2020 Season Preview: Week 11 Lions at Panthers
The Lions square off with Christian McCaffrey and the Carolina Panthers in Week 11.
Both teams finished in last place in their respective divisions in 2019 -- Detroit in the NFC North and Carolina in the NFC South.
Let's take a look now at what has changed for both squads since the end of last season.
Carolina Panthers (2019: 5-11; last in NFC South)
Key Additions:
OT Russell Okung (via trade)
QB Teddy Bridgewater (via free agency)
WR Robby Anderson (via free agency)
DT Derrick Brown (2020 first-round pick)
CB Eli Apple (via free agency)
Key Losses:
S Eric Reid
QB Cam Newton
QB Kyle Allen
LB Luke Kuechly
K Graham Gano
OG Trai Turner
The Panthers have a new head coach and quarterback in town.
Gone are Ron Rivera and former NFL MVP Cam Newton, and in are former Baylor head man Matt Rhule and veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
Rivera served as Carolina's head man from 2011-19, accumulating a win-loss record of 76-63 and a Super Bowl appearance to cap off the 2015 season.
The Panthers' NFC championship at the end of the '15 campaign was the crowning achievement of Rivera and Newton's time together. They were truly attached at the hip, as Newton's tenure in Carolina also spanned from 2011-19.
Injuries derailed the end of his career in Carolina, as he only suited up for two games during the 2019 campaign.
He has since signed with the New England Patriots, while Rivera is now the head coach of the newly configured Washington Football Team.
The replacements for Newton and Rivera, respectively, are Bridgewater and Rhule.
Rhule comes to Carolina after three seasons at Baylor, in which he built the Bears from a 1-11 team in 2017 to an 11-3 team in 2019 that played in the Sugar Bowl and finished No. 13 in the end-of-the-season AP poll.
Meanwhile, Bridgewater started in five games a season ago in the place of Drew Brees in New Orleans. He went 5-0 in those games, and threw for nine touchdowns, two interceptions and 1,205 yards.
He'll have the luxury of handing it off and throwing it to McCaffrey, a first-team All-Pro running back last season. He produced 1,000-plus yards both on the ground (1,387) and as a pass-catcher (1,005) in '19, to go along with 15 rushing TDs and four receiving scores.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports
He should be a handful for the Lions to handle in this Week 11 matchup in Carolina.
Lions (2019: 3-12-1; last in NFC North)
Key Additions:
CB Jeff Okudah (2020 first-round pick)
RB D'Andre Swift (2020 second-round pick)
LB Jamie Collins (via free agency)
S Duron Harmon (via trade)
NT Danny Shelton (via free agency)
CB Desmond Trufant (via free agency)
Key Losses:
NT Damon "Snacks" Harrison
RT Rick Wagner
LB Devon Kennard
RG Graham Glasgow
CB Darius Slay
Detroit's biggest offseason move was made through this past spring's NFL Draft when it took Ohio State standout cornerback Jeff Okudah with the No. 3 overall pick.
Okudah enters his rookie season with the expectation of being a high-impact player immediately.
And one day, he could very well become an All-Pro corner.
What Happened Last Season
The Lions and Panthers have played each other a total of nine times, with Carolina leading the head-to-head series, 6-3. They did not play each other in 2019, however.
Their last meeting with one another came in 2018 at Ford Field when the Lions prevailed, 20-19, in yet again a Wk. 11 contest.
Kerryon Johnson and Kenny Golladay were the stars of the game offensively for Detroit with a TD each, while Jarrad Davis starred on defense with six tackles and a sack.
As for the Panthers, Newton came up big with 357 yards and three TDs through the air. The biggest beneficiary of Newton's standout performance was wide receiver D.J. Moore, who amassed 157 reception yards and a score on the day.
While Newton is no longer a member of the franchise, the Panthers still have a chance to have a solid day through the air with Bridgewater under center.
It's also worth noting, however, that 2020 will mark Bridgewater's first full season as a starter since 2015 when he was a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
As long as Lions signal-caller Matthew Stafford is healthy, it's a reason for why Detroit should have a leg-up in this matchup.
Heck, maybe even Detroit head man Matt Patricia outcoaches someone for once, with him having a couple of years of experience at the NFL level over Rhule.
So, yes, I'm saying the Lions have a great shot at winning a late-season game -- despite the fact that the organization suffered a horrendous finish to the '19 campaign and did not win a single game from Week 9 on.
And much like 2018, expect this game to be highly-contested and to have a chance at featuring the leg of Matt Prater as a difference maker.
Related
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