After a horrific loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 10, the Carolina Panthers managed to bounce back in a huge way against the Atlanta Falcons.
With playoff implications on the line, the Panthers were able to claw their way back from an 11-point deficit on the road in Week 11 and defeat the fellow NFC South member in overtime, 30-27. This second-half comeback, however, could not have been completed without the likes of quarterback Bryce Young.
The former 2023 first-round pick provided a massive offensive spark late in the contest, which ultimately led to Young being named the Week 11 NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
During his electric performance on Sunday, Young threw for 448 yards and three touchdowns, while also managing to complete 31 of his 45 passing attempts in the overtime victory.
This dominant showing from the young quarterback broke the franchise’s single-game passing yard record, which was originally set by legendary Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.
Young did most of his damage in the second half of the contest, as he kicked off the third quarter with a 36-yard touchdown pass to second-year wideout Xavier Legette to cut the Falcons' lead to five.
Thanks to his defense not allowing a single touchdown for the rest of the game, Young led a nine-play, 65-yard drive downfield that was capped off by a 12-yard touchdown pass to rookie Tetairoa McMillan.
Now, Carolina finds themselves in the hunt for the last wild card spot in the playoffs. The Panthers’ 6-5 record puts them in the No. 9 seed with less than half a season left. Luckily for the organization, Monday night’s primetime matchup against the San Francisco 49ers will cause a major shake-up in the standings.
The 49ers are in sole possession of the last NFC Wild Card spot, which makes the Week 12 contest a must-win game for the Panthers. In order to take down a San Francisco team that is slowly activating key players from the injury report, Young and the rest of the offense must continue their excellent performance from Sunday into the next game.