Was Panthers QB Bryce Young really that bad in Week 1? Kind of. But a review of the film shows some promising developments.
The Carolina Panthers entered this year’s regular-season opener with expectations of growth and improvement under new head coach Dave Canales. And while those prospects could still be on the horizon, they were nowhere to be seen in their humiliating 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
From the broadcast, everything looked out of shape in all three phases—and the team’s second-year quarterback, Bryce Young had one of his worst games as a pro. That, obviously, doesn’t give the fan base confidence moving forward.
But what it really that bad?
Let’s search for some context from the defeat by taking a deep dive into the All-22 game film . . .
What to take away from Carolina’s defensive performance
Although it’s expected that they’re going to take a step back in pass-rushing production, the Panthers defense was in line to improve against the run—especially with the additions of defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson and inside linebacker Josey Jewell.
Instead, New Orleans ran all over Carolina’s defensive front—posting 180 rushing yards at 4.9 yards per attempt. They also got passed on from get-go:
To make matters worse, Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown tore his meniscus during the contest and will now miss the remainder of the season. Losing Brown for the year could turn this trench into the worst in all of football.
Even with him, the group was blown off the line of scrimmage far too often—as the Saints offensive line won with superb leverage, hand placement and drive.
But despite the dreadful run defense, there were a couple of positives . . .
Cornerback Mike Jackson had a satisfactory game. He gave up a few catches here and there, but was sturdy overall. He made excellent tackles from coverage depth, showing adequate change of direction to redirect and make plays downhill.
Outside linebacker Eku Leota also impressed, perhaps certifying himself as the team’s temporary No. 2 pass rusher opposite of Jadeveon Clowney.
I came away intrigued with his explosiveness and underrated power at the point of contact. Leota displayed these traits in several reps against first-round offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, tallying three tackles for loss and the sack shown in the post above.
Offensive line shows improvement in steady showing
General manager Dan Morgan made a concerted effort to add protection around Young with the big-money additions of guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis. And despite their quarterback’s struggles, the unit itself displayed progress and overall growth as a unit.
This is going to be a good run-blocking offensive line. On most run plays, the bunch was generating movement and pushing Saints defensive linemen four to six yards back—using good hip torque and power at the point of attack. They created good lanes for running backs Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders to hit.
As a wrinkle, backup Brady Christensen was used as an eligible player lined up as a tight end or halfback as an extra blocker. I appreciate Canales for being creative and getting him on the field.
In pass protection, this group was solid. There were, however, some moments of miscommunication, especially when it came to the nickel blitzes. That’s why cornerback (yes, cornerback) Alontae Taylor finished the afternoon with 3.0 sacks.
Bryce Young had a bad day, but it wasn’t absolutely horrible
We all know Young had a bad game, but I don’t believe it was as terrible as some make it to be.
He had some very rough misfires, including on his two interception—toward the deep crosser of Diontae Johnson and the scramble drill to Adam Thielen from the deep curl concepts, respectively.
There were also some instances where he missed open receivers on backside reads, showing that he may have been fully overwhelmed. (But the Saints played excellent defense Sunday—and based on my interpretation of this game, that group could’ve shut down anyone.)
Young wasn’t given enough check-down outlets, especially on some of the deep pass game concepts that were run and the second pick he threw where the middle of the field was empty. That would allow for a more seamless chunk play on third-and-17.
There were some plays where he had “NFL open” outlets, but was unable to connect. The former No. 1 overall selection had a couple of instances where his targeted receiver didn’t show enough effort to get to the ball.
On the positive side, Young displayed solid pocket navigation. A number of those throws were well-placed with timing and anticipation with him finding spots to pick versus zone coverage. Plenty of his incomplete passes were true throwaways due to coverage as well.
Young must improve going forward. There is no question that he is now on the hot seat.
While it is unlikely that the Panthers bench him and go with Andy Dalton, who may not be a better option anyway, the former Heisman Trophy winner must play with more calmness. The next 16 games will be crucial to his evaluation as Carolina’s franchise quarterback.
[lawrence-related id=702993,702959,703125]
