CHARLOTTE — As it turns out, the Panthers are ready for prime time.

And they're not afraid to get in a shootout.

The Panthers beat the Lions 32-26 in their first Sunday Night Football appearance in over a decade, and they did it with the kind of balanced offense they've been looking for all season.

And they rose to the moment, with "Keep Pounding" chants happening organically, and a few "MVP" chants along the way for quarterback Bryce Young.

Maybe premature, but also deserved, because Young was kind of dealing, Tetairoa McMillan had the kind of breakout game they were waiting for, and Chuba Hubbard added the kind of run game they've been expecting as they improved to 2-2.

McMillan had 12 catches for 193 yards in his first three games combined, and nearly hit those marks in the first 30 minutes.

McMillan had nine catches for 147 and a touchdown in the first half.

That was a new single-game high for him and set a franchise record for receptions in a half. It was the fourth-most yards in a half (behind Steve Smith, Ed Dickson, and Patrick Jeffers).

McMillan finished with 14 catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns.

And Hubbard passed Christian McCaffrey on the team's all-time rushing list (he's now third among running backs behind only Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams).

He had 41 carries for 184 yards and a touchdown in three games, but also had a season-best night.

Hubbard finished with with 20 carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns.

And along the way, they got enough defense against (another) one of the league's top offenses.

Whether it was batted passes by Derrick Brown and friends, or fourth-down stops late when the Lions got desperate, the Panthers got stops when they needed them, despite going into the week by putting both starting cornerbacks on injured reserve.

Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald missed a pair of extra points, but hit a pair of field goals to atone.

And when rookie corner Will Lee III and second-year safety Lathan Ransom stopped Detroit's final fourth down short, the party was on.

Injury updates

Rookie right tackle Monroe Freeling left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury, and did not return.

He was replaced in the lineup by veteran Stone Forsythe.

Freeling was standing on the sidelines on his own feet after the injury.

The Panthers were already playing without left guard Damien Lewis, with Corey Bullock replacing him.

Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips went to the injury tent in the fourth quarter with a hamstring issue, and he did not return.