5 major observations from Bryce Young's performance at the Saints in Week 1

It's a new beginning for the Carolina Panthers and Bryce Young in 2024. The quarterback has a fresh purpose under head coach Dave Canales and is looking to right some wrongs from the previous campaign. There were plenty of mitigating circumstances behind his demise when Frank Reich called the shots. There are no excuses now.

The Panthers plugged several concerning holes on offense this offseason. They invested heavily around Young, who has an improved offensive line and pass-catchers capable of doing damage more frequently at his disposal. His road to redemption began in Week 1 at the New Orleans Saints.

This was a huge test and a solid measuring stick for Young. There's been a lot to like about his progress under Canales throughout the preparation period. Seeing him in a competitive setting provided the chance to see the fruits of their labor and hopefully, get the Panthers off to a positive start along the way.

With this in mind, here are four major observations from Young's performance at the Saints in Week 1.

Major observations from Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young at the Saints

Bryce Young's disastrous start

If Bryce Young was looking to build some early momentum, he was out of luck. The quarterback got off to the worst possible start at the New Orleans Saints, throwing an interception on the offense's first play of the game. This was an ill-advised throw that lacked the correct awareness and he paid a heavy price once again.

The Carolina Panthers ensured the Saints only got three points following the turnover, which was something. However, the Heisman Trophy winner also missed a wide-open Diontae Johnson on a third down. He was under pressure, but that's a throw he has to make in pursuit of silencing some increasing doubters.

This wasn't exactly the best way for Young to generate confidence. It also left the Panthers on the back foot and in a hole they had no chance of getting out of.

Bryce Young's catastrophic first half

Things didn't get better for Bryce Young over the first half. The signal-caller looked devoid of any confidence and couldn't generate any sort of momentum. He was hesitant in the pocket and holding onto the football for too long rather than letting it go.

The Carolina Panthers worked hard on Young this offseason, emphasizing getting the football out quickly within a 2.7-second timeframe. This didn't exactly come to fruition in the opening two quarters. And when Young did let it go, very few attempts hit their desired target.

This was an absolute catastrophe in no uncertain terms. Young somehow emerged with a 50 percent completion percentage, but his passer rating was just 2.8 at one stage. It was another half of football to forget - one that came with no touchdowns and saw Carolina down 30-3 at the interval.

Young didn't cover himself in glory, to be honest. And it didn't take long for the critics to surface on social media once again when the struggles began.

Bryce Young's confidence issues

There are some real confidence issues with Bryce Young right now. He's turned the page on last season's rookie horror show, but this quickly became evident from the moment he threw an interception on his first attempt at the New Orleans Saints.

This is not the same quarterback that took college football by storm at Alabama en route to winning a Heisman Trophy. Young's got the same demeanor - one that suggests nothing phases him in times of struggle. But this lack of confidence was hard to ignore.

It was always going to take time. Young went through significant turmoil as a rookie and had his critical early development mismanaged. He was saying all the right things throughout the offseason, but the self-belief just isn't where it needs to be currently.

Young knows that better than anybody. The Panthers aren't giving up on the signal-caller after one game. At the same time, if the same complications continue to blight the player's performance levels throughout his NFL sophomore season, Carolina won't go anywhere fast.

One positive for Bryce Young

It was hard to find positives associated with Bryce Young's performance overall. The quarterback just didn't look comfortable for the most part and the Carolina Panthers suffered a heavy road loss to begin the campaign. But there was one notable encouraging element he can take from an otherwise underwhelming showing.

There was a lot to like about Young's ability to evade pressure. He got hit a few times - especially when blitzes weren't identified or picked up effectively. But the signal-caller's maneuvering in the pocket ensured damage was limited in this regard.

Young even managed a rushing touchdown - the first of his fledgling NFL career - as a result of his efforts. This is part of his game that the Panthers should utilize more despite the player's slender frame. Picking and choosing their spots is key, but the fact he managed to evade pressure almost effortlessly on occasion was an undoubted highlight.

It's something for Young to grasp onto upon further examination of the game film. Unfortunately, this couldn't mask the inaccuracy and inability to keep the chains moving.

Hard work ahead for Bryce Young

All the offseason hype and positivity surrounding Bryce Young evaporated in the blink of an eye. The Panthers were a collective disgrace - not for the first time in recent seasons - but this was much more disappointing considering the bullish claims made by head coach Dave Canales about potentially contending for the NFC South.

There is an incredible amount of hard work ahead for Young. Nothing went right. The body language spoke volumes. The changes made to the scheme didn't reap instant rewards as the New Orleans Saints had their way with divisional opposition.

Overreactions were rife across social media after another dismal outing from Young. He made a couple of nice throws to Adam Thielen and first-round pick Xavier Legette, but it was nowhere near good enough. A late mini-resurgence was stat padding when the Saints wrapped things up long before the game's conclusion.

It's back to the drawing board for Young. Things won't get any easier next weekend when the Jim Harbaugh-led Los Angeles Chargers come to Bank of America Stadium. The veteran head coach will already have ways planned to make things extremely difficult for the No. 1 pick. It's a huge test of character after such a woeful opening.

The pressure was high around Young heading into the campaign. It's through the roof now.

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