Panthers No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young beginning to show poise, moxie as rookie season winds down

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers are beginning to see some of the poise and moxie they were hoping for this season out of No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.

The rookie quarterback turned in his best game of the season on Christmas Eve, completing 23 of 36 passes for a career-high 312 yards and two touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers.

Although the Panthers lost 33-30 when they weren’t able to spike the ball at the Green Bay 31 before time expired, it was still a game where Young took a significant step forward.

He had not thrown for more than 250 yards in a game.

Young seemed to get more comfortable in the pocket as the game progressed, throwing two TD passes to DJ Chark in the fourth quarter to erase a 14-point deficit. He threw the ball precisely and without hesitation. a sign of growing confidence.

It was the second straight game Young showed some good stuff with the game on the line.

Against Atlanta, Young led the Panthers on a 90-yard drive over the final 7:35 to set up Eddy Pineiro's winning field goal as time expired.

Interim head coach Chris Tabor said Young was in “complete control" on Sunday.

“You’re seeing a guy play with some confidence and understanding,” Tabor said. “He’s smart. He’s understanding how the game’s being played and what needs to be done, and he’s doing those things. You’re seeing a rookie player grow."

The enthusiasm over Young's development should be tempered though, as the Packers defense hasn't been good. Green Bay had allowed the QBs it had faced in the previous two weeks — New York's Tommy DeVito and Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield — to win NFC offensive player of the week honors. And had the Panthers won, Young might have been the third.

But with the Panthers (2-13) having been eliminated early from playoff contention, the second half of the season has largely been about Young's growth and development.

And it was there on Sunday.

“The goal is only working day in and day out throughout the week to win games on Sunday,” Young said. “We have to earn the right to do that, and that’s what every coach will say, what every player will say that that’s what it’s about. ”

WHAT NEEDS HELP

Considering how much time they've spent on the field this season, the fact the Panthers defense was ranked third in the league coming into the weekend is quite a tribute to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

But the Panthers struggled against Jordan Love, allowing the Packers to score on their first four possessions — three of which were touchdowns. Love made it look easy, mixing intermediate throws with run plays. And when the Packers needed a score to break a 30-30 tie, Love stepped up again with a clutch 36-yard pass completion to Romeo Doubs and a 20-yarder Taylor Kraft to set up the go-ahead field goal with 19 seconds left.

STOCK UP

Chark had his best game with the Panthers, catching six passes for 98 yards and the two fourth-quarter touchdowns, one of which was a diving grab near the back pylon. The week before Chark hauled in a pass that had a low percentage of being completed near the sideline to set up Carolina's winning field goal against the Falcons.

STOCK DOWN

Pineiro pushed his career field goal rate to 89% — he's exactly 89 of 100 — on Sunday which makes him the third-most accurate field goal kicker in NFL history behind Baltimore's Justin Tucker (90.1%) and Atlanta's Younghoe Koo (89.4%) now that he has enough kicks to qualify.

However, Pineiro missed two extra points against the Packers, although one was backed up 15 yards because of a penalty.

INJURIES

Panthers RB Miles Sanders injured his toe against the Packers and didn't see much action. OLB Amare Barno was carted off the field Sunday with a knee injury. No update was available on either player.

KEY NUMBERS

10 — Number of tackles by LB Frankie Luvu against the Packers. He also had a sack and a forced fumble.

NEXT STEPS

The Panthers travel to face the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars, who have lost four straight, on Sunday. The Panthers will then close the season at home on Jan. 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.