San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers prediction: Who will win and why

San Francisco 49ers (1-0) at Carolina Panthers (0-1)

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C. - TV: FOX, Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, Jennifer Hale.

SERIES HISTORY: 19th regular-season meeting. Panthers lead series, 11-7. Panthers have won four in a row, if you throw out the most recent meeting -- the 49ers' 23-10 win at Carolina in the 2014 playoffs. The Panthers won at San Francisco 10-9 earlier that season. The 49ers' last regular-season win against the Panthers came in Carolina, but it was 15 years ago -- a 25-22 overtime triumph on Nov. 18, 2001.

GAMEDATE: 9/18/16

KEYS TO THE GAME: The 49ers held 2015 Offensive Rookie of the Year Todd Gurley to 47 yards on 17 carries, so the Panthers will have to do a better job establishing the run. Because Cam Newton is a bit more dangerous than L.A.'s Case Keenum, the 49ers won't be able to stack the box like they did Monday night. That should allow the Panthers to extend their NFL-best streak of games with at least 100 yards rushing to 29, and once San Francisco's talented front seven is back on its heels, Newton and his receivers can begin to go vertical.

What's possibly more concerning to Carolina is how easily the 49ers ran through the Rams' elite front seven, especially while rushing for 123 yards in the first half. The usually stout Panthers' run defense struggled against the Broncos, who gained 95 of their 148 rushing yards in the first half. So the Panthers need to shore up their assignments on run plays, forcing QB Blaine Gabbert to beat them.

The 49ers' game plan remains the same as it was against Los Angeles: Ball control with Carlos Hyde, try to keep drives alive with short passes from Gabbert, and hope the defense is up to the task of dealing with Newton. Newton has struggled against the 49ers in their last two head-to-heads, leading Carolina to only 20 total points in those games.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Panthers QB Cam Newton vs. 49ers OLB Ahmad Brooks. Brooks is a physical match for Newton, so it's no surprise he's had more than his fair share of success against the Panthers in the past. Brooks has recorded 5 1/2 sacks in four career games against Carolina.

--49ers RB Carlos Hyde vs. Panthers LB Luke Kuechly. As usual, Kuechly was all over the field in Carolina's opener against the Broncos, making 10 tackles. But he and his teammates had some trouble corralling Denver's C.J. Anderson, who rushed 20 times for 92 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers would take those numbers from Hyde, whose style is similar to Anderson.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Carolina WR Ted Ginn Jr. Before he came to Carolina, Ginn played three seasons with the 49ers, who didn't see him as much more than a returner. In his 40 games in San Francisco, Ginn totaled 33 receptions for 384 yards and a touchdown. In his 32 regular-season games with the Panthers, he has 81 catches for 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns.

INJURY REPORT: San Francisco -- Out: T Anthony Davis (concussion). Questionable: S Marcus Cromartie (ankle), CB Chris Davis (hamstring), CB Keith Reaser (ankle), G Andrew Tiller (ankle). Carolina -- Questionable: S Dean Marlowe (hamstring), RB Jonathan Stewart (ankle).

FAST FACTS: San Francisco QB Blaine Gabbert ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards among quarterbacks, right behind Carolina's Cam Newton. ... 49ers OLB Ahmad Brooks has 5 1/2 sacks in four games against the Panthers. ... The Panthers have won 13 straight games at home, the longest streak in the NFL. ... Newton needs two more passing touchdowns to tie Jake Delhomme (120) for most in franchise history.

PREDICTION: The Super Bowl runner-up Panthers are a step or two up from the Rams, and the 49ers -- a West Coast team heading East -- have to play them in Carolina.

OUR PICK: Panthers, 24-13.

--Chris Cluff