The Carolina Panthers host the Detroit Lions in Week 16 for their 2022 home finale.
The Panthers enter the matchup with a record of 5-9, tied for second place in the NFC South. Carolina fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-16, in Week 15 at home. The Lions enter this week with a record of 7-7 and in second place in the NFC North after winning six of their last seven games dating back to Week Nine. In Week 15, Detroit defeated the New York Jets, 20-17.
This will mark the 11th matchup between the two teams and seventh played in Carolina. The Panthers lead the all-time series, 7-3. After dropping the first ever matchup at home against Detroit in 1999, the Panthers have won five straight
against the Lions at home and three of the last four overall matchups.
The Numbers
About Carolina
- Defensive end Brian Burns has played in 62 career games. He ranks 2nd in franchise history in sacks through a player’s first 62 games, only trailing Julius Peppers (42.5 sacks, 2002-06) with 36.0 sacks. Burns is currently tied for 10th in the NFL with 10.5 sacks and tied for seventh with 14 tackles for loss.
- Linebacker Frankie Luvu enters Week 16 ranked second on the team with 86 tackles and eighth in the NFC with 13 tackles for loss. After going his first four seasons in the NFL without posting 10+ tackles in a game, Luvu has done it four times in 2022, recording 10 tackles against the Giants in Week Two, 11 tackles in Week Four against the Cardinals, a career-high 12 tackles against the Falcons in Week 10 and 10 tackles in Week 11 against the Ravens.
- Linebacker Shaq Thompson recorded 12 tackles in Week 15 against the Pittsburgh Steelers marking his 21st career game with 10+ tackles in his career. Only Luke Kuechly (50), Thomas Davis (27) and Jon Beason (25) have more games with at least 10 tackles. Thompson leads the team in total tackles and ranks ninth in the NFC with 110 total tackles on the season.
- QB Sam Darnold has made three starts in 2022, completing 39 of his 66 passing attempts (59.1%) for 509 yards. He has passed for three touchdowns and zero interceptions, good for a 98.6 passer rating. This is the first time in his career since Weeks 14-16 of the 2020 season that Darnold has gone three consecutive starts without an interception.
- Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold found wide receiver DJ Moore for a five-yard touchdown pass during the second quarter in Week 15. Darnold and Moore have now connected for a touchdown in two out of the last three games. Moore scored his fifth receiving touchdown of the season, a new career high.
- Since Week Seven, D’onta Foreman ranks sixth among NFL running backs with 609 rushing yards and fourth with 145 rushing attempts. Trailing just Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs, Foreman has totaled 515 yards after contact since Week Seven.
- After having 13 different starting lineups along the offensive line a season ago, the Panthers have had just two different starting five combinations up front in 2022 (not including jumbo packages).
- Since Week Seven, the offensive line has played a part in one of the league’s most dominant rushing attacks. Carolina tied for seventh league-wide in rushing attempts (253), 12th in rushing yards (1,103) and 17th in yards per rush (4.36). During that same time span, the Panthers rank sixth for the fewest of sacks allowed (13), rank 12th in sack percentage per passing attempt (6.0%) and 13th in average time to throw for a quarterback (2.87 seconds).
- Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Piñeiro has made 14 straight field goals after making attempts from 29, 32, and 52, while going 28 for 30 on field goals this season. His 93.3% field goal percentage is ranked 2nd in the NFL behind Seahawks kicker Jason Meyers 96.3% (min. 20 attempts).
About Detroit
- Detroit has scored 30-or-more points in seven games this season, tied for the most in the NFL. This ties for their most 30-point games in a season, also doing so in 2011. Detroit produced 25-or-more points in five-straight games from Weeks 10-14, tied for the longest streak in team history. The only time they’ve done so previously was in 1954.
- The Lions have only allowed 19 sacks this season, tied for the fewest in the NFL through Week 15. Detroit’s rate of surrendering sacks on only 3.8% of their dropbacks ranks as the second-best in the NFL. Detroit’s 19 sacks allowed through 14 games played are the fourth fewest in team history.
