The Lions forced a punt on the Panthers' first drive of the game. They wouldn't force another until the fourth quarter.
Kelvin Sheppard's defense was once again exposed in a 32-26 loss to the Panthers on Sunday Night Football. And the Lions' offense couldn't make up for it against an injury-depleted defense for Carolina.
The Panthers went up and down the field for most of the night, with Bryce Young picking apart the Lions for 329 yards and two touchdowns. Detroit's run defense eventually wilted as well, allowing 122 yards and two touchdowns to Chuba Hubbard.
The Lions entered the game allowing the most points and most passing yards per game in the NFL, and outdid themselves in both categories. They had no answer for Panthers receiver Tet McMillan. He caught 14 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns, beating every defensive back the Lions put on him.
The offense, meanwhile, didn't do enough to keep the Lions in the game until late in the fourth quarter. The score was tied at 16 at halftime, but Detroit scored just three second-half points.
The Lions did have a chance at a game-winning drive after the defense forced two late punts. But the offense went four-and-out, with the game ending when Jared Goff threw to Isaac TeSlaa who was tackled a couple yards shy of the sticks.
Goff piled up 412 yards through the air, but threw it 52 times, not a winning formula for the Lions. The Panthers' defense, which entered the game with the worst run defense in the NFL, was able to bottle up Jahmyr Gibbs, holding him to 3.1 yards per carry and 77 total yards of offense.
The difference in the game was in the red zone, where the Panthers went 3-for-4 and the Lions went 2-for-4, and on fourth down, where the Panthers went 2-for-2 and the Lions went 1-for-3.
