Bryce Young's frustrating first half
As previously mentioned, these problems began early for Bryce Young and continued throughout the first half. It seemed like the Carolina Panthers felt like they could turn up and get whatever they wanted against the New Orleans Saints. But as every fan knows, the NFL doesn't work like that.
Everything must be earned, especially in division battles versus a team with absolutely nothing to lose. All the pressure was on Carolina, and it showed throughout a dismal opening two quarters that couldn't be classed as anything other than disjointed from the Panthers' perspective.
Young wasn't the only one who struggled, but his frustrations were more pronounced than those of others. And perhaps unsurprisingly, this was reflected in the quarterback's first-half stats.
- 61.53 percent completion (8/13)
- 54 passing yards
- 0 touchdowns
- 0 interceptions
- 6 rushing yards (1 carry)
- 2 sacks against
- 70.7 passer rating (ESPN)
There was no need to panic. The Panthers were only down three, so they were far from out of the fight. At the same time, the need for significant adjustments couldn't be overstated, because nothing they were doing to best the Saints had the desired effect.
This was a wake-up call. And the team favored to win was booed off the turf at Bank of America Stadium for their lackluster first-half efforts.
Explosive plays (or lack thereof)
Even though Bryce Young and the Panthers have made strides in recent weeks, there remain limitations. Specifically, the lack of explosive plays, either being called by Dave Canales or executed by the signal-caller.
The Panthers have been able to open things up on the back of Rico Dowdle's exceptional rushing. It was clear from early on that this wasn't going to happen against the Saints. However, there was apparent hesitancy to push the ball downfield, an ongoing concern that shows no signs of abating.
Young doesn't have the biggest arm. He is more comfortable working the short to intermediate areas of the field; that much is painfully obvious. There were one or two moments when the quarterback threw for lofty gains. Still, the separation wasn't there from the receivers, and the accuracy downfield wasn't evident enough from Carolina's man under center.
Airing it out is not how the Panthers are built right now. The Saints knew that forcing Young to make the issue was their best chance of winning. It stifled an offense that had been difficult to stop previously. And the quarterback needs to do a better job of making things happen when opportunities for explosive plays arise.
Otherwise, the Panthers are going to get found out against better opposition.