Breaking Down Bryce Young's Debut

Analyzing Young's performance in a Panthers' loss

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sunday, Bryce Young's performance can be assessed through a positive and negative lens.

On the surface, the negatives outweigh the positives. The Carolina Panthers lost their season opener 24-10 in Atlanta, with Young's two interceptions (and a Miles Sanders fumble) being the main difference makers. Atlanta capitalized on turnovers, scoring 17 of their 24 points off Panthers' errors. This was enough to mar Young's rookie debut.

However, the final score doesn't capture the entire narrative. At times, Young lived up to expectations. The former Heisman Trophy winner showcased moments of poise, accuracy, and decisiveness. These attributes were instrumental in Carolina's decision to trade up and select Young as the first overall pick in the 2023 draft.

During both the initial drive and the Panthers' sole touchdown drive, Young demonstrated complete control. His precision in the short and mid-range passes was evident, efficiently targeting his running backs, Laviska Shenault in the flats, and Terrace Marshall Jr. and Hayden Hurst in the 8-12 yard range. Young's impeccable anticipation, releasing the ball before receivers made their breaks, solidifies his potential as a promising quarterback. He completed 20 out of 24 passes within a 12-yard range, showcasing patience in going through his progressions, even for those like me who haven't played quarterback.

However, Young's performance still fell short in some aspects. While his short and intermediate accuracy deserves praise, he failed to complete a pass that traveled over 13 yards in the air, resulting in a 0-7 record with two interceptions in this category.

While we can't know what Young was thinking during his interceptions, upon review, they were subpar. Two common football adages come to mind. The first advises quarterbacks to never throw late, and over the middle, both of which Young did during the first interception. The second, "a quarterback should never make the same mistake twice," which Young failed to do in the second interception.

Credit should be given to Jessie Bates for his exceptional anticipation and decisive action on Young's throws. Both interceptions were impressive plays on his part, prompting speculation about whether Young should have attempted those passes in the first place.

In addition to the interceptions, Young missed Marshall Jr. on a deep pass down the right sideline in the third quarter (Marshall seemed to slow down in his route for some reason) and another up the seam to Mingo when Carolina was backed up against their own goal line.

In summary, it was a performance marked by ups and downs from the first overall pick. 

If one wants to argue that Bryce had a terrible game and cost the Panthers a chance at 1-0, there's valid data to support that claim.

On the other hand, if one believes that Bryce is a rookie who displayed promise in a losing effort, there's also valid data to make that case.

This is just one game in what the Panthers hope will be a long and fruitful career for Bryce Young. In seven days, he'll have a chance to win over his home crowd as Carolina aims to even their record at 1-1 when the 1-0 New Orleans Saints come to town.

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Matt Alquiza - @Malquiza8