Category: Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young leads impressive final drive to pick up second win of the season

Bryce Young leads impressive final drive to pick up second win of the season for the Carolina Panthers

It has been a humbling season for a quarterback who has been the best in the country at every level for most of his life. Experiencing the hardships of already losing a head coach, multiple changing hands at offensive play caller, and marching onto the field with one of the worst supporting casts in the league, Young has faced plenty of adversity. None of that seemed to matter in the waning moments of last Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

While it was mostly a defensive battle between the division rival Panthers and Falcons, the game did ultimately fall on the shoulders of both of their signal callers in opposite ways. Atlanta quarterback Desmond Ridder tossed a horrific interception directly to a Carolina defender with just seven minutes left in the ball game up 7-6.

This sharply contrasted with the response by the No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young, who was able to take the opportunity given to him by his defense and march his team from the Panthers’ own six-yard line all the way down the field to set up a game-winning field goal.

The calmness and poise that Young showed when chucking the ball with the game on the line in a cold and windy environment is precisely why Carolina moved up to the top of the draft to take him. If Young can string together some of what we saw on that final drive, and the talent around him can match, this Panthers team may end up surprising down the final stretch of the season.

Top pick Bryce Young’s struggles continues in latest loss

Top pick Bryce Young’s struggles continues in latest loss with the Panthers QB throwing two pick-sixes in Week 9 loss

It has been seemingly mirror-opposite seasons for the number one and number two overall pick in the 2023 draft, with quarterback C.J. Stroud coming off the greatest performance by a rookie quarterback ever, and Bryce Young coming off maybe his worst game of the season. It puts Young in tough territory in a seemingly lost season for the now 1-7 Panthers, and without much hope from his supporting cast it’s a wonder where he goes from here.

The Carolina Panthers and Bryce Young by no means had to take on world beaters this past Sunday with the Indianapolis Colts hanging firmly in the ‘below average’ tier of teams. That did not stop the Colts from dominating Carolina all afternoon, including their rookie quarterback. It certainly didn’t help that Young ended up throwing a career-high three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. Young looked overwhelmed by the constant pressure his abysmal offensive line forced him into, and his lack of receiving options became woefully obvious.

It’s not unexpected for a rookie to see struggles in his first year on a bad team, but when the quarterback drafted one pick after him is performing at this high of a level consistently, fans are bound to take notice. Ironically enough, Young’s first victory came over Stroud just one week ago, but you would be hard-pressed to find a fan who would cite that victory as a beacon of hope for this rookie or the franchise.

There is plenty of time for Young to continue to develop and we have seen plenty of flashes as to why Carolina took him number one overall. It is just going to be up to this front office to completely overhaul the weapons surrounding Young and his protection in the immediate future. It would be hard for any quarterback to function like this, let alone a first-year player.

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Bryce Young gets his first win of the season in battle with C.J. Stroud

Panthers rookie QB Bryce Young gets his first win in battle with Texans rookie C.J. Stroud

There was a lot to be said about the game between the Carolina Panthers and the Houston Texans going into Sunday afternoon, especially the matchup between these two quarterbacks who were the number one and number two overall picks, respectively in the 2023 NFL Draft class. Houston entered as the favorite with C.J. Stroud playing some brilliant football, but it was Bryce Young who went home with the win.

It has been a rough year for Young who has played behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league and forced to throw to one of the thinnest receiving cores out there. There were floating questions about if Carolina made the right decision with the first overall pick, if Frank Reich should stick around, and if backup Andy Dalton should see time. All that noise has hushed with the massive win both narratively and in the standings for Carolina.

With veteran guard Austin Corbett returning from injury this Carolina offensive line proved to be much more stable in it’s protection of Young. While he did not light up the stat sheet, Young played well in a close low scoring contest. Young delivers 22 of 31 completions, 235 yards, and a single touchdown that was enough to put Carolina over the top.

It must feel like a huge weight off the shoulders of Young, who will now face a very winnable next couple of games. If this offensive line can sustain its protection of the rookie and the receivers continue to develop, who knows what can happen in a wild NFC South?

Young continues to develop as the season progresses and is looking more and more like the right choice for the Carolina Panthers.

