The Carolina Panthers came out of their Week 5 bye and handled their business in Philadelphia, knocking off the Eagles 25-14 in a game they controlled from start to finish. Carolina never trailed and stretched the margin to as many as 12, turning what looked like a dangerous spot into a clean road win.
For the Panthers, the result moved them to 3-2 and delivered exactly the kind of response a team wants after a break. The Eagles were shorthanded on offense, with Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley out, an offensive line packed with injuries, and a retirement from RT Lane Johnson. Carolina still had to show up and do the work, and it did.
The offense didn’t explode right away, but it finished the day with a massive number. Carolina piled up 399 total yards, and was just a step away from reaching 400 before Bryce Young took a knee to end it. That keeps a rolling trend alive for the Panthers, who haven’t had a game with fewer than 340 total yards this season and now have three games with more than 395.
A big reason for that steady production has been Brad Idzik. In his first season calling plays in the NFL, Carolina’s play-caller has the offense humming early, and the pace he’s on would put him in the conversation for head coaching jobs around the league.
Chuba Hubbard also continued to look like a true lead back. After an adversity-filled 2025 season raised questions about whether he could still handle a bell-cow role, he’s answered them emphatically. Hubbard carried 28 times for 120 yards and a touchdown, giving him back-to-back games with at least 120 rushing yards and a score.
Bryce Young had a solid afternoon, though not his most efficient one, and Hubbard helped carry the load by grinding out yards after contact and consistently finding room to run. That kept Carolina ahead of schedule and let the offense stay on the field.
The defense deserves plenty of credit too, especially against the run. Even with the Eagles missing key pieces on offense, holding any NFL team to 35 rushing yards is a strong statement. Carolina’s defensive line shut down inside runs, while Devin Lloyd and Bobby Okereke were active and sharp in tackling, with the group combining for 4 TFLs.
That follows another strong showing in Week 4, when the Panthers limited Lions back Jahmyr Gibbs to 46 rushing yards on 15 carries. After being viewed as a weak point following Week 1, Carolina’s run defense is starting to build real momentum.
In Other News...
Panthers Trade Deadline Could Expose One Awkward Roster Fit
The Panthers win over the Eagles only sharpened the conversation around Carolinas next move before the Nov. 10 trade deadline. With the roster still searching for upgrades, Sports Illustrated floated a few names that could make sense for the Panthers, including Philadelphia tight end Dallas Goedert, Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen and Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston as potential answers to lingering needs.
One reason the deadline feels intriguing is that Carolina may have to sort through fit as much as talent. Any pursuit would have to account for where those players slot into the current mix, and one possible acquisition could create an awkward overlap on a roster that is still taking shape. The Panthers have a chance to improve, but the bigger question may be whether the best available move actually fits cleanly. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Depth Chart Shows Carolina's Roster Shift Before Bucs Showdown
The Panthers are carrying a noticeably different look into Week 7 after getting Trevor Etienne, Taylor Moton and Tershawn Wharton back on the active roster before last weeks win over the Eagles. Those moves helped stabilize Carolina for a tough stretch, and now the updated depth chart offers a clearer picture of how the team is sorting out its pieces ahead of a divisional meeting with Tampa Bay.
For a roster that has been shuffled by injuries and weekly adjustments, the new alignment matters because it can shape both the rotation and the game plan against the Buccaneers. The chart lays out where Carolina sees its players at each spot, and with another NFC South test on deck, the details behind those rankings could tell as much about the Panthers current direction as the result itself. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Young Is Forcing A Panthers Debate Nobody Expected This Fast
Bryce Young has turned the first five weeks of 2024 into a very different conversation than the one Carolina expected to be having this soon. After the Panthers exercised his fifth-year option, Young responded by setting a new franchise mark with 11 passing touchdowns through the teams first five games, while helping push Carolina to a 3-2 record entering Week 6.
It has not just been about scoring through the air, either. Young has thrown for 1,549 yards with only two interceptions, and he is currently leading the NFL in passing yards per game. For a team that spent much of the last year searching for stability at quarterback, the bigger question now is no longer whether Young can settle in, but how far this version of the Panthers can go if he keeps playing like this. [Read more 🡒]