Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers just dropped a bomb on the Detroit Lions, taking down the 3.5-point favorites 32-26 at Bank of America Stadium. Young, along with Tetairoa McMillan, put on an absolute clinic, completely dismantling a team that everyone thought would roll into Charlotte and grab an easy ‘W’. This wasn’t just a win, it was a statement from the Panthers’ young guns.
The Young-McMillan Show Was Unstoppable
If you missed this game, you missed the Tetairoa McMillan coming out party, for real. Young and McMillan hooked up for two scores that had the home crowd absolutely buzzing. Young himself threw for a massive 329 yards, which is his second-highest total of the season, only behind his 361-yard performance in the season opener against the Bears. McMillan was an absolute beast, hauling in 14 catches for 192 yards and those two crucial touchdowns on 16 targets. It wasn’t just the air attack though, Chuba Hubbard got in on the action with two rushing touchdowns of his own, powering his way to 122 yards on 20 carries. To cap off a brilliant night, the Panthers’ offense went a perfect 2-for-2 on fourth-down attempts. When they needed it, they got it.
Meanwhile, Jared Goff did put up some numbers for the Lions, throwing for 412 yards and one touchdown, but it wasn’t enough. Jahmyr Gibbs had a rushing touchdown but was limited to 46 yards on 15 carries. Sam LaPorta added 84 receiving yards and a score, and Amon-Ra St. Brown grabbed 75 yards. Big stats, but not the win.
How The Game Unfolded, Play-by-Play
The Lions got on the board first with an opening-drive field goal, but it was Carolina that grabbed a 7-3 lead by the second quarter after a 15-yard Hubbard rushing touchdown. The second quarter was a straight-up shootout, with both teams scoring on every single possession. Ryan Fitzgerald nailed a near-50-yard field goal for the Panthers, and Young hit McMillan for a 32-yard touchdown pass. The Lions kept pace with two field goals over 40 yards, including one right at the buzzer to tie things up at 16 heading into halftime, plus that Gibbs rushing touchdown.
The Young-to-McMillan connection was back at it in the third, hooking up for another 10-yard touchdown pass. The Lions tried to stay in it, with Goff launching a huge 57-yard pass to Isaac TeSlaa to set up a field goal and close the gap. But Carolina just wouldn’t be slowed down. Hubbard barreled in for his second touchdown of the night, giving the Panthers a commanding 29-19 lead going into the final quarter. The Panthers’ defense truly stepped up when it mattered most, forcing a punt and then a turnover on downs. Goff finally broke through with a short pass to LaPorta, making it a one-score game, but the Panthers’ defense wasn’t done. After Detroit got the ball back with 2:06 left, a clutch sack from Carolina paved the way for a game-sealing fourth-down stop. That’s how you close out a win, baby!
What’s Next for Both Teams
After that massive upset, the Panthers are heading into their bye week sitting at 2-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play, good enough for first place in the NFC South. They’ve proven they can hang with the best, and this Young-McMillan connection is something to keep an eye on.
The Lions, now also 2-2 overall, are sitting at third in the NFC North with a 1-0 conference record. They’ll need to shake off this loss quickly as they hit the road next Sunday to face the Arizona Cardinals. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET. This was a tough one for Detroit, getting upset by underdogs on the road, and they’ve got to find a way to bounce back fast if they want to keep pace in a competitive NFC North.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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