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NFL · Week 4 · 2026 Final

Lions at Panthers

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 · 00:20 UTC
Detroit Lions logo
Detroit
Lions
2-1 · W2
26
@
Carolina Panthers logo
Carolina
Panthers
1-2 · L2
32
Detroit Lions to win 59% win probability · projected 25–23 · Lean

Result & Grading

Published before kickoff, graded after. No edits, no quiet deletions.

Final score
26–32
DET at CAR
Our pick
DET ✗
Missed
Margin error
8.9
points from our projection
Against the spread
Covered ✓
vs line of DET −3.5

Pre-Game Win Probabilities

From the engine's power ratings, adjusted for home field and rest, then mapped through the margin distribution. Not a blend of the market — this is our own number.

DET 59%
CAR 41%
Projected score
25–23
DET at CAR
Projected margin
-2.9
home perspective
Projected total
47.9
combined points
Confidence
Lean
published before kickoff

Engine vs The Line

We agree with the market on the winner. The margins may still differ.

8th Day Engine
Detroit Lions
by 2.9 points · total 47.9
Closing line
Detroit Lions
by 3.5 points · total 50.5

Matchup Facts

Venue and rest come from the schedule feed and feed directly into the model; surface and weather are context we show but don't yet model.

Venue
Bank of America Stadium
Roof
Outdoors
Surface
Grass
Temperature
66°F
Wind
2 mph
Rest · DET
7 days
Rest · CAR
7 days
QB · DET
Jared Goff
QB · CAR
Bryce Young

Recent Form

Last five completed games this season, most recent first.

Detroit Lions

W vs NYJ 31–24
L @ BUF 31–41
W vs NO 31–30

Carolina Panthers

L @ CLE 18–21
W @ ATL 34–3
L vs CHI 37–59

Season Scoring

Points per game either side of the ball, 2026 season to date.

DET · scored
31.0
per game · 3 played
DET · allowed
31.7
per game
CAR · scored
29.7
per game · 3 played
CAR · allowed
27.7
per game

How The Model Sees It

Our rating has Detroit Lions as the stronger side by 107 rating points, which on its own is worth about 4.3 points on the scoreboard (DET 1,544, CAR 1,437).

Home field adds 1.4 points to CAR — a measured figure from our backtest, not the traditional three, because home advantage in the modern NFL is considerably smaller than it used to be.

That lands on a projected margin of -2.9, and running that through the historical spread of actual results against projections gives Detroit Lions at 59%.

The closing line agrees on the winner, making Detroit Lions favourite by 3.5 against our 2.9.

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