# Tyler Sullivan: Sullivan flagged the Panthers as a potential Week 4 upset winner over the Lions, arguing Detroit's bottom-of-the-league defense gives Carolina a path to a victory that would even its record.

**Claimed:** Oct 3, 2026
**Pundit:** Tyler Sullivan — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/tyler-sullivan
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/panthers/onsi/why-the-panthers-actually-can-upset-the-lions-on-sunday-night-football

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

The call scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> it's their lackluster defense that puts them on upset alert

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Carolina Panthers to beat Lions**
  - Kind: Game Outcome Picks · About: Carolina Panthers
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Carolina Panthers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/panthers

## What others said about the same people

- Carter Bahns on Carolina Panthers: Bahns picks the Panthers to win a high-scoring Sunday night shootout over the Lions, 38-34, arguing both defenses are too leaky to slow the other offense. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9e55ea5c-7c01-4cdb-b467-71b22eae3633 (scored 95.24)
- Richard Sherman on Carolina Panthers: Sherman gave his own top five entering Week 4 with the 49ers first, then made picks in every Week 4 game, including upset calls for Carolina over Detroit (with a 36-31 scoreline), Tampa Bay over Green Bay, Washington over Indianapolis and Jacksonville over Cincinnati. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/955fb34c-41a3-4e87-817d-b29d2c000272 (scored 97.62)
- Zachary Pereles on Trevon Diggs: After Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson landed on IR, Pereles argues Carolina must add cornerback help and lists five specific players the Panthers could sign or trade for: Trevon Diggs, Shaun Wade, Tre'Davious White, Kader Kohou and Darrell Luter Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2ca71d82-67b6-4ea9-8b3f-daedb406efc1 (scored 0)
- Zach Roberts on Ja'Seem Reed: Roberts projects the Carolina Panthers' 53-man roster following the Hall of Fame Game, naming every player he expects to make the team at each position, and pegs AJ Dillon as the fourth running back on the depth chart. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/eef72be3-9114-401b-a6e8-2ffc335cc7fb (scored 100)
- Zach Roberts on Ja'Seem Reed: Roberts argues Haynes King's Hall of Fame Game showing means Carolina can't risk exposing him to the practice squad, and says receiver Ja'Seem Reed looks poised to make the 53-man roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3cc9a33c-6ce4-483f-a49d-72ba8a7d7c00 (scored 100)
- Zach Roberts on Ja'Seem Reed: Previewing the Panthers' Hall of Fame Game, Roberts predicts Kenny Pickett starts but plays sparingly with Haynes King getting extensive work, and projects UDFA receiver Ja'Seem Reed and defensive lineman Aaron Hall to make the final 53-man roster. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/21b93a68-3735-496f-abf0-ed279bbc5c44 (scored 100)

## More game outcome picks

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Pete Martuneac on Chicago Bears: Martuneac expects the Bears to beat the Jets comfortably in Week 4, with Tyson Bagent playing efficiently, Dillon Thieneman picking off Geno Smith twice, and Colston Loveland breaking out as a two-touchdown receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9c04a22d-7a98-4ddc-bee0-22cdacb738e1 (scored 100)
- Tyler Brown on Kansas City Chiefs: Brown expects a grind of a game that the Raiders keep close, but believes Kansas City's weapons and experience in tight games carry the Chiefs to the win. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/47cc3b1e-16fb-4619-ad3b-89a78b9c93c2 (scored 100)
- Jordan Foote on Kansas City Chiefs: Foote doubts the Raiders' hot start is sustainable and picks the Chiefs to win on the road by one score. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/604b134a-eb05-4979-96c0-eee6acf45bd3 (scored 100)
- Joshua Brisco on Kansas City Chiefs: Brisco expects the Raiders' edge rushers and Brock Bowers to create matchup problems, but picks Kansas City to win a close Week 4 game as the better overall team. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/26d3a628-c294-4c8d-9855-6fe9b0eed394 (scored 100)
- Joshua Schulman on Las Vegas Raiders: Schulman picks Las Vegas to hand Kansas City its first loss, expecting Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty to exploit a Chiefs defense he believes will be exposed. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/924a6708-33e0-4e60-97a3-4fb98ce00f1d (scored 0)
- Seth Walder on Miami Dolphins: Walder made a 'bold prediction' for each Week 4 game — including receiving and rushing yardage marks, sacks, an interception and a Dolphins upset — and picked final scores for all 15 games on the slate. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2136c2b6-89e5-4f73-ad78-28d4de9bb6be (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
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