Loser No. 2
Jaycee Horn - Carolina Panthers CB
The Carolina Panthers don't have many truly elite players. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn is one of them, but Week 10 was not his most profitable afternoon at the office by any stretch of the imagination.
Horn was unusually shaky, which isn't in keeping with the way he's gone about his business this season. He gave up a deep touchdown to wide receiver Chris Olave, though one could point to a potential push-off that caused the former South Carolina standout to fall over.
Suspect footing once again got the better of Horn later in the contest. He fell again as the Saints threw for another score. The No. 8 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft took full responsibility for the team's failings, stating that he cost the Panthers in critical moments and will be a lot better moving forward.
Everyone is entitled to a bad day. Horn's had very few of them since being drafted, so hopefully this is nothing more than a blip.
Winner No. 1
Derrick Brown - Carolina Panthers DL
There weren't many players who emerged from Week 10 with credit. It was a disastrous outing when much was expected, the 11th time since 2021 that the Panthers have lost when favored in a game.
Not for the first time this season, Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown was a shining light amid the chaos. The interior force is playing at an All-Pro level, consistently moving the pile despite being the primary target of the New Orleans Saints' offensive line. If others had met their end of the bargain, perhaps the Panthers would have been more competitive.
That wasn't to be. Brown is clearly getting sick and tired of the team's fluctuating form. His elite-level production deserves better, and the sooner Carolina finds a happy medium to be more consistent, the better its chances will be.
Brown isn't interested in anything other than team accomplishments. But he continues to stand out as a massive positive.
Loser No. 3
Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB
The Saints put this game squarely on the shoulders of Bryce Young. They keyed in on preventing running back Rico Dowdle from dictating proceedings, and they had a great deal of success. And unfortunately for the Panthers, the third-year quarterback fell way short of even modest targets.
Young's inability to stretch the field was exposed in no uncertain terms. He looked hesitant as pressure swarmed in his face. One can point to the conservative play-calling from head coach Dave Canales, but he could see how the signal-caller was performing.
This was a significant step back for Young. The Saints knew precisely how to make him uncomfortable. His decision-making for the interception and fumble was inexcusable. After managing games effectively in recent weeks, he looked more like the player who was benched just two games into Canales' tenure last season.
A significant response from Young is needed. Otherwise, the questions surrounding his ability to be the guy will continue to come up.