EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Carolina Panthers possibly could be without starting quarterback Bryce Young for next week's game against the Buffalo Bills because of a sprained ankle, a source close to the situation told ESPN on Sunday.
Young twisted his right ankle while taking a sack late in the third quarter of Sunday's 13-6 victory against the New York Jets. He went to the locker room with trainers and did not return.
Coach Dave Canales would not speculate on the severity of the injury.
"We're taking all the information in,'' Canales said. "We're going to look at him when we get home some more and see where we are.''
Running back Rico Dowdle talked to Young after the game and asked him if he would be OK.
"I know he got the X-ray and stuff, but he said he's going to be fine,'' said Dowdle, who led Carolina with 79 yards rushing on 17 carries in the first game in which he and Chuba Hubbard alternated series.
Veteran Andy Dalton, 37, finished the game and would start against the Bills if Young can't play. Dalton finished Sunday 4-of-7 passing for 60 yards but didn't lead a scoring drive in the defensive struggle.
Young was 15-of-25 for 138 yards and a touchdown when he sustained the injury trying to escape pressure on a third-down play. He led Carolina to all 13 of its points as the team won its third straight game, the first time that has happened since the start of the 2021 season.
The Panthers improved to 4-3 overall, going above .500 for the first time this late in the season since 2019.
Dalton said he didn't expect the offense would change much if Young couldn't play but acknowledged Young's mobility was a factor in Canales' system.
"Obviously, Bryce can do a lot of good things with his feet,'' Dalton said. "But for us, especially when I got into this game, we were trying to milk the clock as much as we could. But I don't see it changing a whole lot.''
Young's command of the offense has been key during the winning streak. He has thrown six touchdown passes to two interceptions, one of those a pass that went off the hands of wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
His ball security has been a drastic turnaround from the first four games when he had five touchdown passes to three interceptions with a pair of lost fumbles.
But the defense also has improved significantly and was at its best against the Jets (0-7). Carolina recorded a season-high six sacks, one more than it had in the first six games.
Canales said he was proud of a defense that has shown consistent improvement since giving up 200 yards rushing in an opening day 26-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
His concern is Young and what his offense might look like if his starting quarterback can't play. Young hasn't sat out a game because of injury since Week 3 of his rookie season in 2023 when he was held out against Seattle because of an ankle injury.
"We'll look at all that and what the best version of us is,'' Canales said. "Right now, it's running the football, and Andy can handle all of those things. We've got to stay within the core of our system, and Andy's fully involved in all of that.''