The third week of the NFL's preseason games have already begun and the New England Patriots are all set to take on the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 26. But, given the current lineup of the Panthers, it seems the Patriots may have a hard time emerging as the winner in the upcoming match.

As noted by Pats Pulpit, the Carolina franchise is currently the reigning NFC champion in the league. Aside from the team's vas experience in dominating games, it also has quite a few heavy hitters in its roster.

For one, the Panthers have a very formidable defensive end. Joining the team's lineup this year is defensive tackle Vernon Butler, who was drafted as the 30^th overall pick by the Panthers in the 2016 draft event. For the upcoming game against the Patriots, he will be joining the team's other defensive tackles Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short to reinforce the Panthers' line of defense.

Aside from these three, defensive ends Charles Johnson and Kony Ealy will also be on the field. These two are known to be aggressive pass rushers on the edge, which means the Patriots may have a hard time executing their offensive plays in the upcoming game.

As if getting through the tough defensive lineup of the Panthers wasn't hard enough already, the Patriots will also be entering the game at a disadvantage. During the 2015 season, Shaq Mason and Sebastian Vollmer both suffered injuries that forced them to miss the team's games.

Since these two will most likely not be able to play in the game against the Panthers, the Patriots will probably have to adjust their plays to make up for the athlete's absences. Hopefully, their offensive line will be enough to secure a lead over the Panthers.

The game between the Panthers and the Patriots will be held on Friday at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to Cat Scratch Reader. It will be broadcasted through the Panthers TV. Those who don't have access to the Panthers' television market can still watch the game through the NFL Game Pass' live streaming service.