Bryce Young on Panthers' Win: 'That's Why You Play Football'

A Historic Win for the Carolina Panthers

For the first time in three years, the Carolina Panthers managed to defeat a team with a winning record. And not just any team — they took down the Green Bay Packers, who entered the game with the best record in the NFC. The victory came on Sunday, and it was a thrilling one that left fans buzzing.

The game was decided in the final moments when rookie Ryan Fitzgerald kicked a 49-yard field goal on the last play of the game, giving the Panthers a 16-13 win. This marked a significant moment for the team, especially after quarterback Bryce Young returned to the lineup following an ankle injury that kept him out of the previous game against the Buffalo Bills.

Young had missed the 40-9 loss to the Bills, but his return proved crucial. The Panthers have now won four games in a row with Young on the field, showcasing his importance to the team's success. His presence on the field brought a sense of confidence and stability that the team needed.

Carolina found themselves in a critical position late in the game. With the score tied and only 2:32 remaining, the Panthers took possession at their 29-yard line. Young spoke about the team’s mindset during those crucial moments.

“As an offense, we always want to be ready,” Young said. “We always want to be prepared. That’s a really good team on the other side, so our defense, I mean, balled the entire game. But we knew at some point we’re going to have to go win it. We at least just want to be prepared for that, so confidence never wavered as a group, as a unit.”

The Panthers’ offensive drive began with two consecutive completions from Young, moving the ball to the 50-yard line. Running back Rico Dowdle then made a key 19-yard gain, pushing the team closer to the end zone.

Dowdle finished the game with 130 yards and two touchdowns on 25 rushing attempts. His performance was pivotal, including a crucial 19-yard run that moved the ball to the Packers’ 31-yard line. However, there were some setbacks along the way. After Dowdle scored on a 1-yard run to give the Panthers a 13-6 lead, he was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, forcing Fitzgerald to attempt a 48-yard extra-point kick that fell short.

Green Bay responded with a 12-play, 71-yard drive, culminating in a 1-yard touchdown by former Alabama running back Josh Jacobs. The Packers tied the game with 2:32 remaining, setting up the dramatic finish.

Fitzgerald’s game-winning field goal was 1 yard longer than his earlier missed kick. But the difference wasn’t just in distance — it was also in the wind conditions. On a windy day at Lambeau Field, Fitzgerald attempted the extra point into the wind, but he kicked the winning field goal with the wind at his back. This strategic decision, made by special-teams coordinator Tracy Smith, paid off.

“I got to give a lot of props to (special-teams coordinator) Tracy Smith,” Carolina coach Dave Canales said. “He and I were talking before the game, and he was like, ‘If we take the ball, we can set ourselves up to have the ball with the wind to our backs to finish the game to give us an opportunity.’ And it played out just like that.”

This victory marked the Panthers’ first win against a team with a winning record since a 30-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks on December 11, 2022. Since then, the team had only managed seven wins over two seasons.

Looking ahead, the Panthers will face the New Orleans Saints in an NFC South matchup on November 9 with a 5-4 record in the 2025 NFL season. When asked if this win could be a breakthrough, Young remained cautious.

“I guess we’ll have to see,” Young said. “We can only take it week-by-week in this league. We’re enjoying it, but after that, we have to come back and turn our focus on the next week. We can only control what we control. When you look too far ahead, it can be harder to focus on what’s in front of us, so, again, it’s great right now. When we come back and watch the tape, it’ll be all about next week.”

Despite having his fewest completions, passes, and passing yards this season, Young’s performance against the Packers was praised by Canales.

“I think the best part of it was he functioned so well and he anticipated, he operated quickly,” Canales said. “This is a group that we really respect defensively speaking with their pass rush and the challenges that we knew they were going to present to us, and Bryce did a magnificent job of getting the ball out in rhythm.”

The Panthers’ journey has been challenging, but this win shows progress. With Young leading the charge and the team showing resilience, there’s hope for a brighter future.