With no shot at the playoffs and no first-round pick to look forward to in April, the best the Panthers can hope for is signs of Bryce Young improving as a quarterback in the final weeks of a disappointing season.
Young showed some of those signs against the Packers on Sunday. Young recorded a season-high 312 receiving yards while leading a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives that allowed the Panthers to tie the Packers 30-30. Green Bay eventually won with a field goal in the final minute of play, but the performance came on the heels of their game-winning win against the Falcons in Week 15 and was celebrated by others on the team after the game.
Interim head coach Chris Tabor said Young was in “total control” and wide receiver Adam Thielen said it was a stepping stone to better days.
“Man, impressive,” Thielen said on the team’s website. “Really the things that you've seen and a lot of us have seen in the OTAs, training camp. Just that confidence, that kind of attitude. And then collectively make some plays for him, and watch out, he's got the power, as we say. So, obviously it's impressive.” Extremely Excited to build on that“.
DJ Chark, Thielen's teammate, was also impressed and said “three, four, five years from now, he'll definitely be at the top, if not one of the best QBs” in the league. It remains to be seen whether Chark's predictions will pan out, but any game that leaves that impression is a welcome development after so much tough sledding for a newbie.
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