What were some major observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young's performance against the Houston Texans in Week 8?
It's been a week with quarterback Bryce Young firmly in the spotlight. This was to be expected considering the Carolina Panthers were coming up against the Houston Texans and C.J. Stroud - the player those in power passed up in favor of the former Alabama standout.
Young's taken everything in his stride, but there was obviously an added sense of motivation with some fans and analysis questioning whether Carolina made the right call at No. 1 overall. Something the Panthers were hoping could potentially spur them on to their first win of the 2023 season.
As it turned out, Young and the Panthers finally broke their duck thanks to a last-second field goal from Eddy Pineiro. And boy, it felt good.
With this in mind here are four major observations from Young's performance in Week 8 at Bank of America Stadium.
Bryce Young's relaxed demeanor
There seemed to be a more relaxed demeanor where Bryce Young was concerned against the Houston Texans in Week 8. That's not to say he wasn't still highly determined, but the level of comfort and confidence in the pocket was notable almost from start to finish.
Perhaps it was the return of Austin Corbett. Perhaps it was Thomas Brown calling plays. Perhaps it was just being revitalized after the team's bye week.
Either way, this is the Young that fans want to see from here on out. Something that led to more encouragement in terms of on-field development along the way.
Bryce Young's polished first half
If Bryce Young had any additional nerves going up against good friend C.J. Stroud after all the pre-game hype, he certainly didn't show it. The Heisman Trophy winner put together a highly impressive first half and had it not been for some critical drops and turning the football over on downs during a goal-to-go situation, it would have been even better.
Young's ability to go through progressions quickly and manipulate the pocket remains a strong point. He's also been given a little more freedom to be creative under offensive coordinator Thomas Brown's play-calling if this performance was any indication.
There were a couple of delicious completions from Young. His dart to Adam Thielen was eye-catching and the placement of his touchdown pass to Tommy Tremble in the second quarter was another sign of how special he is.
Want further proof? The first-half statistics surrounding Young spoke for themselves.
- 68.4 percent completion (13/19)
- 131 passing yards
- 1 touchdown
- 0 interceptions
- 2 sacks against
- 105.4 passer rating (ESPN)
It was a lot more fluid offensively despite only getting six points. Brown did a nice job of scheming players open, but the execution wasn't where it needed to be on occasion.
Which brings us to our next important observation…
Bryce Young needs more help
This comes as no surprise to anyone who's followed the Carolina Panthers closely this season. Bryce Young cannot do it alone and although there was improvement with offensive coordinator Thomas Brown calling plays, the rookie quarterback needs more assistance.
There are times when the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Young can only do so much by putting the football in the correct spot more often than not - it's then up to his pass-catchers to take advantage.
At times, the Panthers looked highly effective when catches were made. There were also occasions when mental errors led to drops that potentially had big gains attached.
Unless something drastic changes over the next nine games, this should be among Carolina's biggest priorities next spring. However, these lapses could also lead those within the front office to find a quicker fix in pursuit of aiding Young's development further.
Whether that comes via free agency or trade remains to be seen. The Panthers might also decide to stand pat with what they have and hope the combination of Young and Brown can lead to improvements.
When it clicked, the Panthers looked better offensively than they've done at any stage this season. Once the Panthers do right by Young and find upgrades to the weapons at his disposal, the No. 1 overall selection is going to take off into a stratosphere not seen in Charlotte since Cam Newton was at the peak of his powers.
Another encouraging outing from Bryce Young
Bryce Young's growth is the most important thing above all else right now. The Carolina Panthers hoped for more during the summer before such a dismal start to the campaign, but this is the reality despite getting their first triumph of 2023 against the Houston Texans.
On this topic, the Panthers must have been thrilled by what they saw overall from Young yet again. He is rapidly ascending, showing no signs of the pre-draft concerns that saw criticism come his way, and certainly looks like someone who could lead Carolina to great fortunes in the short and long term.
Young eventually finished with 235 passing yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 103.6. This was in spite of getting sacked six times behind an offensive line that went through some complications - especially on the edge.
More importantly, Young came through in the clutch to ensure Carolina emerged from their Week 8 outing versus the Texans with a narrow victory. Something that looked like it might never arrive after being down for long periods.
This will do exponential good to the team's confidence. Although he probably didn't need it, this was a clear vindication about truly belonging in the NFL and finally getting the losing monkey off his back.
Young and the Panthers finally have some momentum. But one cannot look at how things are currently unfolding for the signal-caller with anything other than positivity right now.