Is Bryce Young Developing into a Franchise Quarterback? Bama in the NFL Tracker Week 12

Bryce Young's performance last week has Carolina Panthers fans buzzing, wondering if he's turned a corner or if it was just a one-time thing.

Young completed 31 of 45 attempts (68.9 percent) for a franchise-record and career-high 448 passing yards. With three touchdowns and no interceptions, he had a career-best 123.2 passer rating during Carolina’s 30-27 overtime win at Atlanta.

In the process, Young became the fifth quarterback under the age of 25 in NFL history to record at least 30 completions, 425 passing yards, three touchdown passes and no interceptions in a game, joining Patrick Mahomes (who did it twice), Drew Bledsoe, Lamar Jackson and C.J. Stroud.

Consequently, he was named the NFC's Offensive Player of the Week for the first time, and it was just the third time a former Alabama quarterback won Offensive Player of the Week award, joining Tua Tagovailoa (three-time winner) and Jeff Rutledge (Week 9, 1990).

He's just the second Crimson Tide player to win an Offensive Player of the Week award this season, joining Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Week 10), and fifth Carolina quarterback to earn a Player of the Week honor, joining Cam Newton (10-time winner), Steve Beuerlein (Week 14, 1999), Kerry Collins (Week 15, 1996) and Jake Delhomme (Week 4, 2008).

So now the question about Young switches from can he have a performance like that, to can he do it again? There was clearly something different in Carolina's approach, as head coach Dave Canale's staff let him loose after the Falcons opted to focus on stopping the run. Atlanta still notched five sacks as well.

But Young topped his total passing yards form the previous three games combined while leading his team to the win. Carolina also became the first team since the 49ers in Week 10 of the 2024
season to have five players with 50+ receiving yards in same game.

Young's situation is worth watching both this week and in general. On Monday night the Panthers (6-5) are at San Francisco (7-4), where Mac Jones has gone back to serving as Brock Purdy's backup, in a game that could have playoff implications. Meanwhile, Young's eligible for a contract extension during the 2026 season, and Carolina has to decide about whether to make the huge financial commitment as the team management is not the same that selected him first overall in the NFL Draft (former linebacker Dan Morgan was promoted to general manager last year, but he was the assistant GM from 2021-23).

Do the Panthers want to build around him, or do they first need to invest in someone else?

The Falcons game may have been an important step for Young in that regard. For the season he's thrown for 1,962 yards, completed 62.7 percent of his passes, with 14 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions, for an 86.0 passer rating.

One thing is clear, the more consistent he becomes, and the more his numbers look like that of a franchise quartrerback, the better chances of being paid as one.

For more, check out: Would the Carolina Panthers be wise to sign Bryce Young for $50 million a year?

Bama In The NFL Season Leaders

Category, Name, Team, Stat (Second-most player)
Passing yards: Mac Jones, 49ers, 2,151, (Tua Tagovailoa 2,123)
Passer rating: Hurts, Eagles, 107.0, (Mac Jones 97.4)
Rushing yards: Derrick Henry, Ravens 807, (Jahmyr Gibbs 732)
Receptions: DeVonta Smith, Eagles, 49, and Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins, 49
Receiving yards: Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins 722, (DeVonta Smith 665)
Forced Fumbles: Will Anderson, Texans, 3, Quinnen Williams, Jets/Cowboys, 3
Fumble recoveries: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dolphins, 2, Will Anderson Jr., Texans, 2
Tackles: Jordan Battle, Bengals, 76, and Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dolphins, 65
Sacks: Will Anderson Jr., Texans 8, (Jonthan Allen and A'Shawn Robinson, 2.5
Interceptions: Jordan Battle, Bengals, 3 (Kool-Aid McKinstry, Xavier McKinstry 2)

Bama in the NFL Week 12 Tracker

For the full set of statistics on how the former Crimson Tide players did this week, check out our elaborate Bama in the NFL Week 12 Tracker. It will be updated throughout the weekend until every game is concluded:

Bama in the NFL Tracker.. click to view full stats | Kristi L. Patrick

The Ultimate Bama in the NFL Database

Contract Info, Status of Former Alabama Crimson Tide Players
Active Crimson Tide Players by Team, Position
All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL
All-Time Crimson Tide Draft Selections

Bama in the NFL: Game of the Week

Ok, we've gone heavy on the Eagles this season as they're the reigning Super Bowl champions and have so many Crimson Tide players on the roster. But it's because of who's on the other side that we're going with Philadelphia (8-2) at Dallas (4-5-1): Quinnen Williams. he had four tackles and 1.5 sacks while making his debut with the Cowboy against the Raiders on Monday, and this week he'll be in the face of Jalen Hurts. The Eagles defeated the Cowboys, 24-20, to open the 2025 season as Hurts ran for two touchdowns. This could be a huge game for Dallas' playoff chances if it can pull off the home win.

Meanwhile, DeMeco Ryans' Houston Texans (5-5) also have a big home game against Buffalo (7-3) on Thursday. Will Anderson Jr. has been heating up, and had four tackles including two for a loss, a sack, with a forced fumble and fumble recovery last week. He's tied for fourth in the AFC with eight sacks this season.

Bama In The NFL: Week 12 Notes

• Ravens running back Derrick Henry ran for 103 yards and a touchdown during Baltimore's 23-16 win over Cleveland last week, giving him a rushing touchdown in 83 career games, including the playoffs, tying him with John Riggins (83 games) for fifth-most games with a rushing touchdown, including the postseason, in NFL history. He tails just Emmitt Smith (130), Marcus Allen (100) and LaDainian Tomlinson (96), and Adrian Peterson (89).

• For those wondering if the 49ers might end up turning to Jones, Purdy had three touchdown passes with no interceptions for a 133.5 rating last week. He has 12 career games with a passer rating of 125-or-higher, surpassing Mahomes (11 games) and Deshaun Watson (11) for the second-most games with a passer rating of 125-or-higher (minimum 15 attempts in each game) by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history, trailing only Russell Wilson (15).

• When Green Bay defensive lineman Micah Parsons notched 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the Packers’ 27-20 victory at the New York Giants, it game him 60.5 for his career. He has the fifth-most sacks by a player under the age of 27 since 1982 (when sacks became an official statistic). behind J.J. Watt (74.5 sacks), Myles Garrett (72), Reggie White (70) and Derrick Thomas (66).

• Packers teammate Josh Jacobs is second in the NFL with 11 rush rushing touchdowns this season. He's had eigth games with rush score in 2025, the most in the league. One of the guys trying to stop him this week is Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner, who in Week 11 had seven tackles including two for a loss, a sack and a pass defended.

How to Watch: NFL Week 12

Thursday’s Game
Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans, 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

Sunday’s Games
New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. (CBS)
New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. (CBS)
New York Giants at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. (Fox)
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. (Fox)
Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Seattle Seahawks at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. (Fox)
Jacksonville Jaguars at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Cleveland Browns at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

Monday, Nov. 24

Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ESPN

Bye week: Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders

Kristi Patrick at Travelmation.. visit www.EscapeWithKristi.com | Call today!