Bryce Young took his fair share of criticism throughout the week. The Carolina Panthers quarterback was exposed against the New Orleans Saints during a lackluster Week 10 outing, raising concerns that he might not have what it takes to take this franchise where it wants to go.
Young looked immensely determined during preparations for Carolina's road game versus the Atlanta Falcons. Tetairoa McMillan noted something different about the signal-caller, and head coach Dave Canales also acknowledged this fact. Amid all the media skepticism, belief in the Alabama product hasn't wavered in the building.
The No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft has enjoyed plenty of success against the Falcons throughout his career to date. Young was nothing short of sensational in Carolina's win at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium last year, so fans were cautiously optimistic about improvements arriving against an underachieving squad coming into the game on the back of four straight losses.
The stakes are gradually rising for Young. As it turned out, the quarterback turned in arguably the best performance of his professional career to seal a memorable victory in overtime.
With this in mind, here are five significant observations from Young's performance in Week 11 against the Falcons.
Major observations from Bryce Young's performance against the Falcons
Bryce Young's injury scare
Carolina Panthers fans collectively held their breath when Bryce Young went down late in the first quarter. The quarterback knew nickel cornerback Billy Bowman Jr. was coming on the blitz, and he communicated that to his offensive line. They didn't get the message, and the Falcons' defensive back got a clear run on the signal-caller en route to delivering a brutal hit.
Young stayed down, and the concerns were immediate. He went into the locker room for additional tests. The Panthers listed him as questionable to return with an ankle issue, which left Carolina facing the prospect of relying heavily on veteran backup Andy Dalton once again.
Thankfully, there was a positive development soon after. Young came running out of the locker room and didn't end up missing a snap. The relief was palpable among fans and teammates. And more importantly, it didn't appear that the ankle problem hindered his ability to navigate the pocket effectively.
Considering Young missed time earlier this season with a high ankle sprain suffered against the New York Jets, fans had every right to be worried about Young's mobility. Fortunately for everyone connected to the Panthers, it turned out to be a major scare but nothing more.
Well, at least until a little later.
Bryce Young's explosive plays
One of the biggest criticisms of Bryce Young's underwhelming performance in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints was his inability to stretch the field. Head coach Dave Canales received his fair share of blame for deploying a conservative scheme, which many thought stemmed from his lack of trust in the Mater Dei High School graduate.
Canales said he would call more explosive plays when his players prove they can execute them effectively. At some point, the training wheels have to come off, and the coach decided to let Young loose at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Young was given more freedom to be creative. He got the chance to force the issue and push the football downfield. The progress was immediate, with the signal-caller producing several outstanding throws that resulted in lofty gains.
Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker met their end of the bargain by coming up with the tough catches needed. But the accuracy of Young's deep shots cannot be seen as anything other than a positive step forward.
This is the blueprint, especially with opposing defenses focusing more on containing running back Rico Dowdle. Based on this showing, Young is more than capable of opening up the passing attack.
Bryce Young's outstanding first half
Despite suffering an injury scare, it was a highly encouraging first half from quarterback Bryce Young. The Panthers were hanging around, which was a testament to his resolve and stability under center.
Not every throw was perfect. Young would no doubt like to have a couple back, but he was largely accurate. He kept the tempo high and had no trouble with the increased responsibilities after Carolina's rushing attack fell flat once again. Given how most teams are going to adopt this defensive method this season, the Panthers need to see more of this from the signal-caller.
Young knew that he needed to start the game well. He could not afford for doubts to creep in, especially on the road. Thankfully, he accomplished this feat with minimal fuss, and the entire offensive balance leaped forward along the way.
This was reflected in the stats. Young performed exceptionally well under pressure, and the numbers told their own story.
- 73.33 percent completion
- 130 passing yards
- 1 touchdown
- 0 interceptions
- 2 sacks against
- 0 rushing yards
- 121.5 passer rating (ESPN)
More importantly, the Panthers were keeping this relatively close. And just when all hope seemed lost, head coach Dave Canales had Young to thank.
Bryce Young's resolve
In many ways, all the adversity Bryce Young has dealt with throughout his career has been beneficial. The Carolina Panthers know they have a quarterback who'll stay the course — who won't back down in the face of adversity. And no matter how bad things might be, his poise will never change.
That was evident from early on against the Atlanta Falcons. Some quarterbacks would wilt under the pressure, especially given all the harsh takes about not being the guy long-term in Carolina. He remained unflustered, ignoring the outside noise and doing whatever was needed to respond positively.
To say he did that would be an understatement. Young was the driving force behind Carolina's success in this one. There was a newfound urgency in everything he did. And the composure he displayed allowed him to see the field effectively, go through his progressions quickly, and make the right reads more often than not.
Perhaps this was a mentality thing about playing the Falcons. Young's had some fantastic games against Carolina's bitter division rival. That provided him with some inner comfort to do the same, and he achieved this objective emphatically.
If there was any lingering doubt about Young's character and determination, this was enough to quash it for good.
Bryce Young was nothing short of heroic
The Panthers know that when Bryce Young gets the chance to come through in the clutch, he almost always delivers. And Carolina hung around just long enough to provide the signal-caller with an opportunity for another game-winning drive.
Young has the clutch gene. He proved it on countless occasions in college at Alabama, and he's developed a strong reputation for doing the same in the pros. The cerebral signal-caller got the chance to add another to his list down the stretch in Atlanta, but the ankle issue suffered earlier in the contest came back to haunt him.
The signs were there early in the drive. Young landed awkwardly and was hobbling. He stayed in the game, but the ankle appeared to give out on him on a crucial fourth down that saw him buckle to the ground for a turnover on downs.
Atlanta only managed a field goal, which gave Young one more opportunity to flourish in the highest stakes. And he came through.
Young marched the Panthers downfield heroically. After Rico Dowdle narrowly stepped out of bounds on his touchdown run, it was down to the quarterback. He created space off structure before finding Tetairoa McMillan for the score. He also delivered a strike to Jalen Coker for the two-point conversion.
The game went to overtime. And yet again, Young produced the goods. The Panthers won to sweep Atlanta, and everything is looking up after so much doom and gloom in recent days.
Bryce Young, the clutch king.