There is no bigger story in football than the red-hot start of the Detroit Lions. Point. After all, they’re the only variable that could possibly account for the NFL’s most-watched game of the season — one that even the almighty Taylor Swift couldn’t topple. This week, Detroit returns home after an extended break and has an opportunity to build on its start against a Carolina Panthers team trying to find its footing as it begins its rebuild.
As always, we would not miss the opportunity to obtain information from the enemy’s perspective. We called ahead of this Week 5 game between Detroit and Carolina Walker Clemens out of CatScratchReader.com to give us an update on a Panthers team that the Lions completed their preseason with just over a month ago.
It’s the beginning of a new era in Carolina Panthers football, and as someone who has coached the Lions through multiple rebuilds, it’s obvious that building a new team from the ground up takes time. The Panthers are one of the few winless teams in the NFL – I’ve been there too – but their track record suggests they’ve been pretty competitive.
How close was Carolina to their first win of Frank Reich’s tenure, what ingredient was missing for that first win and what needs to happen this week against the Lions for them to overcome that hurdle?
The Panthers have led at some point in every game so far this season, although they have also lost at least one starter per game in the first three games. This all sounds very encouraging, as if the team was just a few plays away from getting everything together and becoming a complete success.
Unfortunately, the offense has been so incredibly boring that fans are ready to burn the front office down again. At no point did anything other than the defensive performance in the first half inspire any level of obvious confidence in this team. It feels more like the team is just a few plays away from falling apart (as happens in the second half of every game) than it does pulling itself back together.
To achieve victory, the Panthers will optimistically need to stay healthy, find success by gaining positive yards on first downs, and limit the drive-killing penalties along the offensive line that are all too common. If this sounds like kindergarten football level analysis, that’s because this team has kindergarten football available for analysis.
To get the win, the Lions must realistically expect this game to be played in Charlotte.
The Panthers paid a steep price to move up and select Bryce Young with the first overall pick in 2023 NFL Draftand that must be accompanied by a lot of pressure on everyone involved: the decision-makers, the coaching staff and, above all, the player himself.
How has Young handled that pressure so far this season, did the ankle injury last week seem to still have a lingering impact on his game, and what parts of his game seem NFL-ready at this point in his career – and where are you hoping for that? Do you see growth this year?
I’ll start with the last part first. Young throws with great anticipation and has shown fantastic pocket awareness. Reducing his accuracy on deep balls and helping him see more of the field are the two biggest steps he can take to improve his pro game.
The ankle injury no longer appears to be a factor.
How he handled the pressure is an ongoing story. This is by far the biggest loss he has ever lost in his career. Probably goes back to Pop Warner. He seemed poised in every game, sometimes to the point of being too calm. But I’m deeply curious to see how this semblance of calm continues as the team continues to flounder like fish in the desert.
Carolina ranks 11th in pass defense DVOA and 14th in ESPN pass-rush win rate, but 32nd in run defense DVOA and 25th in run stopping -Win rate.
How much of the Panthers’ run defense is currently a work in progress this season and needs to be addressed with personnel changes in the offseason? And what do you think about the Panthers still having a respectable pass defense despite the absence of their top cornerback Jaycee Horn? Is it because we have some talented pass rushers in Brian Burns and the perennial Justin Houston?
The run defense is relatively good and has only suffered from injuries to Shaq Thompson, Jaycee Horn and Xavier Woods. Many of the Panthers’ defensive backs are better in coverage than they are in run support. The main reason for the disparity between their run defense and pass defense rankings is the game situation. The Panthers were behind for so long in the second half that the opposing teams inevitably went on the run. Consider the fact that the offense can’t stay on the field and the defense generally tires around the same time that their opponents turn to a more run-intensive game script.
Which players on Carolina’s roster – be it on offense or defense – have flown under the national radar so far this season, and what impact do you expect them to have this Sunday against Detroit?
The Panthers have a different defensive star every week, partly because of Ejiro Evero’s scheme and partly because they have new starters every week. Look for Yetur Gross-Matos in the front seven and Jeremy Chinn in the second row to have a big week this week, if anyone does.
There were no stars on offense. Adam Thielen has been consistent and that’s the best they have.
What information about the Panthers might a Lions fan playing this weekend find useful for their bet slip?
The Panthers defense keeps opponents at bay with a 27.6% conversion rate on third downs. The game usually gets out of hand for the Panthers once their opponents have a one-point lead. Basically, there aren’t a lot of points in their games, but any team can easily get into the low 20s. If you think the Lions will score first, bet on the under (currently -110 at 44.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook). If you think the Panthers could score first, even a field goal, then you should consider betting on the over.
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