The Carolina Panthers’ rollercoaster season swung violently again in Week 4. This time, their quarterback landed in the crosshairs once again.
A week after Carolina blasted the Atlanta Falcons, Bryce Young and the Panthers were embarrassed against the New England Patriots. For the third-year quarterback, it was another indifferent performance in what’s becoming a troubling pattern.
Young completed 60 percent of his passes for 150 yards and a lone touchdown. He avoided turnovers, but once again failed to threaten defenses through the air.
Through four games, Young has thrown for just 753 yards, a modest 188.3 per game. He has been held under 200 yards in three of his four starts this season.
NFL analyst doesn't believe Bryce Young is elevating the Carolina Panthers
Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports named Young one of Week 4’s most prominent losers, highlighting the sharp contrast in Carolina’s play from week to week.
"Young led the Carolina Panthers to a blowout win in Week 3, but even in that contest, the former No. 1 overall draft pick struggled to show up through the air. It was more of the same -- and much worse -- against the New England Patriots on Sunday, when Young’s squad easily won the time-of-possession battle but mustered fewer than 200 total yards passing."Cody Benjamin
That inconsistency has become the defining theme of Young’s career. When the Panthers win, it’s rarely because of him. When they lose, his quiet stat lines stand out even more.
The harshest blow came with Benjamin’s blunt assessment: “Young has fight but precious little passing juice.” It’s the kind of description no franchise quarterback wants attached to their name, let alone a No. 1 overall pick.
The numbers back up the concern. Young’s completion rate sits at 60.4 percent, and his yards per attempt remain near the bottom of the league. While he hasn’t turned the ball over the past two weeks, his inability to push the ball downfield or carry the offense has left Carolina stagnant.
Head coach Dave Canales continued to defend his quarterback, pointing to Young’s leadership and toughness. But after another loss dropped the Panthers to 1-3, the noise outside the locker room is getting harder to ignore.
Young closed 2024 on a high note, throwing for seven touchdowns and adding three rushing scores with no turnovers in the final three contests. That glimpse of promise turned into hope for a breakout 2025. Instead, Carolina fans are watching an offense that doesn't look particularly special.
The Panthers don’t need Young to be perfect, but they do need him to be better.
Carolina may have found a head coach capable of steadying the ship. What they haven’t seen yet is evidence that their quarterback can elevate it.