The Carolina Panthers’ three-game winning streak came to an abrupt end against the Buffalo Bills in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season. The Bills pulled no punches and dominated the matchup, leaving Highmark Stadium with a 40-9 win.
Carolina will face another tough matchup in Week 9. The Green Bay Packers, fresh off beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, will host the Panthers at Lambeau Field.
Andy Dalton started against the Bills and it’s unclear if he’ll get the keys to the car again against the Packers. With Bryce Young out with an injury, perhaps starting Dalton wouldn’t be crazy for the Panthers.
NFL writer says Panthers should rest Bryce Young one more week
Zach Roberts of SI wrote on Tuesday that holding Young out one more week would be in the Panthers’ best interest, considering that he would face a tough defense and the Panthers could afford to drop this game.
“If the Panthers lose and drop to 4-5, the season isn’t over,” Roberts wrote. “And even if it is, this wasn’t really a season in which Carolina needed to contend. It’s a slow rebuild, and they didn’t need to make a massive leap, so if the juggernaut schedule the rest of the way gets them, so be it. With that in mind, one loss isn’t as detrimental. The Panthers, without Bryce Young, would almost certainly lose to the Green Bay Packers next Sunday. They may just want to take the loss and keep Young safe for another week to fully heal. High ankle sprains take two or more weeks usually.”
After a shaky start, Young found his rhythm in the league. The quarterback has shown off his talents and demonstrated that he can lead the team until the high ankle sprain hit him.