The light is finally starting to come on for Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers. A memorable shutout triumph over the Atlanta Falcons gave everyone a huge lift when all hope was fading. However, building on this represents a much trickier proposition.
Young took care of the football in Week 3. He didn't have to be a superhero. He just needed to manage the game effectively, make his throws count, and avoid any glaring mistakes. The former Alabama standout accomplished this with minimal fuss, and for once, the defense and special teams also met their end of the bargain.
It was a complete performance. But as Young and Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown have stated this week, it counts for nothing if the Panthers cannot build on this positive momentum. And standing in their way was a New England Patriots team on much sounder footing under head coach Mike Vrabel.
This posed a different challenge for Young. The Patriots don't make mistakes with Vrabel leading the charge. They also got second-team All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez back from a hamstring injury, which only raised the stakes further.
As it turned out, it was a disaster of epic proportions as the Panthers suffered another humiliating loss on their travels.
With that being said, here are five significant observations from Young's performance in Week 4 at Gillette Stadium.
Major observations from Bryce Young's performance against the Patriots
Bryce Young's early statement
Bryce Young suffered an early blow when veteran wide receiver David Moore was forced off the field with an elbow injury on the first offensive play of the day. But that did not prevent the signal-caller from making an early statement.
The Carolina Panthers went on a masterful first drive. Young set the tone through precision and raised tempo. Dave Canales' scripted plays have been having the desired effect in recent weeks, and this game was no different.
Young ended a dominant opening drive with a beautifully timed throw to tight end Tommy Tremble for the score. It was a deft touch on his distribution that put the football in the one place where nobody could get it but the Notre Dame product. It's a sign that when the No. 1 pick in 2023 gets the time to make things happen, he can deliver the goods.
Unfortunately, that was about as good as it got for the Panthers and Young. The Patriots turned the screw and completely dominated proceedings thereafter. And all the positivity generated last weekend vanished as quickly as it arrived.