By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE – For the first time in 20 career NFL starts, Bryce Young lined up in the winning lineup to make a snap to cap a Carolina Panthers victory.

“In the moment, you don’t think about it, but looking back on it, it’s a good thing,” Young said with a smile.

Wins have been few and far between for Young, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, who has endured a rocky start to his NFL career, including losing 17 of his first 19 starts and being benched for veteran Andy Dalton earlier this season. after two unimpressive outings.

But Young came on Holy Sunday.

He completed 16 of 26 passes for 171 yards a touchdown and drove for a game-winning TD as the Panthers beat the New Orleans Saints 23-22 to snap a five-game losing streak.

Chuba Hubbard ran for 72 yards and two touchdowns, including the 16-yard scoring burst with 2:18 left, as Carolina beat New Orleans for the first time in the Young era.

Hubbard called it a big win for Young and praised him for his perseverance.

“All the adversity he’s had to deal with, he’s handled it great,” Hubbard said. “He remained a leader and was a great teammate and continued to work. For him to achieve that and play as well as he does, it’s well deserved.”

Despite the win, manager Dave Canales did not commit Young to the starter next Sunday against the New York Giants in Munich.

The Panthers (2-7) got big games from a pair of rookies, as tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders caught four passes for 87 yards and wide receiver Xavier Legette hauled in his fourth touchdown of the season, as and a huge catch of 26 yards. on a winning streak to avenge an embarrassing 47-10 Week 1 loss to their division foes.

Alvin Kamara rushed for 155 yards on 29 carries and caught six passes for 60 yards for the Saints (2-7), who have lost seven straight under embattled coach Dennis Allen.

Derek Carr struggled in his return to action after missing the last three games with an oblique injury, finishing 18 of 31 for 236 yards with a touchdown pass.

It didn’t help that Saints receiving leader Chris Olave left with a concussion in the first quarter. He was taken to the hospital for observation before being released to return home with the team. Olave took a hard hit from Panthers Safety Xavier Woods while trying to make a catch over the middle. He used all of his extremities, according to the team.

The Saints started the season 2-0, but things went downhill from there.

“It hurts right now,” Allen said. “I’m hurt for our city, for our organization and for these guys in the locker room. They put their heart and soul into it. To keep coming out on the negative side is quite difficult.”

No one knows that better than the Panthers, who have the NFL’s worst record since 2018. But on this day the Panthers wouldn’t be denied.

With Carolina down five and facing a third-and-10, Young found Legette over the middle for a 26-yard strike en route to the go-ahead touchdown. Demario Davis was flagged for pass interference on the next throw to Sanders. giving the Panthers another first down.

Hubbard then broke up the middle for his second score of the game.

The Canadian-born runner said he never considered taking a knee before the end zone to run more time off the clock.

“I felt like on offense and defense, we played complementary ball,” Hubbard said. “I had a feeling we were going to make a good stop on defense.”

The Panthers didn’t make things any easier, though, as Young was flagged for delay of game and then sacked on the ensuing two-point conversion, keeping it a one-point game.

The Saints, needing just one field to win, started at the 20, but didn’t get very far. The Panthers defense stiffened, with Jadeveon Clowney making a big sack on second down. Dane Jackson then broke up a fourth-and-four pass from Carr down the left sideline to Cedrick Wilson to seal it.

“The guys had a finish mentality,” Canales said. “It was back and forth for a while there, but for our guys to play their calls and execute the way we want them to execute and make plays, guys have to be proud of that. I couldn’t be more excited.”

injury

Saints: Along with Olave, center Lucas Patrick left in the second half with a calf injury.

Panthers: Legette returned from a hand injury to finish the game.

Further on

Saints: Host Falcons next Sunday.

Panthers: Travel to Munich to face the New York Giants on Sunday.