Bryce Young smiled from ear to ear as he discussed the importance of the Carolina Panthers‘ win with CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis.

On Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, Young completed 16 of 26 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown – along with an interception – as the Panthers clinched a tight 23-22 win over the New Orleans Saints. Carolina emerged victorious after running back Chuba Hubbard scored on a 16-yard touchdown burst late in the fourth quarter.

The win over the Saints in the NFC South showdown ensures the Panthers move to 2-7 and climb off the bottom of the division. The Panthers now head to Germany with some momentum, and Young’s performance en route to delivering the result could serve as a springboard for the young quarterback.

Given he was benched earlier in the season for veteran Andy Dalton, Young perhaps felt he was unlikely to receive another opportunity to impress under head coach Dave Canales. But the 37-year-old has an injured thumb, opening the door for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to return to the fold.

When being interviewed by Balionis, Young spoke of the importance of the victory. He said: “This is huge. One game, obviously, we need to keep building, doing things, clean stuff up but for 24 hours we’ll enjoy it and then clean up on Monday.”

On the game-winning drive, the sophomore said: “Great job upfront. I had all day, great job with protection. X [Xavier Leggette] ran a great route and made that play in a big moment, and for me, [it was about] trusting my guys. Great call, great execution all along and we gotta keep stringing them along.”

Quizzed over what he’s picked up from watching Andy Dalton since being benched, Young added: “Just being more comfortable in the system. Spending all the time watching and growing, trying to take mental reps, and really just trying to take ownership of the system. Still got improvements to make, but we’re definitely great for this one.”

Follow us on X for the best and latest in sports news

When asked by Balionis if the smile was going to go away in the next 24 hours, Young laughed and said: “No, probably not. We’ll be back to work soon.”

Young endured a rough rookie season in which he threw for 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while being sacked 62 times – the second-highest total in the league – as the Panthers finished 2-15. He struggled to open the 2024 season and was benched in favor of Dalton.

However, his performance versus the Saints was a big step forward. Young and the Panthers take on the 2-7 New York Giants at Munich’s Allianz Arena in Germany on Sunday, Nov. 10.