Bad game by Panthers’ Bryce Young ‘just another step’ in development
More Teams. More Games.
Tristan H. Cockcroft breaks down Adam Thielen’s fantasy stock for the Panthers. (0:52)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young picked an inopportune time to have the worst game of his rookie season.
That’s because the next game is Thursday (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video) against the Chicago Bears — the team the Panthers traded two first-round picks and wide receiver DJ Moore to so they could move from ninth to first to select the 2021 Heisman-winning quarterback out of Alabama.
That Young’s three interceptions — two returned for touchdowns — in Sunday’s 27-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts came on the same day second-overall pick C.J. Stroud threw for an NFL rookie record 470 yards, plus five touchdowns with no interceptions, for the Houston Texans didn’t help.
It amplified the outside noise that Carolina (1-7) made a mistake in taking Young over Stroud, despite Young outplaying Stroud last week to earn his only win.
But Panthers coach Frank Reich still believes the decision to trade up for Young was the right one.
“I’ve seen the best quarterbacks in the game have way worse games than this,” said Reich, who played quarterback in the NFL for 13 years. “Way worse. So you don’t flinch. … This ultimately is put into a category of just another step of getting us to where we want to be.
“We take some lumps in the meantime, and it sets us back. But we believe in who we’re doing it with and the way we’re doing it.”
There’s no denying Sunday was a bad look for Young and the Panthers, who are headed for a sixth straight losing season with no first-round pick in 2024 to help. They managed only 13 points against a defense that had given up an average of almost 38 points the past three games.
They had only 62 yards of total offense in the first half, and Young had only 35 yards passing plus one of his pick-sixes by halftime.
• Jets’ playoff hopes fueled by ’22 rookies
• Why Chargers traded J.C. Jackson
• Cowboys not discouraged by Eagles loss
• Cards struggle in Tune’s debut
• Will Falcons stick with Heinicke?
• Sweat showing why Chicago wanted him
“Coming into this game, I felt like he was hitting a rhythm,” Reich said of Young, who had gone consecutive games without an interception and was coming off a career-best 103.6 passer rating. “This is a step backwards for us as an offense. … We went out and laid an egg today.”
This wasn’t an anomaly for Young, who has eight passing touchdowns and seven interceptions. This is the third time in six starts he’s had at least two interceptions, including a pair in the 24-10 Week 1 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Opponents have scored 45 points off Young’s turnovers. Carolina has given up 59 points off turnovers overall, the second most in the NFL behind the New England Patriots’ 69.
That’s not a formula for success.
It’s also not something Young did in college. In 27 starts for Alabama, he had only two games with two interceptions. His ability to process and make good decisions was a big reason the Panthers chose him over Stroud, who now has 14 passing touchdowns to one interception.
His decision-making on Sunday was inexcusable despite the intense pressure he was under because of poor protection from the offensive line. Both pick-sixes came on short throws to the running back.
The second, running back Miles Sanders said, should have been thrown to the ground.
“He knows that, though,” Sanders said.
So does Reich, who continues to be reluctant to criticize his quarterback.
“I’m just not going to panic,” said Reich, who has no plan to turn to veteran backup quarterback Andy Dalton.
Young admitted Sunday’s loss was on him, so accountability isn’t a problem.
“Everyone else around did a great job, and it’s on me,” he said. “I have be to better.”
Young also hasn’t lost confidence. His ability to move on from poor performances seemingly is a strength.
Wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. believes at some point good times are ahead for Young and the offense. He’s reminded of his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 with Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick of that year’s draft.
As a rookie, Lawrence had a 3-14 record and threw 17 interceptions to only 12 touchdowns. Five times he had two or more picks in a game, including four in a late-season contest against the Tennessee Titans.
• Full schedule » | Standings »
• Depth charts for every team »
• Transactions » | Injuries »
• Football Power Index »
More NFL coverage »
Lawrence has had only two games with two interceptions in his past 25 regular-season starts and the 6-2 Jaguars are currently playoff contenders atop the AFC South.
“He had struggles and people were down on him,” Chark recalled. “Now people love him. Bryce is talented. He’s a rookie. He’s only going to get better. You see the flashes.
“Whether it’s today or tomorrow, he’s going to come out, and he’s going to be the guy that we all know that he is. When it’s there, the roles are reversed, it’s going to be different.”
Sanders agreed.
“This is just like life,” he said. “There’s ups and down in this league, there’s ups and downs in life. It just depends on how you react to it and answer it.”
A lot of eyes will be on Young Thursday night at Soldier Field to see how he reacts to his worst game, whether he can live up to the expectations the Panthers had when they traded with the Bears, so they could take him with the No. 1 overall pick.
“It’s a long road,” Reich said. “I’ve said this many times, the quarterback journey for developing the franchise quarterback is a long road. I/we believe very strongly in Bryce.”