ESPN sees a productive afternoon ahead for Bryce Young when the Panthers visit the Falcons in Week 2.
The network projected Young to finish Sunday’s NFC South matchup at 21-for-32 passing for 234 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. That forecast comes after Young opened the season with a huge performance against the Bears, going 23-for-37 for 361 yards, three passing touchdowns and one interception while adding a rushing score.
Carolina still lost that game because the defense couldn’t slow Chicago down. The Panthers gave up 59 points, even though the offense did its part with 37 points and 478 total yards.
Young’s numbers against Atlanta have been strong, and that history is part of why this matchup looks appealing on paper. In two games against the Falcons last season, he threw for 569 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns.
Across five games overall against Atlanta, the Panthers are 4-1 and Young has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 1,133 yards, seven touchdowns and only two interceptions for a 95.3 rating. He has not lost to the Falcons since the 2023 opener.
Week 1 also put Young in rare company. He became just the second quarterback in Panthers franchise history, joining Steve Beuerlein in 1999, to throw for 350 yards and three touchdowns and run for a score in the same game.
Now the question is whether he can keep that momentum rolling in Atlanta.
“I’m glad that he's found success playing in that stadium; I hope it happens again for Bryce to show up,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “But for me it's just about consistency; it's not about the team we're playing.
I don't think there's any magical geographical thing behind this at all. But for Bryce, I just want to see him build off of last week.
He had a phenomenal game in my opinion, but there are some things that he left out there that he knows he'd be up here telling you about the same plays, and I just want to see him take another step.”
Young is playing this season on a $12.1 million salary in the fourth year of his rookie deal, and his fifth-year option is worth a guaranteed $25.9 million. Carolina did not give him an extension, which puts added pressure on him to back up Week 1 with another strong season if he wants to set himself up for a big payday next offseason.
In Other News...
Panthers Just Lost A Receiver Dave Canales Still Wanted Back
The Panthers moved on from Jimmy Horn Jr., but not quietly. Carolina waived the rookie wide receiver and returner after taking him in the sixth round this year, even though Dave Canales had made it clear he would have liked to keep Horn in the building. Horns speed and versatility gave the staff another option on offense and special teams, and he had carved out a small but useful role as the roster churn continued.
Horn is now heading to Cleveland, where he is signing with the Browns practice squad and will reconnect with former college quarterback Shedeur Sanders. For Carolina, it is another reminder of how thin the margins can be for young receivers trying to stick, especially when a coaching staff still sees value but cannot keep everyone. The Panthers now have to figure out how to replace one of the players Canales seemed most interested in developing further. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Penix Jr Puts Falcons Quarterback Decision Back In Play
Todd Bowles put a little more pressure on the NFC Souths quarterback conversation Monday when he said Baker Mayfield still needs to tighten up his ball security and cut down on turnovers. For Carolina, that only adds to the sense that the division is still very much in flux, with every opponent trying to sort out stability at the games most important position while the Panthers keep piecing together their own roster.
One of those moving parts is in Atlanta, where Michael Penix Jr. is continuing his recovery and was a full participant in practice while sharing reps with Cooper Rush. It is another sign that the Falcons have a decision to make as the season goes on, and the Panthers are watching all of it with interest, especially after waiving cornerback Jimmy Horn to make room for linebacker Tyrel Dodson and stressing that Horns development remains part of the long view. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Gave Up On Jimmy Horn Jr After One Costly Mistake
Jimmy Horn Jr.'s quick exit from Carolina says plenty about how thin the margin can be for a young receiver trying to stick in the NFL. The Panthers waived the sixth-round pick after a key mistake in their Week 1 loss, and when he went unclaimed on waivers, his next step came into focus quickly. Horn appeared in 13 games as a rookie, but the early stumble proved costly in a roster race where every snap matters.
Now Horn is headed to Cleveland, where he will reunite with his college quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. For a player trying to reset after being let go so early in the season, the Browns offer a familiar connection and another chance to show he can be more than one bad moment in Carolina. The Panthers, meanwhile, move on from a young receiver whose stay never had much room to breathe. [Read more 🡒]