The Carolina Panthers cannot afford to settle for three points again. That was the clear message after a tough loss to Cleveland, where the team moved the ball well but failed to finish drives. Ryan Fitzgerald kicked four field goals, which shows he is reliable but also highlights a major offensive flaw. One of those drives needed to end with a touchdown instead of a field goal to change the game result.
Stop Settling for Field Goals
The offense put up 362 yards but only scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. When a team loses 21-18, every missed opportunity to score seven points hurts. Sports Illustrated reported that the team simply has to turn those three-point drives into seven-point scores. It is that simple. If they keep kicking field goals in the red zone, they will keep losing games they should win.
Bryce Young threw the ball 48 times on Sunday, a number that feels way too high for a team trying to find balance. Chuba Hubbard ran for 82 yards on 19 carries, yet the team did not lean on him enough once the running game started working. The offensive line has struggled to protect Young, with 51 percent of his dropbacks resulting in pressure. Asking a quarterback to throw that much behind a shaky line is a bad plan. The team needs to run the ball more to make things easier for Young and keep the defense honest.
Defensive Injuries Create a Perfect Storm
The Lions are coming into town with a potent offense, and the Panthers are dealing with a massive injury list. On Wednesday, the team put Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, both starting cornerbacks, on injured reserve. This leaves a huge hole in the secondary against a team with strong passing leaders. According to Yahoo Sports, the Panthers have allowed 580 total rushing yards through three weeks, which is the worst run defense in the NFL.
Jahmyr Gibbs has been a superstar for Detroit, posting 307 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns so far. He averages 4.7 yards per carry and has also added 156 receiving yards. With Nic Scourton out for the year and Tershawn Wharton on the physically unable to perform list, the Panthers lack the depth to stop him.
Weather and Officiating Add Complexity
Because rain is forecast for Charlotte on Sunday night, the contest might turn messy for all participants. The forecast calls for showers and high humidity, conditions that favor a run-heavy approach. Detroit practiced in the rain on Thursday, giving them a slight edge in preparation. Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp believes kicker Jake Bates has a style that works well in bad weather, which could be a key advantage if the field gets slick.
The officiating crew is led by Clay Martin, who has thrown the fewest flags of any crew this season. Only 19 penalty flags have been thrown by his group against home teams, while 17 went against away teams. This means the game might be played with fewer interruptions, which favors the more physical team. The Lions have a history of dealing with Martin’s crew, going 5-5 in his 10 games as head referee. For the Panthers, this means they cannot rely on the refs to help them out of tight spots.
Exactly 31 points have been scored by the Lions in each of their first three games, a rare occurrence in franchise history. Behind just the Bills and 49ers, they hold the third spot in the league for scoring. If the Panthers do not stop the run and stop settling for field goals, Detroit will likely hit that 31-point mark again.
