CHARLOTTE – Bryce Young threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns, both to Tetairoa McMillan, and the Carolina Panthers held off the Detroit Lions 32-26 Sunday night to even their record at 2-2.
McMillan finished with 14 catches for a career-high 192 yards. He had nine receptions for 147 yards in the first half alone, including a 32-yard touchdown, and became just the third Panther, along with Steve Smith Sr. and Patrick Jeffers, to post at least 10 catches, 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns in one game. He fell short of the franchise records for receptions (15) and receiving yards (201).
Young completed 29 of 41 passes, including his first 11 attempts, and heard “MVP” chants from the home crowd in the fourth quarter. He leaned heavily on McMillan with receivers Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette sidelined by injuries. Head coach Dave Canales had said earlier that the two had struggled to connect in practice this week, but McMillan said everything “just clicked tonight.”
Chuba Hubbard added a season-high 122 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, and Carolina scored on six straight possessions after punting on its opening drive.
Detroit’s Jared Goff threw for 412 yards and a touchdown to Sam LaPorta, but the Lions never found the rhythm they had shown in their first three games. A 49-yard catch by Jameson Williams against Carolina’s injury-thinned secondary set up a Jake Bates field goal that tied the game at 16 at halftime, but the Detroit defense struggled to get off the field after the break.
LaPorta’s touchdown catch cut the lead to 32-26 with 3:38 remaining. McMillan answered with a sideline catch for a first down, and though the Panthers had to punt, Detroit started its final drive at its own 13 with 2:12 left and could not pick up a first down. Young kneeled twice to close it out.
The win came with more injury concerns. Rookie right tackle Monroe Freeling left with a knee injury in the third quarter, and linebacker Jaelan Phillips left in the fourth with a hamstring injury. Canales had no update on either after the game. Cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson were already out with eight-week injuries suffered last week.
