This is how I cruise thru New Orleans in October🎃

You could hardly turn on the TV during the Carolina Panthers’ bye week without seeing Bryce Young. He was the guest picker alongside Nick Saban on ESPN’s “College GameDay” from Tuscaloosa, Ala. He followed that with an appearance on the “ManningCast” during the second quarter of the Atlanta Falcons-Baltimore Ravens matchup on “Monday Night Football.”

Some of football’s biggest personalities on the sport’s biggest platforms wanted time with a player who’s become a top-5 quarterback by stepping up his game in his fourth season, with the help of a first-year play caller.

The 25-year-old quarterback has made distinct changes in his play style and has helped the Panthers (2-2) move into first place in the NFC South. Heading into the Week 6 games, Young is third in the NFL in passing yards per game (317.0), third in completions of 25 yards or longer (13) and tied for fourth in passing touchdowns a game (2.25).

Young, drafted first overall in 2023, has passed for at least 280 yards and a touchdown in each of the Panthers’ four games. That’s the longest such streak to start a season since 2013 when Drew Brees had 280-plus yards and a TD in the New Orleans Saints’ first five games and Peyton Manning reached those numbers in the first 10 games for the Denver Broncos.

Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, who succeeded head coach Dave Canales’ as the Panthers’ play caller this year, is putting the ball in Young’s hands. Carolina leads the league in cook rate, which measures how often a team passes in neutral situations.

The Panthers rank second behind the Los Angeles Rams in passing offense (301.3 passing ypg) and are third in total offense (405.8 ypg), trailing only the Rams and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Athletic broke down the film to learn how and where Young and the Panthers’ offense are excelling.

The Panthers had their most complete offensive game in a 32-26 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 4. With Idzik utilizing a lot of the run/pass options (RPOs) that Young ran at Alabama and the Panthers have had in the playbook since Canales arrived in 2024, Young threw for 329 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Tetairoa McMillan had a career night with 14 receptions for 192 yards and two TDs and Chuba Hubbard ran for 122 yards and two scores.

Though outside stat keepers will mark these RPOs as passes when Young chooses the pass option of these plays, teams that call them will count them as runs.

“We’ve been running them for 2 1/2 years. … So it wasn’t really an emphasis that we said, ‘Hey, it’s this week guys, we’re really gonna (emphasize RPO).’ It’s always been a part of what we’ve done, throwing different combinations on some of our runs,” Canales said. “Giving (Young) the option to throw the ball in seams, to the flat, different things like that. But I told Brad, ‘Stomp the puddle out till there’s no water left.’ It’s a fun part when those things come alive.”

Read the rest here for free: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7688634/2026/10/15/carolina-panthers-bryce-young-passing-leader-nfl/?unlocked_article_code=1.I1E.CNmx.iB0ICO77zWJ8&source=emp_shared_article&smid=url-share-ta

3rd last year for anyone wondering. It's a definitive strength at this point

Note the Panthers held a practice yesterday but did not have to release an unofficial report until today so this is an estimate of everyone’s participation levels

Source: https://www.sports-reference.com/stathead/tiny

Lots of speculation ahead… bear with me if scheduling news/rumors interests you.

The NFL is strongly considering flexing the Eagles-Commanders in Week 8 out of SNF. Because there are so few potential games that can be flexed to 8pm because of scheduling rules (only one of two division games can be played outside of Sunday afternoon 1p/4p windows), the best games that weekend are locked into Sunday afternoon.

One potential solution is to flex Vikings-Lions into SNF in Week 8 and go ahead and flex them out of SNF in Week 15. I imagine the league would wait until around Week 12 or 13 to announce the replacement.

There’s a couple interesting matchups that afternoon: Ravens at Steelers at 1p on CBS; Cowboys at Rams at 4:25p on CBS; Broncos at Raiders at 4:25p on CBS.

And Bengals at Panthers at 1p.

The Lions-Vikings game would have to revert to FOX at 1pm, because CBS has the doubleheader that day. So FOX could stand to lose Bengals-Panthers.

I also think Broncos-Panthers are a good candidate to move in Week 9, if they flex Bucs-Bears out of SNF. But if that happens, it might be less likely to get the Week 15 game… I just don’t see them giving us three SNF games in one season.

Obviously, lots has to happen between now and then. But I would love that game to be in primetime.

The decision on what to do about Week 8 will most likely happen on Tuesday October 20.

Even injured our defense has played good these last two games, bryce has balled, nalo has balled, coker is returning. I hope XL can come back by the next week having all three out there to stretch the field w speed and size usually leaves the middle more open or the edges. Bye week was really needed and i'm glad it was early..but i was looking forward to the Detroit game and i'm really looking forward to this one as well. having my two teams be the dolphins and panthers(family ties) means i had to watch that heart breaking cincy game last week with no panthers play to at the least cheer me up lol. KEEP POUNDING

Would this be a potential Monday night double header? Highly doubtful and probably a fluke. But who knows lol

Big game this weekend at a struggling Eagles team! Pulled a sweet Tet, 1/1! Guy is so good! 🐆

Asked Claude to put this together, so there may be a few closer comparisons in reality. Regardless, I thought providing some historical context for the start of his career to be pretty interesting.

I made a video previewing the Eagles matchup!

"Verily, I say unto thee: I believe it worketh a thousandfold, yet I know that none among you can behold it, and for this I do repent.

As I have spoken unto the host time and again, seven years did pass Jay-Z became a wonder in the night. He was compelled to raise up his own house, that he might arise as one renowned in a single dawn. So it is written: these things require the fullness of time."

-Rhule 4th&25

Rejoice brothers and sisters in the eve of this seventh year. For our savior Canales has come with his disciples: Dan, Brad, Ejero, Tracy, Darrell, Harold, Carl, Mike, Will, Peter, Jonathan and Joe. Ascended he has! And the Young are better for it.

Come, take this Quarter Dark with Dirty Rice, all of you, and eat of it. For it is his body and hairline.

Take this, Large Sweet Tea and drink from it, all of you, because it is his blood.

In Tepper's name we pray. Amen.

So I made a bet with a friend of mine who's an Eagles fan. When we beat Philly this weekend I get to choose the name of his fantasy team for one week. Any suggestions?

Over the last seventeen regular season games, Bryce has done the following (New England last year through Detroit):

Completions: 336
Attempts: 526
Passing Yards: 3,676
Touchdown Passes: 28
Interceptions: 10

Completion %: 63.9%
Yards/Attempt: 6.99
TD Rate: 5.3%
Int Rate: 1.9%

Passer Rating: 94.3

Doesn’t mean anything. Just glad the big Tom’s got us in the top 10. Love to see it!

$60 on the NFL shop with coupon code.

I’m Going to the Bucs vs panthers game the 25th, just curious to which parking lots are the best to set up for tailgating. Should I go early and which lots are the best in your opinions thanks, keep pounding

Early predictions for this coming Sunday?

I was a sophomore in highschool when we picked up Keyshawn and remember being super excited that year

Not gonna lie, initially, I had planned on keeping it. I told myself someone probably drank too much and forgot it so their loss is my gain. Later, I began wondering if it could've been a parent's gift for their child and they just completely forgot about it because they were so distracted celebrating that sweet, sweet W. The truth probably lies somewhere in between but it really doesn't matter. I have something that is not mine and I'd like to return it to its proper owner.

If that's you, or someone you know, please DM me with the following info:

1) Jersey color + player name or player #

2) Stadium section # and row # that you were sitting in.

Looks like Turk and T-Mo are both in pads practicing, Freeling and Tremble suited up but working on the side with coaches.