Charlotte, N.C. — The Detroit Lions had no business walking away from Bank of America Stadium with a victory over the Carolina Panthers Sunday night. So it was appropriate that a potential game-winning drive ended with the Lions coming up a yard short.
Isaac TeSlaa’s fourth-down reception was stopped just shy of the sticks, turning the ball back to the Panthers, who took a knee to run out the clock for the 32-26 victory.
In many ways, it was a reversal of last week’s script against the New York Jets. Instead of shutting down the opponent for three quarters, the Lions defense struggled to get a stop until the final frame against the Panthers.
Quarterback Bryce Young shrugged off Detroit’s pass-rush pressure to carve up the secondary. He went early and often to second-year receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who established new career-highs for receptions and receiving yards by halftime, finishing with 14 grabs for 192 yards.
And running back Chuba Hubbard looked like he bathed in butter during halftime with the way he repeatedly slipped through the grasp of Detroit defenders down the stretch, running for 96 yards and a touchdown in the second half.
The Lions (2-2) weathered the storm in the first half, tying the game with a field goal as time expired, but McMillan stayed hot coming out of the locker room, putting the Panthers (2-2) back on top with his second touchdown catch of the night.
Detroit countered McMillan’s third-quarter score with a field goal, but a 25-yard run for Hubbard set him up for a 2-yard touchdown run in response.
The Lions’ offense undeniably had success racking up yards against a depleted Panthers’ secondary, which had put it’s two starting cornerbacks on injured reserve this week, but the visitors routinely stalled out on the opponent’s side of the field, settling for field goal after field goal.
Countering haymakers with jabs left the Lions trailing by 12 with a little more than nine minutes to go. Still, they were able to slice the deficit to a score with a three-and-out, and managed to force a second punt for an unexpected rally. But the last-gasp effort fell short.
Scoring summary
First quarter
● 12:05 — Detroit cruised into Carolina territory with a 18-yard pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown on the game’s opening possession, but a false start and a couple pass protection breakdowns squashed the offensive momentum. Kicker Jake Bates salvaged the opening series, crushing a 54-yard field goal down the middle. LIONS 3, PANTHERS 0
● 1:50 — Attacking the middle of the field with passes and the edges on the ground, the Panthers marched 72 yards in eight plays without facing a third down. Aidan Hutchinson got pinned inside by a block on a 15-yard Chuba Hubbard touchdown romp around the left side. PANTHERS 7, LIONS 3
Second quarter
● 12:41 — A clunky series with two negative plays, offset by a roughing the passer call against the Panthers, allowed the Lions to come away with a second field goal, a 43-yarder for Bates.
On the snap before the field goal attempt, Gibbs couldn’t hang on to a throw across the middle after taking a big hit from safety Lathan Ransom. The Lions challenged the ruling, but the call on the field stood after replay review. PANTHERS 7, LIONS 6
● 8:08 — Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was sharp, beating the blitz with a 26-yard pass to convert a third-and-9, firing a bullet into a tight window to reset the chains on fourth-and-4, then delivering a clean deep ball to Tetairoa McMillan, who outmuscled Lions cornerback DJ Reed on the end zone shot for a 32-yard score. The Panthers missed the extra point. PANTHERS 13, LIONS 6
● 2:14 — Goff converted a trio of third downs with a completion to Sione Vaki and two to Jameson Williams, setting the Lions up first-and-goal from the 5-yard line. After Isaac TeSlaa drew a pass interference flag in the end zone, Gibbs punched it in from a yard out to knot things up. LIONS 13 PANTHERS 13
● 0:28 — McMillan continued to terrorize Detroit’s defense, catching three more passes for 37 yards and bringing his halftime tally to nine for 147. However, the Panthers stalled well shy of the end zone, settling for a 47-yard field goal shortly before the break. PANTHERS 16, LIONS 13
● 0:00 — A 49-yard deep shot to Williams allowed the Lions secure a game-tying field goal as time expired in the opening half. LIONS 16, PANTHERS 16
Third quarter
● 9:33 — Detroit’s halftime adjustments didn’t involve a plan for McMillan, who caught the opening pass of the possession, drew a pass interference and snagged a 10-yard touchdown to cap the 11-play drive.
Again, the Panthers missed the extra point. PANTHERS 22, LIONS 16
● 9:33 — The Lions dug out of a first-and-25 hole after a personal foul against Brock Wright with a season-long, 57-yard bomb to TeSlaa. But the drive petered out in the red zone after Goff was rushed into an overthrow on second down and had his third-down toss to Sam LaPorta batted down at the line of scrimmage. That meant another field goal for Bates, this time from 26 yards out. PANTHERS 22, LIONS 19
● 2:47 — Arguably the worst defensive series in a game full of subpar play, Detroit allowed Young to carve them up for three completions netting 55 yards, before missing multiple tackles on a 25-yard Hubbard run to the 2-yard line. The back punched it in from there on the ensuing snap. PANTHERS 29, LIONS 19
Fourth quarter
● 8:59 — Carolina didn’t finish in the end zone, but the managed to kill nearly six minutes of clock on a 13-play drive that ended in a 33-yard field goal after stalling in the red zone. PANTHERS 32, LIONS 19
● 3:38 — Taking over after forcing a rare three-and-out, Detroit’s offense hurried down the field for a touchdown. Goff completed seven throws for 67 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown to LaPorta, slicing the deficit to six with 3:38 remaining.
Turnovers
● None
Notable
● Rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder played his first defensive snaps of his career.
● Rookie defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard worked an offensive snap for the second consecutive week, Gibbs’ 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
● St. Brown passed Johnny Morton for the third most receiving yards in franchise history.
Injuries
● Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin exited with a hamstring injury after the opening kickoff of the second half.
Inactives
The Lions made the following players inactive for the contest: Guard Ben Bartch, tight end Tyler Conklin, safety Bishop Fitzgerald, defensive lineman Ahmed Hassanein, linebacker Devin White and defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo.
Bartch was ruled out on Friday with a foot injury. The other players were healthy scratches.
Next game
The Lions will head back on the road to face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 4:25 p.m.
Sad, really sad.
So sad. We look like a team that is happy to be there but not ready to take the next step. And this was very sad to type.