Now, that is the Bryce Younger the NFL had been anticipating.
The 2023 No. 1 choose has performed significantly better since returning to the Carolina Panthers beginning lineup 5 weeks in the past, and the gradual development of late has been essentially the most encouraging. A coach who lately ready for his crew to play towards the Panthers famous that Younger’s consolation within the pocket has been a launching level for enchancment.
Younger has accomplished 60.4 % of his passes over the previous 5 video games for 1,082 yards, six touchdowns, three interceptions and an 83.5 passer ranking. He’s additionally logged 82 dashing yards and a rating. They aren’t gaudy numbers, however they’ve been environment friendly.
And let’s not overlook, the Panthers nonetheless have sufficient holes on the roster that they’ll be in competition for the No. 1 choose in April. Younger returned to a crew that was once more a vendor on the commerce deadline.
The Athletic’s Week 14 QB rankings
Younger, who has had three head coaches (one interim) in two seasons, began poorly and was benched after two video games. He didn’t throw a landing go because the Panthers solely generated 13 factors in two blowout losses, and he was picked thrice and sacked six instances.
So the Panthers turned to veteran Andy Dalton, a controversial transfer that made some across the league wonder if they have been carried out with Younger altogether. Head coach Dave Canales had been credited for his earlier work with Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield, so Younger’s two-game trial his new coach was alarmingly brief after the Panthers invested a lot to draft him.
To assume, Younger’s return to the sector wasn’t even a part of the plan. Dalton injured his thumb in a automotive accident, so the Panthers had no selection however to return to Younger.
He had one among his finest statistical performances in his re-debut, a 28-14 loss to the Broncos, earlier than main the Panthers to tight victories towards the Saints and Giants. However Younger actually caught everybody’s consideration when he rallied the offense for a game-tying drive towards the Chiefs, who finally received on the buzzer. And Sunday, Younger was once more nails in crunchtime in a tricky extra time loss to the Buccaneers.
“The shocking factor earlier than (the benching) was that he struggled to cope with strain. That wasn’t a difficulty in faculty,” a rival government mentioned. “He’s extra assured now. He was taking a beating earlier than. He appeared like a battered participant.
“They’ve gotten higher as an offense total. Sitting down and coming again, he’s extra assured in what he’s doing.”
Younger was sacked 62 instances in 16 begins as a rookie, so the pocket jitters have been comprehensible. He’s additionally handled scheme and regime modifications. Drive a younger quarterback to perpetually play catch-up to the setting round him, and the basics can get misplaced.
For the reason that chaos has settled in Carolina, Younger has developed extra belief together with his ability gamers. He solely had two completions of at the least 20 yards in his first two begins of the season, however he has 15 such performs since returning.
Issues are lastly shifting in the fitting path, with Younger and Canales trying like a greater pair than it appeared in September.
“Bryce had a tough go, but it surely looks as if he’s beginning to perceive the offense,” one other evaluator mentioned. “He’s getting protected just a little higher and being decisive. He did go No. 1 for a purpose.”
GO DEEPER
Scoop Metropolis: Risers and fallers after Week 13
First, Cousins
Kirk Cousins is coming off his worst outing with the Atlanta Falcons, tossing 4 interceptions in a 17-13 loss to a Los Angeles Chargers crew with a powerful protection. However the 36-year-old now leads the NFL with 13 interceptions, and he has no touchdowns towards six picks throughout a three-game shedding streak that’s dropped the Falcons right into a tie with the Buccaneers within the NFC South.
With these elements, together with Cousins clearly nonetheless recovering from a torn Achilles, there shall be mounting strain to show towards rookie Michael Penix Jr. The primary-round choose has blown away the Falcons’ brass, from the best way he carried himself within the constructing over the offseason to his regular-season work on the observe area. There’s a whole lot of optimism over Penix’s future.
However there’s additionally hope for the current. Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract final offseason, and the Falcons personal the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bucs. The Falcons rank fourth in passing yards and eighth in complete yards this season, so the offense has pulled its weight, even when it’s been sporadic at instances, together with the four-pick efficiency costing Atlanta a win.
