Home / NFL / NFL Fans Respond To Bryce Young’s Career Outing, Carolina Panthers’ Comeback Effort Vs. Atlanta Falcons

NFL Fans Respond To Bryce Young’s Career Outing, Carolina Panthers’ Comeback Effort Vs. Atlanta Falcons

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
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NFL Fans Respond To Bryce Young’s Career Outing, Carolina Panthers’ Comeback Effort Vs. Atlanta Falcons

Free, Bryce Young. In his third season as the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback, Young has often struggled with throws downfield. The four coaches who have directed the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick rarely counted on him to carry the offense with “explosive” plays.

Take last Sunday’s uninspiring home loss. The New Orleans Saints dared Young and the Panthers’ wide receivers to beat their man-on-man coverage while stacking the line with seven- and eight-man fronts. Young and Co. Struggled.

But not Sunday.

Despite re-injuring his right ankle twice, Young threw for a franchise-record 448 yards, rallying the Panthers to a 30-27 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.

“(Young) gutted it out,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said during his post-game press conference, per Panthers.com. “He wanted to do that for his teammates.”

Did Young prove to the coaching staff that he can deliver downfield throws?

Will Canales, the primary play caller, remove the offense’s shackles and call for more potential “explosives.” To qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2017, the Panthers will need to develop a consistent passing game.

Of Young’s 12 career wins, 10 developed via game-winning drives. He has four victories against the Falcons, including three during the 2025 calendar year.

On Sunday, rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald connected on a 28-yard, walk-off field goal, his third this season.

Will Canales free up Young going forward?

X (Twitter) fans replied to the Panthers sweeping the two-game regular-season series over the Falcons for the first time since 2013. Canales spoke to the team moments after the NFC South victory …

The pregame scene …

Young struggled against the Saints last Sunday, completing just one pass over 13 yards. The Panthers emphasized the receivers getting off the line during practice last week. Jalen Coker made the extra work pay off on a third-and-three pass play …

Tetairoa McMillan capped the opening series with a 7-yard touchdown reception. The rookie wide receiver finished with eight receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns …

The Falcons came right back when running back Bijan Robinson broke three tackles to score on a 4-yard run at 3:33 left in the first quarter …

On his second series, Young, who missed Week 8 with an injured right ankle, his his tender right ankle stepped on by Billy Bowman Jr. during a sack. Curiously, Young recognized the blitz pre-snap and appeared to call an audible, but right guard Chandler Zavala missed the call, allowing a free-run sack …

Young walked off the field for a medical check-up in the visiting locker room, but returned in time to start the Panthers’ next series …

Young had time to get checked out as the Falcons marched 95 yards during a 13-play drive, capped by Robinson’s 1-yard scoring run …

Falcons backup running back Tyler Allgeier converted the Falcons’ third, first-half rushing touchdown with 3:43 left in the first half …

Down 21-7, Young hit McMillan on a 39-yard catch and run, then the second-longest play of the season. The big play helped position the Panthers for a field goal with 25 seconds remaining in the first half. The Panthers also scored to start the second half, highlighted by back-to-back explosive plays, a 21-yard pass to Coker and a 36-yard scoring pass to Xavier Legette …

With 1:08 remaining in the fourth quarter, Young hit McMillan on a 12-yard scoring pass. The Falcons forced overtime on their final regulation series, capped by kicker Zane Gonzalez’s 45-yard field goal with 16 seconds left. Gonzalez is a former Panther …

In overtime, tight end Tommy Tremble hauled in his first catch in three November outings, broke several tackles, and rambled 54 yards for the longest play of the season. What was cornerback Natrone Brooks (35) doing, trying to punch the ball out instead of attempting a basic tackle? …

Fitzgerald, a Coolidge, Ga., native, converted the game-winner. The Panthers (6-5) climbed back into the playoff race with the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4) losing their second straight Sunday …

Final score: Carolina Panthers 30, Atlanta Falcons 27 (OT) …

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  
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