3 Keys to Victory for Lions against Panthers

Read more on the three keys to victory for the Detroit Lions against the Carolina Panthers in Week 16.

The Detroit Lions (7-7) have a chance to win their fourth straight game when they take on the Carolina Panthers (5-9) Saturday. 

In order to pull out the victory, plus further increase its odds of making the playoffs, here are three things Detroit must do against the Panthers. 

Prevent Brian Burns from getting to Goff

The 24-year-old EDGE defender is the definition of a sack-master, and is currently enjoying a career-best season. 

Burns, a first-round pick of the Panthers in 2019, has already amassed career-high marks in both sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (14). 

Additionally, he's already accumulated 58 total tackles (tied for a career-best mark; last occurred in 2020) and 18 quarterback hits (as many as he produced last year and three away from his career-best total of 21 in '20). 

For his efforts, the Florida State product was named earlier this week to his second straight Pro Bowl.

So, the onus Saturday will be on Detroit to keep the pass rusher at bay as much as possible.

Burns works primarily on the left side of the line, so Lions left tackle Taylor Decker will be tasked with blocking the fourth-year pro for most of the Week 16 tilt. 

It won't be an easy assignment for Decker, who's allowed just three sacks this season. But, I believe Decker and Detroit's offensive line, the team's strongest positional group in 2022, will be up for the challenge.

Get the ground game going 

The best way of exploiting the Panthers' defense is through running the football. 

Going into this Week 16 matchup, Carolina has allowed the 11th-most rushing yards (1,830) and the eighth-most rushing touchdowns (16) in the NFL this season. 

And, just a week ago against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Panthers allowed Steelers running back Najee Harris to accumulate 86 yards and a touchdown on the ground. 

Subsequently, on Saturday, it'd be nice to see Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson get D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams involved early and often. 

It's something that hasn't happened in recent weeks, however. 

"Yeah, I’d love to, I’d love to (run the football more), but the negative runs really, really hurt," Johnson told reporters Wednesday. "We need to be efficient, and we need to get going, stay on schedule and ahead of the sticks. We were in too many second-and-longs last week, and it made our lives difficult. So, yeah, no, I think they certainly recognize it’s something that we’ll continue to address, as the week goes on, too. And, that’s kind of been the story of our season is fires pop up, we’re just in a race to try to put them away. And sure enough, another week comes by, and other fires pop up. So, it’s our cycle right now." 

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Williams hasn't rushed for more than 37 yards in each of Detroit's last three games. Swift, meanwhile, has fared better the last three weeks, averaging 4.8 yards a carry. 

However, in the Lions' Week 15 contest with the N.Y. Jets, Swift and Williams combined for under 90 yards (85), and failed to find the end zone (on 21 total carries).

It's time to get the ground game back on track. And, by doing so Saturday, the Lions would significantly increase their chances of returning to the Motor City with their eighth win on the season.

Stop Carolina's run game

Running the football is the best thing the Panthers do offensively. 

Going into this Christmas Eve matchup, Carolina has accumulated the 17th-most yards on the ground (1,645) and the 12th-most rushing TDs in the league (13).

D'Onta Foreman, a 26-year-old back who's in his first year with the Panthers, paces all Carolina runners with 646 rushing yards and four scores on the ground.

Foreman amassed just nine rushing yards a week ago, though, after accumulating a total of 187 yards on the ground in the Panthers' previous two games.

Meanwhile, Detroit has allowed less than 100 rushing yards each of the last three weeks, including just 50 yards last week against the Jets and a measly 22 yards in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings.

I believe Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn's unit has a solid shot of being stout against the run once again in this Week 16 tilt. And, if such occurs, it greatly enhances the team's odds of stymieing the Panthers' offensive attack and subsequently securing the win in Carolina.