5 winners (and 2 losers) from Carolina Panthers' triumph vs. Saints in Week 9

Loser No. 2

Xavier Woods - Carolina Panthers S

The Carolina Panthers managed to attain success over the New Orleans Saints, which was the most important thing above all else. It wasn't perfect, but finding a way to win is something this team hasn't accomplished with nearly enough frequency since David Tepper bought the franchise from Jerry Richardson.

Xavier Woods' performance wasn't great. He got undone with a costly penalty by laying out Chris Olave, who was thankfully okay after a visit to the hospital. The veteran safety also struggled to wrap up oncoming runners effectively.

Woods has gone from one of the team's most consistent performers to a weak link. The former sixth-round selection is out of contract next spring and needs to raise his performance levels to justify a new deal. The fact undrafted free agent Demani Richardson is outperforming him right now speaks volumes.

With Jordan Fuller nearing a return, it'll be interesting to see how the safety dynamic shakes out. Taking Richardson out of the lineup would be harsh. At the same time, Ejiro Evero needs experience. That might ensure Woods retains his spot when push comes to shove, but the margin for error is thinner than ever.

Winner No. 5

Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB

Many thought this was Bryce Young's last opportunity to silence doubters and prove his worth as a starting quarterback. The Panthers had Andy Dalton waiting in the wings and Dave Canales trusts the veteran more, but the former No. 1 pick rose to the occasion with a confidence-boosting performance on home soil.

Young did all the little things well. He controlled the line of scrimmage pre-snap, got the football out on-time more often than not, and took advantage of scoring opportunities when they presented themselves. There were also notable improvements in key areas such as footwork and throwing mechanics for good measure.

This was a major positive for Young. The statistics weren't elite, but they could have been better had David Moore caught an easy touchdown pass and Xavier Legette not allowed the football to get snatched out of his grasp for an interception.

Canales didn't commit to Young after the game. However, it would be a bombshell of epic proportions if the Heisman Trophy winner out of Alabama wasn't under center for Carolina's international game against the New York Giants in Germany.

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