The Panthers will close the preseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers for the seventh consecutive season. The teams have split the six previous preseason games against each other. (PHOTO: ANDREW MASON)*
CHARLOTTE -- A nationally-televised game at the New York Giants highlights the Panthers' four-game 2009 preseason slate, announced by the league on Monday.
The rematch of the teams' memorable December overtime duel at Giants Stadium will air on ESPN and kick off at 8 p.m. EDT on Aug. 17. It is the first leg of a demanding preseason schedule that pits the Panthers against four of last year's playoff teams -- three of which were division champions.
The Panthers' trip to the Meadowlands is followed by a trek to Miami to face the Dolphins between Aug. 20-24. The exact time and date of that game will be announced in the future.
The preseason closes with consecutive home games against the participants in the 2008 AFC Championship Game. The Ravens soar into Bank of America Stadium during the third preseason weekend (Aug. 27-31), while the Steelers visit Charlotte on either Sept. 3 or 4 to conclude the preseason.
Exact dates and times on the Ravens and Steelers games will be announced in the future.
OF NOTE:
This will be the latest the Panthers have opened their preseason schedule. No Panthers preseason opener prior to this year took place after Aug. 14 ...
... The Panthers' trip to Giants Stadium will be their third in the last five and fourth in the last seven preseasons. Carolina defeated the Giants 20-10 in 2003 and 24-21 in 2007, but dropped a 2005 summer meeting by a 27-21 score. The teams also met at Bank of America Stadium in the 2004 preseason; Carolina won that game 27-20 ...
... Carolina's trip to Miami will be the first-ever for a Panthers preseason game and just the third overall in franchise annals. The Panthers posted a 19-10 win in a 2006 preseason duel between the teams at Bank of America Stadium ...
... The Panthers and Ravens have not met in the preseason since 2001, when the teams concluded a three-year August series with a 20-17 Baltimore win. Their duel this August will be Baltimore's first trip to Charlotte for any kind of game since Sept. 8, 2002; that ended in a 10-7 Carolina win.
