At long last, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is playing like a No. 1 overall pick. Two games into the 2026 season, he is second in the NFL in passing yards (648) and has totaled six touchdowns to go with just one interception.
As a team, the Panthers rank in the top five in total yardage and second in scoring—behind only the Buffalo Bills.
While this is all a small sample size, it's also a mind-blowing development for a franchise that's been stuck in the mud offensively since the middle of the 2018 season. So, can Carolina keep this up, or is it just a mirage?
According to Mike Kaye at ESPN, this is very real. Here's what he shared about the red-hot passing game:
Carolina averaged 179.3 passing yards per game in 2025. Through two outings
this season, quarterback Bryce Young has thrown for 648 yards and six touchdowns with one interception. With offensive coordinator Brad Idzik taking over playcalling duties from coach Dave Canales, Young has put together back-to-back impressive outings while throwing two touchdown passes to three different players. Idzik and Young have pulled this off with a relatively modest rushing attack that is averaging 96.5 yards per game. That element makes this passing stretch seem more fact than fiction.
The schedule is also working in Carolina's favor for this trend to continue. Their next two opponents are the Cleveland Browns, who no longer have the benefit of lining up two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, and the battered Detroit Lions secondary.
After locking up with the Lions in a Week 4 Sunday nighter, the Panthers will enter their bye—with the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers awaiting them on the other side.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Reporter believes Panthers offense can sustain their hot start
