HOUSTON (AP) — Carolina running back Christian McCaffrey left Thursday night’s 24-9 victory overthe Houston Texans with a hamstring injury and did not return.
McCaffrey had seven carries for 31 yards and two receptions for nine yards before he was injured.
McCaffrey, a 2019 All-Pro, pulled up on the game’s third series while running a sweep and did not return. McCaffrey, who missed 13 games last season due to injuries, appeared on the verge of a big game and there’s no denying the Panthers have a completely different offense without him in the backfield.
McCaffrey’s mere presence allows Carolina’s play-action passing game to function, and without him the Panthers could really struggle in Week 4 against Dallas.
Carolina improved to 3-0 with the victory.
Monday Night Madness
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL is adding Monday night to its Wild Card Weekend.
The league announced Friday that it will play one of its first six playoff games on Monday night, beginning with this season.
The NFL added a third wild-card team in each conference last season, and then played three wild-card games on Saturday and three on Sunday during its first weekend of the playoffs.
The new schedule means the league will play two games on Saturday (4:35 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. ET), three on Sunday (1:05 p.m., 4:40 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. ET) and one on Monday (8:15 p.m. ET). Wild Card Weekend for this postseason runs from Jan. 15-17.
The team with the best record in each conference is the only one to receive a bye for the first weekend of the playoffs.
The NFL said the broadcaster for the Monday night game “is yet to be determined.” For the 2021 season, CBS and NBC each will broadcast two wild-card games, while Fox and ESPN/ABC each get one.
