Three key matchups to watch for Panthers vs. Lions

Panthers rushing attack vs. Lions run defense

After a rough game last Thursday for the entire offense, this could be a game where the Carolina Panthers rushing attack has a tremendous day. Thus, this is a key matchup to watch. How will the Detroit Lions run defense fare against the Panthers rushing attack?

With former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia at the helm, the Lions run defense has been subpar to this point. Currently, they rank ninth in the National Football League in yards allowed on the season with 1,194. They are not much better per carry, as they rank at the bottom of the league in yards allowed per rushing attempt. With a mark of 4.9, that ranks them 27th in the league.

This is an area that the Panthers can exploit. Christian McCaffrey carried the ball 14 times for 77 yards and a touchdown, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. A 21-yard scamper was his longest of the evening. This could be another game where  McCaffrey makes an equal impact both on the ground and in the passing game. Last week against Pittsburgh, he showed his entire skill set. In that respect, he was one of the few bright spots in what was a devastating Panthers loss. It will be interesting to see if he can follow up with a great performance on Sunday.