Panthers at Steelers: Week 16 preview, odds and injuries

Week 16 · Sun, Dec 27 · Acrisure Stadium12 AM ET

at12 AMET · TBD

At a glanceUpdated Nov 10, 2026, 5:53 PM ET

The Carolina Panthers (3-5) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) on Sun, Dec 27, time TBD at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA (Week 16, 2026 season).

When and where is Panthers vs Steelers?

Sun, Dec 27, time TBD at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.

Who is injured for Panthers vs Steelers?

Panthers: Ihmir Smith-Marsette (WR, out, undisclosed), Bobby Okereke (LB, questionable, foot), Damien Lewis (G, questionable, knee), Jaelan Phillips (LB, questionable, hamstring) and Will Lee III (CB, questionable, hamstring). Steelers: Ben Skowronek (WR, questionable, calf), Brandin Echols (CB, questionable, hamstring) and Doneiko Slaughter (CB, questionable, hamstring).

Cite this page

Pigskin Nightly, “Panthers at Steelers: Week 16 preview”, https://pigskinnightly.com/games/2026-12-27-car-at-pit (updated 2026-11-10).

How we calculate Plain-text version Report an error

Regular season through week 15 · rank out of 32

Where this game will be decided

1Steelers run game vs Panthers run defense
The Steelers' run game ranks 1st in EPA per rush (+0.12, 179 rushes) against a Panthers run defense ranked 25th (-0.03 allowed, 210 rushes faced).
1stPIT offense24 spots apart25thCAR defense
2Steelers pass rush vs Panthers pass protection
The Steelers' pass rush ranks 4th in sack rate (8.2% of dropbacks, 318 dropbacks faced) and faces a Panthers pass protection ranked 23rd (7.5% sacked, 348 dropbacks).
23rdCAR offense19 spots apart4thPIT defense
3Steelers third-down offense vs Panthers third-down defense
The Steelers' third-down offense ranks 15th in third-down conversion rate (39.2%, 102 third downs) against a Panthers third-down defense ranked 29th (47.7% allowed, 107 third downs faced).
15thPIT offense14 spots apart29thCAR defense

When the Panthers have the ballEdge PIT · +8 ranks

CAR dropback offenseEPA per dropbackPIT pass defense

13th+0.08348 dropbacks

-0.03 allowed318 dropbacks faced8th

CAR run gameEPA per rushPIT run defense

12th-0.04176 rushes

PIT +8

-0.16 allowed168 rushes faced4th

Dropbacks include sacks and scrambles; rushes are designed runs. What EPA measures.

When the Steelers have the ballEdge PIT · +24 ranks

PIT dropback offenseEPA per dropbackCAR pass defense

26th-0.11315 dropbacks

+0.07 allowed308 dropbacks faced20th

PIT run gameEPA per rushCAR run defense

1st+0.12179 rushes

PIT +24

-0.03 allowed210 rushes faced25th

Third downEdge PIT · +14 ranks

CAR third-down offensethird-down conversion ratePIT third-down defense

21st37.7%106 third downs

PIT +13

35.2% allowed105 third downs faced8th

PIT third-down offensethird-down conversion rateCAR third-down defense

15th39.2%102 third downs

PIT +14

47.7% allowed107 third downs faced29th

Conversions are third-down snaps that gained a first down or scored.

Red zoneNo big edge

CAR red-zone offensered-zone touchdown ratePIT red-zone defense

6th66%29 trips

38% allowed16 trips faced2nd

PIT red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateCAR red-zone defense

28th48%25 trips

75% allowed24 trips faced29th

A trip is a drive with at least one snap inside the opponent's 20; the rate is trips that ended in an offensive touchdown. Small samples swing fast here.

Explosive playsEdge CAR · +11 ranks

CAR big-play offenseexplosive-play ratePIT defense against big plays

14th9.5%524 plays

9.1% allowed486 plays faced13th

PIT big-play offenseexplosive-play rateCAR defense against big plays

16th9.5%494 plays

CAR +11

7.3% allowed518 plays faced5th

Completions of 20+ yards and runs of 10+, per snap. Definition.

Pressure & sacksEdge PIT · +19 ranks

CAR pass protectionsack ratePIT pass rush

23rd7.5% sacked348 dropbacks

PIT +19

8.2% of dropbacks318 dropbacks faced4th

PIT pass protectionsack rateCAR pass rush

21st7.3% sacked315 dropbacks

PIT +11

3.9% of dropbacks308 dropbacks faced32nd

Sacks per dropback. The public play-by-play has no pressure charting, so this is the sack side of it only.

TurnoversEdge PIT · +14 ranks

CAR ball securityturnovers per gamePIT takeaway defense

19th1.3 giveaways a game8 games

PIT +14

1.5 takeaways a game8 games5th

PIT ball securityturnovers per gameCAR takeaway defense

10th1.0 giveaways a game8 games

1.1 takeaways a game8 games17th

Interceptions and lost fumbles on offensive snaps, per game. Turnover rates are among the least stable numbers in football.

AbsencesCAR 0 · PIT 0 regulars out or doubtful

Panthers5 listed

0 of them are regulars ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QBobby OkerekeLB89% defense · 7 wk
QDamien LewisG89% offense · 5 wk
QWill Lee IIICB73% defense · 7 wk
QJaelan PhillipsLB64% defense · 5 wk
OUTIhmir Smith-MarsetteWRno snaps

Steelers3 listed

0 of them are regulars ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QBen SkowronekWR14% offense · 5 wk
QBrandin EcholsCB7% defense · 6 wk
QDoneiko SlaughterCBno snaps

Snap share is the average of the weeks each player was on the field this season. Full injury report ↓

Rest & travelSame rest · CAR travels 364 mi

AwayPanthers

7days since last game

364miles to get here

0time zones

Last: Sun wk 15 vs CIN · 3,713 mi flown this season

Body clock 12:00 a.m.

Rest edgeEvensame restTravel gap 364 mi

HomeSteelers

7days since last game

0miles · home

0time zones

Last: Sun wk 15 vs BAL · 10,686 mi flown this season

Normal week

League splits for these situations ↓

Sample: CAR 8 games, 524 offensive and 518 defensive plays · PIT 8 games, 494 offensive and 486 defensive plays. Rank 1 is the best offense or the best defense in each stat. Keys are the largest rank gaps (12+ spots) between an offense and the defense it faces, one per stat. Ranks are not schedule-adjusted.

Season to date · rank out of 32