Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales was expected to be a quarterback whisperer of sorts for Bryce Young here in 2024. And now, even after a major road bump to begin the season, the results of their working relationship are finally starting to show.
Young, to the relief of many, is actually looking like the No. 1 overall pick the organization drafted in 2023. As opposed to the disastrous first two games of his second NFL campaign, the 23-year-old has been considerably effective and efficient over his last four—in which he’s thrown just one interception.
On Wednesday, ahead of their Week 14 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, Canales was asked why he thinks Young has been so sharp.
“It’s confidence and it’s decisiveness,” Canales replied. “It’s knowing what the concept is, getting a preview of what’s happening from a coverage standpoint and making quick decisions. And if you can play on time, throw to the first open guy and progress quickly, get to your scrambles—once you’re above that 2.7 [seconds]—you activate that second play.
“As our QB coach Will Harriger always likes to say, he’s like, ‘Activate the second play. Baller mode. Here we go.’ He’s getting to those things and he’s winning the down. He’s finding ways to win. And that’s kinda my message, always, to quarterbacks that I’ve been talkin’ to forever is—find a win in every play.
“Sometimes, it’s that on-time completion. Sometimes, it’s the off-schedule play. Sometimes, it’s the throwaway. Sometimes, it’s a sack—end the play with the ball, they got us. So there’s different ways to win the down so that we can have opportunities. And he’s just doing a really great job of being decisive.”
Since returning to the starting lineup in Week 8, Young has completed 60.4 percent while averaging 216.4 passing yards per game with six touchdowns and three interceptions. The Panthers are 2-3 in those contests, with two of those losses coming on walk-off field goals to the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
