Loser No. 3
Jaycee Horn - Carolina Panthers CB
The Carolina Panthers have gotten another Pro Bowl year from cornerback Jaycee Horn. He's a phenomenally positive influence on this team, both on and off the field. Still, this wasn't his most profitable afternoon at the office by any stretch of the imagination.
Horn's day could have been different if he'd brought in a golden interception opportunity early in the contest. It's a play the defensive back would make 99 times out of 100, but it slipped through his grasp. And things only got worse from there.
The former South Carolina standout gave up a couple of key receptions to Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Horn also grabbed the wideout's facemask in a 3rd-and-long moment when the Panthers looked primed to get off the field. That was inexcusable, and it cost Carolina dearly.
Horn's got enough about him to bounce back quickly. The Panthers are counting on it with Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka, and Chris Godwin up next.
Winner No. 3
A'Shawn Robinson - Carolina Panthers DL
The Panthers' defense tried hard to keep them in the game. Getting no time to rest in between drives wasn't ideal, and it eventually became their undoing. There was too much to overcome, but as stated previously, there were some bright spots to emerge on this side of the football.
A'Shawn Robinson was among them. The veteran interior lineman moved the pile and made things difficult. Sam Darnold got into his groove as the defense tired, but they were more than a match for the Seahawks' offensive line before fading relatively late.
Robinson's power and aggression stood out in the trenches. He got off blocks and frequently moved Darnold off his spot. The former Alabama standout also helped himself to nine tackles and one quarterback hit, which emerged as a definite shining light amid the almost constant doom and gloom.
If Robinson does the same this weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Panthers will be in good shape.
Loser No. 4
Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB
It was evident from pretty early on that this was not going to be a comfortable afternoon at the office for Bryce Young. The quarterback has shown promise this season, but the Panthers didn't have the firepower or protection to give him a fighting chance of even being remotely competitive.
Young had almost no time to review his progressions. He barely got time to set his feet as pressure came from all angles. The timing was off with his pass-catchers, and aside from a few notable runs, the Seahawks' smothering defense kept him in check.
This was a slight setback for Young, but nothing's really changed. Sure, the Panthers could have wrapped up the division after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Miami Dolphins. At the same time, relying on others was not Carolina's primary method to get into the knockout rounds.
After 54 passing yards from 24 attempts, Young would be wise to shrug off this performance and move on quickly.