Bryce Young's recent resurgence was going to get its toughest test to date in Week 14. The growth displayed by the quarterback since his return to the starting lineup is immensely encouraging. Keeping this up versus the Philadelphia Eagles on the road was a different challenge entirely.
Young is starting to showcase the skills that made him such a highly coveted college prospect coming out of Alabama. The poise, precision, and confidence have risen considerably. Teammates and coaches are starting to believe again. Another shot in 2025 looks like an attainable target when all hope seemed lost once upon a time.
Perhaps the most impressive thing from Young's standpoint is his ability to come through in the clutch. His composure to stay calm amid the chaos almost got the Panthers two unlikely victories against the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He'd need all this and more versus the Eagles in one of the league's most hostile environments.
This game represented a solid measuring stick for Young's development. As it turned out, it was another spirited effort from the signal-caller without the positive result to show for his efforts.
With this in mind, here are five major observations from Young's performance in Week 14 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Major observations from Bryce Young's performance at the Eagles
Bryce Young's mobility
Bryce Young wasn't going to get the clean pockets he's been typically used to this season against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Carolina Panthers' offensive line is a real strength of the team, but the opposition's defense causes havoc no matter what's in front of them.
This meant head coach Dave Canales had to get creative with Young's mobility. There was a lot more scrambling and making plays on the move in this one. The Mater Dei High School product is more comfortable working within structure, but he's also got no problem operating off-script either.
Young put his improved pocket navigation and athleticism to good use. He didn't make every throw and there were times when the Eagles' defensive front seven got to him, but he's trusting his legs more.
It's something the Panthers can adopt within their schematic concepts moving forward. Young isn't the biggest, so picking and choosing spots is crucial. However, the signal-caller's already shown a consistent prowess when moving in or out of the pocket.
Bryce Young's execution
Bryce Young and Dave Canales are building trust. It wasn't there before his benching and took time to develop when the quarterback got another shot. But it's clear with the game plans being devised that the confidence is building between the two.
There isn't much hesitation or caution from Canales' standpoint these days. He's got a newfound belief that Young can execute his strategies effectively. It wasn't perfect — the Philadelphia Eagles are a formidable defensive outfit, after all — but the play designs and the way Carolina's man under center managed to execute the game plan for the most part left reasons for optimism.
The Carolina Panthers don't have sufficient talent right now to contend. Their task in this one was made more difficult by the knee injury for Jonathon Brooks. The silver lining remains the growing relationship between Canales and Young, who seem to be building bridges after things appeared fractured after the coach decided to bench his quarterback after just two games.
This represents a solid foundation from which to build. Not just for the remaining four games but potentially more long-term as well.
Bryce Young's costly mistake tainted solid first half
This was always going to be a fine margins game for Bryce Young. There was a lot to like about his poise and measured performance in the first half. Unfortunately for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, one costly mistake tainted this considerably.
The Panthers couldn't afford to turn the football over versus such an opportunistic defensive group in Philadelphia. That's exactly what Young did late in the second half when he overthrew veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen and was picked off by standout safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
That took the shine off what was a pretty solid first half from Young all things considered.
- 50 percent completion
- 86 passing yards
- 1 touchdown
- 1 interception
- 1 sack against
- 10 rushing yards
- 63.4 passer rating (ESPN)
Things could have been better, of course. Young missed a couple of throws aside from the interception and his pass-catchers were guilty of some mental errors on occasion. But considering how red-hot the Eagles are right now and the atmosphere of Lincoln Financial Field, it could have been a lot worse that's for sure.
More importantly, the Panthers were in the game. Not many expected that as heavy underdogs among sportsbooks.
Bryce Young needs a legitimate WR1
Bryce Young looks the part. There's no doubt about that after giving another tremendous account of himself versus high-caliber opposition. The sooner he gets a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver, the better his chances will be.
The Carolina Panthers are over-reliant on Adam Thielen. His route-running and dependability in the passing game are traits others don't have right now. Jalen Coker was missing with a quadriceps issue for the third straight week. The jury is still well and truly out on first-round pick Xavier Legette.
This won't be going unnoticed by general manager Dan Morgan. He'll see the promise Young is displaying. He'll also know that the Panthers need more at the skill positions to assist the signal-caller in 2025.
That's the consensus opinion, especially after the Panthers traded away Jonathan Mingo and Diontae Johnson before the deadline. If they decide Young is worthy of another shot next season — a likely scenario looking at his current trajectory — then ensuring he has the tools to thrive further is paramount.
Young has the skills. He just needs a legitimate difference-maker with explosive tendencies.
Another valiant effort in defeat for Bryce Young
The Panthers were competitive. They weren't blown out as most predicted before the contest. Bryce Young's contribution was a valiant one in defeat once again.
Carolina is still learning how to come through in close games. They have gone toe-to-toe with some of the league's heavyweights in recent weeks with nothing but three defeats to show for it. Things could have been so much different had wide receiver Xavier Legette not dropped a sure-fire touchdown grab on another final drive that denied Carolina the win.
Young did everything he could. Taking the Eagles right to the death was another positive, especially on the road. But moral victories count for nothing in the NFL when it's all said and done.
Winning is all that matters. The Panthers had a shot thanks in no small part to Young's resolve. Unfortunately for the signal-caller, his first-round receiver didn't meet his end of the bargain.
It's an obvious disappointment and the Panthers have now lost 10 games this season. Even so, it seems like they might have their answer at the quarterback position amid the doom and gloom.