What matchups should prove to be entertaining in Week 5 for the Carolina Panthers as they take on the Detroit Lions?
Things are not looking good for the Carolina Panthers and Week 4 did not help.
Bryce Young had a few moments to shine against the Minnesota Vikings' weak secondary. However, the No.1 overall pick is being blatantly outplayed by the other members of the 2023 rookie class and it isn't even a close competition at this point.
These shortcomings are further magnified by the continual subpar play of the Panthers' offensive line and the disappearing act of the run game in recent weeks.
None of this is sustainable and the fanbase is beginning to show cracks. That early jolt of optimism after the trade-up to acquire Young has all but left the building as the Panthers trudge toward another lost season without even the possibility of a high pick to brighten spirits.
And now comes the Detroit Lions.
The Lions no longer pose the bounce-back opportunity of years past - the former laughingstock of the NFL has cemented itself as one of the top teams in the league. If not outright Super Bowl contenders and even favorites to some.
Which is exactly what a team teetering on the edge of respectability didn't need.
The Panthers are 0-4. There is very little this team or fanbase can look forward to for the rest of this season and little reason to try and retool and compete to win games either.
This is no longer about winning, it is all about development. And with Young's struggles, it might just be time to take off the training wheels and see what this signal-caller can do within a more creative scheme.
But with that said, what are the matchups to keep an eye on in Week 5?
Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young vs. Lions defense
This first slide will almost exclusively be reserved for Bryce Young for the foreseeable future until the quarterback can prove otherwise.
If Young can't get things going against a defense that allowed a wide receiver to go for more than 200 yards the week before, there is little hope that the rookie can accomplish much against one of the most stifling defenses in the entire NFL.
The Detroit Lions have not allowed a passer to go for over 250 yards in a non-overtime game this season - that includes perineal NFL MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes in Week 1. Conversely, Young has only barely eclipsed the 200-yard mark once this season.
There is no sugarcoating this, it is going to be a rough game for Young against this Lions team. The thing to watch for is how the rookie takes this lesson. If there is development or if the signal-caller crumbles under the pressure.
It is hard to call anything this early in a career a make-or-break game, but this has the makings of such for Young. The kind of game that will show just what the player and the Carolina Panthers coaching staff are made of.
It is time to let off the reins and see what Young can do. There is nothing left to lose and that's exactly why this could be an exciting matchup to watch.
Carolina Panthers OT Ikem Ekwonu vs. Aidan Hutchinson
It is beginning to look like Ikem Ekwonu is not the heir that the Carolina Panthers hoped for when selecting the big-bodied left tackle so highly in the 2022 NFL Draft.
While there has been a fair amount of inconsistency around the embattled figure, there is little evidence to give hope that things would be different otherwise.
Sure, there have been some good performances, glimpses of what made the Panthers take Ekwonu in the first round. However, those have been few and even farther in between this season. A weakness that is beginning to be exploited by every NFL defense.
One of the brightest young pass-rushers awaits Ekwonuthis weekend. Aidan Hutchinson is a player who already has 3.5 sacks and seven quarterback hits on the season. Stats that on the surface seem rather pedestrian, but when you watch the film the impact is evident.
Teams constantly shift protection toward the budding superstar and Hutchinson still manages to affect each and every game in which he plays. This does not bode well for a team that gave up three sacks to safety Harrison Smith in Week 4 and five in total.
Ekwonu is going to have a big test on Sunday and it doesnt look likely to be passed at this point. But this is a must-perform game for the former North Carolina State stud and that may make all the difference.
Carolina Panthers iDL vs. Lions interior rush
The Detroit Lions are an old-school ground-and-pound team, something that is largely lost in today's NFL. But that does not mean it is ineffective. The NFC North outfit is on the rise for a reason, after all.
This is something the Carolina Panthers are severely lacking along the interior defense.
Teams have been able to run all over the Panthers for many years now. That has not changed in 2023 even with an injection of new talent all across the board.
With the exception of Derrick Brown, there has simply not been the talent or performance from others on the defensive front to even slow down an opposing run game.
Holes are massive for running backs to slip through and defensive linemen get pushed easily off of their spot - to the tune of 135 rushing yards in Week 4. The Lions racked up 211 yards on the ground against a fairly solid Green Bay Packers defense, so the danger is there for all to see.
This is not a new weakness, it is not one likely to be fixed this week, but it is a matchup to keep an eye on nonetheless. The first step in beating the Lions team is making quarterback Jared Goff win the game on his own. That begins and ends with the run game.
But with the linebacker room also banged up, there is little room for optimism for Panthers fans going into Week 5.
However, if the Panthers can somehow fix this issue, it will go a long way toward propelling themselves back toward relevance.