Bryce Young intercepted on Panthers’ first offensive play of the 2024 season, struggles in Year 2 debut
The Carolina Panthers‘ first drive of the 2024 season looked a lot like their 2023 season. On the first pass attempt of his sophomore campaign, former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young threw an interception.
Young’s pass intended for wide receiver Diontae Johnson was intercepted by Saints safety Will Harris, who brought the ball 7 yards to the Carolina 40-yard line.
Here is a look at the play:
The Panthers, who were looking to turn things around from a disappointing last season, had more of the same on their very first play and in the rest of the game. Carolina went on to lose 47-10 to New Orleans.
At the end of the first quarter, the Panthers were already down 17-0 to the home team and were down 30-0 before halftime.
The Panthers had just 11 first downs compared to the Saints’ 22 and had just two rushing first downs, compared to their opponents’ 13. Their run game struggled and they finished with just 58 yards on the ground, led by Nikes Sanders, who had just five carries for 22 and a long of 8 yards.
Young went 13 of 30 with 161 yards with no passing touchdowns and two interceptions. He did have one rushing touchdown, but it was far from enough, with all their other shortcomings putting them so far behind the opponent.
The offensive line had a hard time protecting Young, who was sacked four times for a total loss of 26 yards.
The 23-year-old didn’t win his first game last year either, going 11 of 18 for 94 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Panthers lost their first three games last season and if they continue to play like they did today, it will be deja vu for Carolina this year.
Up next, the Panthers have the Los Angeles Chargers, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Last season, Young had a record of 2-14 with 2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. There were high hopes for the first overall pick, but he was unable to live up to them as he transitioned from college to the NFL.
The team still remains confident in Young, and often young quarterbacks need time to develop before they can break out. This is a big year for Young, and it didn’t start with that confidence-building drive the team had hoped for.
In 2023, the Panthers ended with the worst record in the NFL.
