The Carolina Panthers extended their winning streak to three games, and they have now won four of their last five. However, the team's latest triumph against the New York Jets could have come at a price.
It's a testament to the defense's performance that Carolina managed to come through without quarterback Bryce Young. He went out of the game with an ankle issue in the third quarter and was immediately taken to the locker room. After being initially listed as questionable, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft was quickly ruled out.
To make matters worse, Young was seen in a walking boot leaving MetLife Stadium. With the Buffalo Bills next up for the Panthers in Week 8 at Bank of America Stadium, fans are anxiously awaiting further developments.
Carolina Panthers fans face nervous wait after Bryce Young's ankle injury
Dave Canales didn't give much away, stating that it's a wait-and-see scenario until all the information is accumulated. However, the head coach expressed confidence in Andy Dalton's ability to fill the void effectively behind Carolina's exceptional rushing attack.
"We're evaluating for the right ankle. So we're taking all the information and we're going to look at him when we get home some more, and see where we're at. We'll look at all that and see what the best version of us is. But right now it's running the football, and Andy can handle all those things and the pass game, the reps, the time on task with the group that we have, we've got to stay within the core of our system, and Andy's fully involved in all that. So if he does play, that'll be the mode."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
Reading between the lines, it doesn't look good. Canales, placing his faith in Dalton, hints that Young might not be able to go next weekend. That represents a body blow when momentum was starting to reach levels not seen since David Tepper bought the franchise from Jerry Richardson.
For fans, it's a waiting game. More information will become available in the coming days, either from the team or NFL insiders across the country. But this couldn't have come at a worse time for Young, who's finally beginning to turn the corner.
The Panthers will have to roll with the punches if Young is unavailable. Dalton is experienced enough to be a capable fill-in if required, but it won't help their case if they aim to make a monumental statement against one of the genuine Super Bowl favorites.
It's a nervous time for Carolina's passionate fan base. Until something is confirmed one way or another, all they can do is hope for the best.