4 major observations from Bryce Young's performance at the Saints in Week 14
By Dean Jones
Bryce Young's lack of rhythm
It was another afternoon of disjointment for rookie Bryce Young. The quarterback just couldn't get into any kind of consistent rhythm for different reasons. Mainly, these complications revolved around suspect protection, drops, bad situational football, indifferent at best play-calling, and ill-advised distribution on occasion.
This is a bad combination at the best of times. For the Carolina Panthers and Young, they represent the catalysts behind their demise in 2023. And yet, they were never genuinely out of the game thanks in no small part to another outstanding defensive effort under coordinator Ejiro Evero's guidance.
There were some nice moments for Young. They were fleeting, but numerous connections to Adam Thielen continued to catch the eye when the signal-caller got enough time to go through his progressions.
Carolina became increasingly reliant on the running attack in the wake of their passing struggles. Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders carried the load, which made things easier for Young late in proceedings.
Some bad habits remain and there are some footwork issues - stepping up in the pocket, to be more precise - that require work moving forward. A change in offensive philosophy would also help, but this might not arrive until the new head coach gets into the building.