Why the Panthers should feel good despite their Week 16 loss to the Packers

With the pocket collapsing around him, Young moved to his right and threw a dart on the run to wide receiver D.J. Chark near the back of the end zone. 

Later, while attempting to drive Carolina down the field for a tying field goal with 18 seconds remaining, Young expertly placed this ball to Chark, who did a remarkable job of dragging his left foot to complete the catch along the sideline for a 22-yard gain.

Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Young "generated positive passing [expected points added] (+12.2) for the first time in a game in his career."

NGS also noted the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft thrived when targeting receivers on intermediate routes (10-19 yards downfield), going 10-of-16 for 178 yards and two touchdowns on those passes.

Young's strong outing is a positive sign for the Panthers during a season in which they've had little to celebrate. Carolina (2-13) traded its 2024 first-round pick – projected to be No. 1 overall – to the Bears to move up during this year's draft to select Young. His struggles prior to Week 16 illustrated the quality of the roster around him, suggesting a rebuild could take years. Prior to Sunday's game, Young ranked as the second-worst quarterback in ESPN's QBR metric, ahead of only New York Jets signal-caller Zach Wilson. 

One good game against a Packers team with a beleaguered defensive coordinator (Joe Barry) doesn't erase all the negatives from Young's first season. Still, it's the most positive sign yet that Young can be Carolina's quarterback of the future.