CHARLOTTE – The Carolina Panthers (1-6) are headed West to the Mile High City, where the Denver Broncos (4-3) are waiting. The Panthers are 2-6 all-time against the Broncos. Carolina is 2-2 at home and 0-3 on the road, along with that Super Bowl 50 loss to Denver in San Francisco.

Sean Payton's crew started off the season 0-2, before a big win against Tampa Bay helped right a ship that has been cruising since. With that in mind, get to know the Panthers next opponent.

Bo Knows

The Broncos passer will be the third rookie quarterback taken in the first round that the Panthers have faced this season (the previous two were No. 1 and No. 2 overall, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels), as well as the third Heisman finalist (Williams and Daniels both won). Nix, the No. 12 overall pick this past April, has started all seven games for Denver this season, going 137-of-244 (61.2 percent) for 1,246 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions.

Nix has proven hard to bring down, carrying over a reputation he developed in college. Through the first seven weeks, he has the third lowest sack rate, at 3.5 percent, having been sacked nine times. This is partly due to his escapability. Nix has the fifth highest scramble rate in the league right now, 10.4 percent.

Those scramble yards, along with designed plays, have resulted in Nix becoming the Broncos second leading rusher with 255 yards on 47 carries (5.4 yards per carry) along with three rushing touchdowns.

Watching for Surtain

Patrick Surtain II is a literal NFL legacy. Following in his dad's footsteps, Surtain II has made a name for himself in Denver as a stingy corner. The Alabama product has a team-high two interceptions this season, and that is without playing in the last two games (save one snap from scrimmage).

On that note, Surtain's status will be one to watch this week, as it could affect the Panthers game plan. The two-time Pro Bowler suffered a concussion on the first defensive snap of the game for the Broncos. He missed Denver's Week 7 Thursday night game as he remained in the protocol, after the shortened week of practice. By the time Sunday rolls around, Surtain will have had two full weeks, including a mini-bye, to possibly graduate from the protocol.

If Surtain is on the field, he can take away an entire side. Heading into Week 6, the last time he played, Surtain had allowed the 2nd-lowest EPA per target (-0.76) among corners this season (minimum 10 targets) according to Next Gen Stats.

NGS also measures something called "Ball Hawk Rate" which is described as "a measure of how often a player disrupts a pass, divided by targets as the nearest defender." Even after missing most of Week 6, Surtain still had the third-best Ball Hawk Rate in the league heading into Week 7.

Who's Eating?

Typically, when examining an opposing offense, there are one or two players who stand out as the preferred rusher or receiver. The Broncos have spread the ball around though, with six receivers accumulating double digit receptions and 100-plus yards through seven games.

Courtland Sutton leads them in receiving, which he's done three of the last four years. So far, he has 21 receptions for 277 yards and two touchdowns, pulling in a team-high six big plays. But the second leading receiver isn't far behind; Josh Reynolds has 12 receptions for 183 yards, averaging 15.3 yards per catch, the latter stat a team high.

The biggest differential in production between receivers two through six is 27 yards. We are also obligated to point out all-name candidate, receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey.