Sometimes winning a football game becomes a secondary accomplishment. A footnote to a larger, more important goal. Bryce Young took to the field during a relatively empty time on Sunday afternoon, one of the most watched games in recent weeks. carolina pantherscementing itself as the future of the franchise in a way that had been mostly up in the air up until this point.
The “reason” the Panthers lost in overtime is a very simple calculation. Usually accurate kicker Eddie Pineiro missed two kicks, and usually reliable running back Tuba Hubbard fumbled in overtime, setting the stage for a come-from-behind victory. buccaneers win. It was largely thanks to Young that Carolina got into the game in the first place, and he had the best performance of his career, solidifying him as the Panthers' starting QB and showing why he is the No. 1 pick. Showed. 2023 NFL Draft.
Bryce Young is officially a franchise quarterback and the monkey is off his back.
The box score tells part of the story. 26-for-46, 298 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT — 3 carries for 17 yards and another touchdown.
young place Really The moment it jumps out of the film shines. Check the line of scrimmage, change protection based on exotic blitz packages, make small movements in the pocket to take off tracking angles, and change pass rush. When it comes to throwing the ball, Young routinely shows off his underrated athleticism by aiming, throwing with anticipation, and making plays with his feet or opening throws with runs. did.
A crucial play with 36 seconds left decided everything.
At this point, the Panthers are out of timeout. Young knows the only way to win is by a touchdown. Anthony Nelson applies pressure from the edge with RT Taylor Morton's hitting, while Vita Vea wins the battle in the middle and collapses the center. I often see young quarterbacks run away from pressure and flash to the weak side on this play. At this point, his options are very limited. Either he tries to make a play with his legs, he makes an ill-advised crossbody throw, he takes a coverage sack, or he throws the ball away.
Instead, Brice climbed into the pocket, looked downfield, and gave Adam Thielen a touchdown strike. This would have won the game had it not been for a terrible defensive mistake by Carolina on the ensuing drive.
Bryce Young wasn't perfect. Sure, there were a few passes he put up and a few botched plays, but when you put it all together for a Carolina offense still missing players due to injury, Young was more impressive than he should have been. . In just a few weeks, we've gone from talking about Young being a huge bust to talking about him stepping up and giving the Panthers hope.
It's unclear “why” Young was taken off the bench to take his big step forward, at least not publicly. There has been much discussion about how the team rallied around Young, how he accepted his mistakes more responsibly and came out the other side as the team's undisputed leader. It has been. On the field, we see a distributor with the ability of a point guard who became a top draft pick, putting the ball where only receivers can get it, reading the defense, and not turning anything into a big play. It is done on a daily basis.
The next step is for the Panthers to get healthy and become a more consistent team. The red zone offense will remain a mess without a full receiving corps without having to rely on rookies, but the run-pass balance of Carolina's offense is still developing. The biggest questions have already been answered, so these are the future challenges for your organization.
Carolina has a franchise quarterback. There's a lot for fans to look forward to right now.
Winner: Patriots with Drake Maye on his lap
Never mind that New England lost to the Colts by one point in this game because the Pats' kicker missed two field goals. The basic, fundamental reality remains that Drake Maye is an absolute stud and this team also has a franchise quarterback.
Many (myself included) thought Maye would be QB1 in the 2024 NFL Draft, and honestly, he's playing like one — even without all the hype. . You have to realize that the Patriots are still a mess offensively. They have no real weapons other than running back LaMondre Stephenson, their receivers are still developing and their offensive line is one of the worst in the league.
Yet, despite all this, May is thriving. He has shown incredible command of NFL offensive concepts and keeps New England in games they otherwise would not be able to contest. On Sunday, he gained 297 yards in a versatile offense, completed 80 percent of his passes, and was the linchpin of the offense overall.
The future is very bright for the Pats' quarterback, but that can't be said for every team with a young QB.
Loser: Kirk Cousins and the Falcons' hopes
Atlanta is cooked and Cousins is turkey to them, so they might as well put down their forks. The four-day interception sealed the Falcons' fate. chargerbut the problems this team had with the passing offense were far more specific.
Atlanta's defense held Justin Herbert to 147 yards. It did its job. The Chargers' running game never got going. Again, the defense did their job. Bijan Robinson ran for over 100 yards. he did his job.
Kirk Cousins wasn't like that.
This is a case where the NFC South's weakness becomes a significant disadvantage. There's a very healthy case for the 6-6 Falcons to accept where they are, play Michael Penix Jr. to close out the year, and at least get a sense of what they could be in the future. be. The Buccaneers currently hold the key to the division with a soft schedule, and making the playoffs was not Atlanta's goal this season.
The situation has only gotten worse and there is nothing they can do.
Winner: Josh Allen
Established himself as the top candidate for MVP. 49ersengaged to Hailee Steinfeld. It's been a pretty productive week, all things considered.
