Can't Be Trusted

I'm not going to even pretend that I wasted valuable time last night to watch the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers. Yes, that is coming from a Panthers fan.

I've detailed the rollercoaster, on this site, that my fan'ness has ridden since the team lost in the 2015 Super Bowl. Admittedly, it's as consistent as the blowing winds. I just like to think I mirror the team itself.

I won't be bullied, one way or another, like the Meow Mix podcast.

I have come to a realization: The fair-weather'y can all be boiled down to one thing -- ZERO trust.

Before a snap was taken, I equally expected a colossal failure or a primetime upset. It's a proven fact that this team is erratic. Playing AT San Fran doesn't matter. Did you see what they did AT Atlanta? Since 2003, we've had the same D coordinator that once seemed prime for any HC opportunity... Would you say that same thing now?? The owner of the team's been blacklisted so much, he's become just background noise.

It seems crazy to point all the teams problems back to Bryce Young, the quarterback we selected 1st overall and have had for 3 seasons. But I'm still going to try.

That's where my ZERO trust begins. And I know I'm not the only one with the sentiment. I'm willing to bet there's guys INSIDE the Panthers locker room that feel the same. Bryce, on the football field, cannot be trusted.

I think that Bryce is a great person. I personally share similar values and I admire how he's handled things with class. It makes him a good story. He seems like a nice teammate. If you sat with him in a meeting, I'm sure he appears to be a nice selection for "face of the franchise".

My distrust is solely football based. NOTHING can be a better summary than passing for the Panthers' franchise record yards one week, then having a worse QB rating than an opponent who's thrown 3 INT's.

His small stature is just the beginning. Sometimes he uses his legs for athletic plays, and other times he stands in a collapsing pocket taking sacks. He was benched for Dalton because of picks, then he won't throw the ball downfield and nickel/dime to death.

You can't build a franchise around him, because there's no assurance of what you're gonna get.

Quarterback in the NFL is where it all begins. And if you're beginning with a fluctuating nightmare, what do you expect you're going to see with the rest of the team?!?

If you don't want to take my word for it, just look at this reaction from some Hall of Famers...

Young has 28 interceptions, 1 for each regular season start.

A little bit later, another interception...

when he could've run it in from 9 yards.

Same guy the team drafted in 2023. Same guy that threw for 3 touchdowns and 448 yards to sweep a division rival.

You may wonder how I could arrive at such a conclusion that Young's caused mistrust and confusion within the team. It started just 2 regular season games into Dave Canales' coaching tenure. Young, such an amateur into his career and trying to develop, was slapped on the bench by a coaching staff that didn't make the decision in drafting him. It's like they acknowledged they had no allegiance to that mistake.

Then, the leadership buy's in. 5 of 7 wins and the coaches start to believe. So they lean heavy on throwing the ball. They have the 3rd best running back in the NFL for yards, and 8th best in the league for YPC, and they abort giving him the opportunities he deserves.

Just six carries for an entire game, after being a thoroughbred back and the best player the Panthers have had this season.

Coaches are baffled. Hall of famers are watching in pain. Clearly (seen above) teammates are now becoming frustrated.

I won't take my allegiance to the team seriously again, until I can begin to believe. That really won't happen as long as Bryce is the starter. We play the games thinking that we have an opportunity at winning the Super Bowl -- the biggest game of them all. Do YOU think that the Panthers can win the championship with this type of uncertainty? If you share my sentiments on that answer, then why do anything with the Panthers other than just ride the wave and watch Carolina MiC be goofy.

You may trust Young for stretches. There's times the team does too. Before there's games like against Jacksonville, New Orleans, and last night. Average QBR of 15.3.

That can't be trusted. Do you feel that blowing breeze?