Rookie stat projections: Carolina Panthers

Projecting the rookie stat contributions from the 2023 NFL draft picks by the Carolina Panthers

With the NFL draft over and rookie camps underway, it is a good time to evaluate the draft picks and see what kind of impacts the projected contributors will make.

Let’s take a look at the Carolina Panthers draft picks and project some stats for the early role players:

Did the Panthers reveal their plan for the No. 1 pick?

A hot mic might have captured the Panthers revealing their intention with the No. 1 overall pick

The Carolina Panthers sent a huge contingent to Columbus on Wednesday to check out the Ohio State pro day. Even owner David Tepper traveled to investigate the Buckeyes and potential No. 1 overall pick, QB C.J. Stroud.

The Panthers traded up from No. 9 to the top spot for a reason. And it is easy to see that reason is Stroud. New Panthers QB coach Josh McCown might have revealed that publicly during the pro day aftermath.

Cameras captured McCown and Stroud, along with other Panthers staffers including senior assistant Jim Caldwell, talking about playing some basketball together.

“We’ll find a court, play some horse,” McCown smiled as he told Stroud. “Maybe when you live in Charlotte, we’ll find a court.”

The key word here is “when”. McCown didn’t say “if”.

NFL Scoreboard, Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Week 14

NFL predictions, schedule, game previews, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 14 of the 2022 season

NFL predictions, schedule, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 14 of the 2022 season highlighted by Dolphins at Chargers, Eagles at Giants, Vikings at Lions, Jets at Bills

NFL Schedule, Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Week 14

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Results So Far
SU: 65-36-1, ATS: 53-46-3, Point Total: 63-38-1

Thursday, December 8, 2022

Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams

Prediction: Los Angeles 24, Las Vegas 23
Line: Raiders -6.5, o/u: 42.5
Final Score: Los Angeles Rams 17, Las Vegas 16

Expert Picks Week 14 NFL | Bowls 16-19

Saturday, December 11, 2022

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills

Prediction: Buffalo 24, New York Jets 17
Line: Buffalo -10, o/u: 43.5
Final Score: Buffalo 20, New York Jets 12

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals

Prediction: Cincinnati 26, Cleveland 20
Line: Cincinnati -5.5, o/u: 46.5
Final Score: Cincinnati 23, Cleveland 10

Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys

Prediction: Dallas 30, Houston 16
Line: Dallas -17, o/u: 44
Final Score: Dallas 27, Houston 23

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions

Prediction: Minnesota 27, Detroit 24
Line: Detroit -2, o/u: 51.5
Final Score: Detroit 43, Minnesota 23

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans

Prediction: Tennessee 24, Jacksonville 17
Line: Tennessee -3.5, o/u: 41
Final Score: Jacksonville 36, Tennessee 22

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

Prediction: Philadelphia 26, New York Giants 20
Line: Philadelphia -7, o/u: 45
Final Score: Philadelphia 48, New York Giants 22

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

Prediction: Baltimore 16, Pittsburgh 13
Line: Pittsburgh -1.5, o/u: 36.5
Final Score: Baltimore 16, Pittsburgh 14

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos

Prediction: Kansas City 27, Denver 16
Line: Kansas City -9.5, o/u: 43.5
Final Score: Kansas City 34, Denver 28

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers

Prediction: San Francisco 23, Tampa Bay 16
Line: San Francisco -3.5, o/u: 37
Final Score: San Francisco 35, Tampa Bay 7

Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks

Prediction: Seattle 26, Carolina 20
Line: Seattle -3.5, o/u: 44.5
Final Score: Carolina 30, Seattle 24

Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers

Prediction: Miami 30, Los Angeles 27
Line: Miami -3.5, o/u: 53.5
Final Score: Los Angeles Chargers 23, Miami 17

Monday, December 12, 2022

New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals

8:15 ESPN
Line: New England -1.5, o/u: 43.5
Final Score: COMING

NFL Teams on Bye: Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Washington

Expert Picks Week 14 NFL | Bowls 16-19

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NFL Schedule, Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Week 10

NFL predictions, schedule, game previews, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 10 of the 2022 season

NFL predictions, schedule, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 10 of the 2022 season highlighted by Seattle at Tampa Bay, Dallas at Green Bay, Washington at Philadelphia

