Bryce Young was riding on the crest of a wave heading into the Carolina Panthers' divisional matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 13. Something the quarterback richly deserved after finally putting a consistent run of positive performances together.
Young seized the moment since coming back into the starting lineup. His composure in the face of sustained pressure in Week 12 versus the Kansas City Chiefs was the best output of his professional career to date. There's a long road ahead and nothing is guaranteed, but it looks like the Panthers might have a franchise player on their hands when all hope seemed lost.
That's the biggest compliment one could pay to Young at this juncture. The Panthers might still go in a different direction unless the same trend continues. It's up to the Heisman Trophy winner out of Alabama to leave no doubt.
The former Alabama star had a chance to further bolster his rising stock versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Young's not enjoyed the best fortunes against this division rival since entering the league, so a strong effort would be another sign things are trending up at long last.
As it turned out, Young did everything he could. Unfortunately, the Panthers were undone in overtime after spurning huge opportunities to secure success in front of their home fans.
With this in mind, here are five major observations from Young's performance in Week 13 at Bank of America Stadium.
Major observations from Bryce Young's performance vs. Buccaneers
Bryce Young's comfort
One of the biggest positives surrounding Bryce Young's renaissance centers on his comfort level. He's displayed remarkable improvements in this key area, which was evident once again against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Young looks more comfortable in himself and the offensive scheme being deployed by head coach Dave Canales. There are no wasted moments. Everything is on point pre-snap and he's making smart decisions. There's a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead, but this represents an outstanding foundation from which to build.
His teammates are more comfortable with his presence under center. The dissension and unhappiness with the quarterback's erratic performances before his benching has evaporated. Young can't help but notice this and is growing in stature as a result.
The Buccaneers tried to make life uncomfortable for Young. He met them head-on and gained significant success in a high-pressure setting.