After another disappointing loss to the Pittsburgh Maulers, the Michigan Panthers have become victims of three straight losses in front of their home crowd at Ford Field. Currently the Panthers are tied up with every team in the North Division as all Four teams currently own a 2-3 record at the halfway point in the season.
GAME PREVIEW
Line: Panthers +6, O/U, 44.5 per Odds by FOXBET -213 Stallions, +160 Panthers
Date/Location: Saturday, May 20th, 2023, at Ford Field Detroit, Michigan
Kickoff Time: 4:00PM EST
Weather Forecast: N/A
TV/Streaming: FOX/Fox Sports App
Injury Report:
The Panthers look to be relatively healthy going into Week 6, however will see Ish Hyman become inactive whose been the Panthers WR3 throughout the first 5 games of the season. The Panthers will also see Noah Dawkins, and Kiante Hardin back on the field as both players are now a Full Go per the team’s Twitter.
The Panthers also placed former Nevada QB Carson Strong on injured reserve. Brian Lewerke was signed to join the team as a 3rd Quarterback and placed on the team’s inactive roster.
Depth Chart and Roster Moves:
In addition to bringing in Brian Lewerke the Panthers in the Quarterback room, the Panthers also signed DaShaun White to replace Santrell Latham who was released earlier in the week. White was the Panthers 5th Round Draft Pick in 2023 and will be placed on the week 6 inactive roster. White is the 3rd Panthers Draft Pick, to join Michigan this season.
The Panthers will also elevate Kaden Davis and Jamal Milan for week 6, for the first time this season. Davis will be replacing Ish Hyman who is dealing with a right ankle injury, while Milan will be replacing Garrett Marino who is a healthy scratch. Both players will be making their pro debuts against the Stallions.
Keys to the Game:
Ring My Bell:
The Panthers saw the addition of 2023 Draft Pick Levi Bell make his debut in Week 5, after a quick stint in the NFL. The former Texas State All-American made an immediate impact joining the Defensive Line rotation and registering 2 tackles and a 0.5 sack in his pro debut. While Breeland Speaks is the clear leader in the Panthers trenches, his immediate success for the Panthers will allow Bell to take advantage of more 1 on 1 opportunities. Look for Bell to have an increase in his workload in week 6 and expect to build upon last week’s debut especially with Garrett Marino inactive against Birmingham.
One Last Love Affair?
With Carson Strong now on Injured Reserve, this may be Josh Love’s last opportunity to fully have control of the Panthers Offense. Love has struggled mightily since earning Week One POTW honors and over the past two weeks has seen his playing time decrease to the Nevada alum. Love has seemingly played a lot more timid over his cold streak, not utilizing the seam routes that made him and the Offense so successful in the early weeks of the season.
Relying on Reggie:
After a breakout game in week 2, All-USFL Running Back Reggie Corbin has only totaled 102 rushing yards over the past 3 games. While Corbin has been effective in increasing his workload in the passing game, it is clear a shoulder injury may have impacted his performance overall. Moving forward into week 6, look for Corbin to help carry the load to take some of the pressure of his QB1, who may have another young signal caller breathing down his neck for playing time.
Final Thoughts:
For the Panthers the opportunity to right the ship and change the course of their season is extremely monumental with the Stallions coming into town. The Stallions who are currently 3-2 have had their fair share of injuries, have been forced to lean on Alex McGough through the air and on the ground with the Skip Holtz’s team being without J’Mar Smith and Bo Scarbrough among other key players. While it’s been an extremely turbulent season for the defending champs, dealing with more adversity than they intially planned the Stallions through grit and luck remain extremely competitive and in line for a playoff berth at the midway point in the season.
While the Panthers started off the season hot and fast out of the gate their offense has slowed down tremendously starting with finding consistency at the QB position. While I do believe Michigan scores a couple more touchdowns this week and puts together a more entertaining product on the field for fans, the elusiveness of Alex McGough will prove to be too much for Mike Nolan’s team as the Stallions win 26-17 in week 6, putting the Panthers in a win now mode.
