This Sunday at 1pm, the Lions and Panthers will square off in a game that Detroit Lions fans couldn’t be happier about. The Lions are fresh off a commanding primetime victory against the Packers in which they played their most complete game of the season, and almost as impressive was that Lambeau Field was jam-packed with Lions fans. The reinstatement of Jameson Williams, who will be eligible to play this weekend, and the likelihood that Emmanuel Moseley will make his season debut were both positive surprises for Detroit on Friday afternoon. After a devastating defeat to the Vikings, the defense for the Panthers showed flashes of life despite being without several important players, but Bryce Young and the offense struggled mightily. The Panthers, who have yet to record a victory, will go to Detroit in an attempt to give Bryce Young his first NFL victory, but it won’t be easy.
After a difficult home loss to Minnesota, the Panthers enter Detroit with a record of 0-4. With Bryce Young as quarterback, the offense hasn’t looked great over the first four weeks, scoring no more than 17 points with Young healthy. Young is under a lot of pressure and doesn’t have a lot of time to throw since the offensive line has been struggling a lot. Miles Sanders, their headline free agency acquisition, hasn’t seemed the same as he did in Philadelphia, averaging only 2.9 yards per run and reaching the end zone just once. Adam Thielen is a positive aspect of their offensive line. Thielen has 287 yards and two touchdowns while appearing his best in years. Despite being without Shaq Thompson and Jaycee Horn, Carolina’s defense appears to be solid. Brian Burns and Derrick Brown have helped the defensive line to consistently apply pressure. The Carolina Panthers will face a difficult assignment in trying to get their first victory of the year, but it must begin with Bryce Young and their offense.
Following a dominant victory against the Packers in primetime, the Lions’ defense put up yet another solid effort. Jordan Love was consistently under pressure from their defense and was sacked five times despite barely blitzing. Hutchinson continued his stellar season with 1.5 sacks and 8 pressures, giving him a total of 27 pressures, which is tied for the most in the league. In addition, Alim McNeill appears to be developing into a very capable defensive tackle, particularly as a run stopper. Cam Sutton, Brian Branch, and Jerry Jacobs all contributed to the Secondary’s excellent performance. Sutton only saw one target and didn’t allow a single completion, while Brian Branch kept up his impressive run-game tackling ability while also playing excellent cover corner. Jordan Love was intercepted twice by Jerry Jacobs, including one that was returned inside Green Bay’s 10-yard line. The offense also performed admirably, particularly the run game. With 121 yards and three touchdowns on a career-high 32 carries, Montgomery had a very productive day. The offensive line had a significant role in why the run game appeared to be so effective. They kept clearing the way for Montgomery to run and displayed why they are among the best in the NFL. Goff had a pick to open the game, but after their defense kept them to a field goal, he returned and guided Detroit to a touchdown. Sam LaPorta keeps getting better each week, and St. Brown continues to have another fantastic season. Detroit has had a tremendous season so far and should be able to destroy Carolina at home, but they do have a few injured players.
My Prediction: Lions 31, Panthers 13
