After missing last weekend's abomination against the Buffalo Bills, quarterback Bryce Young was leading the charge once again in Week 9. And a test of epic proportions awaited him during his testing trip to the Green Bay Packers.
Young recovered quickly from a high ankle sprain. The signal-caller is probably not at 100 percent, but there was no choice but to get him swiftly involved after veteran backup Andy Dalton sustained a broken thumb versus the Bills. And in all honesty, the offense runs much more smoothly when the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft is under center.
Things were not looking especially promising. The Packers are the NFC's top playoff seed right now. Carolina also entered the contest with a patchwork offensive line, missing starting center Cade Mays and stud right tackle Taylor Moton. It's not ideal, but Young has overcome plenty of adversity throughout his NFL career. This is nothing new.
Nobody was expecting the Panthers to keep this one competitive. The Packers were double-digit favorites among sportsbooks, and with good reason. But make no mistake, Young and his teammates weren't planning to roll over and accept their fate.
As it turned out, Young came through when it counted to get a morale-boosting win for the Panthers against all odds.
With this in mind, here are five critical observations from Young's outing at Lambeau Field.
Major observations from Bryce Young's performance against the Packers
Bryce Young against the elements
This was not an easy game in more ways than one. Bryce Young was dealing with a formidable Green Bay Packers defense, but there were also the elements making life uncomfortable for the third-year signal-caller.
Winds were reaching 28 miles per hour at Lambeau Field. Throwing was difficult, and there were times when the ball seemed to get away from Young. One such example was in a key moment in the first half.
Young drove the Panthers downfield with a red-zone opportunity to score the game's opening touchdown. Whether it was the wrong read or a bad throw is debatable, but it came out of his hands weirdly. The Heisman Trophy winner paid a heavy price, with his pass intended for sixth-round rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. intercepted by veteran safety Xavier McKinney.
There was an obvious adjustment period early in the contest. Young did a nice job overall. Two outstanding throws to Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan caught the eye, in particular. But it was clear from the outset that the wind would have a significant impact on the game's outcome.
It wasn't perfect from Young. But considering the weather conditions and the fact that he's still nursing a high ankle sprain, it was never going to be.