Bryce Young's frustration
Expectations were pretty high compared to most years among the Carolina Panthers' fan base heading into the 2025 campaign. But not for the first time under David Tepper's ownership, it didn't take long for that to evaporate.
It was beyond frustrating. And nobody was feeling it more than Young.
You could see it in his on-field body language. You could see it when he was visibly dejected on the sidelines. You could also see it when head coach Dave Canales tried to console his quarterback when he was walking off the field after another failed drive.
Whatever Canales was saying to Young, he didn't want to hear it. He wants to win, and the Panthers were nowhere near the required standards.
Young isn't completely without blame. He made some rash decisions and missed some throws. Things would have been even worse after his inexplicable decision that resulted in a pick-six, which eventually got brought back for defensive holding.
It wasn't a day anyone connected to the Panthers will remember with great fondness, and it'll be a difficult couple of days examining the game film to make the improvements needed.
Bryce Young and the Panthers have a lot of soul-searching ahead
Bryce Young and the Panthers looked lost. It's hard to imagine how things could have gone much worse, and the Heisman Trophy winner's interception on his final pass attempt in the fourth quarter just summed everything up.
This was an unmitigated disaster. Young and the Panthers have some real soul-searching ahead, and things aren't going to get any easier next weekend at the Arizona Cardinals, who began their campaign on a positive note.
Young finished the game with a 49.0 passer rating. His late touchdown throw to Chuba Hubbard padded that statistic somewhat in an afternoon where nothing seemed to go right. This looked more like the player who was benched after two games of the 2024 campaign, not the one who left so many reasons for optimism when he returned to the fold.
It's only one game. There is still time to make the adjustments needed. However, this was a bubble-bursting performance that left far more questions than answers.
The quarterback carries the can. Young knows he's got more responsibilities on his shoulders than anybody, and he simply didn't deliver. A huge response is needed. Otherwise, the Panthers will already be fighting a losing battle.