Bryce Young's footwork
With the rain coming down profusely at Raymond James Stadium before and during the contest, footwork was going to be crucial for Bryce Young. Players were slipping left and right, with several Carolina Panthers offensive playmakers changing their cleats over the opening exchanges. This didn't appear to be much of a problem for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Young's footwork in the pocket is much improved this season. He gets set on his dropbacks with much more efficiency, and he trusts his legs to go off structure when heat arrives. This ability to keep plays alive gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense headaches. And even though he'd like to have a few throws back, the feet are finally matching his upper body movements from a mechanical standpoint.
It's a small thing that often goes unnoticed, but this is among the most significant positives of Young's performance, not only in Week 18 against a talented Tampa Bay defense but across the campaign.
The Buccaneers weren't shy in bringing pressure on Young. His ability to successfully navigate the pocket limited any damage, which was absolutely integral in torrid conditions that made the field incredibly slippery.
Bryce Young's solid first half tainted by one glaring error
It was a pretty solid first half overall for Bryce Young. The Buccaneers managed to control the clock throughout the first quarter, but the gifted signal-caller got into something of a groove after that. Considering he was getting no help from his rushing attack once again, that couldn't be seen as anything other than positive.
There was one glaring error that tainted Young's contribution in the first two quarters of play. The Heisman Trophy winner tried to force an out route to rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan. The timing was off, and there was almost no velocity on the throw. This gave cornerback Jacob Parrish just enough time to jump the pass attempt for an interception.
Aside from that, it was relatively pleasing from Young, given the conditions and the high stakes, which added an extra sense of nervousness. This was also reflected in the stats.
- 63.64 percent completion
- 75 passing yards
- 1 touchdown
- 1 interception
- 0 sacks against
- -1 rushing yard (1 carry - kneeldown)
- 75.9 passer rating (ESPN)
Young has no trouble shaking off bad plays, and the Buccaneers didn't make much of it after botching their clock management before the break. Even so, there was no margin for error with the Panthers down by six points.