Bryce Young's clutch gene shone
Most of Bryce Young's wins have come on game-winning drives. Granted, there haven't been many, but the third-year pro has the clutch gene. He's proved that already, and a big opportunity awaited him when it came to the crunch against the Dallas Cowboys.
Young has ice in his veins. He never flinches, and although small in stature, he's got the heart of a lion. That was no more evident than on the final drive, where the Panthers took over with more than six minutes remaining and marched downfield with supreme efficiency.
There was a massive fourth-down call where Young's flawless composure was needed more than ever. The Panthers needed four yards, and the 5-foot-10 quarterback stood tall in the pocket, delivering a fastball to veteran wide receiver Hunter Renfrow. That was the turning point, and a heavy dose of Carolina's ground attack left undrafted rookie Ryan Fitzgerald with the chance to nail a game-winning field goal as time expired.
The unwavering first-year kicker out of Florida State delivered the goods. And the Panthers are now on a two-game winning run and back at .500 after a disastrous start.
Young's nerves of steel were a significant reason why. And this is going to do wonders for his confidence once again.
Bryce Young's blueprint
This was Bryce Young's best game of the season. His overall body of work was first-class, and this represents another massive step in the right direction from the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
There was a heavy emphasis on the ground attack, with Rico Dowdle looking like a man possessed going up against his old team. This makes life much easier for the quarterback, and he's more than capable of carving up defenses as woeful as the Cowboys.
The Panthers have something in Young. If he can play this way, manage games effectively, and come through when it counts, he's going to be just fine. He might never have the elite game-changing credentials of the league's best, but there is more than one way that he can have a highly profitable career.
This should be the blueprint moving forward. Ideally, Young should get more efforts downfield, but he's never going to have the arm for that. Being methodical with exceptional timing is just as effective. The big plays are nice, but a well-balanced attack with an accurate quarterback is better.
That's what Young is, which isn't a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination. Leaning into it is crucial.