NFL
By: Moose Gibson
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young looked like a top-tier quarterback this Sunday against the Chicago Bears and Caleb Williams. The two No. 1 overall picks and Heisman Trophy winners had a slugfest. The final score should not be held against Young and the Panthers offense; they looked top-notch. The defense, by contrast, was abysmal. The final would be 59-37 in favor of the Bears’ elite offensive performance.
Panthers Offensive Performances
As mentioned, the offenses were both nothing short of electric. The Bears tallied up 552 total yards; the Panthers put up 478 total yards. Young was on fire; his 51-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jalen Coker was one of the best throws you will see, in motion on the dot. Coker ran a great route as well; hats off to him. He would gather eight receptions for 138 yards and two touchdown catches. Reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetoria McMillan would finish second with two catches for 75 yards. Running back Chuba Hubbard would find the end zone twice, once in the air, once on the ground. He would end the day with 77 total yards and two touchdowns.
Young spread the ball around nicely, but he also made his presence felt on foot. In the third quarter, he would scramble in the red zone from the seven-yard line and take it himself for a touchdown. As he crossed the goal line, two Bears defenders hit him, but Young held on for the score. That would be only one of his two carries of the night, but when needed, he can be mobile.
To end the afternoon, Young’s lines would end as 23/37 in the air for 361 yards, four total touchdowns, three passing, one rushing, and one interception. He looked locked in the entire game. He should be happy with his performance; his defense sold him.
Bears Dismantle the Panthers Defense
You can only do so much when you are constantly fighting an uphill battle. It is never an easy matchup to have to defend the two-headed monster of a backfield that the Bears have. D’Andre Swift would post 124 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. Second-year running back Kyle Monangai had an afternoon as well, running for 100 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown run.
Caleb Williams put on an MVP-level performance passing, 21/29 for 269 yards, two touchdowns, and no turnovers. He threw a highlight pass to wide receiver Rome Odunze, who absolutely mossed Panthers defensive back Will Lee III. Odunze looked like prime Randy Moss on that play. Back to Williams, he would also be a total menace on the ground. He would rush 10 times for 65 yards and two more touchdowns, including a 29-yard touchdown run.
Takeaways
All in all, there are a lot of takeaways from this game for Carolina. They really need to assess the entire defense and fix it fast. The performance that they let the Bears have is inexcusable. Scoring 37 points should be a win in about 95% of circumstances. From the line to the secondary, everyone needs to be better.
On the bright side, the Panthers get to take on an injury-plagued Atlanta Falcons team next weekend. Although the Falcons and third-string quarterback Cooper Rush gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a battle, the Panthers should look to capture victory and bounce back.
