Jared Goff threw for 412 yards on Sunday night and still lost. The Lions vs Panthers game in Charlotte belonged to Tetairoa McMillan, who caught 14 passes for a career high 192 yards and two touchdowns as Carolina beat Detroit 32-26 on Sunday Night Football. Both teams are now 2-2.
McMillan, the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year, did most of his damage early. He had nine catches for 147 yards by half time, according to the Associated Press, and his night put him in a very small Panthers club: only Steve Smith Sr. and Patrick Jeffers had previously had at least 10 catches, 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a game for Carolina.
How Carolina built the lead
Carolina led 7-3 after the first quarter, Detroit scored 13 in the second, and the teams went in level at 16-16. The game turned in the third quarter, when the Panthers outscored Detroit 13-3. McMillan scored from 32 yards in the second quarter and from 10 yards in the third, and Chuba Hubbard added two rushing touchdowns on a season high night of 20 carries for 122 yards.
Bryce Young was tidy throughout, completing 29 of 41 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, per ESPN’s box score and NBC Sports. Detroit did not turn the ball over once, yet never led after Carolina’s third quarter burst.
Lions vs Panthers: key numbers
| Stat | Lions | Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Score by quarter | 3, 13, 3, 7 (26) | 7, 9, 13, 3 (32) |
| Total yards | 519 | 456 |
| Passing | Goff 32 of 52, 412 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT | Young 29 of 41, 329 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT |
| Leading receiver | Isaac TeSlaa 4 catches, 95 yds | McMillan 14 catches, 192 yds, 2 TD |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Record after Week 4 | 2-2 | 2-2 |
Figures from ESPN’s box score. Detroit outgained Carolina by 63 yards and committed no turnovers. When a team wins the yardage battle, never turns it over and still loses, the questions tend to land on the defence, and Detroit allowed Carolina 456 yards and 32 points.
Goff’s big numbers and a drive that went nowhere
Goff attempted 52 passes and Detroit’s only touchdown through the air went to tight end Sam LaPorta, according to the AP and Fox Sports. The Lions got the ball back one last time trailing by six with just over two minutes left, starting at their own 13, and could not move it. The drive ended on downs, and Young knelt twice to finish the game, per the AP and NBC Sports.
Injuries piled up on both sides. Carolina lost Monroe Freeling to a knee injury and Jaelan Phillips to a hamstring problem, while Detroit cornerback Rock Ya-Sin hurt his hamstring in the second half, according to the AP and NBC Sports.
Explainer: why 10, 150 and 2 is a big deal
A receiving line of 10 catches, 150 yards and two touchdowns is a rare all round game for a wide receiver: it needs volume, big plays and red zone trust in the same night. For a franchise that has played since 1995, only three Panthers have now done it, and McMillan did it with more than half the yardage already banked by the interval. For fantasy players and Carolina fans alike, it confirms that the offence now runs through him.
What’s next for Detroit and Carolina
The Lions are on the road again in Week 5 at the Arizona Cardinals, kickoff 4:25pm ET on Sunday, October 11. Carolina have their bye week, then travel to the Philadelphia Eagles at 1pm ET on Sunday, October 18. The Eagles have had their own wobbles, including a 27-7 loss in Chicago last month.
