Panthers’ Dave Canales heaps mountains of praise on Bryce Young after heroics vs. Buccaneers

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales had ample praise for his quarterback after Bryce Young guided the Panthers to a season-defining 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even though Young’s stat line wasn’t particularly eye-catching, it was a performance characterized by effectiveness, strategic awareness, and errorless execution.

The 24-year-old went 21-for-32 through the air for just over 190 yards, threw two touchdowns, achieved a 101.2 passer rating, and avoided any turnovers. He also added four rushing attempts for 20 yards, using his legs to extend plays and avoid negative outcomes. This was his sixth multi-touchdown game of the season, and he reached new career highs in passing yards, touchdowns, and completion rate.

According to Canales, made some “critical throws” throughout the game.

“Even early on, just a couple of misses, and that one got away from Xavier [Legette]… I thought Bryce was taking what was there, and the Bucs did a great job of mixing things up… Bryce just did the right thing with the ball,” said Canales.

Carolina managed only 275 total yards, making Young’s smart decisions all the more impressive. The Panthers rushed for 101 yards, with limited production from Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. Dowdle led the team with 29 yards on nine carries and crossed the 1,000-yard threshold for the season. Explosive plays were scarce, making Young’s ability to avoid back-breaking mistakes the game-changer.

Young hit the scoreboard twice, connecting with rookie Tetairoa McMillan for a 22-yard touchdown with seven seconds left in the first half, and a six-yard score to tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders.

It was a back-and-forth contest. Ryan Fitzgerald opened the scoring for Carolina at 3-0, but Mike Evans’ touchdown put Tampa Bay up 7-3. Young’s throw to McMillan before halftime made it 13-10. After trading third-quarter TDs, Chase McLaughlin tied the game at 20 for the Buccaneers with a 50-yard field goal.

However, the game turned in the favor of the Panthers on Young’s 12th career game-winning drive. With the score tied 20-20 in the fourth quarter, he engineered a seven-play, 43-yard march. The drive gained steam from a 34-yard completion to Jalen Coker, setting up Fitzgerald’s 48-yard field goal with 2:20 remaining. On the ensuing possession, rookie safety Lathan Ransom clinched the win by intercepting quarterback Baker Mayfield with 42 seconds left. Facing his former team, Mayfield finished 18-of-26 for 145 yards with one touchdown and one interception, failing to reach 200 passing yards for the second straight game.

The win ended Carolina’s five-game losing streak against Tampa Bay and improved the Panthers to 8-7, giving them a one-game lead in the NFC South. Not only that, Carolina’s playoff odds jumped from 22% to 43% following the victory. With two games remaining, the Panthers host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17 while the Buccaneers travel to Miami. The division title could either be clinched next week or decided in a winner-take-all Week 18 rematch in Tampa Bay.

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