Bryce Young's clock control
The Carolina Panthers knew that the best way to restrict the Green Bay Packers was to keep their offense off the field. This meant that quarterback Bryce Young had to control the clock by any means necessary.
Fortunately, this is an area of Young's game that has come on encouragingly in recent weeks.
He's an assured presence under center. The calls were coming in quickly, and the quarterback had enough time to read the defense, make the necessary checks, and set the tempo. This was a far cry from how things looked last weekend, which points to the increased confidence with which the Mater Dei High School graduate is going about his business these days.
The Panthers restricted Green Bay to just three first-half drives on offense, and one of those didn't start until well into the two-minute warning. Rico Dowdle's effective rushing had a lot to do with it, but Young's game management is rapidly becoming a solid foundation from which to build.
He knows how to decrease or increase the tempo depending on the situation. Young is aware of his surroundings and is rarely flustered, even in the hostile Lambeau Field atmosphere. It might not sound like much, but having this command is an overlooked yet essential part of his potential renaissance.
Bryce Young's stuttering first half
It was a stuttering first half from Bryce Young. The Panthers were ahead at the break, but the quarterback put together a frustrating opening two quarters that were littered with good and bad moments.
As previously mentioned, Young threw an ill-advised interception to Jimmy Horn Jr. when there were better options available. He also almost lost a fumble, which was fortunately scooped up by running back Chuba Hubbard. But the game plan wasn't all executed ineffectively.
Young looked mobile in the pocket. He made some impressive throws across the middle and took advantage of play-action opportunities when they arose. More injuries along the offensive line didn't help, but the No. 1 pick in 2023 adapted well overall.
The first-half statistics were nothing spectacular. But dictating the tempo and a strong defensive showing left Carolina firmly in the contest.
- 60 percent completion (6-of-10)
- 66 passing yards
- 0 touchdowns
- 1 interception
- 1 sack against
- 4 rushing yards
- 40.0 passer rating (ESPN)
This was not going to be a day where Young put up elite numbers or carried the team on his back. The Panthers needed a collective effort to topple one of the leading Super Bowl contenders. While the turnover wasn't ideal, there was more than enough to encourage.