Bryce Young has gone through a rollercoaster of epic proportions this season. The Carolina Panthers quarterback is improving, but he's nowhere near the finished article just yet. His lackluster showing against the Dallas Cowboys was proof of how much hard work is ahead this offseason.
The Panthers should give Young another year based on the sample size since his return to the starting lineup. Nothing is guaranteed despite head coach Dave Canales keeping faith with the signal-caller. Leaving no doubt with a strong end to the campaign is crucial.
Young and the Panthers were aiming to conclude their regular-season home engagements with success over the Arizona Cardinals. There was no pressure on Carolina — that was all on the visitors given their ambitions to make the postseason. Even so, the Heisman Trophy winner had to play with a sense of freedom and aggression en route to a potential bounce-back at Bank of America Stadium.
As it turned out, Young looked more like his old self and the Panthers knocked the Cardinals out of playoff contention with a surprising win in their home finale.
With this in mind, here are five major observations from Young's performance versus the Cardinals as Carolina brought the curtain down on its home fixtures in 2024.
Major observations from Bryce Young's performance in Week 16
Bryce Young's mobility
Bryce Young's ability to gain yards on the ground is underrated. His lack of size probably dictates that, but he took advantage of the Arizona Cardinals not respecting this part of his game enough.
When Young had chances to take off, he took them. The quarterback also managed to break off big gains without a spy monitoring him at the defensive second level. This was an encouraging trait that the Carolina Panthers could potentially put to better use moving forward.
Dave Canales needs to pick and choose his spots. Young isn't Cam Newton, so limiting the contact he gets would be wise. However, this isn't a bad tool to have in the offense's arsenal.
Young eventually finished the game with 68 rushing yards and a score from five carries. This gave Arizona's defense plenty to think about, which opened things up more in the passing game for good measure.
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.
Bryce Young was having fun
One could have forgiven Bryce Young for wondering if he'd ever have fun playing football again. The signal-caller looked down and out before his Week 3 benching. He took a long, hard look in the mirror and rejuvenated himself when all hope seemed lost.
Football is fun when things are going well. Young was having plenty of that during another polished performance versus a potential playoff team. He played with a smile on his face and had an enthusiastic demeanor throughout. This doesn't go unnoticed by his teammates, who are fully behind the quarterback and rally behind him accordingly.
No moment is too big for Young. He's not forcing the issue anymore, which is helping enormously. He's letting the game come to him, trusting his progressions and Carolina's protection. Again, it's not flawless, but it's a recipe for success moving forward.
Having Young looking so relaxed and playing freely is having a positive impact. It creates a ripple effect of calmness and belief. From the fans to the players and coaches, everyone's attitude changes when the quarterback is thriving.
Bryce Young proved Week 15 was a blip and nothing more
Bryce Young holds himself to high standards. Expectations are growing slowly for everyone else, but his performance against the Arizona Cardinals proved his Week 15 disaster was a blip rather than the start of anything more concerning.
This was much more like what fans have come to expect from Young since his reintroduction into the starting lineup. He looks like a different player — one that looks more than worthy of getting another chance in 2025. Once the supporting cast improves in the passing game, it would be a surprise if the player didn't make additional strides in Year 3 of his professional career.
The Panthers don't have many positives to take from the campaign. Young's resurgence is a feel-good story for Dave Canales to take into the offseason. They should build around the signal-caller, not worry about securing a replacement.
Canales and Dan Morgan don't need to make things more complicated than needed. Give Young the keys to the kingdom. Give him the freedom to flourish. And give him the weapons needed to excel.
Everything else should take care of itself.