5 major observations from Bryce Young's performance at the Broncos

Bryce Young was probably hoping to get another starting opportunity in different circumstances. Andy Dalton's thumb injury suffered during a car accident meant the Carolina Panthers were forced to reintroduce the former No. 1 overall selection into the starting lineup at the Denver Broncos. Opportunity knocks where once there was nothing but dismay.

Young wasn't dealt the best hand yet again. He was without Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen - arguably Carolina's top-two wide receivers - for the clash as trade speculation regarding the pair continues to surge. The Broncos' vaunted defense is among the league's best, capable of stopping the Heisman Trophy winner dead in his tracks if he doesn't build some early confidence.

Nobody was expecting Young and the Panthers to accomplish much in the high altitude Denver offers. As it turned out, the much-maligned quarterback couldn't rally his troops and Carolina suffered yet another embarrassing loss on their travels.

With that being said, here are five major observations from Young's performance at the Broncos.

Major observations from Bryce Young's performance at the Broncos

Bryce Young's perfect start

If Bryce Young was looking to start quickly, he accomplished that feat in no uncertain terms. The signal-caller capitalized on a rare turnover from the Carolina Panthers defensive unit, going a perfect five-for-five on his opening drive. This concluded with a laser to rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette for the score.

Young needed this confidence boost in the biggest way imaginable. It's been a long time since the player had a passer rating of 138.8. It was only one drive, but the second-year pro must take these small wins and turn them into building blocks for the future.

There was a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead. At the same time, Young couldn't have hand-picked a better opening to the contest with the spotlight shining brighter than ever.

Bryce Young's efficient first half

Bryce Young's first half was efficient. It was nothing spectacular by any stretch of the imagination, but the quarterback protected the football within a scheme that relied heavily on the run game and short passes.

That was to be expected. The Carolina Panthers were not going to let Young be a gunslinger given his previous production and wayward decision-making. Had wide receiver Xavier Legette not dropped a big gain late in the second half, there could have been more than seven points on their board by the interval.

These thoughts were reflected in the stats. Accurate, but not much in the way of yardage when push came to shove versus a stout Denver Broncos defense.

• 78.57 percent completion
• 60 passing yards
• 1 touchdown
• 0 interceptions
• 0 sacks against
• 4 rushing yards
• 108.3 passer rating (ESPN)

Carolina's defensive woes continued as rookie signal-caller Bo Nix looked like the second coming of John Elway in the first half. Young's output didn't come close, but this was always the danger despite Ejiro Evero's unit getting some established veterans back into the rotation.

Bryce Young's inner restrictions

All eyes were on Dave Canales to see how his offensive strategy would look with Bryce Young under center. The head coach benched him for a reason. This centered on a lack of confidence he could manage his strategies effectively.

The system was riskless. Young was given short completions in the hope his playmakers could make things happen after the catch. When opportunities arose downfield, there were inner restrictions the signal-caller couldn't overcome.

The scheme was uninventive. Young's hesitancy was evident. That's a bad combination and a reason why this relationship between the quarterback and his coach seems to be disintegrating rapidly.

Things opened up slightly in the second half. But to nobody's surprise, the spark was sorely lacking from almost everyone involved. It's been the tale of the tape this season and shows no signs of getting better anytime soon.

Bryce Young's confidence

Bryce Young's confidence is gone. It was shattered last season and broken almost beyond repair under the new regime. Aside from a few fleeting moments, it was another demoralizing afternoon at the office.

Young was visibly deflated after throwing his interception to Patrick Surtain II. He cut a dejected figure on the sidelines and the whole offensive operation was a complete mess following an impressive opening drive.

The game management was woeful. Not having Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen didn't exactly help. But at the end of the day, Young didn't do enough to convince anybody that he's worthy of the starting gig moving forward.

Much will depend on whether Andy Dalton is healthy enough to participate in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints. If the veteran signal-caller is healthy enough to suit up, there's a good chance Dave Canales will go back to the proven commodity with questions about his ability to lead this team growing larger with every passing week.

What that means for Young's future is anyone's guess. But we're getting to the stage where a fresh start is the best possible solution for all parties.

Is there any way back for Bryce Young?

This did nothing to silence Bryce Young's doubters. He kept going until the end and showed some fight if nothing else, but it's going to be a long road back to any semblance of hope for his long-term future.

The Panthers might have no option other than to keep Young out there until Dalton is ready. Jack Plummer isn't going to improve anything. It is what it is at this point, so Carolina just needs to keep plowing forward and hope the answers to some glaring issues present themselves.

Young was the subject of trade interest with teams calling after his benching and leading up to the deadline. Dan Morgan has a big decision to make because the value is only going down the more he plays.

That might sound harsh, but a move away is the only way Young is going to stand any chance of not becoming one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history.

Another interesting few days await. Regardless of whether Young plays again or not, the organization is in complete disarray cemented to rock bottom. That's going to take years to resolve effectively.

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