4 major observations from Bryce Young's performance at the Saints in Week 14

What were some major observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young's performance at the New Orleans Saints in Week 14?

Bryce Young is amid a baptism of fire. It's not the quarterback's fault things are spiraling completely out of control within the Carolina Panthers this season, but there is real urgency for a strong end to the campaign from the No. 1 overall selection.

The New Orleans Saints represented another difficult challenge for Young. While Dennis Allen's men might be struggling for consistency, their secondary remains one of the league's best in yards allowed. Nothing but exceptional execution would do as the Panthers sought their second win of a dismal 2023 campaign.

As it turned out, Young couldn't galvanize the Panthers' offense effectively. Despite the Saints failing to muster all that much themselves, they made big plays count down the stretch as Carolina fell to 1-12 on the season.

With this in mind, here are four major observations from Young's performance at the Saints in Week 14.

Bryce Young's weapons

You can't catch it for them.

Bryce Young's pass-catchers have let him down this season. This became prevalent once again with several key drops in critical moments versus a New Orleans Saints secondary renowned for not giving much away.

There's nothing more Young can do besides walking it downfield and handing it to them. Their lackluster production in Week 14 is another glaring indicator of a complete revamp urgently needed at wide receiver and tight end during the offseason.

Bryce Young's scrambling

Much has been made of Bryce Young's size. He is a definite outlier at 5-foot-10, but the quarterback's toughness cannot be questioned when one considers how many hits he's taking behind such a pathetic offensive line.

Young is supremely athletic. While the Carolina Panthers don't want their prized possession running out of the backfield all that much, he showcased some eye-catching mobility in scrambling situations when required.

When opportunities came for Young to gain yards on the ground, he did so with conviction. The former Alabama star put the moves on linebacker Demario Davis in impressive fashion during the first half. In truth, it's something the Panthers might need to do more frequently moving forward providing it doesn't put the signal-caller in harm's way.

As previously mentioned, the Panthers' pass-catchers are doing almost nothing to help Young. So taking matters into his own hands and getting creative in pursuit of moving the chains almost becomes a necessity.

Young's proven more than capable of getting out on the move and making things happen. The risks are there are all to see - as evidenced in a first-down run in the third quarter that saw him somersault and land on his head after a big hit. But scrambling has its uses given how effective the Heisman Trophy winner is in this regard.

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.

Bryce Young remains a tough evaluation

Most thought Bryce Young would go through some growing pains. Most rookie quarterbacks do. Very few predicted his first year in a professional NFL environment to go like this.

Fans are split about Young right now. Many point to the mitigating circumstances surrounding the No. 1 overall pick as reasons behind his struggles. Others have already declared him a bust and the Carolina Panthers blew their big chance to find a franchise quarterback worthy of succeeding Cam Newton.

This is a reactionary take without the right context. The truth? Young remains a difficult evaluation and is likely to stay in this bracket throughout Carolina's remaining four games.

Should Young be playing better? Of course. There are times when the timing is off with his receivers. There are clear confidence issues. There are also some bad habits creeping into his play that weren't there during a prolific college stint with the Crimson Tide.

However, he's got no help. At all. That sounds like an excuse, but show me a quarterback that would thrive in this type of environment.

It's a huge upcoming offseason for the Panthers and Young. Those in power led by a new coaching regime must develop the signal-caller in almost every facet. Those in the front office must do everything in their power to provide their man under center with everything he needs to be successful.

If other position groups improve and Young doesn't, it's a different conversation. But that's for 2024 and no sooner.