The Detroit Lions will face a tough test on Sunday night against quarterback Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers. The Lions' offense has thrived under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing through three games, averaging 31 PPG.
Defense, however, remains the biggest concern, as in addition to their 41-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 2, the Lions defense struggled in its two one-possession home wins at Ford Field against the New Orleans Saints and the New York Jets.
DJ Wonnum returns to Carolina for revenge game
With the defense looking to improve one game at a time, Lions linebacker DJ Wonnum returns to Carolina on Sunday for a revenge game against his former team. Wonnum was among the Lions' notable free-agent additions this offseason, signing a one-year, $6 million deal after two seasons with the Panthers.
Before that, Wonnum spent four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings to start his NFL career, as they selected him with the No. 117 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Wonnum is coming off an impressive performance in the Lions' recent win over the Jets, recording two total tackles and two sacks.
The former Panthers linebacker will look to build on that strong performance to build on when he returns to Carolina on Sunday night. In the 24 games he played with the Panthers over the course of two seasons, Wonnum collected 79 total tackles, seven sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception.
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Wonnum returned to practice on Thursday for the Lions after dealing with a back injury, and the Lions are hoping he can play a crucial role for Detroit in a primetime win over the Panthers.
What to expect from Lions in matchup vs. Panthers
While the performance of the Lions defense will be among the biggest keys against a Panthers team that is poised to pull off the primetime upset following their disappointing 21-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 3, the Lions offense should be able to thrive in Sunday’s game, especially with Carolina missing two of its top cornerbacks.
It’s important, however, to note that the Panthers have been in a similar situation before. Last season, without key defensive starters, the Panthers upset the Los Angeles Rams, a win that proved to make a crucial difference in their winning the NFC South and making the playoffs.
This time, the Panthers will look to do it again against a Lions team that is competing with the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears for the NFC North division crown. Much like their wins over the Saints and Jets, this game could very well come down to the final possession. Will Wonnum and the Lions' defense step up and deliver?
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