What were some major observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young's performance at the Chicago Bears in Week 10?
After the worst display of his NFL career, quarterback Bryce Young got an immediate opportunity to bounce back. And with the national spotlight glaring, no less.
The Carolina Panthers had a rapid-fire turnaround on Thursday Night Football at the Chicago Bears. This was dubbed as a battle between the two teams that negotiated a bombshell trade for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft - a decision that eventually led the franchise to Young after an exhaustive evaluation process.
Some are starting to question whether Carolina made the right call over C.J. Stroud. This was the perfect chance for Young to begin silencing some increasing doubters, but the Panthers once again fell flat on their face on primetime for yet another dismal defeat.
With this in mind, here are four major observations from Young's performance at Soldier Field in Week 10.
Bryce Young's mobility
Bryce Young might be small, but his mobility is something the signal-caller needs to start putting to better use. This would keep defenses honest and allow fewer hits inside the pocket providing he avoids significant contact out on the move.
Young displayed his athleticism on a couple of occasions against the Chicago Bears. When the reads weren't developing as expected, the quarterback looked a lot more confident when it came to escaping from the pocket and making plays with his legs.
It's not ideal. But until the Panthers find better reinforcements at the skill positions - ones that can create separation consistently - this should be one preferred method of keeping the chains moving.
Bryce Young's restricted first half
It was an odd first half from Bryce Young. There were some nice moments - most notably a deep shot to Michael Strachan that went for a big gain - but the offense looked disjointed overall once again in the face of one of the league's worst defensive units against the pass.
Young missed a wide-open shot to Terrace Marshall Jr., but there wasn't much time to get anything else of note off all things considered. Carolina relied a lot on the running game, with the signal-caller throwing a few screen passes in as the half wore on the keep the Chicago Bears defense on their toes.
This is all about making the best of a bad situation. The Panthers' offense isn't clicking due to suspect personnel, so the main goal appears to be limiting the opportunities for Young to make mistakes rather than taking suitable risks in pursuit of putting points on the board.
This was reflected in Young's first-half stats:
- 50 percent completion (7/14)
- 63 passing yards
- 0 touchdowns
- 0 interceptions
- 16 rushing yards
- 1 sack against
- 62.5 passer rating (ESPN)
There was a level of discomfort when Young dropped back to pass. He has almost no confidence in his weapons and the signal-caller was very lucky he didn't cough up another pick-six when Jonathan Mingo seemed to stumble on a route that almost came back the other way.
Fortunately for the Panthers, Chicago's offense wasn't much better.
Bryce Young's confidence
Bryce Young's confidence looks low. You can see it in his overall demeanor and the way he's approaching things on the field.
Not exactly surprising when one considers what's transpiring around him. The lack of protection and falling to tie down the timing with his pass-catchers will do that to an inexperienced player. This is also impacting his ability to go through progressions effectively and put his supreme field vision to good use.
Fans are beginning to wonder if this is starting to have an impact on Young's mentality on the field. This is not the same player that tore things up at Alabama - he's now on a team lacking any sort of quality or discipline.
Case in point - the Panthers had tremendous field position at the end of the third quarter down six points. A chance to get themselves ahead down 16-10 at the time, right?
Think again.
Two straight penalties backed Carolina up to a 1st-and-30. Tell me what Young is supposed to do from there.
They did eventually get a field goal, but that's not the point. The Panthers aren't doing enough to assist Young and if the same trend continues, there's just no telling what this might do for his long-term hopes of being a productive, franchise-caliber quarterback at the pro level.
There was no rhythm. Everything was out of sync. And make no mistake, heads are going to roll way before team owner David Tepper gives up on Young.
Bryce Young needs change
It looked as if Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers might have been able to drag out one final drive to steal their second victory of the campaign. But a costly error on third down from the quarterback coupled with a terrible call to go for a 59-yard field goal condemned Frank Reich's men to their eighth defeat in nine games.
David Tepper was watching from the stands and the Panthers now have a mini-bye week. Speculation is rising about the potential for change, which is exactly what Young needs looking at how things have gone for the signal-caller up to now.
The whole situation is a complete embarrassment. Young is bearing the brunt as the quarterback and No. 1 overall pick, but this is officially at breaking point for coaches and front-office figures.
Young cannot control that. What he should be doing better is hitting targets in key moments - but even when he did, the pass was often dropped.
Where the Panthers go from here is anyone's guess. They are a team devoid of ideas or inspiration, leaving Young hanging out to dry along the way.
Whether certain staff members are sacrificed following their latest abomination remains to be seen. The Panthers are tied to Young for good or bad, so every decision they make from here on out should center on his improvement.
Aside from that, there isn't much else to say, unfortunately.