The Carolina Panthers, who entered Week 9 on a five-game losing streak, have finally found themselves back in the win column.

Today's outing, in addition to the triumphant result, featured some rays of hope—particularly from a few notable youngsters. It did, however, also possibly bring up an uncomfortable conversation on the sideline.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Sunday's 23-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints:

Rookies shine

At 2-7, the Panthers aren’t competing for a playoff spot. But their 2024 draft class, including a couple of undrafted free agents, stood out and brought some encouragement for the future.

Tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders turned in a career day, with four catches for 87 yards. At the start of the second half, the fourth-round pick caught a pass in the flat, ran up the Saints' sideline and hurdled a defender before taking off for an eventual 46-yard reception—the longest play for the Panthers this season. His receiving skill set made an impact in the team’s triumph.

General manager Dan Morgan may have found two gems in undrafted rookies Jalen Coker and Demani Richardson. Coker, the former Holy Cross wideout and FCS All-American, chalked up an impressive 18-yard catch while Richardson (12 tackles) has been adequate at strong safety with emphatic takedowns in the open field and decent coverage when matching against opposing receivers.

First-round pick Xavier Legette, despite being responsible for the lone turnover of the day, stood out as well. He scored his fourth touchdown of the season and kickstarted the eventual game-winning touchdown drive with a 26-yard catch.

Moving forward, the 2024 campaign is largely about finding who this team wants to build with. They could have a handful of keepers in some first-year players.

Bryce Young may have earned another start

It’s unclear whether or not Young will start next week in Germany, but the second-year quarterback continues to make the case on his second chance.

For a second consecutive week, the former Heisman Trophy recipient looked poised, unbothered, and confident as a passer—a great sign of his growth in the last month on the bench. Young was accurate and efficient, and he wasn’t afraid to throw the ball deep and test the vertical plane consistently.

He connected on 16 of 26 attempts for 171 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He wasn't helped a ton by his pass catchers—as he had a touchdown taken away on a drop from veteran David Moore and a pick added by rookie receiver Xavier Legette, who had a bucket drop of a throw snatched out of his hands by Saints cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles. But the group did give him enough of a chance to lead.

Sunday’s performance made it clear that Young should continue to be Carolina's man under center.

Dave Canales’ play-calling remains inconsistent

Carolina pulled out a hard-fought win against the Saints, but that almost wasn’t the case.

No, it wasn’t due to their defensive play, which improved late in the game. It was Canales’ play-calling and game management in certain situations throughout the contest.

Much has been discussed around Canales’ inconsistencies as a play-caller and the contradictions of his statements from the offseason. Sunday was easily Canales’ worst game as a play-caller, even with the win.

The first-year head coach seemed to be trying a bit too hard, being overly creative in particular down-and-distances that made little sense within the moment. Their screens and usage of personnel has gotten predictable for opposing defenses–specifically with the usage of running back Miles Sanders, who lost a combined five yards on two receptions.

At this point, it might be time to begin the conversation of handing over the responsibilities to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik. A move could help ease the burden on Canales.

If Carolina wants to rack up more wins, Canales must be more consistent in his play-calling and decision-making as a head coach. These types of wins shouldn’t be as difficult as they looked Sunday, especially on offense.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Biggest takeaways from Panthers' Week 9 win over Saints