Panthers QB Bryce Young has been sneakily good for a while now

Bryce Young has been really good for a month now.

Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks on during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers are firmly in the playoff conversation, but there are still questions around the legitimacy of this team, namely quarterback Bryce Young. But over the last month, which includes that infamous 49ers game, Young's quietly been spectacular.

In PFF's power rankings, one analyst revealed that Carolina has a 32% chance of making the playoffs. Don't bother asking about the Super Bowl chances (less than 1%). But there is hope.

The Panthers were ranked 25th, which is ridiculously inaccurate since the Cincinnati Bengals (four wins), Dallas Cowboys (six wins and lost to the Panthers), Minnesota Vikings (five wins), Miami Dolphins (six wins and lost to the Panthers), Washington Commanders (three wins), and Atlanta Falcons (four wins and swept by Panthers) somehow rank ahead.

Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

And while that assessment of the team seems completely wrong, the assessment of Bryce Young lately is much better and actually highlights the hope this team has.

"Quarterback Bryce Young (64.7 grade; 30th) has been playing excellent football over the last month: His 74.1 overall PFF grade since Week 10 is 10th among quarterbacks, and his 5.2% big-time throw rate is ninth," PFF's Thomas Valentine wrote.

That 30th ranking is among all quarterbacks, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. Players who only played sporadically, like Marcus Mariota or Joe Flacco, factor in, so Young isn't technically 30th out of starting quarterbacks.

Either way, he's been top 10 since Week 10, which is spectacular. Last year, he had a resurgence and played even better than this down the stretch, and if he can do that again, the Panthers will be in good shape.

"If Young can keep playing stellar ball, the Panthers might sneak into the playoffs as division winners — something they haven’t done since 2015," he concluded.

Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) takes the field before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

That seems to be a big if, because Young sometimes pairs a good game with a bad one, and he struggled against the Saints at home earlier this season.

He has to face the Seattle Seahawks defense and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a rival that has owned Carolina of late, twice, so the road ahead is not easy.

Nevertheless, Young's play has been good recently, and it's the biggest reason this team actually has some hope of stealing a division title in the next month of football.

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