Grading Panthers QB Bryce Young in Crushing Panthers Defeat

Week 1 of the Carolina Panthers season is in the books, and it's one that the defense will want to forget. The Chicago Bears ran up the score, resulting in Carolina losing 59-37 at home.

History was made in Charlotte on Sunday, as the Bears and Panthers combined for the most total points in a Week 1 game ever, totaling 96. The Bears' 59 points are the 9th most points scored by a single team in an opening-day game.

A huge takeaway from the loss was Bryce Young's performance. Throughout Young's career, his inconsistency has been a major reason Carolina hasn't been competitive in games. That wasn't the case today.

Bryce Young Improved Decisiveness

Bryce Young against the Bear — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Young was deliberate on every play, not holding the ball too long in the pocket or forcing throws into tight coverage while under pressure. Young got the ball out quickly, and wasn't shy about pushing the ball downfield, which especially showed on the 51-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Coker.

The first half was especially impressive. Young posted a 118 passer rating, completing 11 of 17 pass attempts for 193 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception.

The interception came at the very end of the half and didn't affect the game at all. The throw also wasn't a bad decision; it was just a phenomenal play made by the Bears' rookie corner, Malik Muhammad.

Bryce Young's Week 1 Grade

While the season didn't start the way the Panthers wanted it to, Bryce Young's campaign for a new contract probably couldn't have started any better. His final stat line was as follows.

Passing: 21-37, 361 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 1 interception

Rushing: 2 carries for 10 yards, and 1 touchdown

The 51-yard bomb to Coker was the highlight of the day. Furthermore, Young's connection with Coker was almost perfect throughout the game. Carolina's WR2 finished with 8 catches on 9 targets for 138 receiving yards and 1 touchdown.

Bryce Young goes long to Jalen Coker!

CHIvsCAR on FOX/FOX One pic.twitter.com/y4dv1AgdzS
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026

It was clear from the Panthers' first offensive possession that Coker and Young were just as in sync as they had been toward the end of the 2025 season.

Young was also "nifty" when outside of the pocket, according to former Saints QB Drew Brees, who called the game on FOX. Making throws on the run and getting the ball out of bounds when no one was open were both critical to the Panthers' offense thriving as it did.

Overall, the Panthers got throttled, and it's pretty alarming to see the opposing team score 59 points. None of that is on Bryce Young, though; his pocket presence and poise looked as good as ever on Sunday.

Final Grade: A-

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