Panthers latest injury update puts even more pressure on Bryce Young and Tetairoa McMillan going into Sunday Night Football
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker is unlikely to play on Sunday night against the Detroit Lions, adding even more pressure onto the shoulders of quarterback Bryce Young and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
Injuries have been far from kind for the Carolina Panthers this week as the team gets geared up for a massive home game on Sunday Night Football against the Detroit Lions later today.
The Panthers were already set to enter into this game without their starting cornerback duo in Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, along with their starting left guard in Damien Lewis, and placed wide receiver Xavier Legette on the injured reserve.
To add insult to injury, it’s sounding like another starter will not be available for Carolina tonight. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported early Sunday morning that wide receiver Jalen Coker is unlikely to play in Week 4 due to a quad injury.
Jalen Coker being inactive was expected after Saturday’s roster move
Head coach Dave Canales said on Friday that Coker was going to be a true questionable going into this game and that the Panthers would work him out on Saturday and see how he’s feeling on Sunday before determining his status. All signs now point toward Coker being inactive for Sunday night’s game.
Another hint toward that being the final decision came on Saturday when the Panthers elevated preseason standout wide receiver Ja’seem Reed from the practice squad, a move Canales said would only be done if Coker was expected to be ruled out.
With that outcome looking like a reality, the Panthers wide receiver room would consist of Tetairoa McMillan, John Metchie III, Brycen Tremayne, David Moore, and Reed going into this game against the Lions. The Panthers also have a strong cast of tight ends to utilize with the injuries at wide receiver in Darren Waller, Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, and perhaps even Ja’Tavion Sanders gets involved tonight.
This puts even more pressure on the shoulders of Bryce Young and Tetairoa McMillan
If the Panthers want any shot of competing against the Lions, in what is set up to be a potential shootout, Carolina will need to have a big game from quarterback Bryce Young and McMillan, his top target.
The Lions lead the NFL in passing yards allowed this season and this matchup is perfect for Carolina to air the ball out against this struggling secondary. It’s also a bounce back opportunity for McMillan, who had just two receptions for 17 yards last week.
“As a staff, we gotta take responsibility for putting T-Mac in great situations… and make sure we move him around appropriately, as much as it fits in with the plan,” Canales said on Monday. “So Brad (Idzik) and I, we can all take some accountability on that side of it. And just the targets, too. Some of those opportunities are man-to-man. And when it is man-to-man, there’s still an opportunity for contested. Bryce can find his opportunities to get him the ball as well. So it’s all of us collectively.”
With Legette and Coker out for this game, the Panthers will need to find a way to creatively get McMillan open and Young is going to have to take some aggressive shots his way. That should be nothing new for this team.
This matchup reminds me of how the first game against the Los Angeles Rams was last season. Carolina is facing an elite offense at home with inclement weather on the forecast. Yet, in that game, Young still threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns, granted that was with Coker in the game as well.
The point still stands, Carolina needs to get McMillan going and needs to stay aggressive with the passing game if they have any hope of out-scoring the Lions tonight. Another thing to note is that the Lions have struggled against tight ends this year, so keep an eye on Waller potentially having a big impact.
