Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season gave two quarterbacks a chance to swing the conversation around them, and both took full advantage.
Tyler Shough and Bryce Young were among the biggest stock risers after opening weekend, each turning in a performance that changed the tone around his team. In different ways, both showed why one game can matter so much, even if nobody wants to admit they’re ready to go all in after seven days.
Shough’s day started badly enough to make the Saints’ offense look stuck in place. Against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, he managed just 10 completions on 22 attempts for 85 yards in the first half, with no touchdowns and one interception. New Orleans didn’t score at all before halftime, and the whole operation looked out of sync.
Then came the turnaround. Shough helped nearly drag the Saints all the way back in Detroit by flipping the script in the second half and overtime. He went 25 of 34 for 326 yards and three touchdowns after the break, finishing with 410 passing yards overall - the most by any quarterback in Week 1.
That’s the version New Orleans had in mind when it drafted him. One of the biggest questions around Shough as a prospect was his age, and he’ll turn 27 later this month in just his second NFL season.
But that same age also brings a kind of mental maturity and toughness he showed on Sunday. The first half still counts, and it’s still only Week 1, but the second-half surge gave Saints fans plenty to chew on.
Young’s outing was less dramatic, but just as important for his standing. The Carolina Panthers got blasted at home by the Chicago Bears, allowing nearly 60 points in a loss by more than three touchdowns. Young, though, was not the problem.
He threw for 361 yards, which ranked third in Week 1, and added three touchdowns while averaging 9.8 yards per attempt, good for fourth. He was handling business. The matchup helped - Chicago’s defense finished 29th in yards per game and 28th in yards per pass in 2025 - and Young was pressured on only 26.8 percent of his dropbacks, a number that figures to rise against stronger defenses.
Still, the bigger takeaway is that Young finally looked like the quarterback Carolina believed it was getting when it took him No. 1 overall in 2023. He’ll have to show he can do it consistently, especially with a supporting cast that isn’t exactly loaded. Tetairoa McMillan is a very talented receiver in his second year, and Jalen Coker is an exciting player, but this is not an elite group around him.
If Young keeps playing like this, the Panthers may finally get the franchise quarterback they drafted.
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 🡒]