Kansas City Chiefs at Carolina Panthers

1 P.M. * WRAL, WNCT * WRBZ-850, WZTK-101.1

3 THINGS TO WATCH

BALL SECURITY: Could be a big day for fumbles. Although Panthers safety Chris Harris has made a name for himself as a defender with an uncanny knack for forcing fumbles, Kansas City leads the league with seven fumble recoveries.

A POSSIBLE BREAKOUT RUSHING DAY: A lot of attention is focused on how the Panthers need to stop Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. But Kansas City's run defense is 30th in the league (allowing 176.5 yards per game), so Carolina's DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart could have a big game.

YOUTHFUL CHIEFS: Kansas City can't rely on many players with experience. Thirty-two Chiefs have less than four years of NFL experience. Six rookies started on opening day.

KEY MATCHUP

JON BEASON

PANTHERS LB

The Panthers' new simplified defensive philosophy could serve Beason well today. He won't have many other responsibilities aside from chasing down Johnson.

Beason has 44 tackles this season -- on pace to break the team record he set last season as a rookie (160).

LARRY JOHNSON

CHIEFS RB

One of the NFL's elite backs, Johnson rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns last week against Denver.

He'll need quarterback Damon Huard to be effective with the pass, because the Panthers are sure to concentrate on Johnson early in the game and force the Chiefs to take to the air.

PANTHERS INSIDER

Someone mentioned to quarterback Jake Delhomme that today might be a "trap" game for the Panthers -- a game against a seemingly beatable opponent (Kansas City) sandwiched between two division games (Atlanta last week, Tampa Bay next week).

Delhomme bristled. "That's college!" he said. "That's high school!"

So, while Delhomme channeled his days at Louisiana-Lafayette and Lafayette's Teurlings Catholic High, he made this point:

"I've never understood that. I don't even know who we play next week. Tampa? OK, Tampa next week. That game means nothing. If we don't go out and play our best [against Kansas City], that's it. You do whatever you can do to get to 4-1. You don't ever want to feel like you've arrived."

Give Delhomme credit: He didn't say he was taking one game at a time or that on any given Sunday ...

KEY STATS

PANTHERS

1: Rushing touchdown allowed by Panthers this season.

3: More TDs needed by Jonathan Stewart to tie Fred Lane's club record for rushing TDs by a rookie (seven, 1997).

24: Panthers' NFL ranking in total offense (302.3 yards per game).

25.5: Third-down conversion percentage, 30th in the league.

366: Career field goals for John Kasay, tied for ninth all-time in NFL.

CHIEFS

7: New defensive starters from usual 2007 lineup.

38.38: Career net punting average for Dustin Colquitt, second in NFL history.

100.3: Damon Huard's passer rating last week against Denver (he's 9-0 when he has a 100-plus rating).

119: Straight games with a reception for Tony Gonzalez, second longest streak in NFL history for tight ends (Ozzie Newsome, 150).

427: Yards from scrimmage by running back Larry Johnson, tops in AFC.