Strong second half has Bryce Young up 2 spots in NFL.com QB power rankings

The QB's strong comeback attempt helped stave off another slide.

Sep 14, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks on during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

A pretty dismal Week 1 showing left Bryce Young in a bad spot in one NFL analyst's weekly QB rankings. But the Carolina Panthers QB rebounded in a big way in the second half of Week 2, nearly leading a historic comeback against the Arizona Cardinals.

He helped the team score 19 unanswered points and had a chance to score and win at the end of the game, although they fell short. Still, an inspired comeback and a really stellar half of football helped Young soar at least a little bit in those same weekly QB rankings.

Bryce Young moves in right direction after Week 2 comeback

Sep 14, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Bryce Young was ranked the 29th-best QB in the league after Week 1, which is a pretty dreadful mark. After Week 2, Young has risen to 27th. One can only imagine what this would look like if he'd gotten off to a better start last Sunday.

Young had two turnovers on the first two drives, although the offensive line failing to even touch a rusher on both those plays had a huge role in the ball going back to Arizona. Still, had it not been for that, Young might've landed much higher.

NFL analyst Nick Shook said of the outing, "Bryce Young's first half was dreadful against the Cardinals. His second half was excellent, save for the ending. If he can find some consistency over four quarters, he and the Panthers will land on a much better track."

This is very much true. The Panthers go as Young goes. That's maybe not all that fair given how awful this roster is, but that's the nature of the sport. QBs dictate a ton unless they have a superteam around them, and Young decidedly does not.

So when he was on (in the third quarter and most of the fourth), the Panthers can score in bunches. When he's off (the first half and the final drive), they basically get nothing on offense. It's a lot to ask of a QB who's struggled, but his success or failure means the team will have success or fail.

For what it's worth, Young ended up in the fourth tier, which includes some decent names. They're not playing great, but Young is in decent company with these players: Drake Maye, CJ Stroud, Trevor Lawrence, and Justin Fields. Young outranked Cam Ward, Caleb Williams, JJ McCarthy, Jake Browning, and Joe Flacco