Disastrous first games of a season are becoming commonplace for Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, and Sunday was no different, as the third-year quarterback struggled against the Jaguars in a 26-10 loss.
Young completed 18-of-35 pass attempts for 154 yards, along with two interceptions, a touchdown and a fumble.
His struggles were on display in the first half when he had completed just seven passes and had only 47 yards in the air, and had turned the ball over twice — once as an interception, and the other was a costly fumble that happened late in the second quarter.
“Just better decision-making,” Young said when asked about being better with protecting the ball. “I can’t turn the ball over like that. Cost the team. I have to be better than that. Just better decision-making.”
Young went into the locker room at halftime with a 26.2 passer rating.
It was a continuation of a trend that has become all too familiar for Panthers fans.
Young has struggled in each of his first three season openers since the Panthers selected him first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
All three of his season-opening starts have resulted in blowout losses for the Panthers and in those games combined, Young has 461 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions.
The frustration was visible on Young, who was captured coming off the field slamming his helmet early in the third quarter, after the Panthers couldn’t convert on a third-and-1 at the five-yard line.
“Just something that was going on with not executing,” Young said about the moment. “When you’re not executing, it sucks. But I have to do better as a leader.”
Panthers head coach Dave Canales appeared to be trying to talk with Young when the helmet slam occurred, and after the game, the head coach addressed the exchange.
“That’s just something that he and I will work through and talk about,” Canales said. “His frustration wasn’t directed at me in that. We were just talking about, ‘We gotta keep playing ball.'”