CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Following two consecutive losses to start his NFL career, Bryce Young missed a Week 3 game against Seattle last year due to a sprained ankle that some believed was more of a mental break for the No. 1 pick.
Now, the Carolina Panthers are once again heading west in Week 3 after suffering back-to-back defeats that were even worse than last year’s. It raises the question of whether Young could benefit from taking a week off.
Maybe even more.
With each loss, Young’s performance at quarterback becomes more questionable. The 5-foot-10, 2021 Heisman winner completed 18 of 26 passes on Sunday in the 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. However, those completions only amounted to 84 yards, marking the fourth-lowest passing total in franchise history for a quarterback with at least 25 pass attempts.
You can see that Young is struggling. He’s struggling to get throws over pass rushers and seems hesitant to throw downfield, likely because those attempts have not been successful. One of Young’s downfield throws was intercepted by safety Elijah Molden, a play reminiscent of Young’s first-pass interception in the 47-10 loss to New Orleans.
The fans expressed their frustration with loud boos after Young’s interception on Sunday. They continued to boo after another short third-down throw failed to reach the first-down marker. The crowd, which included Charlotte rapper DaBaby and fans wearing bags over their heads, booed as the Panthers exited the field at halftime with 15 1/2 games remaining.
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Veteran receiver Adam Thielen lost his composure and began shouting on the sidelines after Young was sacked in the third quarter, still without a target himself. He later apologized to Young, clarifying that his frustration wasn’t directed solely at Young.
The Panthers’ receiving statistics resembled those of a middle school game.
Running back Chuba Hubbard led the team with four receptions for 12 yards. Diontae Johnson had the most targets with six, resulting in the interception by Molden and three receptions. Johnson’s longest reception was for 7 yards, while Young’s longest completion was a 12-yard pass to tight end Tommy Tremble at the start of the second half.
Johnson expressed surprise at the lack of downfield attempts, saying, “We all are. But it is what it is. We’re not the ones calling the plays. So our job is to go out there and execute every play that they call and put it on film.”
Coach Dave Canales defended Young when asked if he would start in the next game against Las Vegas.
“Bryce is our quarterback,” he stated. “We’re going to keep working on the fundamentals and schemes that need improvement. These are valuable opportunities. These are valuable games. We’ll learn a lot from this game and hopefully progress this week.”
Canales faces a difficult decision regarding Young. Benching him for Andy Dalton after two games would reflect poorly on the offense and the scouting by general manager Dan Morgan, who was in his role when the Panthers traded multiple draft picks and DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears to select Young as the first pick.
Continuing to play a struggling quarterback like Young risks losing the trust of the locker room and fans. If the team remains winless and Young continues to struggle, the fanbase’s reaction will likely become even harsher in the coming weeks.
Owner David Tepper may intervene in the decision if things don’t improve. While some may suggest enduring a tough season to secure the No. 1 pick, losing fan support led Tepper to part ways with Ron Rivera and Matt Rhule.
Fans expressed their frustration with Tepper by chanting expletives and urging him to sell the team.
The Panthers suffered a combined 60-point margin of defeat in their first two games this year, the second-largest in team history. In comparison, when the team was struggling in 2019 after Rivera’s departure, they lost 38-6 to the Colts and 42-10 to the Saints in the final game of the season.
Back then, the quarterbacks were Kyle Allen and Will Grier, both of whom were not high draft picks like Young. While Young struggled with short passes, Sam Darnold, who led the Panthers’ successful 2022 season under Steve Wilks, guided the Vikings to a 23-17 victory over the 49ers.
In one play with a 97-yard touchdown to Justin Jefferson, Darnold surpassed Young’s passing yardage for the day. Darnold and Baker Mayfield, another former Panthers QB, have both started the season 2-0.
Canales identified third downs as a significant issue for the offense. The Panthers only converted 1-of-12 third-down attempts and are 2-of-22 for the season. It would be beneficial if those third-down plays involved passes beyond the first-down marker.
“We need to ensure that we’re challenging the markers,” Canales emphasized. “Some of it was by design, and the plays evolve accordingly. However, we had opportunities on third down to make plays on both sides, and it comes down to executing.”
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Canales seemed to approach parts of the second half as if the Panthers were ahead 23-3 rather than trailing by that score. Towards the end of the third quarter, the Panthers opted for a run-run-pass sequence, followed by a punt on fourth-and-2 from their 25. While the running game was somewhat effective, with Hubbard averaging 6.4 yards per carry on 10 attempts, the emphasis on passing was glaring.
In a league that centers around passing, Canales envisioned a strong rushing attack complementing Young with play-action and bootlegs. However, there has been little evidence to suggest that this offense can function effectively with Young at the helm.
“I have tremendous respect for Bryce,” Thielen, who finished with two catches for 20 yards, expressed. “He works hard and is a great player. However, this is not just about Bryce Young. It’s a team-wide issue. We are all in this together.
“No individual on offense is solely to blame. It’s a collective effort. I am hopeful for our future, but we must find a way to elevate the sense of urgency.”
The situation is reminiscent of last year, and a change is necessary.
(Top photo of Joey Bosa and Bryce Young: David Jensen / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)