Detroit Lions vs. Carolina Panthers live preseason updates, highlights, analysis

Live drive-by-drive analysis, highlights and injury news from the Detroit Lions’ final preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

The Detroit Lions will close out their preseason with a contest against the Carolina Panthers on Friday night. While most of their evaluation of the roster has likely been done, this will afford the players one last opportunity to make a positive impression before the team starts trimming down the roster to 53 players in time for Tuesday’s deadline.

Lions coach Dan Campbell seemed to suggest that starters will rest for the final preseason game, which means the depth on this roster should have more than enough opportunities to make plays and show their worth. It’ll be a challenge, though, because the Panthers are expected to play their starters on Friday night, which could create a significant talent imbalance. But if you want to show you can cut it in this league, what better opportunity than to show it against some starting-level talent.

On this page, we’ll be providing live updates as the game goes on, with highlights from social media, injury news and anything else that happens Friday night. When the game concludes, this will turn into a recap post.

First quarter

The Panthers got the ball first, led by the first stringers and rookie quarterback Bryce Young. Early in the drive, Young was able to elude pass rushers with his legs, helping Carolina move into Lions territory.

Just as it looked like the Lions had forced three straight incompletions to get off the field, Starling Thomas V was tagged for a pass interference, setting up the Panthers in the red zone. But Detroit would hold strong after James Houston and Romeo Okwara split a sack, helping force a short field goal. 3-0 Panthers.

For the first time this preseason, cornerback Khalil Dorsey lined up to return the kickoff and he made a big impact with this impressive 62-yard return.

But after a first-down holding penalty on James Mitchell, the Lions—with Teddy Bridgewater at the helm—quickly went three-and-out. The good field position afforded the Lions an ability to get three, but Riley Patterson’s 53-yard attempt hit the crossbar and bounced short.

Young and the Panthers first-team offense remained in the game with the good field position. He immediately connected with Adam Thielen for 21 yards with Steven Gilmore a few steps behind.

After another third-down conversion by Young scramble, the rookie quarterback again converted on third down by going back to Thielen for an 18-yard touchdown. 10-0 Panthers

Rookie receiver Antoine Green took the ensuing kickoff for a nice 32-yard gain, and that’s where Bridgewater would take over for his second series. A nice play-action to undrafted rookie Chase Cota quickly got the Lions into Panthers territory for a 20-yard gain. Detroit was facing a third-and-3 as the game turned over to the second quarter.

Second quarter

Craig Reynolds picked up the first down on the ground and moved Detroit inside the 20-yard line. A couple plays later, Reynolds bounced a run outside for 11 yards and a first-and-goal situation. On third-and-goal, the Lions ran Reynolds right up the gut for a 5-yard touchdown. 10-7 Panthers.

Andy Dalton took over for the Panthers’ third drive, and promptly went three and out after failing to convert a third-and-short.

Detroit took over, and Bridgewater continued to put together a much more solid day than last week’s preseason game. He found Dylan Drummond for 20 yards which moved Detroit into Panthers territory. Facing a third-and-6, Bridgewater uncorked a deep shot to Cota. While Cota couldn’t come down with it, the Panthers were rightfully called for a pass interference penalty, and the Lions moved down to the 8-yard line. Unfortunately, Detroit couldn’t punch it in after Coda dropped a would-be touchdown that was slightly behind him. Patterson knocked it in from 25 to tie the game at 10-10.