Bryce Young exorcises demons in win against New Orleans, earns high marks for his bunch

Bryce Young needed that.

The much-maligned first overall pick in the 2023 draft was thrown back into the starting lineup after Andy Dalton’s car accident and after an improved performance in the Mile High City, Young came out looking like the former Heisman Trophy winner who Carolina selected last offseason. Young led his Carolina Panthers (with a notable helping hand from his defense) to a 23-22 divisional victory over the New Orleans Saints, which set off the first game-winning touchdown drive of his career.

From the first moment, Bryce Young was in complete control of Dave Canales’ offense. The decisions of the play callers (I’m cross-eyed by all the horizontal passing plays Canales mentioned) still raised eyebrows among the Carolinas, but his quarterback was comfortable in the pocket all afternoon. Instead of cutting the Saints to death with a million submissions, Young attacked the field and connected with explosives in the passing game that came from his arm talent, and not just the offensive scheme.

The most important throw of the day came on said game-winning drive. On a must-have-it third-and-10, Young dropped back and zipped a howitzer through Xavier Legette’s chest for a 26-yard gain and a first down. It was exactly the kind of football that Panthers fans and haters alike have been clamoring for from Young in his limited action as the Panthers’ starting quarterback.

Other than that, Young was fearless in the passing game as he targeted rookie pass catchers Jalen Coker, Ja’Tavion Sanders and the aforementioned Legette all afternoon.

He finished 16/26 passing for 171 yards, a touchdown and an interception that was 100% the fault of his most targeted receiver Xavier Legette. Young threw a rainbow ball down the sideline that was perfectly in his receiver’s hands, but Legette fumbled the catch and let defensive back Shemar Jean-Charles come down with the pick.

It wasn’t flawless, but Young got something other than one A would be unfair.

The circumstances surrounding the performance are important. In his last start against the SaintsYoung threw two nasty interceptions and failed to make any impact on the game before it spiraled completely out of control. With that disaster in mind, he stepped onto the field today with preternatural confidence and led his offense on three touchdown drives that allowed the Panthers to walk away with both their first home win and their first division victory of 2024.

Good for Bryce Young. He deserved an afternoon like that.

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