NFL Preseason Week 3 Game Recap: Detroit Lions 26, Carolina Panthers 17

2RKR0T4 August 25, 2023: Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws on first down against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter of the NFL matchup in Charlotte, NC. (Scott Kinser/Cal Sport Media)

The Detroit Lions wrapped up their preseason with a 26-17 win against the Carolina Panthers.

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Offensive spotlight: The Panthers played their starting offense for two drives, with 2023 first-overall pick Bryce Young leading the way at quarterback.

Young had his most productive game of the preseason — a positive sign heading into Week 1 — and went 7-of-12 for 73 yards and a touchdown through the air. Young also ran three times for 21 yards, showing off his ability to scramble and still come away with positive yardage.

Young’s go-to target during the two drives was veteran Adam Thielen, who was targeted five times and caught four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. 

Defensive spotlight: James Houston didn’t play until Week 12 of last year, but he finished the year with eight sacks on fewer than 100 pass-rush attempts. 

Houston’s impressive sack rate has continued this preseason — he posted eight pressures and a sack on 29 attempts through the first two preseason games, and he managed to add to that this week. Houston combined for a sack with Romeo Okwara on Bryce Young and then split another one in the fourth quarter. 

Rookie spotlight: Lions first-round rookie linebacker Jack Campbell earned an 82.1 PFF grade heading into this game and got his first start of the preseason in Week 3.

Campbell played an every-down role for the Lions’ defense through the first two drives while Malcolm Rodriguez rotated off in sub-packages. This is a positive sign that the rookie is making his way up the depth chart heading into Week 1, and it may not be long before he’s playing a significant role for this Lions defense. Campbell finished with three total tackles on 14 snaps and was targeted once in coverage for a 7-yard gain that didn't move the chains.

Box Score

Passing
Detroit Lions
Player Fantasy Comp/Att Yds YPA TD Int Sacks Rtg
Teddy Bridgewater 11.4 13 / 22 178 8.1 1 0 0 100.2
Adrian Martinez 2.6 5 / 11 39 3.5 0 0 2 54.7
Nate Sudfeld 0.7 2 / 5 17 3.4 0 0 0 49.6
Carolina Panthers
Player Fantasy Comp/Att Yds YPA TD Int Sacks Rtg
Bryce Young 9.0 7 / 12 73 6.1 1 0 1 103.8
Matt Corral 4.8 4 / 12 52 4.3 0 0 0 47.9
Jake Luton 2.0 6 / 12 74 6.2 0 1 2 34.7
Andy Dalton 1.4 6 / 11 60 5.5 0 1 0 32.4
Rushing
Detroit Lions
Player Fantasy Car Yds YPC TD Long Fum Lost
Craig Reynolds 11.6 11 41 3.7 1 10 0
Teddy Bridgewater 11.4 1 3 3.0 0 3 0
Benny Snell Jr. 2.6 5 26 5.2 0 8 0
Adrian Martinez 2.6 5 10 2.0 0 6 0
Devine Ozigbo 0.3 4 3 0.8 0 5 0
Carolina Panthers
Player Fantasy Car Yds YPC TD Long Fum Lost
Spencer Brown 13.0 13 51 3.9 1 9 0
Bryce Young 9.0 3 21 7.0 0 13 0
Matt Corral 4.8 1 27 27.0 0 27 0
Camerun Peoples 2.8 4 4 1.0 0 3 2
Raheem Blackshear 2.3 3 9 3.0 0 4 0
Receiving
Detroit Lions
Player Fantasy Tgt Rec Yds YPT YPR TD
Antoine Green 18.7 4 3 97 24.2 32.3 1
Craig Reynolds 11.6 1 1 5 5.0 5.0 0
Dylan Drummond 9.6 6 5 46 7.7 9.2 0
Chase Cota 7.2 8 3 42 5.2 14.0 0
Trinity Benson 4.6 3 3 16 5.3 5.3 0
Maurice Alexander 3.1 3 2 11 3.7 5.5 0
James Mitchell 1.7 2 1 7 3.5 7.0 0
Jason Moore 1.6 1 1 6 6.0 6.0 0
Jason Cabinda 1.4 1 1 4 4.0 4.0 0
Devine Ozigbo 0.3 1 0 0 0.0 0.0 0
Darrell Daniels 0.0 2 0 0 0.0 0.0 0
Daniel Helm 0.0 2 0 0 0.0 0.0 0
Avery Davis 0.0 2 0 0 0.0 0.0 0
Carolina Panthers
Player Fantasy Tgt Rec Yds YPT YPR TD
Adam Thielen 14.8 5 4 48 9.6 12.0 1
Spencer Brown 13.0 1 1 9 9.0 9.0 0
Gary Jennings 9.2 9 4 52 5.8 13.0 0
Giovanni Ricci 8.0 4 3 50 12.5 16.7 0
Tommy Tremble 3.1 4 1 21 5.2 21.0 0
Shi Smith 2.9 5 2 9 1.8 4.5 0
C.J. Saunders 2.8 2 1 18 9.0 18.0 0
Camerun Peoples 2.8 2 2 24 12.0 12.0 0
Jonathan Mingo 2.4 2 1 14 7.0 14.0 0
Raheem Blackshear 2.3 1 1 4 4.0 4.0 0
Ian Thomas 2.3 4 2 3 0.8 1.5 0
Javon Wims 1.7 4 1 7 1.8 7.0 0
Derek Wright 0.0 1 0 0 0.0 0.0 0
Josh Vann 0.0 1 0 0 0.0 0.0 0

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