Pat McAfee believes that Bryce Youngs benching has done wonders for the Carolina Panthers quarterback, who he proclaimed is no longer considered a bust.
Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend, Young turned in one of the best performances of his NFL career, completing 26-of-46 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown in a 26-23 overtime loss. He additionally rushed three times for 17 yards and a score.
Though Youngs numbers dont exactly jump off the page, it was his maturity and poise in the pocket that caught the attention of McAfee. On a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, the ESPN personality heaped praise on the young signal-caller – insisting that he and the Panthers have the makings of a good football team.
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“After the benching of Bryce Young, him watching Andy Dalton for a few, maybe [Dave] Canales’ offense getting more ingrained, maybe the culture of [Dan] Morgan getting ingrained,” McAfee said. “They look like a good team.
Now once again, Tampa Bay Buccaneers win this game. Carolina Panthers lose again. The Carolina Panthers’ record isn’t going to be a great one when it’s all said and done. With that being said, I think we got hope that Bryce Young isn’t a bust. Like a lot of hope that Bryce Young isn’t a bust, he’s going to be a good football player.
Earlier this season, Youngs tenure with the Panthers appeared to be nearing an unceremonious end after Canales banished him to the bench ahead of the teams Week 3 matchup versus the Las Vegas Raiders. The 23-year-old did little to impress in Carolinas first two losses of the season, completing 31-of-56 passes for 245 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions.
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Since returning under center, however, Young has shown the same flashes of brilliance that convinced the Panthers to select him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. McAfee attributed the newfound success to his brief time away from the gridiron – additionally commending Carolina for not giving up on the quarterback.
I appreciate that they said, We’re not trading Bryce, McAfee said. This is a part of our plan. We’re going to bench him. We’re going to let him breathe maybe for the first time in his, what, whole life? Just let him breathe, and then we’ll let him watch some stuff, get him back in there. And that’s why they said during the trade [rumors], We didn’t give up on him.
In recent weeks, Young has particularly excelled when asked to make plays out of structure – entering a mindset that those within the Panthers building call “baller mode.” Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Canales said: “It’s confidence, and it’s decisiveness, it’s knowing what the concept is, getting a preview of what’s happening from a coverage standpoint and then making quick decisions.
And if you can play on time, throw to the first open guy and then progress quickly, get to your scrambles once you’re above that 2.7, as Will Harriger says, you activate the second play, baller mode. Here we go.
“And, you know, he’s getting to those things, and he’s winning the down and finding ways to win.”
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