ATLANTA — Carolina Panthers rookie Bryce Younger on Sunday could not keep away from the destiny of most quarterbacks taken with the highest choose of the draft of their workforce’s opener over the previous 20 years.
He misplaced.
Not since David Carr of the Houston Texans in 2002 has a quarterback chosen No. 1 began and gained the opener. Carolina’s 24-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons with the highest choose of the 2023 draft dropped the cumulative file to 0-14-1.
Younger has solely himself in charge, throwing a pair of interceptions — each by Falcons security Jessie Bates III — that led to 10 Atlanta factors.
“That is unacceptable,” Younger mentioned. “That is on me. I simply have to wash that up.”
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Younger’s line was so much like these earlier than him. He accomplished 20 of 38 go makes an attempt for 146 yards with one landing in opposition to two interceptions. He had a 48.8 passer ranking.
“Not ok,” Younger mentioned of his total sport. “Not ok to win, clearly. I made essential turnovers, which you’ll be able to’t do, particularly the place they occurred. That falls on me. That falls on my shoulders.”
His effort got here at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the place he made his first begin for Alabama in 2021. He threw for over 300 yards and 4 touchdowns that day in a win in opposition to No. 14 Miami.
However that was on a longtime Alabama workforce. On Sunday, he was taking part in for a Carolina workforce coming off 5 straight dropping seasons and with a brand new teaching employees.
That mentioned, first-year Carolina coach Frank Reich believes Younger will bounce again.
“Hear, Bryce is the final particular person I am fearful about, how he handles this,” Reich mentioned. “He is bought the maturity of somebody approach past his years. He is a workforce particular person. He’ll be arduous on himself, and every of us needs to be.
“That was the message we talked about. Gamers and coaches needs to be arduous on themselves. Within the subsequent 24 hours it mustn’t style good, and we have to eat each little bit of it. In any other case, you do not study and get higher from it.”
Younger bought off to a quick begin in opposition to the Falcons, finishing his first three makes an attempt for 28 yards. He then went 1-for-4 with an interception and nearly one other, each on go makes an attempt to tight finish Hayden Hurst.
The 2 lastly bought their chemistry down on Carolina’s fourth sequence as Younger went 6-for-6 for 58 yards, together with a 4-yard landing to Hurst with 5:09 left within the first half that tied the sport at 7-7.
That made the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner the third quarterback in Carolina historical past to throw a landing go in his debut. Cam Newton did it in 2011, and Chris Weinke did it in 2001.
Younger did most of his injury within the first half on quick passes. He was 8-for-9 on passes of 10 or fewer yards, averaging 7 yards per try. He was 2-for-7 with an interception on makes an attempt of greater than 10 yards for a mean of three.3 yards.
Younger opened the second half sturdy, gaining 16 yards on his first NFL scramble and main Carolina to a 42-yard discipline aim and 10-7 lead.
He then threw his second interception on the same play as the primary, a go over the center during which Bates was clearly seen, simply as he was for the primary choose.
Younger had solely two video games in 27 faculty begins with two interceptions: the 2021 nationwide championship sport in opposition to Georgia and in 2022 in opposition to Louisiana-Monroe.
The rookie took full accountability for Sunday’s efficiency.
“Understanding the protection and making assumptions off the protection, not double-checking or ensuring I see the place individuals are,” he defined. “Jessie did a fantastic job on each. For me, he is a veteran man, performs nice in area. You possibly can’t simply make assumptions. It is simply doing a greater job of seeing and ensuring I am checking and never simply going off what it needs to be on an X and O.
“That is on me. It is one thing I can study from, nevertheless it would not excuse the truth that it was a giant purpose why we’re not completely happy after this sport.”
Younger’s teammates weren’t involved about how the rookie will reply, notably exterior linebacker Brian Burns, who had contemplated not taking part in within the opener when he did not get a long-term extension.
“He’ll be arduous on himself,” mentioned Burns, who had 1.5 sacks, a sort out for a loss and a compelled fumble. “That is what nice gamers do. I watched Bryce all through camp. I watched how he dealt with himself with the media, with all the things. He is a really poised and clever child.
“He isn’t going to play like that once more. They beat us up. Everyone knows it. Belief me, he’ll bounce again. I do know it.”