- Through the first 14 games of the season, Detroit has 399 rushes for 1,765 yards (4.4 avg.) and 19 touchdowns. This marks their most rushing yards through 14 games played since 1998. Detroit’s 19 rushing touchdowns are their most through the first 14 games of a season since 1981, when Detroit had 23 rushing scores at this point of the season. Detroit’s 19 rushing touchdowns tie as the fourth-most they’ve produced through the first 14 games of a season.
- Detroit has rushed for 80-or-more yards in each of the first 14 games this season, the first time they’ve done so since 1981. Detroit’s streak of 14-straight games with 80-or-more rushing yards marks their longest single-season streak since 1997. They are one-of-three NFL teams to rush for at least 80 yards in every game this season.
- Of Detroit’s 144 offensive possessions this season, they have only gone three-and-out 20 times (13.9%), ranking third in the NFL in their three-and-out efficiency.
- The Lions have scored five of their 39 offensive touchdowns on fourth downs this season (12.8%), tied for the most fourth-down touchdowns in the NFL through Week 15.
- Since November, Lions QB Jared Goff has guided the team to a 6-1 record and has ranked among the top NFL quarterbacks in that span. In that span, Goff has completed 154-of-233 passes (66.1%) for 1,700 yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception for a 101.5 passer rating.
- Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has four games with over 100 receiving yards and five games with at least eight receptions this season. He is the second Lion in franchise history to have five games with at least eight receptions in consecutive seasons and first to do so since WR Herman Moore from 1995-96.
- Lions rookies have combined for five interceptions this season (S Kerby Joseph – three; DL Aidan Hutchinson – two). This trails only the Seahawks (six) for the most interceptions this season among rookies, and marks the first time since 1986 Lions rookies have combined for at least five interceptions in a season. Detroit is also the only team to have multiple rookies with multiple interceptions in 2022.
- The Lions have recorded a turnover in 13-straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL. The only game they did not produce a turnover was in Week 1 vs. Philadelphia. The Lions tie for the NFL lead with four red zone takeaways in 2022.
- The Lions have allowed the NFL’s second-lowest passer rating when blitzing this season (74.35), directly impacting the opponent’s pass game through Week 15. Detroit’s defense has also been effective at limiting opponents from getting off to a hot start, allowing only 13 points on opening drives of games this season.
Connections
- Panthers assistant defensive line coach Ian Scott was the defensive line coach for Central Michigan in 2021.
- Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo coached at Michigan State in 2001 as a graduate assistant.
- Panthers T Taylor Moton is a native of Okemos, Michigan and attended Okemos High School. He went on to attended Western Michigan from 2013-2016.
- Panthers TE Giovanni Ricci attended Western Michigan from 2016-2019.
- Panthers G Michael Jordan is a native of Canton, Michigan and attended Plymouth High School.
- Lions assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley is a native of Columbia, SC and attended West Columbia High School.
- Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is a native of Charleston, SC and went on to attend A.C Reynolds High School in Asheville, NC. He then attended North Carolina from 2004-2008.
- Lions assistant wide receivers coach Seth Ryan played at Clemson from 2013-2016.
- Lions DL Austin Bryant attended Clemson from 2015-2018.
- Lions LB Mike Hughes is a native of New Bern, NC and attended New Bern High School.
- Lions DL Alim McNeil is a native of Raleigh, NC and attended Sanderson High School. He went on to attend North Carolina Sate from 2018-2020
Lions DL Romeo Okwara is a native of Charlotte, NC and attended Ardrey Kell High School.
Panthers vs Lions
ALL-TIME SERIES: 10 total matchups | Carolina leads the series 7-3
LAST REGULAR SEASON GAME: 11/22/20 | Detroit 0 vs Carolina 20
SERIES RECORD AT VENUE: Carolina currently leads the series with a record of 5-1 with games played in Carolina
How to Watch
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET FOX – Chris Myers, Robert Smith,Jen Hale
Live Stream: Panthers.com
Radio: WRFX 99.7FM in Charlotte market; On The Call: Anish Shroff, Jake Delhomme, Luke Kuechly, Kristen Balboni, Jim Szoke
Per Release