Panthers sticking with Young despite Week 2 dud

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The boos for Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers began late in the second half of Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers when the second-year quarterback threw a short pass in the flats on third-and-15 that had no chance at a first down.

Young had a historically bad day, passing for only 84 yards to tie for the fourth fewest in team history for a quarterback with at least 25 pass attempts.

He became the third player in the past 20 seasons to average 4 or fewer yards per dropback in four straight starts. He has three interceptions and no touchdowns in two starts this season.

Yet when first-year coach Dave Canales was asked who would be his starter next week against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, he didn’t hesitate.

“Bryce is our quarterback,” said the coach who was hired to turn Young around. “We’re going to continue to shore and fix the things we need to fundamentally, from a scheme standpoint, all those things.”

The Panthers are off to an 0-2 start for the second straight season and fifth time in the past six, and have been outscored 72-13 by the Chargers and New Orleans Saints. Young, the top pick of the 2023 draft, is now 2-16 as the starter.

The only game he has missed was in Week 3 a year ago when then-coach Frank Reich sat the rookie who had been dealing with an ankle injury. Andy Dalton passed for 361 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Young started the rest of the season, and Carolina scored 13 or fewer points in 10 of the 14 games, including shutouts in the final two.

Carolina’s 13 points over the past four games dating back to those shutouts are the fewest over a four-game span by any team since the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998 and tied for the fewest over a four-game span by any NFL team since 1980.

But Canales and players remain adamant that Young gives them the best chance of winning.

“No doubt, no question,” said wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who was brought in to help elevate Young but in two games has five catches for 34 yards.

Veteran Adam Thielen agreed.

“I love that kid,” said Thielen, who was held to two catches for 20 yards Sunday. “He works his butt off. It’s too early in the season to be talking about all that. We need to be better around him, to give him confidence and trust in what we’re doing.”

Thielen, however, admitted he let his emotions “boil over” in the third quarter when he got upset when Young took a sack on a play in which he was wide open.

But Thielen said his outburst on the sideline was about “the last two weeks” and not one play.

“You don’t put all that work in the offseason to put out the performance we put out there,” he said. “You have so much expectations, you put all this work in, you’re in Year 2 of a lot of guys coming back together, you want to see progression. And obviously, we haven’t had that yet.”

The Panthers’ only touchdown in two games came on a scramble by Young against New Orleans that initially was ruled a fumble before the replay showed he crossed the line first.

Canales wrote off Thielen’s display of emotion as frustration by everyone.

Young understood.

“We’re all competitors,” he said. “We all want to win. Obviously, we didn’t have the outcome we wanted, and it’s frustrating. At the end of the day on the sideline we’re trying to get it right for the future.”

Young also appreciated Canales saying he would start against the Raiders.

“I’m super grateful for Coach Canales,” he said. “I have full trust in him as a coach, as a play caller in the system that he’s brought in. We have to do a better job executing and helping him out.

“This is obviously tough times, but it’s a greater opportunity for us and our relationship and the entire team to grow.”

Young also took the boos in stride.

“I respect the passion that the city has for the team,” he said. “Obviously, that’s a part of it.”