The Carolina Panthers improved to 1-1 in the preseason with a 17-10 victory over the New York Giants on Friday night. The game featured some notable performances from the Panthers’ rookies, especially quarterback Bryce Young.
Young, who was drafted with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, played three series in the first half and completed 8 of 12 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 12 yards on two carries. Young showed poise, accuracy and mobility in his second preseason outing, after a rough debut against the Jets last week.
Young’s highlight of the night was a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DJ Moore in the second quarter. Young rolled to his right and threw a perfect strike to Moore in the back of the end zone. It was Young’s first touchdown pass as a Panther.
Young said he felt more comfortable and confident on the field than he did in his first game. He credited his coaches and teammates for helping him adjust to the NFL level.
"There's a myriad of things I want to improve on," Young said after the game. "But I think just being able to go out there and execute and have fun with my guys, that was definitely a step in the right direction."
Panthers head coach Frank Reich praised Young’s performance and said he liked his demeanor and decision-making. He also said Young acted like he was 45 years old at times, referring to his maturity and leadership.
"He’s got a lot of poise," Reich said. "He’s got a lot of confidence. He’s got a lot of talent. He’s got a lot of work to do, but he’s making progress every day."
The Panthers will wrap up their preseason schedule next week against the Colts. Reich said he has not decided yet how much Young will play in that game, but he hinted that he might give him more snaps to prepare him for the regular season.
Sources: News Observer, MSN, Yahoo Sports
