The Carolina Panthers secured a 32-26 victory over the Detroit Lions during their Week 4 NFL matchup on Sunday, evening both teams’ records at 2-2 for the season. Bryce Young led the charge for Carolina with 329 passing yards and two touchdowns, while teammate Chuba Hubbard added 122 rushing yards and two scores.
Panthers Establish Early Momentum in Detroit
Carolina set the tone early, though Detroit opened the scoring with a 54-yard field goal from Jake Bates. The Panthers answered immediately when Chuba Hubbard punched in a rushing touchdown to capture a 7-3 advantage by the end of the first quarter. Carolina maintained pressure through the second frame, leaning on a touchdown pass from Young to Tetairoa McMillan alongside a 47-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald to build a 16-13 cushion.
The Lions responded before halftime, leveling the score at 16-16 heading into the locker room. Bates contributed a pair of field goals while Jahmyr Gibbs broke through for a rushing touchdown to keep Detroit within striking distance.
Carolina Extends Lead as Detroit Struggles
The visitors regained control in the third quarter as Young and McMillan connected once more for another passing touchdown, extending the lead to 22-16 despite Fitzgerald missing his second extra point of the afternoon. After Bates hit another field goal to narrow the gap to 22-19, Hubbard dashed through the Detroit defense for his second rushing score of the game, pushing Carolina ahead 29-19.
Detroit struggled to find rhythm on offense during the opening moments of the final period, hampered by execution errors. Fitzgerald capitalized on the stalled drives by slotting a field goal that stretched the Panthers’ lead to 32-19 with little time remaining.
Late Lions Rally Falls Short
Lions quarterback Jared Goff engineered a late drive with just over three minutes left on the game clock, guiding his offense 67 yards across 10 plays. The possession culminated in a touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta, trimming the deficit to 32-26. However, the ensuing comeback attempt ran out of time.
The Week 4 NFL schedule concludes on Monday night as the Atlanta Falcons travel to face the New Orleans Saints.
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