Man, talk about a mixed bag! The Carolina Panthers pulled off a 32-26 victory over the Detroit Lions last night, but it wasn’t all sunshine and high fives, especially for cornerback Akayleb Evans. In his first start of the season, Evans got absolutely torched in coverage, stepping in after Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson both landed on injured reserve this past week.
Canales Spin Zone? The Coach’s Take on a Rough Night
You gotta wonder what Head Coach Dave Canales was watching, or maybe he’s just playing cheerleader for his guys. When reporters asked him about the secondary’s performance, Canales actually said, “I would say, by and large, [Akayleb] did a really good job.” Seriously? He followed that up by admitting, “He gave up some big plays. He’d be up here telling you there’s a few opportunities that he would love to have back to play differently.” Sounds like a walk back to me. Canales even tried to pump Evans up on the sideline, telling him, “Look, this is a great opportunity. You’ve given up a few plays, you know they’re gonna come back here. So just be ready for the next opp because you’re gonna get that.” You hope Evans was listening, because the Lions sure were ready for their “next opps” against him.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Detroit Went After Evans Big Time
The cold, hard facts from Pro Football Focus are brutal. Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff came Evans’ way a staggering 14 times. And on those 14 targets, Evans was charged with allowing 11 receptions for a combined 197 yards and a touchdown. Yeah, you read that right. Almost 200 yards given up to one corner. His partner, rookie Will Lee III, a fourth-round pick also making his first start, actually fared a bit better, giving up four catches for 53 yards on six targets. Goff himself had a season-high day, throwing for 412 yards on 52 attempts, which is also the most passing yards the Panthers have given up all season in 2026. This secondary has some serious questions to answer, and fast.
Look, a win is a win, but when your defense gives up 412 passing yards, and one corner gets absolutely roasted for 197 of them, it’s a huge red flag. With key guys on IR, the Panthers need to figure out how to shore up that defensive backfield before teams start circling Evans like a shark. They got away with it against Detroit, but the rest of the league is definitely taking notes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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