The Lions defense was exposed again: another game, another impressive passing performance against the Detroit Lions defense. On Sunday night, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns. Tetairoa McMillan had a career night with 14 catches for 192 yards and both of Young’s touchdowns.
Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard added 122 on the ground and two touchdowns as Carolina defeated the Detroit Lions 32-26. He averaged just 61.3 yards a game coming into Week Four. It was yet another game where the Lions’ defense struggled, further proving they need changes if they want to be considered contenders.
Obviously, we know that teams pass the ball more now than they used to. However, the 2008 0-16 Lions defense surrendered 996 yards through the air in their first 4 games. Meanwhile, the 2026 Lions have already given up 1,227 yards in the same number of games. It can’t be overstated just how much this defense is struggling.
Young has been off to a hot start this year. He has thrown for 1,268 yards, 2 TDs, and only 2 INTs this year. But that can’t be an excuse for this Lions defense, as the Panthers also suffered multiple lineman injuries during the game and were without Jalen Coker. So, this banged-up Panthers squad still operated smoothly despite all of these issues.
The Panthers deserve credit, but the Lions still haven’t produced a decent defensive performance, so it’s hard to really judge things overall.
If Lions GM Brad Holmes wants this team to win a championship, he needs to make changes. Some additions must be made to this secondary. The Lions already missed out on former Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who was traded to the Cowboys. However, there will always be teams willing to part ways with players as the season goes on.
The Buccaneers and Chargers are both sitting at 0-4, making them two teams Detroit could potentially explore as trade partners.
Zyon McCollum is a 27-year-old, 6-foot-2 cornerback for the Bucs who recently signed a three-year, $48 million extension, making him more of a long-term solution. His height nd size could be a great addition to a Lions backfield currently lacking in that department.
Donte Jackson, on the other hand, could be a short-term rental. At 30 years old, he could potentially be acquired for a lower price in draft capital while still giving the Lions’ secondary an experienced option.
I could go on all day about potential trades, but the point is that these players exist and the Lions should be making those phone calls. It’s not as easy as clicking a few buttons in Madden 27, but this team feels close to being really good. A lot of these defensive backs are being asked to play roles they simply shouldn’t be in.
DJ Reed is struggling, but he’s not a player who came to Detroit to be the No. 1 corner. He is at his best as a No. 2 corner. Now, it’s not the Lions’ or Brad Holmes’ fault that their No. 1 corner at the time, Terrion Arnold, was suddenly thrust out of the picture in the offseason after being accused of some serious crimes. The whole situation felt like someone decided to play GTA in real life, leaving Detroit without its top corner. But the Lions still can’t just sit back and do nothing while pretending this team is completely fine.
Dan Campbell addressed Brian Branch’s situation at practice on the second of October, stating that the Pro Bowl safety is “close” to returning. But we still have little update on Kerby Joseph, and we don’t know what kind of player Branch will be after an Achilles tear.
Nobody likes excuses. And a Dan Campbell led Lions team doesn’t feel like one that will make them either. But we fans have to see some moves made, because it is frustrating to keep watching a team we really believe in struggle so much. Especially when the Lions defense still has stars like Alim McNeill and Aidan Hutchinson, along with the firepower on offense.
This team is too talented overall to simply accept these defensive struggles and hope everything fixes itself. Brad Holmes has built a roster that looks capable of competing for a championship on most levels, but the secondary of this Lions defense remains a glaring weakness. If the Lions want to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders, they need to address the defense before this problem becomes too big to overcome.
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