Bryce Young's fleeting glimmer of hope
One of Bryce Young's biggest improvements in the early stages of 2026 is his comfort level. The quarterback has always looked completely in control, with nothing really fazing him.
That completely shifted against the Cleveland Browns. But as has typically been the case for Young in recent years, the Carolina Panthers saw the best of him a little later in the contest.
Clutch time is where Young excels. He's made for the big moments, and after the defense and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald kept Carolina in the contest, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft got the chance to deliver in crunch time.
And he turned the screw when it mattered.
With a rare helping hand from the running game, the Panthers got into the red zone late in the fourth quarter. Young turned to John Metchie III, his former college teammate at Alabama, delivering a strike for their first touchdown of the game.
And in a game where the fine margins made a big difference, this was desperately needed.
The Panthers couldn't hold on for the win. Young taking charge in the fourth quarter was a positive development, especially considering things didn't go well for the player over the opening three quarters of the clash.
A lackluster outing for Bryce Young
The Panthers couldn't pull off miracles late, and they suffered a disappointing defeat to the Browns. This puts them at 1-2 on the season, with the Detroit Lions coming to town next weekend. And Bryce Young will have to be better moving forward.
Nothing much went right for Young. As mentioned earlier, everything seemed to go against them, and the brief moments of quality weren't enough to get the job done.
If the Panthers want to be considered among the leading contenders this season, they cannot afford any more slip-ups like this.
Young knows he could have played better, but he was not the only one at fault. The Panthers' offensive line was in shambles for most of the game, and losing Jalen Coker to injury didn't exactly help either.
This brought Young and the Panthers crashing back down to earth just as momentum was surging. It's not the end of the world, but it demands a positive response next weekend before Carolina has its early bye week.
Hopefully, the injuries to some of Young's top playmakers won't be serious. This is a good offense, but it lacks real depth. And if the quarterback cannot get into a groove, it only ends one way.
Add us as a preferred source on Google