Bryce Young's timing issues
Bryce Young didn't get much time to go through his reads. The Carolina Panthers' offensive line had some nice moments, but the pocket was collapsing way too often for the quarterback to be a game-changer.
There were clear flaws, and the offense stagnated for long periods. Things just seemed off, and the timing between Young and his playmakers was nowhere near the required standard.
Young was too worried about pressure. He was maneuvering in the pocket well in tight windows, but the precision typically associated with the quarterback so far this season wasn't evident enough.
Some of his decision-making could have been better, and Young just didn't have the same zip on his throws. This hasn't been the happiest hunting ground for Carolina over recent years, and this proved true once again.
Even so, the result was all that mattered. And the Panthers did just enough when they could have easily blown it.
Nothing much clicked for Young. There were flashes of what he can do, but he is a rhythm quarterback. He thrives on building momentum gradually, and the opportunities were just not there to do that.
This is a collective failure, not something to place squarely on Young's shoulders. But it didn't exactly help the Panthers functionally.
Bryce Young in the clutch
It looked as if the Carolina Panthers were going to self-destruct late in their contest. An abysmal fourth-quarter sequence saw the officials dish out flags like confetti, and the New Orleans Saints took the lead when running back Alvin Kamara scored his second touchdown of the afternoon.
But there was still time.
And when Young needed to come through in the clutch, he trusted one man above anyone else.
Things could have gone either way for the Panthers. But Young had someone — one player who was exceeding expectations when almost everyone else was failing to come through. All it took was two short completions that turned into big gains to running back Chuba Hubbard to tip the scales again.
It's not how you start; it's how you finish. And even though this was not a virtuoso performance from Young, he managed to do just enough, thanks to Hubbard's exceptional contribution, to secure an ugly win for the Panthers.
And the Panthers got a little bit of luck, leading to a game-winning field goal from Ryan Fitzgerald.
This papers over the cracks, of course. But after three straight losses, the result was all that mattered.
Just take the win and worry about the rest later. But make no mistake: Young and the Panthers have an awful lot to clean up.
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