Bryce Young has taken a beating this season, but the sack numbers tell a more complicated story for the Panthers.
The Carolina quarterback has been dragged down plenty, and he’s drawn his share of criticism for holding the ball too long. Still, a chart shared by Patton Analytics using StatRankings data paints a different picture: Young has been responsible for just 17.4% of the sacks he’s taken this season.
That doesn’t make him blameless. But it does suggest Carolina’s protection problems go well beyond the quarterback.
The Panthers’ loss to Green Bay made that clear. In a 27-19 defeat, the Packers hit Young nine times and sacked him six times, and Carolina’s offensive line had trouble keeping him upright for most of the afternoon.
The issues have only been made worse by injuries up front, with Taylor Moton, Ikem Ekwonu and Damien Lewis all dealing with problems along the offensive line. Young has been under constant pressure while the Panthers try to patch together protection around him.
The broader numbers back up the idea that sack responsibility isn’t always on the quarterback. Sam Darnold was responsible for 52.9% of his sacks, while Aaron Rodgers was responsible for 39.1% of his.
And there are plenty of ways a sack can happen that have nothing to do with the quarterback simply freezing up. A receiver can fail to get open.
A block can be missed. The play call can put the offense behind the chains before the snap even settles.
That’s been part of the problem in Carolina. Young has often been forced into survival mode almost immediately, with little room to operate once the ball is snapped. In too many cases, he’s already in trouble before the play has a chance to develop.
NFL Next Gen Stats showed just how rough it got against Green Bay: Young was pressured on 48.9% of his dropbacks. That’s nearly half the time he went back to pass, and it helps explain why the Panthers never found much offensive rhythm.
Still, the burden doesn’t fall on one side alone. Young has to recognize pressure and get the ball out before the play collapses.
The offensive line has to hold up better. Both things can be true.
Dave Canales and his staff also have to do more to help their quarterback. That could mean quicker throws, better protection on passing plays or different blocking schemes. It doesn’t require a total overhaul, just smarter answers when the rush starts coming.
As Canales noted after the game, Carolina needs more solutions when defenses bring pressure. Green Bay mixed in different looks, including four-man rushes that the Panthers had trouble handling. Those are the moments when the coaching staff has to adjust instead of asking Young to escape danger snap after snap.
The Panthers have too much invested in Young to keep leaving him exposed. He’s not perfect, but the numbers show the majority of these sacks aren’t solely on him. Carolina’s protection issues have to get fixed before they become an even bigger problem.
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Still, the Panthers did manage one needed stop before halftime, forcing Denver to settle for a field goal on the final drive of the half. With Todd Washs group expected to come out more aggressively after the break, the question is whether Carolina can tighten up coverage and force Nix into less comfortable throws before the game gets away from it. [Read more 🡒]