Despite the improbable fun that ensued in the fourth quarter, the Carolina Panthers were sent to a 33-30 loss at the hands of the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Eve.
So, as we continue to deal with this heartbreaking defeat, here are a few takeaways you can stuff in your stocking:
Bryce is gonna be alright
Well, if you were waiting on Bryce Young’s first big game in the box score, you finally got it.
The No. 1 overall pick filled the billing on Sunday, as he notched his first 300-yard passing game in 2023. He hit career-bests in yards (312), yards per attempt (8.9) and passer rating (113.0) all while tossing for a pair of touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Young’s numbers on the afternoon were a long time coming, as a harsh mix of his rookie growing pains and a lack of a reliable supporting cast have kept his stats down. But when Carolina’s offense actually functions like an actual offense, Young looks like an actual franchise quarterback.
Tommy Tremble may be emerging
Speaking of a long time coming, Tremble’s emergence may be on the horizon.
Perceived by many as a sneaky good third-round pick in 2021, the athletic 6-foot-4, 250-pound pass catcher has yet to really stake his claim in the NFL. Through his first two seasons, he amassed just 354 yards and four touchdowns on 39 grabs.
But on Sunday, against a defense that allowed the fourth-fewest receptions to tight ends coming in, Tremble looked like a dangerous tight end. He played with sure hands, a strong body and a will to pick up additional real estate—going for a career-high 59 yards on four catches.
With two games to go, perhaps offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will give the developing 23-year-old more chances to shine.
A rough one on defense
Hey, you can’t stop all of ’em all the time.
The league’s third-stingiest defense was anything but that on Sunday, allowing the visiting Packers to almost pick up yards at will. Green Bay, fueled by a 127-yard rushing outburst by Aaron Jones, ended their afternoon with four touchdowns, 369 total yards and eight third-down conversions on 14 tries.
Sunday’s disappointing showing from the defense was particularly hard to swallow given the season-best offering from the offense. So, once again, the 2023 Panthers could not put together a day of complementary football.
