CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It was cold, windy and rainy when the Carolina Panthers got the ball at their 5-yard line with 7:35 remaining on Sunday and a 7-6 deficit to the Atlanta Falcons. Most of the sparse crowd that came to Bank of America Stadium about three hours earlier was long gone.
It wouldn't have been surprising if the Panthers -- who had won once in their first 13 games -- mailed it in.
Quarterback Bryce Young wouldn't let them. A week after having the worst performance of his rookie season in a loss to the New Orleans Saints, he stepped into the huddle and told teammates: "We can go win this game, let's just lock in and go make some plays.''
He told tight end Tommy Tremble, who along with almost half of his teammates was dealing with flu-like symptoms and felt less than 100%, "I got you, I got you man!''
Young then completed a 19-yard pass to Tremble on the second play of the drive.
Then the unexpected happened. Young showed the poise and playmaking ability the Panthers expected when they drafted him with the No. 1 pick in April.
He went 5-for-5 for 68 yards behind an offensive line that had failed him most of the season, engineering a winning drive that might have ended the playoff hopes of the NFC South-rival Falcons, who came into the game in a three-way tie with the Saints and Buccaneers for the division lead.
Eddy Pineiro was credited with the walk-off field goal in the 9-7 victory, but this clearly was a signature moment for Young.
"He's a winner,'' said interim coach Chris Tabor, despite Young's 2-11 record as the starting quarterback. "Think about that drive he put together, that all those kids put together in those conditions. People might say, 'Hey, you have nothing to play for.'
"There's a lot to play for, because whatever is on tape, that is who you are. I thought he took another great step. ... I was really proud of him. The kid's a winner.''
Judging by Young's smile in his postgame news conference, he felt like a winner.
"It feels great! It feels great!'' Young said before resuming his serious side and talking about the ups and downs of the season.
Young's teammates felt great for him. They've heard the outside noise by those who believe Carolina made a mistake taking Young over quarterback C.J. Stroud, who went No. 2 to the Houston Texans. They've seen the hammering Young has taken on social media.
While it was just one drive, one sample in a season that has had few highs, they saw this as a little vindication for a quarterback they still believe in.
"People just don't know,'' Tremble said. "I can't wait for him to show up and show out next year. He's a baller. I'm so excited that he got this win today. Outside noise is always going to be outside noise, but he's our leader.
"We've still got belief in the man. He's one of those 'one percent' quarterbacks that can do this stuff.''
To keep this in perspective, Young's statistics this season remain as dreadful as Sunday's weather. He still hasn't called a play with the lead in the fourth quarter because both of his wins came on walk-off field goals.
But Young has proved he can take a beating on the field in sacks (51) and off the field in criticism. The final drive just showcased it.
"That's why he's here,'' wide receiver Adam Thielen said. "That's why he's the No. 1 pick, because of things like that. It's something in this league you can build off as a young guy.
"You kind of look at that moving forward and say, 'Hey, we just did that in probably the worst [weather] conditions possible ... literally the worst conditions for a quarterback or a receiver to complete those plays. It just says a lot about his skill level, his confidence and his ability to make big plays.''
Young's effort showed those around him there is hope for next season in a division where none of the other NFC South teams has a surefire franchise quarterback.
"Just from what we see,'' outside linebacker Brian Burns said of the Panthers and the rest of the division, "it's close.''
Wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. agreed, noting Young's effort Sunday reminded him of moments he saw when he played with 2021 No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence with the Jacksonville Jaguars during Lawrence' 3-14 rookie season.
"He had his growing pains,'' Chark said. "He had to deal with the media and fans, but he stayed in there, and now he's being who we all knew he was going to be.''