r/panthers 18h ago

Analysis Introducing QB Index: A perfect QB stat everyone will love, and no one will disagree with

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7503748/2026/09/07/nfl-qb-index-statistic-stock-report/?source=user_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1._VA.H8WE.5FlhS4k5MasQ&smid=ta-android-share

QB Index rankings: 2025

QB Index, a new statistic created by The Athletic’s Austin Mock, ranks 2025's qualified quarterbacks.

Ranked 29th out of 37th....Bryce Young

Upvotes

71 comments sorted by

u/SpoofExcel T-Mac 18h ago

Look I know he's not top 10, but he ain't worst than Justin Fields and Marcus fucking Mariota....

u/Delicious-Parfait-79 Greg Olsen 18h ago

Truth

u/Substantial_Ad6171 17h ago

You just mentioned 2 backups. Bryce was supposed to save the franchise lol

u/Kingcroom 17h ago

They’re pointing out how he’s below two people he’s simply better than indicating this statistic isn’t reliable

u/Panthers_PB 15h ago

So were the other 2 at one time.

u/Sethypoooooooooo 18h ago

I mean, he is pretty bad

u/-YEETLEJUICE- 18h ago

Maybe this season or in the future, but both Fields and Mariota have had better seasons than BY ever had. Fields ran for 1100 yards his second year lol. Wild.

Arguing for BY is fine, but one must admit they are projecting better production since you his production does him no favors.

u/MrGonzo11 Double Trouble 18h ago

I get annoyed by the amount of shit Fields get, yeah he isn't an outstanding passer but he went toe to toe T-Law and he gets excused constantly, and it's insane that no team can think of a way to use a guy like him. Same as Richardson. Yeah he isn't a starting QB but you mean to tell me that a mountain of a man with a cannons for arms have no place in the NFL?

u/-YEETLEJUICE- 18h ago

At this point I just don't think he has it man. But you wanna talk about a dude who could actually be a Taysom Hill+ type of dude? 

Why couldn't a team utilize him in packages like that?

u/MrGonzo11 Double Trouble 18h ago

That's exactly what I'm saying. I get it why teams don't want their starting QB double as an RB but most teams carry 3 QBs on a roster these days anyway. Having a short yardage guy for RPOs would actually protect your main guy. Otherwise all end up like we did with Cam or the Ravens ending up with Lamar right now.

u/craaazytrain 17h ago

It’s because they’re not quarterbacks. And teams won’t pay them as such. They should convert to running backs if that’s all they’re good at and see how they stack up.

u/MrGonzo11 Double Trouble 17h ago

I'm fine with that distinction, or wage category if we want to call it that. But I think this should be an entirely new position or an old brought back. Fullback hopefully.

u/Corona2789 18h ago

The amount of stats is getting out of hand. If we just circle back to the eye test we can see he hasn’t been very good, at least on a consistent basis. If he doesn’t improve at least next years qb class is deep. Hopefully that’s not something we have to worry about.

u/-YEETLEJUICE- 15h ago

Yeah stats are used to try to convince people their eyes are incorrect. I'm unconvinced.

u/Corona2789 15h ago

Stats are great and all but when people are Cherry picking them to make a specific argument for some less than popular narrative it gets out of hand. You can find people using some stats to try and downplay Mahomes/allen/lamar lol

u/-YEETLEJUICE- 15h ago

Yeah they are fun, but damn near impossible to prove anything. 

People treat them like they are in a vacuum but this is a team sport and nothing is in a vacuum.

u/Elitehornet Bryce Up Son 14h ago

This. 100 percent.

u/CyberTitan__ Cheerwine 18h ago

I like Bryce and I want him to turn it around and be the guy we need. But so far he hasn't been a good QB. Feelings aside statistics prove that he hasn't.

He needs to improve a lot or we need to move on. It truly is that simple.

u/Big_Sky_4957 Super Cam 15h ago

I mean, there’s a reason he hasn’t been extended. This season is do or die for him.

u/mightbone 18h ago

Harsh but fair. Bryce's first 3 seasons are extemely mediocre and even with his improvements last year its hard to make an argument for him above top 20 or so.

And its all moot right now - season is coming and he will have his chance to change minds soon enough.

u/Abhorash-TheWanderer 16h ago

Mediocre is being generous. His rookie season was historically bad. The start of his 2nd season was possibly even worse than the rookie year. He has improved for sure BUT it is such a low bar when he was one of the worst QBs ever his first season. “Franchise” QBs and 1st overall picks should not have a ceiling of 20th best QB

u/Balives Bryce Up Son 16h ago

Yes historically bad with also the worst defense in the history of the nfl or does everyone forget that too?

u/-YEETLEJUICE- 15h ago

Are you blaming our 2024 defense (or lack thereof) for Bryce's poor statistical production (60%, 15 tds, 2400 yards)?

