“Maybe one or two,” the 2023 No. 1 draft pick said sheepishly. “I did the best I could. I still have a long way to go.”
Young still has a long way to go before becoming the franchise quarterback the Panthers (3-7) thought he could be when they traded two first-round picks and receiver DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears for the right to select to the winner of the 2021 Heisman Trophy. .
Coach Dave Canales did not say whether Young will start against the Kansas City Chiefs after their bye next week after the quarterback helped the team end a 700-day winning streak.
But, the first-year coach added, “Bryce certainly made a big statement for himself.”
Many Carolina players gave statements at Allianz Stadium.
Running back Chuba Hubbard provided at least a short-term reward for his four-year, $33 million extension on Friday, recording a career-high 153 rushing yards and 103 yards after initial contact.
The offensive line, which was rebuilt during the offseason to give Young a chance to succeed, allowed just one sack and paved the way for 188 rushing yards.
Rookie Ja’Tavian Sanders, selected in the fourth round to give Young a legitimate big target at tight end, had his first touchdown catch.
The much-maligned defense had two interceptions (after having none since Week 4) and recovered a fumble on the first play of overtime to set up Eddy Piñeiro’s 36-yard game-winning kick.
He also created consistent pressure for the first time, resulting in a pair of sacks, one of outside linebacker DJ Wonnum, who made his Carolina debut after spending the first nine games rehabbing from complications from quadriceps surgery in 2023.
Chuba Hubbard restores Panthers’ 10-point lead with TD
Chuba Hubbard makes his way to the end zone for a brief touchdown.
The joint effort created a sense of hope for an organization trying to avoid a seventh straight losing season.
“It’s building,” defensive end A’Shawn Robinson said. “It’s about being a brotherhood, from offense to special teams to defense. This whole team is a brotherhood. It’s very tight. Being a young team, we’re really coming together. This is a good step for us to take in the right direction.”
Canales said: “I love that we are taking advantage of the weeks.”
But as is often the case in the NFL, the quarterback gets the most attention.
For Young, it has become a weekly question whether he will get another start. He is 2-2 during his current series of starts since replacing Andy Dalton after the veteran suffered a thumb injury in a minor car accident last month.
Young has kept the job because he has shown improvement each week, even though Dalton, who took over after Young’s 0-2 start, has been healthy enough to start the last three games.
At halftime, with the Panthers leading 10-0, Canales said the 23-year-old was playing “fast and decisive.”
That was shown on the first touchdown, when Young stepped into the pocket on third-and-goal from the 5-yard line, slipped and quickly threw a pass to Sanders in the back of the end zone despite having a running lane. .
On first-and-10 in the second half, Young ran for a 24-yard run, then celebrated with a smile and a first-down wave with his arms to show he was having a good time.
Perhaps the best throw to show his newfound confidence came at the end of regulation when, on third-and-8, he threw a perfect strike on an out pattern to rookie catcher Xavier Legette for a first down at a time when Carolina was trying to make a run. off the clock.
Young was far from perfect. He passed for just 126 yards, completing 15 of 25 attempts. He had only 171 passing yards in the previous game against the New Orleans Saints.
Both of their wins came against teams with two wins and streaks of four or more losses.
The real challenge comes when Carolina faces the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Philadelphia Eagles. Perhaps that’s why Canales was hesitant to name his starting quarterback after the game. The offense has still shown a propensity to be more explosive under Dalton.
But at least for now, Young has given his coach reason to debate his decision.
“There are things to clean up, things to build on, but we’ll worry about that when it’s time to focus,” Young said. “Even if there is a week in between, we have to take advantage of them.”
