There is much the Lions can do to help themselves today. In a game against a floundering but dangerous football team, the Lions must be careful not to let the play makers of the Carolina Panthers hurt them. Led by rookie quarterback Cam Newton, the Panthers are a team that can score. If Detroit lets Newton roam outside of the pocket, he can find veteran wide receiver Steve Smith all day. This lack of containment will also lead to big running lanes for DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, something we know the Lions have struggled with this season.
It’s imperative that the Lions get off to a good start. Taking an early lead will allow them to rely more on the running game and less on a beat up Matthew Stafford and his struggling receivers. The last thing Detroit needs is an early deficit where it must play to its weakness and try to stop the running game of Carolina.
The Panthers are a desperate team and they will do whatever it takes to gain an advantage. This includes gadget plays offensively. Don’t be surprised to see a few in this game. They are generally not a blitzing team either, but they may try to dial a few up this week, hoping to spark a turnover.
The special teams have been bad all season for Detroit and I don’t expect that to change today. Carolina will likely make a big play in this phase and Detroit will have to find a way to overcome it. This will be a sloppy game.
History made last week’s game the most important of the season. The result may be a telling sign of how the rest of the second half of the schedule plays out, or it may been an aberration.
Emotional tides, moral victories and catching teams off guard are all out the window now. This is November in the NFL where playoff teams separate themselves from the rest. If the Lions are to take that huge next step, they must take care of business at home today.
Prediction: Lions 23 Panthers 20
Players to watch- Stephen Tulloch, Charles Johnson
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