Young rushes for 125 yards as Panthers rout Broncos 34-10

Charlotte, NC - Bryce Young produced the game's top rushing performance, Carolina converted four of its five red-zone trips into touchdowns and the Panthers defeated the Denver Broncos 34-10 in Week 9.

Young rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries while completing 11 of 16 passes for 133 yards and another score. His 114.8 passer rating reflected a mistake-free passing performance, and Carolina complemented it with a defense that intercepted Bo Nix three times.

The statistical gap extended well beyond the scoreboard. Carolina finished with 403 offensive yards, including 264 on the ground, and recorded 24 first downs. Denver totaled 309 offensive yards and 11 first downs. The Panthers also converted four of eight third downs, compared with a 2-for-8 finish by the Broncos.

Young's 125 rushing yards were a game high, surpassing every running back on either roster. His longest run covered 26 yards, and his production on the ground exceeded his passing total by only eight yards.

"I wanted to be efficient and take care of the football, but I also wanted to use every part of my game," Young said. "When there was room to run, I trusted it. We had a lot of different guys contributing, and that gave our offense balance."

Chuba Hubbard supplied another 99 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, the most rushing attempts by any player in the game. Together, Young and Hubbard accounted for 224 of Carolina's 264 rushing yards and both reached the end zone on the ground.

"There was a lot of production available in the run game, and Bryce was a huge part of that," Hubbard said. "When both of us are gaining yards, it gives the offense more ways to operate. I liked how we stayed committed to being productive with every opportunity."

Carolina did not need a high-volume passing game. Young threw only five incompletions, connected with Darren Waller for a touchdown and completed four passes to Tetairoa McMillan for a team-high 52 receiving yards. Waller caught three passes for 33 yards, while Hubbard added a 24-yard reception.

The Panthers were also markedly better with their scoring opportunities inside the 20. Carolina came away with four touchdowns and one field goal on five red-zone trips. Denver made four red-zone visits but finished with no touchdowns and one field goal in that area.

Denver's passing game still generated the afternoon's biggest individual receiving total. Nix completed 16 of 29 passes for a game-high 253 yards and one touchdown, but his three interceptions lowered his passer rating to 56.3. Carolina's defense added two sacks, while Denver finished with one sack and no interceptions.

Troy Franklin was the Broncos' most productive target, catching seven passes for a game-high 157 yards and a touchdown. His 57-yard reception was the longest catch of the game and matched Nix's longest completion. Franklin accounted for more receiving yards than any Carolina player, but Denver finished with only 10 points.

Jonah Coleman gave the Broncos 67 rushing yards on nine carries, including the game's longest run at 41 yards. He also caught four passes for 32 yards. Denver nevertheless ended the game with 73 rushing yards as a team, 191 fewer than Carolina.

"The interceptions are on me, and three is too many," Nix said. "We moved the ball in some areas, but yards don't mean enough when the possessions don't finish the way they need to. We have to be much cleaner with the football and better with our opportunities in the red zone."

Carolina entered the game at 6-1 and added another decisive result with a 24-point victory. Young's efficiency, the Panthers' 264 rushing yards and a defense that collected three interceptions defined a complete statistical advantage for the home team.

Up Next

The Carolina Panthers will travel to face the New Orleans Saints in Week 10 looking to build on the victory. Denver will have a week before returning home to host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11.