Will Hovey
For the past 10 years, the Carolinas’ only professional football team, the Panthers, has seen little to no success with just one winning season and two playoff appearances since 2016. However, this season looks different because of Bryce Young, who has finally flourished as an established quarterback, and the wide receiver tandem of Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.
Offensive Dominance
The Panthers sit at the top of their division after starting the season 1-2 before grabbing two straight wins against the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles. Both games saw impressive offensive production with Bryce Young throwing two touchdowns in each with no turnovers and Chuba Hubbard rushing for over 120 yards in both games.
The first of the two games saw the Panthers appear on Sunday Night Football for the first time in almost 10 years (their last appearance on that night was a blowout 7-40 loss against the Seattle Seahawks). With the Panthers winning in a shootout against the Lions 32-26, this game did not end at all like that one, though. The Young-to-McMillan connection was on fire as 192 of Young’s 329 total passing yards went to McMillan along with both of his touchdowns. McMillan was 9 yards shy of tying Panthers legend Steve Smith’s single-game receiving yard record. McMillan gave a shoutout to Smith during the game using his iconic phrase, “If you see this face, it means I scored,” after his second touchdown of the night.
Their next game after their bye week saw the Panthers travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles. The Eagles have been a very injury-riddled team this season, and the Panthers took full advantage by grabbing an early lead and never giving it up to win the game 25-14. Both of Young’s touchdowns went to his tight end Tommy Tremble, with Hubbard adding a rushing touchdown and finishing his day with 120 yards on 28 carries.
Bryce Young MVP?
The core of this team has proven to be Bryce Young. The former first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft has broken out in a serious way this year. He has been through it all in his young career, being labeled a bust during his first two years and being benched in 2024. This year looks completely different, though. He leads the league with 309.8 passing yards per game, making him the only quarterback to average over 300 yards. He also boasts an amazing 11-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio, which is one of the best in the league.
People are starting to take notice of his success as “MVP” chants were heard after both of the Panthers’ latest wins at home and on the road. He deserves their praise for being one of the top players this year because he has turned the Panthers around from being a losing team into a real playoff contender. Young was asked if he had heard the fans’ chants after his Sunday Night win and called it a “huge blessing,” while giving a shout-out to the fans who gave him and the team all their support.
Upcoming Schedule
Nearing the halfway point of the season, the Panthers will begin entering the heart of their divisional matches, with three divisional games among their next six games. Those games are must-win contests since the division is very weak. Taking advantage of that state of their division would allow them to have a clear path to hosting another playoff game. If Young and the Panthers can continue their award-worthy performances, the team may see another playoff berth and earn its first winning season since 2016.
Headline image from 6abc
