Carolina Panthers First and Ten

Following each Panthers’ game this season we’re going to reset the chains and line it up on first and ten.

This will include ten things that I think are either interesting, cool, notable, important, or anything else that comes to my mind that is Panthers-related. It may also include things that other people care about, and are making a big deal about, that I want to pour some cold water on and wake up the sheeple. Takes are flying like UFOs (pencil me in as not a believer, unrelated) - let’s talk about them.

1. Bryce Young takes accountability for his mistakes

I am twenty-eight years old and on the precipice of twenty-nine. I have learned a ton about being accountable for my actions and how they affect other people because I am a grown man with a house, a wife, and a kid on the way.

Bryce Young is twenty-two, baby-faced, and carrying the hopes and dreams of a city and franchise on his shoulders. When I was twenty-two I was staying up way too late playing Fortnite with my buddies and showing up late to meetings on the regular. We are not the same.

If you haven’t yet, watch Young’s postgame press conference. The maturity the rookie quarterback shows is frankly unbelievable. He credits the defense for their stifling performance while admitting that the loss is on his shoulders. That is objectively not the case as football is a team game and on any play, eleven players need to do their job to be successful, but kudos to Young for holding himself accountable.

His play on the field is one thing (which I detailed here), but Bryce Young the man is everything advertised and more off the field. Head coach Frank Reich praised his maturity in his postgame press conference, and it was on full display following the loss. I’d follow Bryce Young to the ends of the earth on any day that ends with a Y.

2. Brian Burns makes a statement

Brian Burns played lights out pic.twitter.com/eQfRmoDAyB
— =͟͟͞Blande (@JustBlande) September 11, 2023

The Pro Bowl EDGE and the front office are still in a stalemate, but Burns laid his cards on the table in Atlanta. Jessie Bates was the most impactful defensive player on the field yesterday, but Burns was right behind him. Thankfully, Burns has committed to playing all season even without having a new contract signed.

3. Jaycee Horn keeps letting the Panthers down

It’s a real bummer at this point. When Horn is playing football, he is an elite corner. Full stop. Unfortunately, he doesn’t play football enough.

Horn has only played in 18 of the Panthers’ 35 games since being drafted, and he left this one early with a hamstring injury. His status going forward is up in the air, but soft tissue injuries linger and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this hampered Horn for the rest of the season. Scott Fitterer and the front office failed to address the cornerback room until signing Troy Hill in late August, and it may come back to bite them.

4. Hayden Hurst chucks Bryce Young’s first touchdown to the moon

Not great: Hayden Hurst tossed Bryce Young's first career NFL TD into the stands.

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/6nJWdx0eOb
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 10, 2023

10/10. No notes.

5. Hayden Hurst responds

Yes, I blacked out and threw Bryce’s first touchdown in the seats...

But they threw it back and the ball is in safe hands… everyone can relax and dial it back about 30% 😂
— Hayden Hurst (@haydenrhurst) September 10, 2023

6. The wide receiver room lacks juice

It was a narrative all offseason, but the lack of speed on the Carolina offense reared its ugly head on Sunday.

Yes, DJ Chark was unavailable, but the rest of the receivers failed to make an impact down the field. Bryce Young was 0-7 on throws further than 13 yards downfield. Part of that is on Young for missing Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall Jr. on deep balls when the young pass catchers had separation, but Young also had limited opportunities to throw it downfield.

Not great! pic.twitter.com/hFQJak3FQZ
— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) September 11, 2023

According to Next Gen Stats, the only receiver or tight end who separated at an above-average clip was Laviska Shenault who spent most of his afternoon running routes behind the line of scrimmage. It is to be seen if Chark will make an impact upon his return, but long term, getting Bryce Young an elite weapon has to be a priority for the front office.

We’ve seen copious examples of teams drafting a quarterback and then delivering them an elite pass catcher two or three years into their career. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Trevor Lawrence and Calvin Ridley (this one is early but returns look good after week one).

There will be options on the open market in 2024 and one of those options should be on a flight to Charlotte the second free agency opens.

7. The offensive line made an impact

The story of the preseason in Carolina was how much the offensive line had regressed. That story was totally fair. The starting five linemen looked overmatched against both starters and backups, and folks were getting worried.

On Sunday, the offensive line was invisible, and that’s a good thing. PFF graded out every starter from average to above average.

Young was only sacked two times and both of those were in pure passing situations down two scores with less than five minutes remaining. Young had time to throw from clean pockets as the line stifled a stout Falcons front seven.

On top of that, the Panthers ran for 154 yards at a 4.8-yard per-carry clip. Pretty solid day at the office for a much-maligned unit.

8. Bijan Robinson is a problem

Bijan Robinson went BEAST MODE for his first NFL TD 🤯

(via @AtlantaFalcons) pic.twitter.com/mBQcYIoW8a
— ESPN (@espn) September 10, 2023

How can you hate Bijan Robinson? He’s an awesome football player and Panthers' fans will dread playing him twice a year for however long he’s in Atlanta.

9. As a whole, the defense was stout

The Falcons only managed 221 yards from scrimmage. If Carolina hadn’t gifted the Falcons three short fields with turnovers, this game would have been completely different. I don’t like playing the ifs and buts game, but it’s applicable here.

NFL prognosticators pegged Atlanta as a potential top-ten offense in the league this year and the combination of a hungry Panthers’ defense and Desmond Ridder’s incompetence turned the Falcons into Georgia Tech for most of the game. An L is an L, but there are absolutely positive takeaways from the defensive side of the ball.

10. That whole penalties on the punt thing was weird

Not sure how much there is to say other than that. I still don’t fully understand the rule. If somebody is reading this and they do, hit me up, please. @Malquiza8 on X.

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