Ja'Tavion Sanders, Jonathan Mingo among Panthers winners and losers in Week 9 vs. Saints

The Panthers played one of their best games of the season in Week 9. Here are the winners and losers.

Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt (57) in the second quarter of the NFL game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers earned their second win of the season in thrilling fashion. They avenged the 47-10 loss from Week 1 to the New Orleans Saints by moving to 2-7 on the year. The game featured a few standout performances and a game-winning drive, so there are a lot of players who should feel good about themselves moving forward.

Panthers winners and losers from Week 9 victory

1. Winner: Bryce Young

Bryce Young looked even better than he did last week. He was comfortable in the pocket and made a lot of the throws. He wasn't perfect again, but he looks like a player who could be molded and should be the starter from here on out. His one interception wasn't remotely his fault since it was a dime that Legette let a backup corner take out of his hands. A nice touchdown pass (would've been two without a drop from David Moore) and overall stellar play make Young a big winner today. He also led his third career game-winning drive.

2. Loser: Jonathan Mingo

Once again, Jonathan Mingo looks like a complete afterthought in his second season. Even with a pass-first gameplan, a good Bryce Young outing, and the lack of Adam Thielen on the field, it didn't lead to anything for the wideout. His time in Carolina might come to an end sooner rather than later.

3. Winner: Ja'Tavion Sanders

The tight end depth chart was missing a few names today, but it didn't matter. Ja'Tavion Sanders made two of the most impressive plays all day en route to a career outing. He had a 46-yard catch-and-run with a terrific hurdle and a brilliant catch in one-on-one coverage. He also drew a massive DPI penalty with the Panthers driving to win the game.

4. Loser: Jalen Coker

Jalen Coker made some more good plays, but his positive growth didn't continue. He had a career outing last week, but he wasn't targeted as much. He made another good play, but with such a pass-happy game plan, Coker should have been much more involved than he was.

5. Winner: Ejiro Evero

The Saints ran all over the Panthers (and threw) in Week 1. The Saints did sort of run all over them, but the defense is missing multiple stars since Week 1. They looked so much better. It was Ejiro Evero's defense's best outing, and it gave the Panthers a much-needed chance to win and not play from behind every series.

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