Panthers 32, Lions 26: Game Recap

The Carolina Panthers beat the Detroit Lions 32-26 on Sunday night at Bank of America Stadium, their first Sunday Night Football win since Oct. 25, 2015, the team says. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught 14 passes for 192 yards, both career highs, and two touchdowns, tying his career best. The Panthers went into their bye week at 2-2. Detroit is also 2-2.

The Lions gained more yards, 452 to 445, and quarterback Jared Goff threw for 412 of them. But Detroit scored touchdowns on two of its four trips inside the Panthers' 20-yard line and kicked four field goals, and it was penalized nine times for 67 yards. Lions coach Dan Campbell said the penalties are "100% on me."

Bryce Young completed 29 of 41 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He started 11 for 11, which the team says is a career best and the first time a Panthers quarterback has opened a game with 11 straight completions since Teddy Bridgewater in 2020. McMillan was targeted 16 times and had nine catches for 147 yards by halftime. His 192 yards tie for the second most in a game in team history, behind Steve Smith Sr.'s 201 against Minnesota in 2005, according to the team's postgame notes. Muhsin Muhammad also had 192, at New Orleans in 1998.

A bad week of practice

Panthers coach Dave Canales said it was "not a great week of practice" for Young and McMillan, with "some misses" the two had to work through. Young said a missed practice day does not change how much he trusts McMillan. Asked what changed between them on Sunday, McMillan did not offer an explanation. "I can't tell you what happened tonight," he said. "Maybe it's just the Charlotte air."

Fans chanted "MVP" for Young during the game. Young said he heard it. McMillan said he did not know about it until after the game.

How it went

Detroit kicked a 54-yard field goal on its first possession, and Chuba Hubbard's 15-yard touchdown run put Carolina up 7-3 after the first quarter. The teams traded scores through the second quarter, including a 32-yard McMillan touchdown catch, and were tied at 16 at halftime after Detroit kicker Bates hit a 41-yarder as the half expired. Carolina outscored Detroit 16-10 after the break.

McMillan caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Young in the third quarter, and Hubbard scored from two yards out at 2:47, making it 29-19. Both McMillan touchdowns were followed by failed extra-point kicks; Carolina made two of four. Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald's 33-yard field goal in the fourth quarter finished a 13-play, 72-yard drive that took 5 minutes 44 seconds and made it 32-19. Detroit answered with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Goff to tight end LaPorta with 3:38 left. Detroit had the ball again with about two minutes to play, Campbell and Goff said, and did not score.

The ground game

Hubbard ran 20 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Carolina gained 127 yards on 28 carries; Detroit gained 46 on 15. By the team's count Hubbard now has 3,992 career rushing yards, passing Christian McCaffrey (3,980) for fourth in team history. Canales praised Hubbard for breaking tackles and said he "ran with violence tonight."

Detroit's four field goals

The Lions' two touchdowns were a 1-yard Jahmyr Gibbs run and the LaPorta catch. Bates kicked all four field goals, from 54, 43, 41 and 26 yards. Canales credited the red-zone defense. The Panthers were penalized eight times for 60 yards. Neither team threw an interception or lost a fumble. Campbell said Detroit's problem on discipline is that he is not getting the message across.

Injuries and the bye

Tackle Monroe Freeling did not finish the game, and Canales said the team will evaluate him. Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips also left; Canales said it "looks like a hamstring right now," with the severity unknown. The Panthers played without receivers Xavier Legette (injured reserve) and Jalen Coker, tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, guard Damien Lewis and tackle Austin Reese. The team's bye week runs Oct. 5 to 11, so there is no game this Sunday.

Carolina's 121 points through four games are the most in a season-opening four-game stretch in team history, the team says, and it is the first time in team history the Panthers have scored more than 30 points in three of their first four games. By the team's notes the Panthers are now 9-4 all-time against the Lions, and 7-1 at home. They came into the night off a 21-18 loss at Cleveland.