Panthers back to QB Young vs. Broncos
by Sharon Thorsland
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has his starting job back, at least for a week. The second year player will be under center against the Broncos on Sunday as Andy Dalton recovers from a sprained thumb suffered in a car accident. Young and the Panthers offense have their work cut out for them against the Broncos, who have won four of their last five matchups and are 4-3 on the season.
The Broncos are in year two of head coach Sean Payton, and he’s continued to turn over the roster, releasing quarterback Russell Wilson and using the 12th pick in the draft to take Bo Nix out of Oregon. Nix has had some rookie growing pains, throwing five interceptions to go with five touchdowns, but he’s getting better every week. He’s only been sacked nine times, and is the team’s second leading rusher with 255 yards and three more touchdowns on the ground. “Bo Nix is a great quarterback,” said Panther linebacker Trevin Wallace. “People don’t give him credit for how quick he is, he’s sneaky fast. And he’s a smart quarterback, too.”
Wallace will hopefully be getting some help in the middle of the defense this week, as Josey Jewell is set to return to the lineup, giving a boost to a group that ranks dead last in the league in rushing yards and points allowed. And besides Nix running the ball, the Broncos have an excellent young back in former UNC standout Javonte Williams. He’s got 301 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the season, and is also Nix’s favorite target with 23 catches for 166 yards.
The Panthers have their own great running back in Chuba Hubbard, who is currently fifth in the NFL with 537 yards. He and the Panthers will face a stout Broncos defense that ranks third in the league allowing just 282 yards and 15 points per game. They are fast and aggressive and get after the quarterback – their 28 sacks rank second in the league, and they lead the NFL in quarterback pressures. That’s not good news for Young, who will be making his first start since week two. The Broncos also allow just 171 passing yards per game, that’s fifth in the league. They’ve got an elite cornerback in Pat Surtain II, who has two interceptions, of them a pick six. “Really good players, really good scheme,” said Young. “They do a lot of different things well, communicate well. So for us it will be a great challenge.”
This will be just the ninth time these teams have met – the Broncos hold a 6-2 advantage in the series, including a Super Bowl 50 win, although the Panthers won the most recent match-up in 2022.