Bryce Young's up and down first half
It was an up-and-down first half from Bryce Young. The Dallas Cowboys weren't in the mood to roll over despite being the underdog. This was especially evident on defense, seizing opportunities when they arose and restricting the Carolina Panthers more often than not.
Young had two significant errors that resulted in turnovers during the first half. His numbers were saved thanks to an 83-yard touchdown strike to undrafted free agent Jalen Coker, who was keen to make up for some lost time after missing the last three contests.
While it was difficult for Young to get into the rhythm fans have become accustomed to seeing of late, there were flashes. That wasn't enough to keep pace with the Cowboys, albeit with a narrow three-point deficit attached at the interval.
This moderately successful yet frustrating first half was reflected in Young's stats. They were decent enough, but there was also plenty of room for improvement.
- 77 percent completion
- 134 passing yards
- 1 passing touchdown
- 1 interception
- 0 sacks against
- 6 rushing yards (1 fumble lost)
- 102.7 passer rating (ESPN)
The Panthers weren't out of the game which was something. But they needed more from Young in pursuit of getting back into the contest.
Bryce Young's costly turnovers
Protecting the football is something Bryce Young's done well since coming into the starting lineup again. The mistakes have been few and far between. Unfortunately, these positive traits came screeching to an abrupt halt in Week 15 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Young coughed up an early fumble and then lost another in the second half. He also threw an interception and the Cowboys made him pay by turning two of these turnovers into points to take control of the contest.
This was a step back for Young, who'd been so careful with the football over the last five games. The signal-caller needs to shake this off quickly. There are three games left to prove worthy of another opportunity in 2025. One careless outing doesn't eviscerate the quality performance levels accumulated previously.
Every quarterback has days like this. Young's turnovers played a leading role in the overall outcome. But in all honesty, Carolina's defense making veteran quarterback Cooper Rush look like prime Tom Brady didn't exactly help, either.