Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young is doing his best to stay even-keeled.
This Saturday is the biggest game of Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young's NFL career.
If the Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the will be the NFC South champions and in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
So what is Young saying before this massive game? Nothing out of the ordinary.
"I mean, I'm always excited," Young said. "I'm super grateful for the opportunity. Anytime you get to play football, it's a blessing, obviously. Being able to play for what we're playing for, that means a lot, of course. I'm proud of this group for being here; we're excited for the opportunity.
"But, at the end of the day, it's football right now. It's Tuesday, so Wednesday for our normal schedule, so we're focused on what normal Wednesdays look like, making sure that we can maximize all that. Coach talks about being process-oriented all the time, so pushing all that to the side, it's just about having the best week we can right now."
Young has 2,745 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 217 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns on the season. He's completing 63.2% of his passes.
For the Panthers to win this Saturday, Young needs to play much better than he did last week against the Seattle Seahawks. The Alabama product went 14 of 24 for 54 yards and an interception. That's not a typo, folks. Young only had 54 passing yards.
Young's 54 passing yards were the fewest by a quarterback with at least 24 attempts since 1980.
"You're not going to like the answer, but it's really not any different," Young said. "Again, good and bad come with sports, and I think that's the maturity you have to have at this level. Coaches challenge us with it, and you really have to take it to heart, good or bad, you feel like things went well or didn't, you have to flush it the same way. You have to have the same approach. So, I've been trying to do that for a while now, so, at this point, it's the same."
In 45 games with the Panthers, Young has 8,025 passing yards, 47 passing touchdowns, 29 interceptions, 719 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns. He's got a record of 14-29.
Young is under immense pressure to lead the Panthers to the playoffs. If Carolina doesn't make the postseason and Young struggles against the Buccaneers, there may be a new starting QB in Dave Canales' system next season.