The New England Patriots may not be facing such a shorthanded Carolina Panthers team Sunday after all.
Ahead of the Week 9 showdown at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, the Panthers activated star running back Christian McCaffrey off of injured reserve and announced that starting quarterback Sam Darnold had cleared concussion protocol.
The 25-year-old McCaffrey has appeared in just three games this season for the Panthers -- after playing in three games all of 2020 -- due to a hamstring injury. He's rushed for 201 yards on 52 carries for one touchdown and caught 16 passes for 163 yards and no scores when healthy in 2021.