The Carolina Panthers put the world on notice last night when they went up and down the field on the Detroit Lions. In primetime, the Panthers defeated the Lions 32-26 on Sunday Night Football.
Bryce Young is playing with a sense of focus. Considering he is on a contract year, he is determined to be Carolina’s long-term answer at quarterback. It’s hard to ignore how impressive looked.
What made last night’s win more impressive was how thin Carolina was offensively and defensively.
“Young completed 29 of 41 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns to McMillan, who had 14 catches for a career-high 192 yards, and the Panthers overcame an injury-filled week to beat the Detroit Lions 32-26,” an ESPN article says.
Tetairoa McMillan’s Huge Game
Among those who had a huge game was Tetairoa McMillan who hauled in 14 catches for 192 yards. McMillan had nine catches for 147 yards in the first half, including a 32-yard touchdown.
Young made comments on his trust in T-Mac during a postgame interview.
“I trust [McMillan] so much,” Young told reporters on Sunday Night. “We have so many banked reps from these two years — offseason, OTAs, all that stuff. … I know the player he is. He’s special. I always trust him.
“He was balling today, and that was something super fun to see,” Carolina tight end Tommy Tremble said in a Bleacher Report article. “He was able to show who he was today, and I think that’s awesome because that’s the type of player he is, that’s the caliber of player. And to show it on Sunday Night Football, there’s nothing better. So, I’m really, really happy for him.”
“Everything just clicked tonight,” McMillan said in an ESPN article. “There were some plays throughout the week that we may not have hit on, but (offensive coordinator) Brad Idzik called the plays and Bryce trusted it. He made good throws and we converted. I can’t tell you what happened tonight. Maybe it was just the Charlotte air.”
It was a great bounce back week considering how they lost to the Cleveland Browns the week before. Tet McMillan’s big game proves he can be a hands-down top ten wide receiver when he gets the targets. The Detroit Lions had no answer for him.
Can Carolina Stay Afloat With All the Injuries?
It’ll be a tough task, but Carolina showed what they can do when things are clicking offensively.
Defensively, they possibly lost cornerback Jaycee Horn for the year after suffering a torn quad against the Browns.
“Sources: #Panthers star CB Jaycee Horn suffered a torn quad and is out indefinitely. One of the game’s best,” Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account. “Horn will seek a second opinion, but he’s headed for Injured Reserve and could be lost for the season.”
The Panthers also lost cornerback Mike Jackson to a groin injury during the game, and he did not return. There is no timeline for his return at this time.
“Jackson has played in 73 consecutive games, the fifth-longest streak among active defensive backs, and his 41 consecutive starts are the sixth-most,” Gantt wrote. “Along with Horn, they’ve created one of the league’s top cornerback duos, with nine interceptions between them last year.”
Panthers’ Bryce Young Sends Clear Message on Tet McMillan’s Impact