It took 27 video games, however for the primary time in his profession, Bryce Younger has an NFL successful streak.
Younger, elevated again to the Carolina Panthers’ beginning lineup after Andy Dalton suffered a minor damage in a automobile accident, is within the midst of his most interesting stretch as a professional. With three wins, his Panthers have already exceeded their 2023 whole.
This all gestures broadly to the subterranean expectations in Carolina proper now. However it additionally brings up an necessary query. Is Younger, the primary general choose of the 2023 NFL Draft, truly good?
Younger has had moments of functionality previously. As a rookie he alternated constructive and adverse performances early within the season, culminating with a win over the Houston Texans the place he did sufficient to beat C.J. Stroud, the franchise quarterback drafted one spot after him. In Weeks 15 and 16 he beat the Atlanta Falcons and narrowly misplaced to the Inexperienced Bay Packers, shining particularly towards now-deposed Inexperienced Bay defensive coordinator Joe Barry.
However Younger had by no means strung collectively back-to-back video games with a constructive anticipated factors added (EPA). He nonetheless hasn’t, even in his two-week win streak.
Whereas he dispatched the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints, he didn’t precisely shine. He wanted 26 passes to throw for less than 171 yards in Week 9. In Munich, Germany he dropped again 26 occasions for 118 web passing yards. Just one Panther had greater than 41 receiving yards in both of these wins — rookie tight finish Ja’Tavion Sanders.
1st TD within the NFL and abroad
📺: NFL Community pic.twitter.com/hsMScVsSyo— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 10, 2024
That was a slick landing go, constructed from stress and improvised to perfection. That’s the man the Panthers wished once they drafted Younger; a quarterback whose ability manifested in an unquantifiable skill to rise up to date. Let’s flip by a few of his greater throws of the afternoon and see if that trait lingered or disappeared as soon as once more.
Let’s speak about Younger’s good throws
Right here, Younger helps his trigger with an enormous pickup on third-and-long late within the fourth quarter defending a three-point lead. However whereas it reveals up as a constructive on the field rating it’s not all encouraging.
Bryce Younger bought the large third down conversion right here however, uh, did not fairly exude confidence within the pocket with this one pic.twitter.com/mw276U2zOj
— Christian D’Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 10, 2024
Younger floats this sideline route, not stepping all the way in which into this lengthy toss due to stress arising the intestine that forces him to leap backward. The low velocity permits Dane Belton to shut the hole between him and Xavier Legette and practically erase the achieve.
That’s a conglomeration of the 2 considerations that adopted him to the NFL — his dimension to play by static within the pocket and the arm power to flick passes deep (or, on this case, deep-ish) to the sideline. However it labored, so it’s powerful to nitpick too totally.
Let’s take a look at one other intermediate completion that noticed Younger elevate a rookie wideout. This time, it’s undrafted free agent Jalen Coker:
What a catch by the rookie
📺: NFL Community pic.twitter.com/HvAkChF6zV— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 10, 2024
With time to set his toes, Younger nonetheless offers us a little bit faucet dance earlier than unleashing a dart over the center. It’s barely astray however nonetheless in Coker’s vary for a 24-yard achieve that moved Carolina out of the shadow of its finish zone en path to a area objective and an early 10-0 lead. These are all performs that may be labored round; imperfect however promising. This wasn’t all Sunday had in retailer for the second-year quarterback.
Younger accomplished solely 4 of his 9 passes that traveled a minimum of 10 yards downfield. That go to Coker above was considered one of 10 that he threw to his left and past the road of scrimmage. He accomplished two of them.
by way of nextgenstats.nfl.com
Let’s speak about Younger’s unhealthy throws
Right here’s a type of misses. On third-and-4 Dexter Lawrence’s stress up the intestine creates issues within the pocket. Younger takes the ball from a shotgun snap and takes roughly seven steps straight backward. He’s unable to step into his throw and short-arms a go to Coker, forcing a punt:
There are extenuating circumstances at play, from Lawrence’s rush to first rate sufficient protection to the very fact head coach Dave Canales drew up a play with a number of long-developing routes realizing Lawrence has feasted this season. However Younger will get caught up within the static round him, narrows his field of regard and can’t execute.
Right here’s one other third down goal downfield for Coker. Younger sees his younger wideout in single protection and makes the proper alternative. However stress forces him to placed on his dancing footwear and he’s practically hopping whereas throwing this ball from the pocket. This, with an help from what maaaaaay have been some uncalled defensive holding, results in an overthrow and provides New York the prospect to rally late in a three-point sport.
None of that is particularly stunning. Younger is finishing 66 p.c of his passes with a clear pocket and 42 p.c when pressured, per NFL Professional. He is usually a stable improvisor, however he’s been unable to stand up and be higher than the chaos round him.
There’s no cause to tug him from the lineup. Andy Dalton stays very a lot Andy Dalton and Younger provides performs to encourage temporary moments of hope. Even so, the problems that plagued him pre-benching stay.
He’s anxious within the pocket, struggles to set his toes and doesn’t do an excellent job of making area behind the road of scrimmage in a manner that opens up his passing sport. Younger’s time to throw below stress goes as much as 3.67 seconds per dropback in comparison with 2.38 when he’s clear, however his passer ranking dips from 66.9 to 55.2 in these conditions.
Younger will get a bye week to take in these good vibes and churn extra tape, determining methods to seek out the room to plant his toes and drive massive throws downfield. The following two groups he’s scheduled to face are the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, two groups that rank nineteenth and 18th in defensive stress price this season, respectively. It’s attainable Younger continues to look “not unhealthy” on the market.
He’s additionally not fastened. Canales nonetheless has lots of work forward of him to show his former franchise quarterback right into a present or future one. For now, Younger owns his first-ever successful streak. He hasn’t been particularly spectacular, however he’s been environment friendly sufficient to beat unhealthy opponents. If nothing else, that’s progress.
