Panthers' offense struggles vs. Broncos in Bryce Young's return to starting QB role

Rapid reactions to the Panthers' loss to the Denver Broncos.

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It was another long, miserable day for the Carolina Panthers as they dropped to 1-7 on the season following their 28-14 loss to the Denver Broncos.

In his second opportunity as the Panthers' starting quarterback, Bryce Young struggled but had some moments. He completed 24/37 attempts for 224 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Here are a few thoughts from today's game.

Zero trust in Bryce Young

In his first two starts, the Panthers rarely threw the ball down the field. I was curious to see if that would change after sitting on the sideline for the last several weeks, but it did not. There is a clear lack of trust in Young throwing beyond seven yards downfield, or over the middle of the field for that matter. Several of his completions were made at or around the line of scrimmage.

There were a handful of plays where Young wasn't on the same page as his receiver or even a designed handoff for Chuba Hubbard. The deeper it got in the game, the worse the overall product looked. You're not going to be able to move the ball on NFL defenses by going east and west in the passing game. You must have a vertical element to it and the Panthers just don't have that with Bryce Young under center.

Zero push in the run game

The Broncos entered the week in the top half of the league in run defense, but for Carolina to only average 3.5 yards per carry is unacceptable. If you take away the 15-yard run by Chuba Hubbard, it's even worse.

Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt didn't have their best game, and when they're not on their A game, the Panthers' o-line takes a sizable step back as a unit. With no ground game, the Panthers offense stands absolutely no chance.

Zero hope for the 2024 season

To round out our three bullet points of zeroes is a glance at the bigger picture. This comes as no surprise, and most fans have probably already begun shifting their attention to draft boards and watching college football to see what top players they have on their wishlist for Carolina.

But if you haven't already come to the realization that this is going to be a very long final two months of the season, this is your wake-up call. Things are going to get worse before they get any better. If Andy Dalton doesn't return soon, the Panthers' offense will continue to sputter. The veteran doesn't fix everything, but he will at least give you a chance, albeit a small one.

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