Panthers lean heavily on McCaffrey in upset bid of Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Carolina coach Matt Rhule promised that Christian McCaffrey would get a full load against Kansas City if he was healthy. Rhule sure wasn’t kidding.

Starting with an opening 75-yard drive on which McCaffrey carried four times and caught a pair of passes, including the touchdown, the Panthers leaned heavily on their All-Pro running back.

He wound up with 18 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown, 10 catches for 82 yards that other score, and showed no lingering effects from an ankle injury that had sidelined him the past six weeks in a 33-31 loss to the Super Bowl champions on Sunday.