Bryce Young is already feeling the heat just one game into his third season as the Carolina Panthers' starting quarterback.
The Panthers were not at the races against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the quarterback was not without blame. A huge response was needed, which placed the microscope firmly on his performance in Week 2 at the Arizona Cardinals.
Young had some nice moments in Week 1, but he turned the football over too much, and he was out of sync with his receivers. Their drops didn't do the signal-caller any favors, and there was obvious confusion from a communication standpoint to further raise concerns.
Bryce Young's start was exactly what Carolina Panthers fans feared
Austin Corbett was not on the same page with his quarterback. Dave Canales got the plays in too late more often than not, leaving Young with almost no time to decipher the opposing defense and make the adjustments needed. It was a complete mess — one that could have been avoided by getting the starting offense more reps in the preseason.
There's nothing anybody can do about that now. Young had to brush off his subpar outing to start the campaign. The Cardinals weren't going to do him any favors, which proved to be the case during a disastrous first half that exposed everything wrong about Carolina's football operation as things stand.
Carolina couldn't afford any setbacks. Unfortunately, they got them. Young fumbled on the first drive after pressure from Josh Sweat. It was scooped up by Zaven Collins for the touchdown.
It got worse. Young was under duress on the next drive. Instead of taking the sack, he inexplicably threw it in the air with a defender in his face. It was gratefully intercepted by Baron Browning. An unmitigated disaster that put the Panthers in an early hole.
Young was always going to make or break the Panthers' season. This showed that he's got the scope to sink it as morale evaporates.
The Panthers haven't offered him a new contract. They have confidence in the signal-caller, but general manager Dan Morgan wants to be sure before giving him another big financial commitment. And there is a long way to go before that happens.
It was a complete mess. Unwatchable drivel that's become synonymous with the Panthers throughout David Tepper's ownership.
And if the same trend continues, Young could find himself riding the bench again before long.