The Detroit Lions are headed south for a Sunday Night Football game against the Carolina Panthers. It's wild to think that it's already Week 4, but we're already stumbling into the colder months and into a very contentious portion of the Lions' schedule.
After this Panthers game and their Week 5 bout against the Arizona Cardinals on the road, they'll have a bye week followed by back-to-back NFC North games. We're already hitting that point in the year, when regular season games matter a little more.
Ahead of that time, though, we'll take a look at the Lions' impending matchup against the Panthers, who are set to be very undermanned for this contest. For once, the Lions don't seem primed to be the more injured team.
Last updated: Thursday, October 1, 9:30am
- Lions, Panthers injury tracker for Week 4
- Storylines to follow between Lions and Panthers in Week 4
- Prediction
Lions, Panthers injury tracker for Week 4
Lions injuries
Player | Injury | Wednesday, September 30 |
|---|---|---|
OL Ben Bartch | Foot | NP |
DJ Wonnum | Back | NP |
CB D.J. Reed | Rib | LP |
Panthers injuries
Player | Injury | Wednesday, September 30 |
|---|---|---|
WR Jalen Coker | Quad | NP |
WR Xavier Legette | Knee | NP |
LG Damien Lewis | Elbow | NP |
RT Monroe Freeling | Concussion | NP |
TE Darren Waller | Rest/toe | NP |
RB Chuba Hubbard | Not injury related | NP |
QB Bryce Young | Knee | FP |
LB Princely Umanmielen | Ankle | NP |
LB Devin Lloyd | Calf | FP |
S Nick Scott | Ribs | FP |
In addition to all the above reported injuries for the Panthers, they placed both of their starting cornerbacks - Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson - on the IR ahead of this game. That's a huge blow to their pass defense, which has had a decent start to the season. With that lack of resistance in the air coupled with their poor run defense, this game could get ugly fast.
The Lions' injury report from Wednesday was short - the only concerning players on their list are Wonnum and Reed. Head coach Dan Campbell did not indicate that either would be missing time or this game in his Wednesday press availability, though.
Storylines to follow between Lions and Panthers in Week 4
Can Detroit take advantage of Carolina's injury woes?
The Lions are typically on the other end of this formula, so it's strange to be thinking about how they can take advantage of the Panthers' weaknesses in Week 4. As mentioned, they'll be without their starting cornerbacks in Week 4, and that could create more opportunities for players like Jameson Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Isaac TeSlaa, and Sam LaPorta.
Of course, Lloyd may be back for this game, so that could make things difficult for Detroit's tight end room at the very least. And, it could help Carolina to improve upon their run defense - they're allowing a league-high 193.3 rushing yards per game, which feels like a D-line stat and a linebacker stat, for sure.
Jahmyr Gibbs is likely to still get a ton of touches in this game despite those weaknesses worth poking in the Panthers' secondary, but it'll likely result in good things for Detroit's offense.
More Isaac TeSlaa touches?
Lions wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery told reporters on Wednesday that he's liked the process so far with Jameson Williams this season, and specifically mentioned how nice it's been that teams are doubling him downfield. As a result, it's leaving players like LaPorta, TeSlaa, and St. Brown in one-on-one competitions that are resulting in separation and catches.
“If you choose to double he and St. (Brown), then you get one-on-one matchups with (LaPorta, Gibbs, TeSlaa).”
The Lions have a ton of weapons to utilize in their offense, and despite scoring 31 points in three straight games to open up their season, it still feels like they're missing opportunities to break games open. Providing more looks to someone like TeSlaa, who has proven to be a threat downfield and in the red zone, could open things up even further for their offense. He finished up Week 3 with 66 receiving yards on three targets.
Lions' pass rush could go off vs. Panthers
As mentioned, injuries have ravaged the Panthers as of late, but mostly on their defense. Still, one key injury has hit their offensive line that's worth mentioning: their left guard, Damien Lewis, is likely out of this game with a PCL injury.
Carolina is currently ranked 25th in pass block win rate, and while Young is a mobile quarterback, he's no Josh Allen. Failing to protect him could open the floodgates for Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, and DJ Wonnum to get him on the ground and throw him off his base, and to potentially generate some turnovers as a result.
Wonnum popped up on the injury report on Wednesday ahead of the game, but again, there has been no indication from the Lions that he might miss this game. Detroit's defensive line has shown up this year, at the very least, helping to mask their major woes in their secondary.
First game post-Porter trade
A microscope is certain to be on Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Roger McCreary, and anyone else the Lions toss out at CB2 in this game after they failed to acquire Joey Porter Jr. from the Pittsburgh Steelers. As I wrote following the trade, though, it doesn't really feel like a failure on the Lions' part - money, a culture fit, and a likely unwillingness to part with a 2nd-round pick all combined to make this sort of deal unlikely.
Still, however unfairly, Detroit's solution(s) at the position are now set to be scrutinized until they land a legitimate starter there - if they do at all. Rakestraw, especially, is bound to have some extra eyes on him. The 2024 draft pick had promising snaps against the New York Jets in Week 3, and he earned another look in Week 4 against an injured Panthers team that could be without WR1 Jalen Coker.
Prediction
I have to go with the Lions in this game, mostly because of how injured the Panthers are on defense. Detroit's offense is a problem regardless, but with less resistance by way of Horn and Jackson, they'll be even more open to let it fly downfield. That, coupled with their offensive line shaping up to be even stronger than they were to kick off the year, feels like a perfect recipe for an offensive explosion.
Assuming Coker doesn't go in this game, too, the Lions will have one less target for Young to have to worry about defending closely. Obviously, this doesn't fully eliminate the Panthers as a threat on offense - the team will have to still contain Hubbard, and Tet McMillan - but you like the Lions' chances of successfully doing that over Carolina's chances of containing Detroit.
I'll go with a final score of 31-27 here.
Add us as a preferred source on Google