Chuba HubbardRB · 118 car · 540 yds · 7 TD · 22 recEPA per touch +0.14 · 4th4Tetairoa McMillanWR · 42 rec · 569 yds · 2 TD · 65 tgtEPA per target +0.3518Jalen CokerWR · 27 rec · 364 yds · 3 TD · 44 tgtEPA per target +0.1955Devin LloydLeft Inside Linebacker · 45 tackles · 2 sacks · 2 INT · 3 PD2 INT · T-11th in the NFL58Bobby OkerekeRight Inside Linebacker · 48 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 5 PD1 INT

PIT Steelers

8Aaron RodgersQB · 175/288 · 1871 yds · 13 TD · 6 INTEPA per dropback -0.1030Jaylen WarrenRB · 119 car · 704 yds · 3 TD · 25 recEPA per touch +0.09 · 10th4DK MetcalfWR · 33 rec · 378 yds · 1 TD · 64 tgtEPA per target -0.0317Germie BernardWR · 32 rec · 284 yds · 1 TD · 42 tgtEPA per target -0.0290T.J. WattWeakside Linebacker · 19 tackles · 7.5 sacks · 1 INT · 3 PD7.5 sacks · T-1st in the NFL6Patrick QueenRight Inside Linebacker · 59 tackles · 2.5 sacks · 1 INT · 4 PD2.5 sacks
The series · Panthers and Steelers since 1999, and this season's records7 meetings

The Steelers lead the series 7–0 since 1999. They have won the last 7. Dec 18, 2022, at Bank of America Stadium: the Steelers won 24–16. Sam Darnold started at quarterback for the Panthers and Kenny Pickett for the Steelers; Steve Wilks and Mike Tomlin coached.

Panthers at home0–3the Panthers' record
In Pittsburgh0–4the Panthers' record
Most pointsPanthers 21 · Steelers 522018 · 2018
Biggest winPanthers: none · Steelers by 34– · 2006

The last 5

2022 · Wk 15PIT 24 at CAR 16
2018 · Wk 10CAR 21 at PIT 52
2014 · Wk 3PIT 37 at CAR 19
2010 · Wk 16CAR 3 at PIT 27
2006 · Wk 15PIT 37 at CAR 3

2026 records

PanthersSteelers
Overall3–46–2
Division1–12–1
Conference3–33–2
Other conference0–13–0
Home1–24–0
Away2–22–2
Last 5LWWLLLWWWW
StreakLost 2Won 4
Points a game25.4 – 27.622.5 – 18.0

Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Panthers' side. Records are this regular season.

The lineups · Steelers offense against the Panthers defenseDepth charts
Panthers defense · 3-4 DSteelers offense · 3WR 1TE76Fautanu66McCormick54Frazier67Hoffman71Iheanachor80Washington8Rodgers30Warren4Metcalf15Skowronek17Bernard98Wharton92Hunter95Brown91Jones5Phillips58Okereke55Lloyd24Lee36DeWalt26Smith-Wade7Moehrig21Scott

Steelers offense · 3WR 1TE

  • QBAaron Rodgers#8 · 175/288 · 1871 yds · 13 TD · 6 INT
  • RBJaylen Warren#30 · 119 car · 704 yds · 3 TD · 25 rec
  • WRDK Metcalf#4 · 33 rec · 378 yds · 1 TD · 64 tgt
  • WRGermie Bernard#17 · 32 rec · 284 yds · 1 TD · 42 tgt
  • WRBen Skowronek#15 · 3 rec · 32 yds · 1 TD · 4 tgt
  • TEDarnell Washington#80 · 19 rec · 254 yds · 3 TD · 28 tgt
  • LTTroy Fautanu#76
  • LGMason McCormick#66
  • CZach Frazier#54
  • RGBrock Hoffman#67
  • RTMax Iheanachor#71

Panthers defense · Base 3-4 D

  • RDETershawn Wharton#98 · 7 tackles
  • NTLee Hunter#92 · 16 tackles
  • LDEDerrick Brown#95 · 21 tackles · 5 PD
  • WLBPatrick Jones II#91 · 11 tackles
  • SLBJaelan Phillips#5 · 10 tackles · 2.5 sacks
  • RILBBobby Okereke#58 · 48 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 5 PD
  • LILBDevin Lloyd#55 · 45 tackles · 2 sacks · 2 INT · 3 PD
  • RCBWill Lee III#24 · 33 tackles · 7 PD
  • LCBMalcolm DeWalt IV#36 · 1 tackles
  • NBChau Smith-Wade#26 · 6 tackles
  • SSTre'von Moehrig#7 · 29 tackles · 0.5 sacks
  • FSNick Scott#21 · 29 tackles · 2 PD

Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.

Head to head · PIT offense against CAR defense
StatPIT PIT offFavors PIT · Favors CARCAR CAR def allowsNFL avg
Overall
EPA per play
-0.03#20
+0.03#20+0.00
Success rate
42%#19
44%#2244%
Yards per play
5.4#19
5.4#195.4
Explosive play rate
10%#13
8%#59%
Passing
Pass EPA per dropback
-0.11#26
+0.02#16+0.03
Sack rate
7%#21
4%#297%
Running
Run EPA per carry
+0.11#1
-0.01#28-0.08
Yards per carry
5.2#2
4.6#274.1
Money downs
3rd down conversion
39%#20
47%#2841%
Red zone TD rate
50%#28
80%#3061%
Targets by position
WR yards per game
126#25
146#17147
TE yards per game
61#12
47#1255
TE targets per game
8.0#11
7.6#157.6
RB receiving yards per game
47#6
27#932
Where the ball goes · EPA per throwDeep is 15+ air yds

Steelers: EPA per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
+0.147% of throws
+0.464% of throws
-0.498% of throws
Short
-0.1429% of throws
+0.5319% of throws
-0.0334% of throws

Panthers: EPA allowed per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
+1.608 throws
+0.038 throws
-0.0522 throws
Short
+0.0168 throws
+0.2946 throws
0.0089 throws

Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.