Bryce Young plays well despite lopsided Panthers' loss

Here's Bryce Young's weekly QB grade.

Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws the ball as Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (94) rushes during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers weren't able to keep the good vibes going after last week. With another chance to play major spoiler against a team that desperately needed a win, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't leave anything to chance like the Arizona Cardinals.

The Panthers' final score is exceptionally ugly, and Young's box score doesn't necessarily imply that he was special on a day when no one else was. With that said, it was far from bad for Young, who once again protected the ball and made a lot of nice throws.

Bryce Young plays well in spite of circumstance vs. Bucs

It's admittedly pretty difficult to judge Bryce Young on a day like today. There was no Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, or Jonathon Brooks. Raheem Blackshear and Mike Boone are not an NFL running back duo, so Young was in a tough spot. That doesn't include the fact that Taylor Moton also didn't play.

The defense also had a terrible day (thanks to having virtually no linebackers or cornerbacks), which prevented the offense from having any advantageous spots or from playing within the game. For the vast majority of this contest, the Buccaneers were more than two scores up.

With that said, this was another solid game from Young. A couple of miscues were the result of the field (Young slipped at least three times on dropbacks) and wide receivers not being on Young's page. Xavier Legette does not have good chemistry with his QB right now.

Despite all the shortcomings of the team and the offense, Young played well. He had a terrific deep ball to Thielen to essentially close out the half. He made a few other excellent throws against heavy pressure. Todd Bowles loves to blitz and was able to with a huge lead, but Young stood in there.

Maybe it was a step down from perhaps the best outing of his career last week, but that level of play wasn't going to happen every week and especially not without so many key pieces on the field. Young's grade: B+.

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