Panthers’ Mistakes Hand Saints Victory

Bryce Young Shines, but It Wasn’t Enough

Bryce Young was not the problem. He played one of his more complete games of the season, going 15-of-24 for 163 yards, a touchdown, and a 96.4 passer rating, adding 49 rushing yards on seven scrambles. Young extended plays, made high-level throws. Including a standout connection to Jalen Coker. That kept Carolina in the game until the final moments. Young needs to keep improving, but he was not the reason for the loss today. If asked, he will say he could have played better or that there were things he missed.

But this loss was not on him; it was on missed opportunities and mental errors elsewhere on the team.

Penalties and Mental Errors Undermined Carolina

Discipline was a major problem. The Panthers had 11 penalties for 103 yards—the most all season. Before this game, Carolina was ranked 5th in the league for fewest penalties, so this was a big step backward. You can’t win games by giving opponents extra chances like this.

• Unnecessary Roughness: Late hits extended Saints drives and forced Carolina into difficult third-down situations.

• Illegal Formations and Offsides: Early drives were repeatedly negated, including a potential field goal that was nullified due to an offside penalty.

• Drive-Killing Mistakes: A key sequence saw Bryce Young take a hit near the sideline, followed by Ikem Ekwonu retaliating and drawing a penalty that erased a promising scoring drive. Later, Ekwonu allowed a crucial sack, further stalling the offense.

• Special Teams Penalties: Kickoff and punt return infractions erased valuable field position and momentum.

Even with Bryce Young playing well, these mistakes kept giving New Orleans chances to win, and they took full advantage.

Failure to Close on Both Sides of the Ball

Up 17–7, Carolina had multiple chances to put the game away. The run game stalled, only having 78 yards rushing between the two backs. Multiple drives ended with punts or a turnover on downs, and the defense couldn’t get off the field on key third downs. Dropped interceptions and contested catches compounded the frustration. Good teams capitalize on opportunities; learning teams let them slip.

Credit Where It’s Due

Final Lesson or Same Old Cycle?

The Panthers are still alive in the NFC South, but their path is narrow—they must beat Tampa Bay twice to win the division. The potential is there, but trust must be earned. Youth, mistakes, and inconsistency continue to haunt this team.

Maybe this loss will serve as the final lesson, forcing Carolina to clean up penalties, execute situational football, and finally close games under pressure. Or maybe it’s just another chapter in a frustrating cycle of progress and regression. Either way, the opportunity remains: sweep Tampa Bay, and Sunday’s loss becomes a footnote. Fail again, and it’s another sign the Panthers aren’t ready for the moment.

Keep pounding