Cat Scratch Reader
At least we aren’t sliding backwards
The Carolina Panthers are owners of their very first winning streak in the Bryce Young or Dave Canales eras and their first such streak since 2021. That has certainly bouyed fan confidence in the team that Canales and general manager Dan Morgan are building.
72% of fans are currently confident in the direction of the Panthers. That is nearing our in-season high (after the Las Vegas Raiders win) of 74%.
It is unclear if that number reflects any rising confidence in Young. The last two weeks have shown Young have increased accuracy, faster and better decision making, and a greater willingness to push the ball down the field. Dismal perfomances in Weeks 1 and 2, predicated on failures in each of those qualities, were what got Young benched in the first place.
Now Young is displaying the signs of life that many of us were hoping for in Weeks 1 and 2 of the 2023 season, Young's rookie year.
Signs of life, of course, are not sufficient for Young to keep his job going forward. Eventually, he has to string those signs together into solid perfomances backed by actually impressive stat lines. This has eluded him thus far.
Still the Panthers entered their bye week with a kind of momentum they have not enjoyed in years. Indeed, most current Panthers have not enjoyed it at all as Panthers. This is a time for Canales, Young, and the rest of the team to take a look at what has been different over the last few weeks, double down on what they are doing well, and get a handle on what's to come.
I don't expect them to come out and beat the Chiefs next week, but I will be watching for Young to continue building on the baby steps he's taken since Week 2.
