The Carolina Panthers still came in ranked low in Bleacher Report's power rankings after Week 2.
The Carolina Panthers were able to get a convincing win over the rival Atlanta Falcons this weekend, pulling their record to 1-1 on the season.
Carolina dominated Atlanta from the opening kickoff, paving the way for a nice win. Both sides of the ball played well for the Panthers, which was great to see after a poor defensive performance in Week 1.
But despite the win, the Panthers still have a lot of work to do in the eyes of many analysts and fans. Carolina will need to consistently play well to be taken seriously, offering more thought to them getting back to the postseason.
NFL analyst Moe Moton of Bleacher Report helped rank the Panthers in power rankings this week. With the win over Atlanta, Carolina did move up two spots, going from No. 23 to No. 21.
But the Panthers are still ranked in the bottom part of the league entering Week 3.
"The Panthers' Week 2 win will come with skepticism because they beat a team with a third-string journeyman and an undrafted rookie at quarterback. Yet no one can deny Young is playing his best football, which gives this team a chance to compete for a division title. Carolina could creep up in the power rankings if it racks up signature wins against playoff-caliber opponents in October," Moton wrote.
One area that the Panthers have been happy about so far this season is the play from quarterback Bryce Young. Coming into the year, there were real questions about Young and whether he could be the franchise player for this team.
But through the first two weeks of the NFL season, Young has looked the part. Young has thrown for 648 yards with six touchdowns and one interception through two weeks for the Panthers.
If he can keep this up, Carolina could be very tough to beat as the season moves forward. Young is the key to everything for the Panthers this year, and so far, he has looked like the former No. 1 overall draft pick.
The Panthers have given him a lot of offensive weapons to work with, and Young has taken full advantage early on in the year. But consistency will be crucial for the signal-caller, and the Panthers will watch closely to see how he does as opposing defenses adjust to his game.
Next up for the Panthers will be a road game against the Cleveland Browns, giving this team another chance to stack a win.
