CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After back-to-back losses to start his NFL profession, Bryce Younger sat out a Week 3 journey to Seattle final yr with a sprained ankle that many figured was extra of a psychological break for the No. 1 decide.
Nicely, the Carolina Panthers once more are headed west in Week 3 coming off consecutive defeats — each a lot worse than final yr’s — and it’s value asking if Younger may benefit from getting the week off.
Or longer.
With every loss, Younger appears to be like much less and fewer like the reply at quarterback. The 5-foot-10, 2021 Heisman winner accomplished a good 18 of 26 passes Sunday within the 26-3 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers. However these completions went for a paltry 84 yards, the fourth-lowest passing complete in franchise historical past for a quarterback with not less than 25 cross makes an attempt.
Younger appears to be like overwhelmed. He’s leaping to make throws over cross rushers and appears scared to throw the ball downfield, in all probability as a result of nothing good has occurred when he’s executed so. One in all Younger’s few downfield makes an attempt was intercepted by security Elijah Molden in a play that appeared eerily just like Younger’s first-pass-of-the-season decide within the 47-10 embarrassment at New Orleans.
Followers booed loudly after Younger’s interception Sunday, then booed after one other third-down throw went in need of the first-down marker. The group that featured Charlotte rapper DaBaby and several other followers with baggage on their heads booed as Panthers gamers left the sphere at halftime — with 15 1/2 video games remaining.
They weren’t the one pissed off ones.
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Veteran receiver Adam Thielen misplaced his cool and commenced yelling on the sidelines after Younger was sacked halfway by means of the third quarter, when Thielen nonetheless hadn’t been focused. He later apologized to Younger, though he mentioned his “boiling over” second wasn’t directed at Younger particularly.
The Panthers’ receiving numbers appeared like one thing from a center college sport.
Operating again Chuba Hubbard led the crew with 4 receptions … for 12 yards. Diontae Johnson had a team-high six targets, which resulted within the Molden interception and three receptions. Johnson’s longest catch coated 7 yards. Younger’s longest completion was a 12-yarder to tight finish Tommy Tremble on the primary play of the second half.
Johnson was requested if he was stunned by the dearth of downfield pictures.
“All of us are,” he mentioned. “However it’s what it’s. We’re not those calling the performs. So our job is to go on the market and execute each play that they name and put it on movie.”
Coach Dave Canales stood up for Younger when requested if he would begin subsequent week at Las Vegas.
“Bryce is our quarterback,” he mentioned. “We’re going to simply proceed to shore up and repair the issues we have to basically from a scheme standpoint. These are all useful reps. These are all useful video games. We’ll study rather a lot from this sport and hopefully we’ll take one other step this week.”
Canales faces a tricky resolution in relation to Younger. Benching him in favor of Andy Dalton after two video games could be an indictment of his offense and the scouting potential of normal supervisor Dan Morgan, who was the assistant GM when the Panthers traded 4 draft picks (two firsts and two seconds) and wideout DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears to take Younger with the primary decide.
However Canales dangers alienating the locker room and the fan base if he continues to play a quarterback who doesn’t give the Panthers the most effective likelihood at profitable. If the followers have been stressed Sunday, the reception might be even ruder in just a few weeks if the Panthers are nonetheless winless and Younger is struggling.
Proprietor David Tepper will in all probability take the choice off Canales’ plate at that time. Some would encourage the Panthers to grit their enamel by means of a tough season to get the No. 1 decide. However dropping the followers is what prompted Tepper to maneuver on from Ron Rivera and Matt Rhule.
Followers have been heard chanting expletives together with Tepper’s title and inspiring the hedge-fund billionaire to promote the crew.
And the Panthers are in peril of turning each residence sport right into a stadium takeover for visiting followers amid boobirds and followers with baggage over their heads.
Followers at Financial institution of America Stadium are turning on the Panthers, particularly after their efficiency Sunday towards the Chargers. (Bob Donnan / USA As we speak)
The Panthers dropped their first two video games this yr by a mixed 60 factors, the second-largest differential in consecutive losses in crew historical past. When the Panthers have been enjoying out the string in 2019 after Rivera was fired, the Panthers misplaced to the Indianapolis Colts 38-6 earlier than falling to the New Orleans Saints 42-10 within the season finale.
The QBs in these video games have been Kyle Allen and Will Grier, an undrafted free agent and third-round choice — not the No. 1 decide taken simply forward of C.J. Stroud. Whereas Younger was tossing passes at or close to the road of scrimmage, Sam Darnold — the starter for the Panthers’ 2022 resurgence below Steve Wilks — was main the Minnesota Vikings to a 23-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
With a 97-yard landing cross to Justin Jefferson, Darnold in a single play surpassed Younger’s passing complete for the day. Darnold and Baker Mayfield, one other ex-Carolina QB, are each 2-0 to begin the season.
Canales pointed to 3rd down because the supply of the offensive issues. The Panthers transformed 1-of-12 third-down probabilities and are 2-of-22 on the season. It will assist if these third-down performs featured passes to receivers standing past the first-down marker.
“Simply make sure that we’re difficult the sticks,” Canales mentioned. “A few of it was by design and the performs come off how they’ll. However basically we had alternatives on each side on third all the way down to make performs, and it comes down to creating performs.”
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Canales referred to as components of the second half as if the Panthers have been main 23-3, not trailing by that rating. Late within the third quarter, the Panthers went run-run-pass, then punted on fourth-and-2 from their 25. In equity, the run sport was the one factor that was working: Hubbard averaged 6.4 yards on 10 carries.
However this can be a passing league, and Canales’ imaginative and prescient was a robust dashing assault making issues simpler for Younger with play-action and bootlegs. Canales retains saying it takes time to “grow to be us,” however there’s been little proof this is usually a competent offense with Younger working it.
“I really like Bryce to loss of life, man,” mentioned Thielen, who completed with two catches for 20 yards. “He works his butt off. He’s a fantastic participant. This isn’t a Bryce Younger challenge. That is an offensive, crew challenge. We’re all on this collectively.
“There isn’t a particular person on this offense that’s guilty. It’s a collective factor. I’m enthusiastic about the place we will go. However we have to determine a technique to have urgency to get that executed.”
All of it sounds and appears rather a lot like final yr, and we all know how that ended. One thing or somebody has to offer.
(High picture of Joey Bosa and Bryce Younger: David Jensen / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)
