Coach Dave Canales' Carolina Panthers outlasted Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions in a 32-26 Sunday Night Football win that included a tough-luck injury to OT Monroe Freeling. Rising star QB Bryce Young entered Cam Newton territory as he took down the Lions with precision and style.
October 5 brought a series of takes from former NFL QB and ESPN commentator Dan Orlovsky on Young as he shared a “top five QB” boast.
“Well he's been a top five quarterback in football through the first month,” Orlovsky said. “Number one, his arm is actually stronger than when he came into the league. I think two, operational space, he owns the pocket right now…And then windows, he's seeing them before they're open.
Article Continues Below“It's kinda rare, I think him and Brock Purdy right now are the two best quarterbacks in football (at that).”
Carolina vaulted four spots up the latest NFL power rankings but remained far behind the Lions despite their at-times dominating win. Freeling exited the game, but Young's anticipation skills and the strong running of Chubba Hubbard helped win the night for coach Canales' team against an offensive powerhouse in coach Campbell's team.
Young and his teammates have an opportunity to rest up before taking on Nick Sirianni's Philadelphia Eagles on October 18, a game that could separate playoff contenders from playoff pretenders in Philadelphia. Young finally has a supporting cast to match his considerable talents, which has helped him to raise his game. He's playing like the franchise cornerstone everyone expected him to be when he was drafted out of Alabama, making game days special in Carolina again.