Free Press reporter Christian Romo breaks down the Detroit Lions' Week 4 matchup against the Carolina Panthers and gives his prediction.
Detroit Lions (2-1) at Carolina Panthers (1-2)
The coaches: Lions − Dan Campbell (55-44-1 overall, 50-37-1 with Lions); Panthers − Dave Canales (14-23 overall).
Last game: Lions beat the Jets 31-24; Panthers lost to the Browns 21-18.
Last meeting: Oct. 8, 2023, Lions won 42-24
.Key matchups
Tetairoa McMillan vs Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
Panthers wideout Tetairoa McMillan collected over 1,000 receiving yards in his rookie season in 2025, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and helping lead the 8-9 Panthers to a surprise playoff appearance. And while he doesn't lead the Panthers in receiving so far this year (that would be third-year receiver Jalen Coker), he could still be quarterback Bryce Young's favorite
target on Sunday based on who he will be matched up against.
And it could be that McMillan will have more snaps opposite Lions veteran D.J. Reed instead of youngster Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Or maybe Rakestraw gets McMillan duties. The point is, the Panthers feature two strong receivers, which means the Lions will need two strong cornerbacks to counter Carolina's league-leading passing attack. Can Rakestraw step up?
Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard thinks so.
"[It] has never been about what he could do and his skill set and what we were seeing on the field, it had nothing to do with any of that. It was always about availability with Ennis," he said before Lions practice on Thursday, Oct. 1. "Now let's see what that looks like on a larger scale, and we'll just take it from there."
Jahmyr Gibbs vs Devin Lloyd
Carolina's league-worst run defense (193.3 rushing yards allowed per game) is heavily skewed by the 291 rushing yards they allowed to the Chicago Bears in Week 1. It has gotten better since then, with the Panthers allowing 157 rushing yards to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 (with 72 yards on 16 carries from 2026 first-team All-Pro Bijan Robinson) and 132 rushing yards to the Cleveland Browns in Week 3. That's still not great, but it's not the disaster it looks like at face value.
Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, however, has the chance to bring that average back up.
Detroit has somewhat reduced Gibbs' workload after his career-high 29 rushing attempts against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, with mixed results. Gibbs couldn't get going against Buffalo in Week 2, but the Lions offense seemed to flip a switch against the Jets in the second quarter when the game plan was "give Gibbs the ball," and the Lions may not wait that long to employ that strategy against the Panthers.
Establishing the run early will help keep free agent signing Devin Lloyd on his toes. Lloyd, who missed the Panthers' Week 3 loss against the Browns but is expected to play against Detroit, can be especially dangerous in pass coverage, with two interceptions (including a pick-six) in Carolina's Week 2 win over the Falcons. But if the Lions can get Lloyd to bite on play action, it can keep the middle of the field open, allowing pass-catchers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta to work in their ideal space.
Scouting report
Lions offense vs Panthers defense
As previously noted, Carolina's run defense is probably not as bad as advertised. But their pass defense, currently fifth in the NFL allowing 172.3 yards per game, might not be able to put up the same level of quality on Sunday.
That's because the Panthers just lost both starting cornerback to injured reserve, with Jaycee Horn (quad) and Mike Jackson (groin) out for at least the next four games. Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing says the team's mindset will stay exactly the same regardless of who is matching up against Detroit's wideouts, but that seems more like gamesmanship than an honest assessment of his plan.
No Horn and no Jackson likely means more action for wideouts Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa, who quietly led the Lions with 66 receiving yards against the Jets – though if the rain comes to Charlotte as expected, those two might be kept to short-and-medium outside routes. That should be enough for the Lions to maintain long possessions, however, as long as Gibbs keeps the Panthers defense guessing.
Advantage: Lions
Lions defense vs Panthers offense
Be honest – did you expect Young to lead the league in passing three weeks into the 2026 season?
Young has steadily improved in just about every facet of his game in each of his first three seasons in the league, but he has gone supernova in his fourth season, with his 313 passing yards per game a whopping 74% higher than his season average heading into 2026. Part of that is better protection and part of that is McMillan, but most of it comes down to the former No. 1 overall pick finally looking like a big-time NFL quarterback.
Detroit's pass defense, on the other hand, hasn't been big-time so far this season – though Sheppard praised his defense for "limiting the explosives" against the Jets in Week 3. Carolina's offense is a different beast, however, currently fifth in the league in explosive play rate (7.1%) with Young at the helm. Expect him to air it out.
So, as it has been for the first three games, Detroit's defensive success may rely on getting quarterback pressure, something that stars Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill have done effectively so far. But while Young is no Josh Allen with his legs, he still has the ability to escape the rush if needed, giving the Lions a particularly tough assignment on Sunday.
Advantage: Panthers
Christian Romo's prediction
The Lions allowed New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough and Jets quarterback Geno Smith to shine in Weeks 1 and 3, respectively, while still scoring enough to win both contests. That's because Detroit's offense has looked in control so far, and an improved and healthier offensive line should give quarterback Jared Goff plenty of time to find his receivers on Sunday.
The Panthers will find the end zone with their passing attack, one of the scariest units in the NFL right now. Young and Co. are an emerging threat, while Detroit's offense has been a well-oiled machine for much longer. Even on the road, and even if it rains, the Lions' experience should break through.
The pick: Lions 31, Panthers 27
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions-Panthers scouting report: Is defense ready for ascending Bryce Young?
