In what could have been a statement win for Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, it quickly turned into a disaster.
The biggest miscue of the game for Young came in the first quarter, after Jaycee Horn intercepted Brock Purdy in 49ers territory. After getting the ball to the one-yard line, Young threw an ill-advised pass in the back of the end zone that was intercepted. To make matters worse, it was on first and goal, and it looked like Young may have been able to run the ball in himself.
The Panthers have had an up-and-down season this year, where lackluster games quickly dash hopes. This rollercoaster is why now some people are even calling on the Panthers to move on from Bryce Young.
Young Holding the Team Back
Bryce Young’s entire tenure in Carolina has been tumultuous, from underperforming as the number one pick to being benched for Andy Dalton to having a resurgence at the end of the 2024 season. It’s been a bumpy ride for Young, and one writer believes the Panthers should ask off it.
Matt Verderame, in his November 24 article for Sports Illustrated, wrote that now is the time for the Panthers to move on from Young at quarterback.
“On Monday night, you saw all the reasons why the Panthers can compete in future years, and why Young is holding them back,” Verderame wrote.
Verderame then went on to compare Young to the often-maligned Miami Dolphins quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, and argued that Young has actually failed worse than him.
“Going into Monday night, Young had started 38 games (playing in 40). His career EPA is -269.1,” Verderame said. “For comparison, the embattled Tua Tagovailoa has started 39 games over that same span. His EPA is 123.1.”
Another strike against Young Verderame highlighted is how he ranks 32nd out of 32 qualified quarterbacks in EPA+ CPOE, success rate, and EPA per play since he entered the league in 2023.
The noise around Young is loud right now, but he believes that consistency is the key to righting the ship.
Consistency is Key
The Panthers have bounced from potentially season-defining wins to crushing losses week to week. Young knows that, though the solution is simple in theory, it is difficult in execution: consistency.
Darin Gantt and Kassidy Hill of Panthers.com, in their November 26 article, wrote about Young pointing to execution as the main area he and the Panthers need to improve.
“Yeah, it just boils down to execution,” Young began when asked why they haven’t found the consistency they’re looking for there. “Obviously, it goes week to week; you’ve got to be able to turn the page, whether it be good or bad. And we have all the guys in there with the right mindset. It’s just execution. I think, first just growing that identity, all of us, especially as a younger unit. But everyone’s pros, everyone’s embraced it, there’s no excuse for us not to be consistent.”
Young then identified that a more consistent passing game helps the run game.
“So that’s just the challenge for us, at the end of the day, we want to do whatever it takes to win,” Young continued. “Obviously the pass game helps out the run game, helps out the explosives, helps out the team, so, we’re working to be more consistent there.”
Consistency will be the make-or-break factor in whether Bryce Young has a long-term future in Carolina.
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