The Carolina Panthers rose in ESPN's NFL power rankings after destroying the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.
The Carolina Panthers (1-1) rose in ESPN's NFL power rankings after destroying the Atlanta Falcons (0-2) in Week 2.
Carolina went from No. 26 to No. 21.
The Panthers beat the Falcons by a final score of 34-3 after losing to the Chicago Bears (1-1) in Week 1.
Mike Kaye, who covers Carolina for ESPN, highlighted Bryce Young and how the QB "isn't afraid to throw it deep."
"Young averaged 5.6 yards per dropback over the past two seasons," Kaye wrote. "He is averaging 8.0 yards in 2026, which ranks fifth. On Sunday, Young completed 8 of 11 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown on throws beyond 10 yards. Against the Bears in Week 1, Young threw for a career-high 221 yards on throws beyond 10 yards. Young is also sharing the wealth among his targets, as wide receivers Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan each have a 100-yard receiving performance this season."
After throwing for 361 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1 against the Bears, Young followed that stellar performance up with 287 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2 against the Falcons.
Young has 648 passing yards and six touchdown passes through two games. He joins Jake Delhomme in 2007 as the only quarterback in team history with three touchdown passes in each of the team's first two games of a season.
It's early, but Young is setting himself up for a huge payday next offseason.
Young is set to make $12.1 million this season in the fourth year of his rookie deal. His fifth-year option is worth a guaranteed $25.9 million.
The Panthers didn't sign Young to an extension, so the QB has to play well again this season to get paid next offseason, and so far, he's doing just that.
"Just ownership," Panthers head coach Dave Canales said about Young. "I think something we talk about a lot is watching this offense become Bryce's offense. And it's so evident in the week when he's tweaking routes, angles of cuts, and saying, hey, I want you flatter on this one, take one more revolution here, come straight back to me or come back down your stem, all these different things, that are a part of our system.
"Bryce is fine-tuning those with the guys, and you can see the trust level, some anticipatory throws, some of that. We had one drive where we hit about three play-action shots down the field to Coker and to those guys, and that's just all that timing and conversations that the guys put in."
Young and the Panthers face the 1-1 Cleveland Browns next week.
