Bryce Young dug himself out of a massive hole in the second half last weekend against the Arizona Cardinals. The quarterback almost mounted a stunning fightback when all hope seemed lost, but the Carolina Panthers were left counting the cost of his early errors en route to a second-straight loss.
The Panthers are now 0-2. They might be encouraged by certain aspects of their performances, but it's a results business. Unless significant improvements arrive in the coming weeks, it will pile pressure on everybody in positions of influence.
That also includes Young. He's in the midst of what could potentially be his final audition to cement his status as Carolina's long-term starter under center. There have been flashes of enormous promise, but the turnovers are too frequent. Until these reduce considerably, the microscope on the former Alabama standout will remain.
A familiar foe awaited Young in Week 3. The Panthers welcomed the division rival Atlanta Falcons for their home opener. He should be brimming with confidence after outdueling Michael Penix Jr. in an overtime victory in Week 18 last season. At the same time, any margin for error the Heisman Trophy winner had is long gone after a rollercoaster start.
As it turned out, Young and the Panthers dug deep in the face of turmoil to secure a morale-boosting triumph to send their home fans away happy.
With that being said, here are five major observations from Young's performance in Week 3 at Bank of America Stadium.
Major observations from Bryce Young's performance against the Falcons
Bryce Young's mobility
It's quickly becoming a common theme where Bryce Young is concerned. His mobility is highly underrated, and head coach Dave Canales has no trouble putting it to good use when the situation dictates.
Young is a pocket passer first. However, there are notable improvements regarding his improvisational skills when things aren't developing downfield as expected. He's also got the speed to turn the edge that catches most defenses off guard.
The Mater Dei High School graduate showcased this early in the game. Young took off on the red zone and showed just enough athleticism to cross the line for six. That set the tone for a much-improved afternoon at the office for the Panthers, who looked like a completely different team from the one that was demoralized over the opening two games of 2025.
This also gives teams something different to think about. Young isn't the physical runner Cam Newton was, but the Panthers don't need him to be. He's a smart runner who knows how to keep out of harm's way while also exploiting gaps for good measure. That's something Carolina should continue to utilize moving forward.