After a month-long benching, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young returned under center for what was likely to be just a spot-start in Week 8. But it ended up being more than that.
The team’s 28-14 loss to the Denver Broncos that weekend proved to be the beginning of a new breath for Young, who appeared more confident and poised than he did at the start of his second NFL campaign. He might not have lit up the box score, passing for two touchdowns and two interceptions, but the 23-year-old showed glimpses of improvement.
And since then, that breath has led to new life for Young’s career. He’s led the suddenly-frisky Panthers to two wins over seven contests, a run that also included three-near-upsets of the playoff-bound Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles.
In those performances, the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick showed resilience, comfort and composure, deadly accuracy and a knack for being the playmaking point guard the franchise selected a year ago. And again, while the numbers won’t blow many people away—as he’s averaged 213.1 passing yards per game—the exciting signs of development should.
Last Sunday, that steady momentum from Young crashed back down to Earth in Carolina’s 30-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The disappointing defeat saw Young commit a career-high four turnovers (two interceptions, two fumbles) and halt his encouraging progress.
Week 15, however, may just be a hiccup.
Young still showed slivers of confidence and ease despite his issues with ball security. Although he must be better at protecting the pigskin, his first fumble came at the tail end of an impressive scramble while his picks happened on a few brave throws.
Head coach Dave Canales talked about Young taking accountability for his giveaways on Friday.
“I think for Bryce, watching him in-game was what was so impressive,” Canales told reporters. “To see him just continue to stay in there, to have his footwork exactly where he needed to be, to throw to No. 1 in progression and really still see the field. I could not go past Monday without letting him know that.
“I’ve been around football for 15 years and to see where games like that can really pile up on a guy and to watch him handle and to be composed and to talk with his teammates and keep working through the issues—I thought was so impressive and I wanted to make sure he knew that, that that was great and that’s exactly what it looks like to play quarterback.”
Now, can Young shake off that underwhelming afternoon to finish this season on a strong note? Why not?
His play against teams such as Kansas City and Philadelphia offers a glimpse into the future of what Young could do while having average playmakers around him. He’s a quarterback who’s played on time and in rhythm for the last five to six games, and was mostly on schedule Sunday—even throughout a bad day.
If anything, Young’s confidence has not been shaken due to the trust he has instilled in his skill players, the offensive line and his offensive play-caller in Canales. This type of trust is important for a youthful quarterback and it sets a precedent for how next season goes.
One lowly game should not define how the team approaches him and the position this offseason. Patience will be key for these final three games.
