Bryce Young Aims to Extend Falcons Success as Panthers Visit Atlanta

Bryce Young returns to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday with a chance to continue an unusual trend: his best work as Carolina’s quarterback has repeatedly come against the Atlanta Falcons. The Panthers and Falcons are both 0-1 entering the 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Fox, and Carolina may again need Young to carry the offense after its defense allowed 59 points and 552 yards in the opening loss to Chicago.

Panthers at Falcons: Bryce Young looks to continue Atlanta surge

Young directed six scoring possessions in Carolina’s Week 1 defeat, throwing for 361 yards, accounting for four touchdowns and posting a 66.4 QBR. He also threw one interception in the 59-37 loss.

The 25-year-old now faces an Atlanta defense that he has handled far better than most opponents. Young owns a 4-1 record in five starts versus the Falcons, compared with a 10-30 mark against the rest of the NFL. His 67.4 QBR against Atlanta sits more than 20 points above his 43.9 career figure.

Across those five meetings, Young has completed 66.7% of his passes for 1,133 yards, seven passing touchdowns and two interceptions. Three of his nine career rushing touchdowns have also come against the NFC South rival. His touchdown-to-interception ratio against Atlanta is 3.5-to-1, while his league-wide career ratio is 1.7-to-1.

“Every time he gets to Atlanta, he seems to find a way to make plays,” tight end Tommy Tremble said. “Seeing him take Cam Newton’s passing record there was incredible. I’m hoping he can surpass what he did last time.”

Overtime wins have changed the tone of the rivalry

Young’s first NFL start came in Atlanta during the 2023 opener, a loss in which he recorded a 16.4 total QBR. His last two visits have been dramatically different.

In the 2024 regular-season finale, Carolina erased a deficit and beat Atlanta 44-38 in overtime. Young accounted for a personal-best five touchdowns, throwing three and rushing for two, less than four months after his Week 3 benching in his second season.

One defining play arrived early in the third quarter on fourth-and-1, with the Panthers down one point. Young sold a fake to Miles Sanders, rolled right behind a Ja’Tavion Sanders lead block and hit Tremble for a 12-yard touchdown. Young raised his arms in celebration before Tremble had secured the pass.

“That was the coolest feeling,” Tremble said. “It’s one of my favorite plays. That was the moment where Bryce really came alive, and everybody could recognize the player he could be.”

Right guard Rob Hunt said the sequence helped set the quarterback’s tone heading into the following season.

“He was the top player on the field,” Hunt said. “It was a big moment for him and a confidence boost going into the next year.”

Young followed that overtime victory with an even bigger trip to Atlanta in 2025. He threw for a Panthers-record 448 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-27 overtime win, breaking Newton’s franchise single-game passing record of 432 yards set in 2011.

Over the past two road games against the Falcons, Young has piled up 699 passing yards, added 23 rushing yards and generated eight total touchdowns. Those two wins came in high-scoring overtime finishes. In two home games against Atlanta, by comparison, he has totaled 288 passing yards, 17 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

Young also enjoyed success in the building before reaching the NFL. As Alabama’s starter, he posted 765 combined passing yards and seven total touchdowns in two lopsided victories in Atlanta. During the 2021 SEC Championship Game against Georgia, he passed for 421 yards and three touchdowns while rushing three times for 40 yards and another score.

Division stakes and a coverage challenge

Carolina opens its NFC South schedule with the division title as its stated priority. Young said the importance of those games is clear without changing the club’s weekly approach.

“Coach Dave Canales stresses it all the time: the first objective is winning the NFC South,” Young said. “Those division games carry a lot of weight when that’s what you’re trying to accomplish. You stay even-keel, but everyone understands what is on the line against a division opponent.”

Young was especially dangerous downfield against Chicago. He delivered a career-high 221 yards on deep attempts and completed 64.3% of those throws. His production was much stronger against zone coverage, where he threw for 289 yards, than against man coverage, where he had 72 yards.

Atlanta mixed its coverages in Week 1 against Pittsburgh, using zone on nearly 40% of defensive snaps and man concepts close to 60% of the time. The Falcons remain directed by defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, though Kevin Stefanski is now overseeing the team.

Young faced Ulbrich’s defense twice last year. He completed 66.7% of his throws for 121 yards in the Charlotte meeting, adding eight rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. In the return game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, he produced the record-breaking 448-yard passing performance.

“They are a group that plays a lot of match coverage, particularly outside,” Young said. “They understand route concepts and pattern matching. It will require everything from us. We have to execute at a high level.”

Protection will shape Carolina’s chances

Young faced pressure on 11 of 41 dropbacks against the Bears and was sacked twice. The Panthers will again lean on fill-in starting tackles Rasheed Walker and rookie Monroe Freeling, who made a solid debut together in Week 1. Carolina’s interior line also held up reasonably well.

Atlanta’s edge group has been reshaped by absences. James Pearce Jr. is suspended, while Jalon Walker is on injured reserve. The Falcons are expected to rely heavily on veterans Za’Darius Smith and Samson Ebukam, along with recently acquired defensive tackles Maason Smith and Gervon Dexter Sr.

Za’Darius Smith recorded both Atlanta sacks against Pittsburgh. The Falcons pressured Aaron Rodgers on 13 of 40 dropbacks, a 31% rate.

Freeling said the Falcons’ available rushers still present a significant test.

“They have lost some edge players through injuries and other circumstances, but the guys I’ve watched are strong with their bull rush,” Freeling said. “For me, it is about anchoring and not letting them squeeze the pocket, so Bryce has the room he needs to operate.”

Young’s mobility can create explosive plays, but Carolina cannot afford to make every snap an escape drill. If the offensive line gives him time, the Panthers will have an opportunity to attack a secondary that must account for his willingness to extend plays and push the ball downfield.

Week 2 projection

SEO Title: Bryce Young Returns to Atlanta as Panthers Face Falcons in Week 2

SEO Description: Bryce Young brings a 4-1 record against the Falcons into Sunday’s Panthers-Falcons matchup after historic performances at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.