Bryce Young's first-half flurries
It was difficult for the Carolina Panthers to keep up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for most of the first half.
They unsurprisingly found a way to gain yards on the ground at will. Mike Evans was a constant thorn in the secondary's side. Things looked incredibly bleak with almost no momentum generated aside from the opening drive.
Bryce Young never stopped fighting. He was aggressive and kept giving his pass-catchers opportunities to make plays. There was almost no help from Carolina's rushing attack due to the absence of Chuba Hubbard, but the signal-caller produced some flurries that left reasons for encouragement.
This was no more evident than closing out the first half. Young found Adam Thielen on a deep touchdown pass and connected with the gifted veteran once again to get within field goal range. Unfortunately, this momentum came to an abrupt halt thanks to another wayward effort from Eddy Pineiro.
Young flashed enormous promise in the first half. This was reflected in the stats, which were arguably the best-case scenario considering the Panthers were missing both Hubbard and stud right tackle Taylor Moton.
- 53.33 percent completion
- 154 passing yards
- 2 touchdowns
- 0 interceptions
- 1 sack against
- 1 rushing yard
- 128.9 passer rating (ESPN)
The Panthers were down two scores at the break. But given the tricky circumstances, Young couldn't have done much more.
Bryce Young's most trusted source
With the Panthers' offense under-strength, Bryce Young needed his most trusted source more than ever. As is typically the case, wide receiver Adam Thielen rose to the occasion.
Thielen and Young developed a tremendous rapport last season. The veteran wideout was sorely missed after going to injured reserve with a hamstring problem. It's no coincidence that the quarterback's production took off when he came back into the mix.
This dependable security blanket came to the fore early and often in this one. Young knows where Thielen is going to be at all times. The timing is exemplary between the two thanks to a combination of outstanding distribution and exceptional route running. The Buccaneers had no answer for this pair throughout.
The former undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State eventually finished the contest with five receptions from six targets for 110 receiving yards and two touchdowns. If the Panthers are intent on moving forward with Young as their starting quarterback in 2025, general manager Dan Morgan would be wise to keep Thielen around, too.