The Detroit Lions can't seem to figure out how to beat the Carolina Panthers on the road. They went blow-for-blow with them in the first half before their horrid defense got the best of them when it mattered most.
The Lions' secondary made Bryce Young look like prime Tom Brady and Tetairoa McMillan like the second coming of Jerry Rice. Ultimately, not being able to get them off the field cost them a game they should've won.
Now, sitting on a 2-2 record, the Lions look much more like pretenders than actual contenders. And while there were some positives in the win, these guys are the primary people to blame for the team's 32-26 loss to the Panthers.
Lions who cost Detroit the most in the loss to Panthers
Jahmyr Gibbs
As crazy as it may sound, Jahmyr Gibbs had a bad game; he's human! The Lions' dominant ball-carrier couldn't find any ground in the running game, with futile spin moves often leading him right into a defender.
Gibbs has been the team's best offensive weapon by a significant margin, so he should get a pass in this one. That said, other teams now have a blueprint and a full game's worth of film on how to contain him.
D.J. Reed
Once again, the Lions' lack of a high-end cornerback came back to haunt this team. At this point, and after watching the Dallas Cowboys trade for Joey Porter Jr., this is just organizational malpractice of the finest order.
D.J. Reed was on the wrong end of some big plays tonight, giving up five catches on six targets for 74 yards and one score. Bryce Young had a 157.6 passer rating when targeting him, and he's up to 18.5 yards per catch allowed for the season.
Jared Goff
Jared Goff lacked touch multiple times in this one. He missed Amon-Ra St. Brown for an easy score after he created just enough separation. Then, he couldn't get the play off in time and was called for a head-scratching delay-of-game penalty.
This wasn't his finest performance, especially with Jaycee Horn out. His lack of mobility was also an issue, especially when the pocket collapsed late in the game and he took a game-sealing sack on third down.
Christian Izien
Christian Izien couldn't get anything going against Tetairoa McMillan. The Panthers' former first-round pick put him in a blender multiple times, including in his second touchdown of the night. He was a liability between the numbers all night long.
The Lions desperately miss Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, not only because of what they bring to the table, but also because of how exposed they can be with Izien in coverage. He just can't hold his own against top receivers.
Kelvin Sheppard
No one would've complained if the Lions fired Kelvin Sheppard right there on the spot. He clearly doesn't have any answers, and while he can't do much more with this personnel, someone's got to pay, and something's got to change.
The Lions didn't put any pressure at the line of scrimmage; the secondary left huge chunks of the field wide open, and they gave up 449 yards of offense. This is unsustainable, and Sheppard's lack of adjustments and solutions will cost the team another season.
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