NFL Schedule, Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Week 10

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Results So Far
SU: 64-36-1, ATS: 52-46-3, Point Total: 62-38-1
– Week 10 NFL Expert Picks

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

8:15 Prime Video
Prediction: COMING
Line: Atlanta -3, o/u: 42.5

Sunday, November 13, 2022

Seattle Seahawks vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

9:30 NFL Network
Prediction: COMING
Line: Tampa Bay -3, o/u: 44.5

Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills

1:00 FOX
Prediction: COMING
Line: Buffalo -3.5, o/u: 43.5

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears

1:00 FOX
Prediction: COMING
Line: Chicago -3, o/u: 48.5

Denver Broncos at Tennessee Titans

1:00 CBS
Prediction: COMING
Line: Tennessee -2.5, o/u: 38

Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs

1:00 CBS
Prediction: COMING
Line: Kansas City -9.5, o/u: 50.5

Cleveland Browns at Miami Dolphins

1:00 CBS
Prediction: COMING
Line: Miami -3.5, o/u: 48.5

Houston Texans at New York Giants

1:00 CBS
Prediction: COMING
Line: New York Giants -5, o/u: 40.5

New Orleans at Pittsburgh Steelers

1:00 FOX
Prediction: COMING
Line: New Orleans -2.5, o/u: 40

Indianapolis Colts at Las Vegas Raiders

4:05 CBS
Prediction: COMING
Line: Las Vegas -6, o/u: 42.5

Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers

4:25 FOX
Prediction: COMING
Line: Dallas -4.5, o/u: 43

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams

4:25 FOX
Prediction: COMING
Line: Los Angeles Rams -3, o/u: 43.5

Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers

8:20 NBC
Prediction: COMING
Line: San Francisco -7, o/u: 45.5

Monday, November 14, 2022

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles

8:15 ESPN
Prediction: COMING
Line: Philadelphia -11, o/u: 44

Bye Week: Baltimore, Cincinnati, New England, New York Jets

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Panthers rookie Ikem Ekwonu is already one of the NFL’s best offensive tackles

The Carolina Panthers appear to finally have their franchise left tackle in rookie Ikem Ekwonu

The Carolina Panthers have been searching for a franchise left tackle ever since Jordan Gross retired back in 2013. They’ve rotated various options at the position with varying degrees of success, from Michael Oher during their Super Bowl run, to the disaster that was Cameron Erving.

They’ve finally found their man, and he’s enjoying a meteoric rise to the upper echelon of NFL taackles

Ikem Ekwonu was drafted No. 6 overall in the 2022 NFL draft, the first offensive tackle off the board in a strong class at the position. He was considered by many as the best tackle in the draft, and for good reason.

An ultra-athletic big man with a mean streak, Ekwonu possesses elite awareness that creates a deadly combination in the run game as well as the pass game. He was well-known as a mauler in the run game at North Carolina State, making opposing defenders disappear into the void and reappear 10 yards down the field. This has directly translated to the NFL game, as Ekwonu has led one of the top running games in the league.

While his opening game was a rough learning experience, giving up two sacks and a handful of pressures against All-Pro Myles Garrett, Ekwonu has shown marked improvement since that debut. Over the last three games, Ekwonu has graded out as the best rookie offensive tackle, and one of the top tackles overall in the NFL, only allowing one more sack since opening day.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ekwonu has had a pass blocking grade over 70.0 every game since Week 2, an impressive feat for a rookie who has been thrown into the fire of what was a train wreck of an offensive line.

Ekwonu is a major part of the Caroina’s resurgence in the offensive trenches, and should be a cornerstone of the franchise for the next decade and beyond.

