Despite coming up short, the Carolina Panthers brought everything they could to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12. They showed, that even during this early stage of their rebuild, they could now give anyone a fright.
Leading Sunday’s scare, at least according to two-time MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was his counterpart Bryce Young—who continued on his path to reemergence. For the fourth start in a row, the former No. 1 overall pick displayed progression in almost every part of his game—and against one of the league’s very top defenses, no less.
Young completed 21 of his 35 throws for a season-high 263 yards and a touchdown. While those numbers don’t read as a lights-out showing in the box score, the performance may stand as the 23-year-old’s very best as a pro.
So, let’s take a look at the All-22 for some of Young’s best throws from his most encouraging offering yet . . .
The Film
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo did a splendid job of disguising pressures and coverages while attempting to put the quarterback at a disadvantage in the pocket or beyond the line of scrimmage. Throughout the game, “Spags” threw almost everything he could at Young, who responded with poise on every pass he was pressured on.
This is the first third down of the game. The Chiefs drop a defensive end into coverage while blitzing their linebackers. Running back Chuba Hubbard picks up linebacker Drue Tranquill to give Young time to anticipate and rip the pass to wide receiver David Moore on the dig.
If you notice post-snap, he scans the field left to right to identify the best matchup to attack versus zone. This play concept countered the Chiefs’ defensive call and left a void in the vicinity of the original Panthers logo.
Young’s willingness to stand tall in the pocket has been one of his many improvements. In his first two games this season, he would’ve panicked and attempted to create a big play out of structure unnecessarily.
This next play may look like Young is lofting one of those prayers. But instead, it’s a 28-yard completion to tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders during one of several crucial drives in this game.
Carolina comes out with an empty set, with the concept forcing Young to work the entire alignment in his progressions. One thing to look at here is how the former Heisman Trophy winner keeps his eyes downfield.
Just as Young begins to break from the pocket, Sanders begins moving upfield. The ball looks like a floater, but it’s well-intended for a specific target and it leads to an accurate pass downfield.
There is an improved level of trust between Young and his playmakers. That is something that was not displayed in his first two games this season. As that trust and chemistry continue to build and grow, so will Young’s play as the soon winds down.
Here is another example of Young building trust with his teammates, specifically the offensive line.
Once again, he’s working out of empty against Cover 3. There is conflict within the transition process defensively against the post-corner. Young sees this before Moore is out of his break and lets it rip for a 17-yard connection.
Watch him navigate the pocket and his footwork within. Young is intentional in his drop and climbs the pocket well. His footwork will never be pristine like the bigger signal-callers at his position, but to transition to his drop and work up the pocket is a step in the right direction.
A big stat from Young’s performance against the Chiefs is that he was 11-of-14 for 123 yards and a touchdown against the blitz, displaying how spectacular he was against pressure on Sunday.
This play here is arguably the best of Young’s career, so far. Facing third-and-10 late in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs play Cover 0—meaning all four of their defensive backs are playing man coverage while everyone else goes after the quarterback.
Young quickly works to his drop. As soon as he does, he lets the ball out with anticipation to Moore—who has not turned his head toward the ball yet. This pass is thrown on a rope as Young is nearly annihilated by Chiefs defenders.
Without this play, the Panthers may not have been able to tie the game to give themselves a chance at the end.
The Verdict
Let’s be critical for just a moment.
Sure, there were some plays left on the field by Young, including a couple of overthrown passes and some missed open receivers. If we’re being honest, even the top quarterbacks in the league will miss open players in their progressions.
This is not to say Young is a top quarterback. He still has plenty to prove and must maintain his current consistency as a passer before fully establishing the idea he is the team’s long-term answer. However, Sunday’s performance should have cemented him as the starter for the remainder of the season.
No one is parading Young nor are they crowning him a top passer. All anyone has been looking for is for him to show signs that he can become one, and he did so against the defending champions of the sport.
Carolina and head coach Dave Canales now have a quarterback that they can start depending on to make the throws necessary to put the offense in an advantage. This is what Young looks like with, at the least, average talent around him. Just imagine the possibilities of what he could do with an elite playmaker on the outside.
This was Young’s best career performance to date considering the opponent and the circumstances.
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