Carolina Panthers fans can save their next freak-outs for the regular season.A week after coming up empty in Buffalo, Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers’ first-team offense calmed some of the fans’ concerns with a better showing Friday in a 34-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at the under-renovation EverBank Stadium.Young and the starters failed to pick up a first down in three possessions in the 29-14 loss to the Bills. After the three three-and-outs, Panthers coach Dave Canales sent in the second team, saying later the starters hadn’t earned another series.Young earned another one Friday. And though he didn’t get it, Young will have to be satisfied with a 5-for-6 passing night and a touchdown drive on his second and final possession.Top Plays from Panthers @ JaguarsYes, it came against mostly Jags backups, and it followed an initial possession in which the Panthers’ lone first down came via penalty. But after last week, they’ll take it.“It was good to get that drive going, make some critical plays there and for the guys to kind of feel, this is what it’s supposed to feel like,” Canales said.Young completed all four of his passes on the seven-play, 58-yard drive, including two to Tetairoa McMillan, before Jonathon Brooks capped the march with a 1-yard run for his first touchdown as a pro. Brooks, back from two ACL surgeries on his right knee, celebrated the score as he did at Texas — tapping the tattoo on his right forearm honoring his late father, James “Skip” Brooks.After spending most of the week in Jacksonville, the Panthers return home to host the Houston Texans in a joint practice Wednesday. That could wrap up Young’s preseason work: Last year, Canales held the starters out of the preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers.A look at which players helped themselves Friday and those who didn’t have their best nights.Stock upWR Jimmy HornIt became evident in the first half that Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik were trying to get the ball in Horn’s hands to see if the speedster from Colorado could make impact plays. He did.Horn, a sixth-rounder in 2025 fighting for one of the last receiver spots, had touches in the pass, run and return games. His most explosive play came on an end around when Horn kicked it into gear and sprinted 39 yards for the Panthers’ longest gain of the night. Horn reached a max speed of 20.58 mph on the reverse, according to NextGenStats.“Every single game we show up and he looks fast,” Canales said. “Jimmy’s making a really strong case for himself in terms of helping our team. I’m excited to see him especially just continue to grow in our concepts where the guys trust him, they know he’s gonna be available. And that’s what he’s been doing.”Horn also pulled in a 15-yard pass from Kenny Pickett, returned a kick 29 yards and had an 19-yard punt return brought back on a holding penalty.“I’ve always been a playmaker,” Horn said. “It’s just showing up every day and being consistent and trusting the coaches and the plan they got set for me.”Chau Smith-Wade came down with this interception against the Jaguars and made up for an earlier miscue. (Doug Engle / Florida Times-Union)CB Chau Smith-WadeSmith-Wade, the third-year corner from Washington State, initially had earned a place in the “stock down” category after a first-half miscue in run support. Smith-Wade whiffed on an open-field tackle attempt on Ameer Abdullah, allowing the former Panthers back to rip off a 23-yard run that converted a first-and-18.But Smith-Wade didn’t have to wait long for redemption. When third-team QB Carter Bradley made an ill-advised decision to throw back against his body, Smith-Wade dived in front of wideout Austin Trammell to make a nifty interception.Smith-Wade entered Friday with a clear edge over Corey Thornton and undrafted rookie Devonta Smith in the nickel competition. But with Jaycee Horn getting the night off, Smith-Wade also played some outside corner, taking him back to his college days.“It’s kind of nostalgic being back outside,” he said. “I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot.”WR John MetchieHorn wasn’t the only receiver who stepped up. Metchie caught six of seven targets for a game-high 77 receiving yards — and none of the throws were from Young, Metchie’s teammate at Alabama.Metchie and Pickett were in a good rhythm in the second and third quarters when the Panthers began stretching out their lead. The 5-11, 187-pound Metchie might not have Horn’s burst or Brycen Tremayne’s special teams acumen. But he’s a good route runner who’s fast enough and can make yards after the catch.Stock downWR David MooreCanales has long been a fan of Moore, who has been with the Panthers coach through stops in Seattle, Tampa Bay and Charlotte. Moore had only two targets Friday, catching one for 2 yards and dropping another.The drop came at the end of the second quarter after a replay review overturned a Horn reception. On the next play, Pickett threw a strike on a slant, but Moore couldn’t bring it in. Given how few balls went Moore’s way — especially compared with how involved Horn and Metchie were — the 31-year-old Moore might have a tougher time making the roster this year.OL Brady ChristensenChristensen looks as if he’s still trying to knock the rust off in his return from an Achilles injury that ended his 2025 season after eight games. A week after starting at guard while Rob Hunt and Damien Lewis were sidelined, Christensen was penalized twice after coming off the bench Friday.A holding penalty on third-and-8 negated a 14-yard completion from Pickett to Moore in the second quarter. Christensen then was called for a false start in the third quarter. But Christensen’s versatility makes him a valuable depth piece, which doesn’t change because of a couple of flags.QB Kenny PickettPickett’s night was largely fine, and his stats (15 of 25 passing for 137 yards and a TD) looked solid enough. But he missed a couple of easy throws in the first half — or “layups” as former Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme called them on the TV broadcast.Pickett overshot tight end Mitchell Evans on a short play-action pass on third-and-1. Later, Pickett threw behind Horn a bit on a slant, making it a tougher catch for Horn on a play that was ruled an incompletion after a replay review.But Pickett protected the ball — he doesn’t have a turnover while getting the bulk of the preseason snaps — and kept things running smoothly when the Panthers were subbing in a lot of backups.