9 Winners and 9 Losers from Panthers' Exhilarating Victory Over Lions

The Carolina Panthers hadn't been on Sunday Night Football in 10 years. Finally given another shot, they did not waste their shot. The Panthers' offense was electric, but which players stood out on their own, for better or worse?

Winner: Ejiro Evero

The Carolina Panthers are doing what Kelvin Sheppard and the Lions' defense should be doing with two backup cornerbacks. Holding the Lions' offense to field goals.

The true definition of coaching and maximizing players.

What an embarrassing performance.

Offense CAN'T settle…
— Jeff Iafrate (@jeffiafrate) October 5, 2026

The Detroit Lions are a brutal matchup without Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. Yet, Ejiro Evero managed coordinating with one hand tied behind his back pretty well. His stunts worked well, and the zone actually helped mask some of the deficiencies in the secondary.

Loser: Luke Fortner

Pull the plug on Luke Fortner. He just continues to struggle against line games.
— Jared Feinberg (@Jared_NFLDraft) October 5, 2026

The Panthers can't run the ball up the middle (especially) , and they can't keep Bryce Young safe. At the center of that Venn diagram, unfortunately, has been Luke Fortner. Tonight was no different. He got abused by the Lions' defensive front once again, and it really cost Carolina. It's beyond time to see what Sam Hecht can do.

Winner: Brad Idzik

You’re taking a couple of backers with issues in coverage this year and putting them in a mental blender early in the game. These are fast, precise, intentional, RPO designs, and the execution is great https://t.co/7Ao7ad6ldq
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) October 5, 2026

It's clear what the Panthers planned to do on offense, and it worked. Brad Idzik had them spamming the RPO action to attack the linebackers. It was a phenomenal plan, and the calling from Idzik was really solid to help them execute the sort of offense they had to run in a game like this one. It also seemed like Idzik learned from some mistakes last week, which is huge.

Loser: Robert Hunt

It just hasn't been Robert Hunt's year. He has struggled at times and made mistakes you just wouldn't expect from a seasoned and quality veteran. His performance may be tied to some lingering issues from the multiple injuries he suffered last year, but the mental issues continue to stack up. Those are more concerning.

Winner: Bryce Young

MVP chants for Bryce Young.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) October 5, 2026

Concern that the injuries to pass-catchers or bad offensive line play would catch up to Bryce Young this week was overblown. He had it all working despite the Lions getting decent pressure on him and having to throw to John Metchie a whole lot more than anyone would've envisioned.

Loser: Akayleb Evans

The Lions are finding Akayleb Evans.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 5, 2026

Akayleb Evans probably deserves an asterisk here, but he did not have a good game. He's elevated to starting corner against the Lions, but still. It was not pretty, and some of his mistakes, like a blown coverage that allowed Detroit to score at the half, came at bad times. He did break up a touchdown pass right after the blown play, but it was still a rough overall outing.

Winner: Tetairoa McMillan

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) carries the ball against the Detroit Lions | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week, the injuries to the other wide receivers meant that the Browns could double Tetairoa McMillan (or set Denzel Ward on him perpetually) and make anyone else beat them. This week, the Lions had no answers for McMillan despite him once again being the only real threat in the passing game.

Loser: Ryan Fitzgerald

The Panthers would've been toast without Ryan Fitzgerald last week. This was a new week, though, and Fitzgerald was pretty disappointing. He missed two extra points, and his made kicks were not all that inspiring, either.

Winner: Chuba Hubbard

Chuba bulldozes his way in

📺 NBC #DETvsCAR pic.twitter.com/bmmWJU1a2t
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) October 5, 2026

This is the Chuba Hubbard we have been waiting for. He finally broke through, as Jonathan Stewart told us he would. With the Panthers' rushing struggles, one would think the Detroit defense would've left a lot of defensive backs to help with their passing struggles and force Hubbard to beat them. It wouldn't have mattered, as Hubbard was exceptional, as was the passing attack.

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