Although the Pittsburgh Steelers face the Carolina Panthers every year in preseason, regular season meetings are quite rare as interconference opponents. The two sides have only played each other six times dating back to 1996, and after losing their first encounter, the Steelers have not lost to the Panthers since.
Boasting a 6-2 record, Carolina has been one of the league’s more impressive teams this season. Behind the strong running of Christian McCaffery and the improved play of Cam Newton, the Panthers have been difficult to stop on offense and they represent a significant challenge for the Steelers on Thursday night.