A 30-0 blowout might breed overconfidence, but inside the Carolina Panthers’ locker room, the mood is anything but complacent ahead of their rematch with the Falcons.  The defensive stars Jaycee Horn and Derrick Brown made it clear that Atlanta has geared up since then as well.

“We don’t talk to them [Falcons] like any other team in the league,” Brown told the reporters. “But we know what happened last time we played them. They just had a loss in whoever they played at first and fourth. So they coming in, trying to bounce back, just like us. So we’re gonna have to figure out a way to try to put the field on our side.” 

The Panthers’ defense isn’t underestimating their divisional foe, because this time, Atlanta has sharpened something they lacked in the first meeting, playmaking at the edges.

Instead of adding to Brown’s comments, Horn stated, “Same thing he said,” signaling that the locker room was on the same page about their approach. He then chimed in on the Falcons’ tweaks, especially around wide receiver Drake London, who’s been more involved lately with big plays.

“They’ve been trying to get to the edge,” Horn said. “But they’ve been getting Drake London more involved. He’s been passing big games since they played us. I think [Michael] Penix has been a little more comfortable, so just a new team.”

‘In the first game between the two teams, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. looked out of sync. He threw two interceptions, including a pick-six, before getting pulled in the fourth quarter for Kirk Cousins. 

This shutout loss was the first since Week 11 of the 2021 season, when they failed to score against the New England Patriots. Defensively, Atlanta struggled to pressure Bryce Young and failed to stop Carolina’s crucial red zone runs. It was a complete failure in execution on all fronts.

But since that blowout, they’ve sharpened their edge. Zac Robinson’s offense has started focusing on getting the ball to the outside, particularly feeding Bijan Robinson and involving receiver Drake London more to stretch defenses. 

But while the Panthers brace for this divisional showdown, there’s a cloud hanging over the team in the form of quarterback Bryce Young’s ongoing struggles.

Bryce Young’s struggles are mounting

The Panthers officially have a Bryce Young problem after what former NFL player and Fox Sports analyst Mark Schlereth said following Carolina’s latest loss to the New Orleans Saints.

“We’re going to give you one-on-one opportunities outside the numbers, and we don’t think your quarterback can handle it,” Schlereth said. “We don’t think your quarterback is good enough to beat us…Your quarterback does not have what it takes to beat us at 1-8. That’s exactly what they said. They were 100 percent correct. That passing game was pathetic.”

These words start to make sense when you look at the NFL rankings. Currently, out of 32, Young is ranked at 31 in the Quarterback rankings at Week 11. He is behind Justin Fields, who’s having a far from good season.

Young was the first overall pick in 2023 and is now in his third year, carrying mounting pressure. His record reflects the struggles with 2-14 in 2023, 4-8 in 2024, and currently 5-3 this season. While there’s some improvement, it’s still far from the level Panthers fans hoped for.

Young has shown flashes of promise, but hesitancy and mistakes when forced to push the ball continue to cost the Panthers. As the team prepares for the Falcons, this quarterback conundrum remains the cloud over Carolina’s playoff hopes.