GLENDALE, Ariz. -- — The Carolina Panthers had a discouraging first performance of the season, a 26-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Playing the Arizona Cardinals could be exactly what they need to get back on track.

The Panthers (0-1) have struggled against most of the NFL over the past several seasons, but one exception is the Cardinals. Carolina has won seven of the past eight in the series dating to 2015.

Last season, the Panthers eliminated the Cardinals from playoff contention with a 36-30 overtime win on Dec. 22.

“I’m not really worried about the past,” Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray said. “Obviously, that was an unfortunate turn of events for us, but I think for me personally, I’m not motivated by it. I’m motivated by being where my feet are, taking a day at a time, going into Sunday feeling good about what we put in this week.”

Arizona (1-0) got a season-opening 20-13 road win over the Saints last week.

Carolina is hoping for a bounce-back performance from third-year quarterback Bryce Young. He completed just 18 of 34 passes for 154 yards, one TD and two interceptions against the Jaguars.

Panthers LT Ekwonu expected back

The Panthers are optimistic they’ll get starting left tackle Ickey Ekwonu back after the No. 6 overall pick in 2022 missed the season opener following an emergency appendectomy two weeks ago.

Ekwonu returned to practice this week and said he just “keeps stacking good days.”

He is likely to be a game-time decision, but all signs point to the Panthers having him back. That could be a boost for running back Chuba Hubbard and the team’s running game because Ekwonu is a load when he gets headed downhill.

Cardinals corners

The Cardinals' secondary — particularly the group of young cornerbacks — was viewed as one of the team's biggest question marks entering the season.

After one game, it might be one of Arizona's biggest strengths.

The trio of Garrett Williams, Max Melton and Will Johnson played well against the Saints, giving up some completions and yards but keeping points off the board. Johnson is a rookie from Michigan who slipped to the second round after injury concerns, but looks like he could be a steal.

Stopping the run

It was a new season, but the Panthers' revamped defensive front seven got the same results in Week 1.

Carolina allowed Jaguars running back Travis Etienne to run for 143 yards on 16 carries and extended a dubious streak of allowing its opponent to run for 200 yards in seven straight games.

The Panthers lost defensive lineman Turk Wharton to a hamstring injury, leaving them short-handed against Arizona's James Conner and crew. Conner was held to 39 yards rushing, but Trey Benson carried eight times for 69 yards in the win over New Orleans.

Panthers coach Dave Canales said the emphasis this week has been on tackling.

“The gift of when you come out of a game and there’s some fundamental things that you can focus on, I think it’s just a great opportunity to go right back to the basics,” Canales said.

Marv and Kyler

The much discussed Kyler Murray-to-Marvin Harrison Jr. connection is off to a good start for the Cardinals.

Harrison caught five passes for 71 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. The No. 4 overall pick is in his second season after a tantalizing — yet sometimes frustrating — rookie year.

“I thought he played really well,” Murray said. “You could feel his confidence (and) how comfortable he was on the field. Honestly, I don’t think there was any negative that I could say about how he played.”

Harrison had 885 yards receiving and eight TDs in 2024 but didn't quite look like the franchise-altering playmaker the Cardinals hoped he would be. The 23-year-old bulked up during the offseason to 220 pounds, hoping the added muscle can help him make more contested catches.

McMillan heads back to Ariz

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Panthers first-round draft pick Tetairoa McMillan returns to Arizona, where he played for the Wildcats and finished as the school’s all-time leader in yards receiving. The No. 8 pick in this year’s draft already looks like the team’s best option in the passing game after Carolina traded Adam Thielen.

McMillan had five catches for 68 yards, had another 16-yard grab called back because of a holding penalty and drew a pass-interference penalty, resulting in a 22-yard gain in Week 1 against the Jaguars.

“I thought he played fast,” Canales said. “I thought he looked very comfortable out there one-on-one outside. We moved him around a little bit, and he showed an ability to be able to handle that. He and Bryce (Young) were on the same page timing-wise, so I was really pleased with the way he played.”

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AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, N.C., contributed to this story.

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