The Carolina Panthers are officially in the NFC South drivers' seat as they try to secure themselves a playoff birth for the first time in almost a decade, as Bryce Young helped lead his team to a 23-20 win against Baker Mayfield and what is a reeling Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad.
The biggest improvement from Dave Canales' first season to his second has been Young, who has evolved from one of the worst quarterbacks in the league to a player who is slowly starting to turn into an efficient game-manager that can occasionally play above himself in big moments.
Canales said that Young took what Tampa Bay's defense was giving him and made all the right decisions. Even with a lack of splash plays, the lack of turnovers and consistency with which he moved the ball made Young capable of leading his team to victory in a situation like this.
Young is no longer a liability under center, as his evolution from benched top pick to efficient intermediate passer is exactly why the Panthers have finally started to shake off the also-ran moniker they have been saddled with during the last few seasons of unsuccessful football.
Dave Canales' quotes about Bryce Young showcase Panthers QB evolution
Young has officially turned a corner to the point where Panthers fans can finally feel comfortable about him entering 2026 as the unquestioned starting quarterback. With 21 touchdown passes against just nine interceptions, Young is starting to evolve into a quality starter as a part of this scheme.
Canales on Bryce Young: Took what Bucs gave him. Made the right decisions, throws. pic.twitter.com/eysCSWw5oh
— Joe Person (@josephperson) December 21, 2025
With Young often trying too hard to force big plays due to his lack of great size, Canales has made it a priority for him to channel that desire for a big play and operate the offense in a more efficient style. So far, Young appears to have figured things out to enough of a degree where he can trounce division rivals.
The Panthers haven't locked up the division yet by any stretch of the imagination, as they have a duel with a Seattle Seahawks team that could end up with the No. 1 seed in the NFC and another duel with these very same Buccaneers, albeit on the road in Tampa Bay.
Carolina went from one of the laughingstocks of the league to a team that is respectable enough to make a serious charge at a division title, and that wouldn't have happened without Young improving as rapidly as he did.