The Lions are headed to Carolina for a Sunday Night Football matchup in Week 4, and the biggest thing hanging over this one is the injury list. Detroit is walking into a game where the Panthers look especially thin, and for once the Lions are not the team dealing with the heavier damage.
Carolina’s report is crowded, and the most damaging news came before Wednesday’s practice even got going: both starting cornerbacks, Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, are on injured reserve. That leaves a defense that has already started the season well in the air far more vulnerable on the back end. The Panthers also had Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, Damien Lewis, Monroe Freeling, Darren Waller, Chuba Hubbard, Bryce Young, Princely Umanmielen, Devin Lloyd, and Nick Scott on the report Wednesday, with Young the only player listed as a full participant.
Detroit’s list was much shorter. Ben Bartch, DJ Wonnum, and D.J.
Reed were all on the report Wednesday, with Bartch and Wonnum not participating and Reed limited. Dan Campbell did not sound concerned in his Wednesday availability, and there was no indication that Wonnum or Reed would be held out of the game.
That sets up the clearest question of the week: can the Lions cash in on Carolina’s absences?
The answer should start in the passing game. With Horn and Jackson out, Detroit has a chance to stress the Panthers all over the field, especially with Jameson Williams, Amon-Ra St.
Brown, Isaac TeSlaa, and Sam LaPorta all capable of winning isolated matchups. Scottie Montgomery said Wednesday that he has liked the way things have gone with Williams this season, and pointed out how teams are doubling him downfield.
That, he said, is opening things up elsewhere.
“If you choose to double he and St. (Brown), then you get one-on-one matchups with (LaPorta, Gibbs, TeSlaa).”
TeSlaa is one name that could keep surfacing if the Lions keep forcing the issue outside. He finished Week 3 with 66 receiving yards on three targets, and Detroit has reason to keep feeding a receiver who has already shown he can threaten defenses deep and in the red zone.
The Panthers’ run defense is another area Detroit should keep attacking. Carolina is allowing a league-high 193.3 rushing yards per game, and that’s the kind of number that puts real pressure on a front seven. Jahmyr Gibbs should still see plenty of work, and if the Lions can force Carolina to respect both the ground game and the vertical passing game, the offense has a chance to keep rolling.
The pass rush could also be set up for a productive night. Carolina is 25th in pass block win rate, and Damien Lewis is likely out with a PCL injury.
Bryce Young can move, but the Lions should have opportunities to make life miserable for him if the protection breaks down. Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, and DJ Wonnum all fit into that picture, especially if Detroit can get Carolina behind schedule and force Young into uncomfortable throws.
There’s also a secondary subplot that will draw attention all game: this is the first outing after the Lions missed on a Joey Porter Jr. trade. That means Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Roger McCreary, and anyone else Detroit uses at CB2 will be under the microscope.
Rakestraw, in particular, is going to get a close look after some promising snaps against the New York Jets in Week 3. With the Panthers banged up at receiver too, including Jalen Coker on the report, this is a chance for Detroit’s corner options to handle a manageable test.
The forecast here points one way. Carolina’s injuries on defense, especially at corner, make this a tough setup against a Lions offense that already has plenty of ways to hurt you. Detroit should have enough firepower to lean into those matchups and keep control of the game.
The pick: Lions 31, Panthers 27.
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Lions Suddenly Have A Secondary Fix Worth Watching
The Lions have spent enough time dealing with issues in the secondary that any possible cornerback help is worth a close look. Injuries and off-field problems have thinned out the group and left Detroit searching for stability on the back end, which is why the team has been connected to outside options as it tries to patch a problem that has lingered.
Joey Porter Jr. was one name the Lions had explored, but he ended up with the Dallas Cowboys, leaving Detroit to keep scanning the market. Another possibility is Chargers cornerback Cam Hart, a player who could fit the need for more defensive backs and give the Lions another route to address a spot that has become impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Face A Week 4 Officiating Trend That Could Matter
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What may matter most is the way his crew has handled flags this season. The group has thrown relatively few penalties and has shown some clear tendencies in how it calls fouls, which is the kind of detail teams track closely heading into a standalone game. For a Lions team trying to stay clean in a nationally televised spot, the officiating profile is another layer to watch along with the matchup itself. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Just Hit A Familiar Lions Nerve On Pass Interference
Pass interference is back in the spotlight around the NFL, and for Dan Campbell it is a topic with some history. After a controversial call against the Rams helped extend Denvers game-winning drive, the Lions coach weighed in with the kind of perspective Detroit fans know well, tying the discussion to the infamous 2018 NFC Championship Game non-call and the lingering frustration that came with it.
Campbell also sounded skeptical about whether challenging pass interference ever really solves much, which is hardly surprising for a team that has already been flagged for a league-high number of defensive pass interference penalties early this season. For Detroit, the issue is bigger than one blown whistle or one close call, because every questionable contact downfield has a way of reopening old wounds while putting even more pressure on an already costly part of the defense. [Read more 🡒]