Panthers looked to 'simplify' offense for Bryce Young: It only sort of worked
Heading into Week 5, the Carolina Panthers wanted to try something new. They simplified the offense. And it yielded somewhat mixed results. Prior to the game, CBS Sports reported the Panthers were looking to "simplify" the offense because the coaching staff believed that the rookie quarterback, Bryce Young, was overwhelmed with the NFL-style scheme. "The Carolina […]
Heading into Week 5, the Carolina Panthers wanted to try something new.
They simplified the offense.
And it yielded somewhat mixed results.
Prior to the game, CBS Sports reported the Panthers were looking to "simplify" the offense because the coaching staff believed that the rookie quarterback, Bryce Young, was overwhelmed with the NFL-style scheme.
"The Carolina Panthers are realizing that some swords are double-edged," Jonathan Jones writes."For as bright as Young is, sources say he could be getting an overload of information from too many sources. That has resulted in uncharacteristic mistakes from the former Heisman winner, and it's helped contribute to a sputtering offense."
In a simplified offense, Young threw two interceptions. One interception came with seven minutes left to play in the first quarter, when Young threw the ball into the open hands of Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. The turnover led to direct points.
The second interception came with a little over three minutes to play in the second quarter. A pass intended for Jonathan Mingo landed in the hands of Jerry Jacobs. It looked as if Young didn't even see him before he threw the ball. The play ended up being the type of decision that breaks the back of a team, as the Lions went on to score on one play and go up 28-7 directly after.
But it wasn't all bad for Young in a simplified offense. He also put together some promising stretches that led to a three-touchdown game — the first of his career. He completed 25 passes, and when he wasn't overthinking the game, he made some decent throws.
Still, in a simplified offense, there wasn't enough high-level decision-making to state that Young has turned a corner.
"Anytime you turn the ball over, it takes a drive away from you, gives great position to them, and puts our defense in a tough situation," Young said of his play after the game. "So I own that. That's on me."
One thing Young clearly isn't naive to at is taking the blame. That has to count for something as he continues his search for his first NFL win.
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