I don't get that. It would affect wins for sure, but if you have a legit offense you end up with our 1999 team that couldn't defend your grandmother, but every game was a shootout with Beuerlein under center.

u/Balives Bryce Up Son 15h ago

I'm blaming the state of the team overall. I'm blaming a coach that got fired after a handful of games, I'm blaming Matt fucking Rhule. There's a lot of blame to go around and Bryce gets some too. Let's see what happens this year before we throw the baby out.

u/-YEETLEJUICE- 15h ago

You mentioned Bryce gets some too so we cool. Just making sure I'm talking to someone who sees a complete picture. 

Hasn't been a fun team to root for for a minute now but we seem to finally be building something of value again. Better days ahead 🙏. 

u/Balives Bryce Up Son 15h ago

Amen. 😃

u/Dr-Carolina Neutral Panthers Fan 16h ago

We have to agree that the play Bryce brought isn’t enough. Feelings aside and bias……he has been a bottom 10 QB. He is a greatttttt guy & and model leader, but man I can’t just pretend he is currently the answer. The bare minimum is just not enough anymore.

u/Final-Read-3589 14h ago

He needs to buck his ideas up, because all the stats read badly.

(Now because apparently if you don’t say it someone will say you want Bryce to fail) I don’t want Bryce to fail, but he needs to do better

u/shiggy7393 Ice Up Son 17h ago

Bryce’s ranking shouldn’t be a surprise. He performs poorly in nearly every advance stat. He needs to improve for anyone to feel comfortable moving forward and I think any rational fan would agree with that.

He doesn’t need to be @tlanta Bryce. But if he can play as free and as ballzy as the back half or ‘25 or in the Rams game last year his ranking in those stats will all improve and so will our enjoyment of the offense.

u/yungoon 18h ago

Yeah. Makes sense, when you judge him against the standard statistics used to judge QBs, he is terrible.

When you make up new derivative stats like "Number of Big Time, <20 air yards, 4th quarter throws in a panthers jersey" he starts to look good.

u/the_nix 18h ago

I still hope Bryce works out, it's the best thing for the Panthers long term. That said, he shouldn't be sniffing top 15, or even top 20, cause you have to factor in his terrible games. Can't pretend those don't / didn't happen

u/jason81175 Bryce Young 18h ago

So I’m confused. As a Panthers fan are you rooting for his success or failure?

u/MermanLegend 18h ago

People are just being realistic. Football is not religion. The older I get the more I cant help but laugh at just how much people care about this stuff.

u/Big_Sky_4957 Super Cam 15h ago

Exactly. I love the Panthers. I want all the players to succeed. But if this season for Bryce plays out the way his first 3 have, I’m also fine with moving on. It would mean we swung (too) big and missed. But that shit happens.

u/jason81175 Bryce Young 16h ago

But you care enough to come on a website and comment on someone elses comment. makes total sense to me

u/MermanLegend 14h ago

You must be 12

u/jason81175 Bryce Young 12h ago

Why must I be 12?

u/-YEETLEJUICE- 15h ago

So what ranking besides 29th on this list would be realistic in your eyes?

u/-YEETLEJUICE- 18h ago

On Sunday, we hope Bryce plays well. When he doesn't, we are disappointed and desire more from the QB. If we don't think he will get good enough, we hope the position is addressed, so the team will be able to flourish.

It's the exact same as not being happy with Nick Scott...but you still hope he plays well.

Same with Trevin Wallace. Hoped he would be good. He wasn't. So he is replaced. Good. That's what we want...right?

I hope this is clear and helps explain it.

The root of all of this, is everyone wants the team to be good now and in the future, and what's different are the opinions on how to make that happen. 

But we all want the same thing.

u/yungoon 18h ago

I always root for the success of my team. I believe that he will lead us to indefinite failure as long as he is our QB.

Are you able to comprehend that?

u/jason81175 Bryce Young 16h ago

Nope. Not at all. So making the playoffs last year, regardless of how we got in, was indefinite failure?

u/yungoon 16h ago

We had a losing season and lost our only playoff game!

That is a failure. Not just relatively. Objectively!!

Also, I do not need to be a Bryce fan to be a Panthers fan.

u/jorginsmorgin 18h ago

Can this sub talk about anything, ANYTHING, other than Bryce? We all know he has to improve this year, as we’ve been saying every year. He has yet to regress season to season, so let’s just wait and see what happens throughout the season. It’s so annoying seeing the same post 10 times a day. Get a grip

u/DeusVultSaracen Bryce Up Son 6h ago

It's been the same three guys spamming the sub for literal years with anything they can find that says he's bad, it's exhausting. This guy in particular I knew was OP before I even looked.

u/net_403 Tepper Fro 18h ago

some people have an agenda to convince the whole world to agree with their view of the situation and say what they want them to say

i think they suspect that will somehow influence the team to do what they want

u/exenn_ 17h ago

Let me get this straight....you think that by posting a QB ranking index, that this is somehow an agenda to convince the whole world of something and somehow influence the team's decision makers?

lol....like seriously?....that's a whole lot of mental gymnastics right there.

u/net_403 Tepper Fro 16h ago

so then in a vacuum it is just another innocent "here's data that our qb is shit", super fruitful and helpful discourse lol

u/exenn_ 16h ago

It's a QB ranking of all QBs last season. You do realize, whether this is posted on this sub or not, the article is still out there for everyone to see, correct?

