It's been a long journey for the Carolina Panthers, but it's starting to look like that the light at the end of the tunnel is near.
No matter which way this season turns out for the Carolina Panthers, this season has been a success.
Since 2018, the Panthers have gone below .500 and most of the time, it wasn’t even close.
Quarterback Bryce Young has continued to be under a white hot light among fans and NFL pundits because of his performance, and the amount that Carolina gave away to get him, but what those people can’t argue is that he willed this team to get over .500 for the first time in eight years.
There were zero positive expectations. This team wasn’t supposed to go far, and maybe they don’t. But to get to 7-6, especially after starting the season 1-3, is nothing short of a success – a miracle even.
After missing one game to an injury, Young already has a career high in touchdowns thrown with 18, as well as a career-high 63.4% completion rate.
And the one thing that has always affected Young was the lack of help on his team. He had no real receiving threat, running back Chuba Hubbard is hardly a game breaking rusher, and the defense was terrible.
Essentially, Carolina was throwing him into the fire, and was giving him a time limit to see if he could sink or swim.
No pressure, kid. You’re now the face of a multi-billion dollar franchise. Good luck out there!
Can you imagine being put in that position? A 21-year-old kid, no matter how advanced you were amongst your peers, now have to go against grown men who have years of experience at the professional level.
Not many people would’ve survived that challenge.
But Young did. And now he’s keeping his team alive in the playoff hunt.
It doesn’t hurt to have weapons at your disposal like running back Rico Dowdle, who even though has slowed down, has helped will the Panthers to wins, as well as rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
McMillan may have been the missing piece for this franchise. Throughout his college career, scouts raved about McMillan’s hands and his innate ability to catch the 50/50 balls. But it was Young who vouched for him to come to Charlotte.
“Although I feel like I did what I needed to do to be in this position, I give credit to Bryce (Young) for vouching for me and ultimately for them taking a chance on me,” McMillan told Joe Person, the Panthers beat writer for The Athletic after he was drafted.
Playoffs or not, this season is one gigantic step for a franchise that was tired of taking either little steps, or steps backwards.
For Young, he’s proven he can be the leader this team needs, even if it looks unconventional. He has himself a lethal weapon that he can throw to, a rookie who’s nearing 1,000 receiving yards.
Currently, Carolina is tied for the lead in the NFC South, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold the tiebreaker, but these final four games are pivotal.
Three conference matchups, two against the Bucs. Strap in for a wild final four weeks.