That is all to say Cousins ought to, in principle, give the Falcons a greater probability to succeed in the playoffs than a rookie with 5 profession passing makes an attempt. Oh, and the Falcons are about to go to the Minnesota Vikings, so there’s no purpose to assume they’d shelve Cousins earlier than an emotional recreation towards his former crew.
GO DEEPER
NFL playoff image after Week 13: Steelers seize management of AFC North, Payments clinch AFC East
However what if the hunch continues, or the Falcons fall a few video games behind the Bucs? It’d be logical to offer Penix a glance down the stretch to at the least open the opportunity of shifting to Plan B in 2025, particularly since he’s been crushing it in observe.
There’d even be a profit to maintaining Cousins wholesome, contemplating how troublesome it’s for anybody to come back again so rapidly from an Achilles harm. Cousins has $27.5 million in assured cash in 2025, so it’d be pure to need to get essentially the most out of him underneath the circumstances.
These selections aren’t made in a vacuum, although. If Penix performed effectively down the stretch, there’d be extra strain to play him in 2025. And if the Falcons agreed with that sentiment, they’d should discover a new house for Cousins, who has a no-trade clause.
The Falcons might deal with the monetary fallout of parting with Cousins as a result of they’d be selling a quarterback on a rookie contract, but it surely’s additionally the kind of determination that might dramatically backfire if Penix didn’t instantly pan out. And regardless of how effectively a quarterback performs in observe, you don’t know the way a QB will look in a recreation till he amasses sufficient expertise.
It’s an attractive thought, however in all probability not one thing the Falcons ought to act upon until it turns into completely obligatory.
GO DEEPER
Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Lamar Jackson and a scorching MVP race: Sando’s Decide Six
Again on prime
Josh Allen returned to the highest of the rankings for the primary time since Weeks 4-5. The Buffalo Payments QB opened the season at No. 2 behind Kansas Metropolis’s Patrick Mahomes. Allen remained there for 3 weeks after which struggled for a few video games earlier than tumbling to No. 4 for 4 weeks. He earned robust consideration at No. 1 per week in the past, and his unimaginable efficiency within the snow towards the 49ers, coupled with Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson’s loss to the Eagles, solidified the change.
Amari Cooper and Josh Allen join for the final word snow recreation landing ‼️
🎥 @NFL pic.twitter.com/xcOw7jZSEB
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 2, 2024
Allen’s passing/receiving landing shall be one of many highlights of the season, the reply to a trivia query and presumably probably the most iconic performs in Payments historical past. Possibly, for some, it is going to be seen as his MVP second.
However from this vantage level, Allen started his mission to overhaul Jackson within the MVP race in Week 11 together with his 26-yard landing run on fourth-and-2 to successfully beat the Chiefs. The race is way from a formality, although, as Jackson, Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff and Philadelphia Eagles working again Saquon Barkley don’t determine to be going wherever.
Jackson’s numbers are nonetheless higher throughout the board, save for dashing touchdowns, the place Allen has a 6-3 edge. Jackson’s Ravens additionally blew out Allen’s Payments in Week 4.
However the Payments are in competition for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, whereas Allen is coming by with some huge moments down the stretch. There’s a professional argument to be made for the first characters within the race.
Damage notes
• Baker Mayfield ought to be good to go this week towards the Raiders, in keeping with league sources. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB was nonetheless sore Monday after a Panthers defender stepped on the again of his proper leg Sunday, inflicting Mayfield to go to the harm tent and put on a strolling boot after the sport. However there was no have to bear additional testing. Mayfield has performed by much more severe accidents previously.
• Jaguars coach Doug Pederson mentioned Monday they’re nonetheless assessing choices with Trevor Lawrence, who suffered a scary concussion Sunday towards the Texans. Lawrence will stay within the rankings till a choice has been made on his availability.
• Drew Lock grew to become the forty fifth QB to look within the rankings this season as a result of he began the Giants’ final recreation and the crew declined to announce which of Daniel Jones’ former backups would begin its upcoming recreation towards the Saints.
Dropped out of rankings: Giants’ Tommy DeVito (forearm harm), No. 32 final week.
(Picture of Bryce Younger: Matt Kelley / Getty Pictures)