Do you want to call The Athletic and tell them to stop posting articles,, when the data is unfavorable about Bryce?

u/jorginsmorgin 16h ago

Like I said, thank you for your service for posting. But you know the community well enough to know what this was gonna devolve into. That’s all I’m saying

u/exenn_ 16h ago

Are you proposing for everyone to stop posting articles that show Bryce unfavorably?...only favorable material?

u/jorginsmorgin 14h ago

Aight bro, we’re done here

u/UnIuckyCharms Cam Newton 16h ago

Nothing here is helpful or fruitful discourse because nothing said here influences a single thing within the organization. We’re all armchair GMs giving equally unwanted opinions on our favorite team

u/jorginsmorgin 17h ago

I don’t think it’s an agenda, and your post is not directly the problem. You’re correct, you posted a QB ranking index, which is fine. (Although don’t pretend like you didn’t know where it was headed)

It’s the comment section and the constant discourse surrounding him. Can this sub talk about anything else? Literally anything else?

u/exenn_ 17h ago

You can look at my post history, I post a lot of different topics about the team.

u/jorginsmorgin 16h ago

Thank you for your service

u/net_403 Tepper Fro 18h ago

what do you aim to achieve with this post lol

u/exenn_ 18h ago

Not trying to achieve anything...Just posting material that includes a player on our team's ranking.

u/net_403 Tepper Fro 17h ago

Sounds more like “here’s proof Bryce sucks and you can’t argue with me” for some reason

u/exenn_ 17h ago

I think it more sounds like you are overly-sensitive to data driven analysis that doesn't show Bryce as a good QB to me.

u/bibleblacksade Retro Logo 16h ago

The biggest problem is that even mid QBs are commanding top tier money from their situations (Baker Mayfield, Brock Burdy, Jared Goff, Justin Herbert’s)

That’s a ton of salary cap for an important position.

The running back formula of draft, run till it breaks, draft a new one, while unfair, is going to be the go to with Sam Darnold showing you do not need an elite QB when you can have a great all around team.

u/Le_Karma_Whore 10h ago

Same index has mac jones above Lamar Jackson what the fuck 😂😂

u/-YEETLEJUICE- 18h ago

Yup.

Injured. Rookies/unestablished young guys, oldies, and Geno Smith.

That's who's worse. 

But hey maybe it has all been Dave being too busy to call plays that will unlock that elite whatever and so and so.

u/Delicious-Parfait-79 Greg Olsen 17h ago

The negativity in this fanbase is fucking wild. It feels like every day there’s another “Bryce sucks” post, and at this point some of y’all seem more invested in being right about him than actually seeing him succeed.

Nobody’s saying he’s above criticism or that you have to believe he’s the long-term answer. But there’s a difference between wanting better from your QB and actively rooting against him. If he proves you wrong and plays well, that’s a good thing for the Panthers. Isn’t that what we all want?

Buncha fair-weather fans ready to check out the second things go sideways, then act like everyone still supporting the team is an idiot. We can acknowledge the problems without turning every discussion into another bitch session/"woe is us".

He’s our QB, and I’ll stick by him until he isn’t. That doesn’t mean pretending every snap is great. I just want the guy wearing our jersey to succeed. Loyalty is a dying trait.

u/exenn_ 17h ago

You seem to confuse objective analysis on a player's game versus being loyal.

Why is it that you see objective analysis, rooted in data, as some sort of "Bryce sucks" post and rooting against Bryce?

u/Delicious-Parfait-79 Greg Olsen 15h ago

You can think Bryce hasn’t been good enough and still want him to succeed. I’m not arguing otherwise.

My frustration is with how repetitive and hostile the discussion gets. It feels like we have the same argument every day, and supporting the guy gets treated like you’re too stupid to understand his stats.

But fair point.. posting this article doesn’t mean you’re rooting against him, and I let my frustration with the broader sub spill into my response to you. The fair-weather comment was too broad.

u/xuser2320 15h ago

“Why is it that you see this article I posted in the panthers sub, where the panthers QB is rated poorly, and think it means I dislike the QB? Sure I frequently comment critically about the QB in this sub, but ignore that. I don’t have an agenda against the QB, look at my post history. I post about lots of panthers topics, that means I can’t have an agenda. And this article is just pure objective fact. The NFL sub is shitting all over the article because they’re probably just a bunch of Bryce lovers too.”

https://giphy.com/gifs/1qjZV8pMLOkc2N70Pf

u/exenn_ 14h ago

I mean, I personally don't think Bryce is a long term answer at QB1. That doesn't mean I'm not rooting for him to succeed or wish he doesn't.

Are you proposing that no one can post articles on this sub that don't show Bryce favorably?

u/cruise1023 Super Cam 13h ago

You can't call anyone on this sub a fair weather fan. I hate that stupid shit. Because if you are still paying attention to this team, you are a pretty hard core fan. We have been shit for so long.

It does feel like we are finally building something. But unless Bryce take a leap in to the top 15, we will be mediocre. I'd love for nothing more than for him to flip that switch and be a really good QB. But if he doesnt flip that switch this year, we may need to move on.