Bryce Young's steady first half
It was a solid if not spectacular first half from Bryce Young. The Carolina Panthers held a slender lead at the interval, but the offense was far from the team's biggest problem. That, perhaps predictably, was their inept run defense.
Young had a couple of crucial drops. He missed a couple of throws, but the former No. 1 overall selection protected the football. This was arguably the biggest positive above all else looking at how things unfolded last weekend against the Dallas Cowboys.
The rushing yards helped enormously. Young grew in stature after a strong start. He got decent support from running back Chuba Hubbard and came through in the big moments. It was a step forward while leaving room for further improvement.
This was reflected in Young's first-half statistics. There's not much to shout about, but he didn't hurt his team's chances by any stretch of the imagination.
- 50 percent completion
- 45 passing yards
- 1 passing touchdown
- 0 interceptions
- 1 sack against
- 61 rushing yards (1 rush TD)
- 95.8 passer rating (ESPN)
This was a sound foundation from which to build. It was also the correct way to bounce back after such a dismal outing in Week 15.
Bryce Young's confidence
Dave Canales praised Bryce Young's resolve during and after his turnover-laden performance versus the Cowboys. This did not affect his confidence whatsoever looking at the way he conducted himself in this one.
Young's poise and command of the offense stood out considerably. He is no longer the shy, timid signal-caller who lacked conviction earlier in his career. He's found his voice and is making things happen in key moments. It's not perfect just yet, but the overall signs are encouraging.
The Mater Dei High School product's ability to move on from one play to the next regardless of how it turns out is a testament to his high character and fierce inner drive. Now that Young's confidence is also increasing, the results speak for themselves.
It'll be interesting to see how Young performs over the final two games. But the swagger that deserted him in Week 15 returned in the best possible way. If the same trend continues, it'll make Carolina's decision to stick with the player relatively straightforward this offseason.