Carolina Panthers feast on Lions in 37-23 win in record cold temps
The temperature on Saturday afternoon at Bank of America stadium was 20 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff. In the coldest home game ever played at the venue, the Panthers offense came out of the box hot with a first half team record 364 total yards. They also rushed for 240 yards on 22 carries. After two strong rushing attempts by Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard, his teammate Raheem Blackshear capped a 5-play 78 yard scoring drive on the opening possession that put Carolina up 7-0.
Detroit rallied right back when Jared Goff connected with a variety of receivers. Goff finished the drive when he connected with Detroit Lions' tight end Shane Zylstra from 3 yards out to tie game at 7 apiece.
The Lions tried to keep some momentum going until Yetur Gross-Mayos recovered a fumble by Goff at the 9 yard line. That was all the Panthers fired up offense needed. Panthers' starting running back D’Onta Foreman broke out on a call with 38 yard run. Then Panthers' quarterback Sam Darnold ran for 13 yards followed by a 3-yard TD run. The gallop into the end zone capped an 8-play 91 yard scoring drive that put the Panthers up 14-7 in the 2nd quarter.
Darnold kept things rolling right before the 2 minute warning with Foreman’s 21 yard run. Then Blackshear’s 22 yard catch. After a defensive penalty that left the ball on the Detroit 4 yard line Foreman punched it in capping an 11 play 93 yard scoring drive it was 21-7 Carolina. Right before the half Eddy Pineiro’s 37 yard field goal gave the Panthers a 17 point lead heading into the third quarter.
DJ Moore kept Carolina’s offensive momentum later when he was on the other end of a Darnold long completion and followed with his TD catch that finished a 7 play 74 yard drive. The Panthers went on to win big and have their sights set on the road is divisional matchup in Tampa.
