Bryce Young tops 300 yards for the first time this season
Once Bryce Young was reinserted into the starting lineup ahead of Week 8, the Carolina Panthers' record went out the window. They were already out of playoff contention. All that mattered was the quarterback's play and whether he could restore faith after a treacherous opening to the campaign.
Despite a distinct lack of confidence from his head coach, Young put together far and away his best stretch as a starter in the NFL. This even led to Carolina winning back-to-back games for the first time since Steve Wilks was the interim head coach.
Had it not been for a combination of torrid defense and a lack of safe hands at the wide receiver spot until veteran Adam Thielen's return from injured reserve, Carolina had the potential to be 6-7 heading into the final four contests, which were all winnable. That's a testament to Young's hard work and ability to fight back in the face of significant adversity.
Although the Panthers couldn't muster enough to finish the campaign positively results-wise, it was still encouraging for fans to see a clear improvement in Young. This provides hope that the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft could still be the future at quarterback.
Young has the chance to end the season on a high when he faces an Atlanta Falcons' pass defense allowing 221.7 yards per game, which ranks 19th around the league in 2024. They were torched by rookie signal-caller Jayden Daniels last weekend, leaving their postseason aspirations hanging by a thread.
Expect Young to target Thielen early and often. Since returning from a stint on injured reserve, the Pro Bowl pass-catcher has shown — even at the age of 34 years old — he is still a presence on the field.
Thielen will likely be matching up in the slot against Falcons' cornerback Dee Alford, who has had an up-and-down year. This potential mismatch could see Young put up 300 yards passing for the first time this season.