According to Steve Reed from the Associated Press,

Charlotte, N.C.

The Carolina Panthers have consistently expressed confidence in Bryce Young’s mental strength and resilience to overcome difficult situations.

I hope they are correct.

The No. 1 draft pick’s rookie season has been a string of disappointments, with Sunday’s 28-6 defeat against the New Orleans Saints highlighting his lack of progress. This is a major concern for the organization that placed their trust in him as their long-term quarterback. Young’s performance on Sunday was once again lackluster, only completing 13 out of 36 passes for 137 yards and failing to lead the Panthers to a touchdown for the third time this season.

Young has not thrown for more than 250 yards in 12 games and has the same number of interceptions (nine) as touchdown passes. In his last six starts, he has not been able to reach 200 passing yards and the team has yet to see a standout performance from him.

What options do the Panthers have?

Young’s chances are slim until he receives additional support in the form of offensive linemen, wide receivers, and tight ends.

The Panthers (1-12) are still struggling through a disappointing season, with each passing week bringing more disappointment. Their fans are becoming increasingly unhappy – or worse, indifferent. It doesn’t seem logical to bench Young.

Why not give him the opportunity to gain more experience and progress?

The potential psychological impact of losing and not achieving success on Young’s well-being is a cause for concern.

The consequences of being sacked 48 times in 12 starts were evident on multiple occasions on Sunday, particularly when he was unable to properly position himself for a long pass to Jonathan Mingo that could have resulted in a simple touchdown.

“I have missed many things,” stated Young. “I believe our performance on the perimeter and up front was strong. I must strive to improve even further.”

WHAT’S WORKING

Despite having a successful ground game on Sunday, with a season-high of 204 yards on 39 carries, the Panthers were unable to score a touchdown.

The Panthers have a record of 29-3 in franchise history when they have rushed for 200 or more yards in a game. They have never been defeated by such a significant margin.

The Rams were the last team to run for over 200 yards without scoring a touchdown on offense, during their 14-9 defeat to the Seahawks on October 28, 2013.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

The Panthers have attempted various strategies to assist Young in recent weeks, such as having him receive snaps from under center instead of the shotgun. However, this has not proven successful.

Young expressed that the learning experience has been great and has helped him to grow. He also mentioned that it has added a lot of dynamics to the team’s offense and he is thankful for the opportunity to continue to improve in it.

STOCK UP

In the last two games, Chuba Hubbard has rushed for a total of 191 yards and scored two touchdowns, solidifying his position as the starting running back over Miles Sanders.

On Sunday, Sanders was the more successful running back with an average of 74 yards per carry, including a 48-yard sprint.

STOCK DOWN

During a crucial moment in the latter half of Sunday’s game, offensive coordinator Thomas Brown opted for a passing play on fourth-and-1. This decision was made despite the Panthers’ previous success with running plays and lack of success with passing plays.

Raheem Blackshear fell down during his route, causing Young’s pass to be incomplete. This marks the second week in a row that Brown has made the error of overthinking a play call on fourth and short. Previously, it resulted in an interception and this week it led to a turnover on downs.

INJURIES

The Panthers have been hit hard by injuries at the guard position, with another one occurring on Sunday as Justin McCray had to leave the game due to a calf injury. Additionally, tight end Ian Thomas suffered an ankle injury and was unable to continue playing.

KEY NUMBERS

Bryce Young, the QB for the NFL team, has thrown away the ball intentionally 37 times this season, which is the highest number among all QBs. Second on the list is Jalen Hurts from Philadelphia with 29 throwaways. The only player who threw away more passes in a season was Tom Brady with 40 in 2019. The record for most throwaways since the 2013 season is held by Aaron Rodgers with 47 in 2018.

NEXT STEPS

After playing three consecutive away games, the Panthers will come back to their home field and face the Atlanta Falcons.

Source: wralsportsfan.com