3 immediate changes the Carolina Panthers must make in Week 5 at Lions
By Dean Jones
What changes must the Carolina Panthers make immediately heading into their Week 5 contest at the red-hot Detroit Lions?
Things are not looking good for the Carolina Panthers. The team is in turmoil in terms of results, is dealing with some injury issues on both sides of the football, and is reportedly seeking a genuine No. 1 wide receiver via trade to provide quarterback Bryce Young with a dependable weapon moving forward.
That is a damning indictment of recruitment this offseason, in all honesty. Giving up assets at 0-4 with a real chance of being 0-6 at the bye week reeks of desperation as general manager Scott Fitterer tries to relieve the mounting pressure coming his way from the fanbase.
Whether the Panthers can work something out with a team that might actually be willing remains to be seen. That might not be in time for this weekend, which is another stiff test of the team's credentials versus the Detroit Lions - a well-run organization these days with clear direction.
With this in mind, here are three changes the Panthers must make immediately heading into Week 5 at the Lions.
Carolina Panthers must sit Miles Sanders
It's clear there's something amiss with Miles Sanders. The running back remains sluggish in terms of on-field vision and explosiveness, which indicates the groin complication that's been bothering him for weeks is having an adverse effect on his performance levels.
If Sanders is becoming more of a hindrance, then the best thing the Carolina Panthers could do is sit the Penn State product and let Chuba Hubbard take over the lead-back role in Week 5. This might sting in the short term and would probably be against the player's wishes, but it could reap some long-term rewards as the campaign goes on.
The former second-round pick is finding life difficult behind a less-than-stellar offensive line, reflected in 19 rushing yards from 13 carries against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4. Sometimes, the coaching staff needs to save players from themselves.