Panthers Called Good Enough to Win the NFC South as Bryce Young Leads the NFL in Passing

Dave Dameshek says Carolina's offense can carry a 'lousy' division, and a 2-2 record, the league's top passer and a 0-4 rival all help his case.

by Bryce Lazenby

Oct 6, 2026

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young looks to pass against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Dale Zanine - Imagn Images

Four weeks into the season, the NFL’s passing leader is Bryce Young. The Carolina Panthers quarterback has thrown for 1,268 yards, 54 more than Detroit’s Jared Goff, whom he beat on Sunday night, and his team is tied for first place in the NFC South.

Dave Dameshek thinks the second part can last. On Monday’s episode of his “Football America!” show, the longtime NFL host said Carolina’s defense is “not bereft of some talent” and that “the offense seems, in a lousy division, good enough to win it.”

The NFC South after four weeks

The standings back up the “lousy” part. Carolina and Atlanta are both 2-2 after the Falcons beat New Orleans 45-24 on Monday night, and the Panthers own the head-to-head result from a 34-3 win in Atlanta in Week 2. The Saints are 1-3. Tampa Bay is 0-4, and Dameshek said “goodbye to the Bucs” earlier in the show. Carolina won this division at 8-9 a year ago.

Young has been the reason to believe it can happen again. He has completed 101 of 162 passes with nine touchdown passes and two interceptions, and he has topped 285 yards in all four games. The former No. 1 overall pick threw for 3,011 yards in 16 starts last season and is already 42% of the way there. PFF gives him an 88.6 overall grade, the best on Carolina’s offense.

Against the Lions he went 29 of 41 for 329 yards and two touchdown passes, both to Tetairoa McMillan. The second-year receiver finished with 14 catches for 192 yards, career highs in both categories.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) makes a pass against Detroit Lions during the second half at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026.

The defense is the harder sell. Carolina gave up 59 points to Chicago in the opener, and it is playing with both starting cornerbacks on injured reserve after Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson went on the list last week. Goff threw for 412 yards on Sunday. Detroit still had to settle for four field goals. Up front, edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and Princely Umanmielen have combined for 30 pressures through four games, according to PFF.

Dameshek’s other observation was about the crowd. He said the NFC South is short on enthusiasm but that the Sunday night crowd in Charlotte told a different story. “If you can get to October and be a contender, the locals will buy in,” he said. “The Panthers have done that again in a lousy division.” Carolina has its bye this week and returns Oct. 18 at Philadelphia.