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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Detroit Lions had every reason to be confident when they arrived at Bank of America Stadium. Their offense was on roll and their defensive issues appeared to have been resolved. They'd won six of seven games, vaulting into contention for a wild card spot. That's what made Saturday's 37-23 loss to Carolina all the more inexplicable. The Lions allowed the Panthers to pile up a franchise-record 570 yards — including 320 on the ground. Detroit had a chance to move into playoff position because of losses by other NFC wild-card contenders. Instead, the Lions remain a half-game behind Washington.
