What NFL Week 4 Expert Picks Tell Us About Panthers vs. Lions Matchup

The Carolina Panthers were picked by most to win last week, but an abysmal offensive line performance and an unfathomable swathe of injuries helped the Cleveland Browns upset the Panthers.

Now, Carolina limps back home without Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, or Damien Lewis, and with Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, and Monroe Freeling (among others) at risk of missing the game against the Detroit Lions.

What follows in this article won't surprise anyone.

Panthers widely picked to lose to Lions on SNF

Carolina Panthers long snapper JJ Jansen (44), quarterback Bryce Young (9) and defensive tackle Derrick Brown | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco was dead on in picking the Browns last week, but he also picked the Panthers to lose to the Falcons. His dedication to picking against Carolina continues this week, unsurprisingly, with a 31-26 win for the Lions predicted.

"The Panthers are really banged up and Bryce Young is hurting to go with a bunch of other injuries. They played short-handed in the loss to the Browns last week. The Lions won a high-scoring game with the Jets Sunday and this one will be just like it. Look for Jared Goff to play well here as the Lions win a road game," Prisco wrote.

All five NFL.com pickers predict a Panthers loss. Gennaro Filice wrote about the mismatch the Lions pose, adding, "The Panthers should put some points on the board, but I’ll be surprised if they keep up with the Lions’ posse of playmakers."

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio harshly said the Panthers look like they're an 8-9 team again and don't deserve to be in playoff talks this year, picking them to lose to the Lions at home by double digits.

Here's how Sports Illustrated picked:

Albert Breer: Lions
Eva Geitheim: Panthers
Mitch Goldich: Lions
Mike Kadlick: Lions
Gilberto Manzano: Panthers
Conor Orr: Lions
John Pluym: Lions
Matt Verderame: Lions

It's a bit of a surprise to see two Panthers here, truthfully. All seven Bleacher Report analysts are going with the Lions this week, which is not surprising. They're not even picking the Panthers to cover the spread.

Wes O'Donnell summed it up, "Let's queue up a likely shootout that ends with Carolina needing a touchdown to tie/win late, not getting it, and giving the Lions their first ATS cover of the season."

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) scrambles with the ball defended by Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Athletic's Vic Tafur said, "The Lions’ defensive backs keep getting roasted (299 passing yards per game), and Tetairoa McMillan has a coming-out party on national television. I don’t know if the Panthers win, but they cover the number (they are 10-0 ATS coming off a loss since the beginning of last season). Wait, wait, wait … the Panthers’ two starting cornerbacks are out? Never mind."

What does it all mean? It means that even the randomness of football and the idea, as we saw in Cleveland, that any team can win won't save these Panthers will all the injuries they have.

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