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NFL Schedule, Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Week 9

NFL predictions, schedule, game previews, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 9 of the 2022 season

NFL predictions, schedule, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 9 of the 2022 season highlighted by Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay, Tennessee at Kansas City, Buffalo at New York Jets

NFL Schedule, Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Week 9

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Results So Far
SU: 63-36-1, ATS: 51-46-3, Point Total: 61-38-1
– Week 9 NFL Expert Picks

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Philadelphia at Houston

8:15 Prime Video
Line: Philadelphia -13, o/u: 44

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Los Angeles Chargers at Atlanta

1:00 FOX
Line: Los Angeles -3, o/u: 49

Miami at Chicago

1:00 CBS
Line: Miami -4.5, o/u: 44

Green Bay at Detroit

1:00 FOX
Line: Green Bay -3, o/u: 49

Indianapolis at New England

1:00 CBS
Line: New England -5.5, o/u: 39.5

Buffalo at New York Jets

1:00 CBS
Line: Buffalo -13, o/u: 47.5

Minnesota at Washington

1:00 FOX
Line: Minnesota -3.5, o/u: 43.5

Las Vegas at Jacksonville

1:00 CBS
Line: Las Vegas -1, o/u: 48

Seattle at Arizona

4:05 FOX
Line: Arizona -1.5, o/u: 50

Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay

4:25 CBS
Line: Tampa Bay -3, o/u: 42.5

Tennessee at Kansas City

8:20 NBC
Line: Kansas City -12.5, o/u: 46.5

Monday, November 7, 2022

Baltimore at New Orleans

8:15 ESPN
Line: Baltimore -3, o/u: 48

NFL Teams on Bye: Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, New York Giants, Pittsburgh, San Francisco

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NFL Schedule, Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Week 8

NFL predictions, schedule, game previews, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 8 of the 2022 season

NFL predictions, schedule, lines, how to watch, and TV listings for Week 8 of the 2022 season highlighted by Green Bay at Buffalo, New York Giants at Seattle, New England at New York Jets

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Results So Far
SU: 54-30-1, ATS: 43-39-3, Point Total: 53-31-1
– Week 8 NFL Expert Picks

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

8:15 Prime Video
Prediction: Baltimore 23, Tampa Bay 20
Line: Baltimore -1, o/u: 43.5
Final Score: Baltimore 27, Tampa Bay 22

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Denver Broncos vs Jacksonville Jaguars

9:30 am ESPN+
Prediction: Jacksonville 19, Denver 17
Line: Jacksonville -4, o/u: 40
Final Score: COMING

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

1:00 FOX
Prediction: Atlanta 26, Carolina 20
Line: Atlanta -6.5, o/u: 41
Final Score: COMING

Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys

1:00 FOX
Prediction: Dallas 24, Chicago 13
Line: Dallas -10, o/u: 43
Final Score: COMING

Miami Dolphins at Detroit Lions

1:00 CBS
Prediction: Miami 24, Detroit 20
Line: Miami -3.5, o/u: 50
Final Score: COMING

Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings

1:00 FOX
Prediction: Minnesota 27, Arizona 24
Line: Minnesota -4, o/u: 48
Final Score: COMING

Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints

1:00 CBS
Prediction: Las Vegas 30, New Orleans 27
Line: Las Vegas -2, o/u: 47.5
Final Score: COMING

New England Patriots at New York Jets

1:00 CBS
Prediction: New York Jets 24, New England 20
Line: New England -1.5, o/u: 41
Final Score: COMING

Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles

1:00 CBS
Prediction: Philadelphia 27, Pittsburgh 13
Line: Philadelphia -10.5, o/u: 44
Final Score: COMING

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

4:05 CBS
Prediction: Tennessee 23, Houston 17
Line: Tennessee -4, o/u: 41
Final Score: COMING

Washington Commanders at Indianapolis Colts

4:25 CBS
Prediction: Washington 20, Indianapolis 17
Line: Indianapolis -4, o/u: 41.5
Final Score: COMING

San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams

4:25 FOX
Prediction: Los Angeles Rams 24, San Francisco 20
Line: San Francisco -2, o/u: 41
Final Score: COMING

New York Giants at Seattle Seahawks

4:25 FOX
Prediction: New York Giants 27, Seattle 24
Line: Seattle -2.5, o/u: 46.5
Final Score: COMING

Green Bay Packers at Buffalo Bills

8:20 NBC
Prediction: Buffalo 31, Green Bay 20
Line: Buffalo -10.5, o/u: 47.5
Final Score: COMING

Monday, October 31, 2022

Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns

8:15 ESPN
Prediction: Cincinnati 26, Cleveland 20
Line: Cincinnati -3, o/u: 47
Final Score: COMING

NFL Teams on Bye: Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers

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