By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young is beginning to show signs he can perform in the clutch.
Now the Carolina Panthers (3-9) just have to figure out how to win close games as a team.
Young capped a 60-yard touchdown drive on Sunday with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Adam Thielen to briefly give the Panthers a 23-20 lead with 30 seconds left against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And the second-year quarterback was in the process of engineering a potential winning score in overtime when Chuba Hubbard fumbled at the Bucs 29, leading to Tampa Bay’s 26-23 win.
It was the second time in two weeks the much-maligned No. 1 pick in last year’s draft showed a knack for making big plays when it mattered most, which has some observers calling him “Alabama Bryce” as he begins to resemble the QB the Heisman Trophy winner he was in college.
The previous week, Young rallied the Panthers from 11 points down against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, tying the game with 1:35 left in regulation with a TD drive and 2-point conversion. However, Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs back down the field for the winning field goal.
“I thought he played great,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said of Young. “I thought he made some critical throws in critical situations. He got us out of some bad ones. Threw the ball away a couple times. It was an aggressive day. They blitzed a lot. He handled it well again and gave us a chance to win for sure on those last couple of drives.”
What’s working
The Panthers are moving the ball well at times, but have struggled over the last two weeks in the red zone, going just 3 of 10 against Kansas City and Tampa Bay. It didn’t help on Sunday that Eddy Pineiro, who entered as the league’s most accurate field goal kicker of all time, missed two second-quarter field goals.
What needs help
Carolina came into Sunday’s game ranked last in the league in run defense and the Bucs took full advantage. Bucky Irving ran for a career-high 152 yards and a touchdown and Rachaad White added 76 yards on the ground as Tampa Bay piled up 235 yards rushing while averaging 6.1 yards per carry. The Panthers desperately miss defensive lineman Derrick Brown and linebacker Shaq Thompson, both of whom suffered season-ending injuries early in the year.
Stock up
Thielen had his best game since returning from a hamstring injury, catching eight of 10 passes thrown his way for 99 yards, including the TD reception to put the Panthers up 23-20 with 30 seconds. Thielen also appeared to come down with a touchdown catch earlier in the game, but officials ruled he was juggling the ball and didn’t have complete control as he landed. Replays appeared to show otherwise, but there wasn’t a good enough angle to overturn the ruling on the field.
Stock down
Hubbard has been a huge bright spot for Carolina all season, but his fumble in overtime cost the Panthers a chance to get back in the NFC South race.
“Fundamentals. Just take care of the ball,” Canales said of his message to Hubbard. “You got your yardage there. OK, lock it up like we talked about — the basics. He’d be the first one to come up and tell you the same thing.”
Hubbard was limited to 43 yards on 12 carries.
It’s unclear if the fumble could open the door for more playing time for Jonathan Brooks. The rookie from Texas ran six times for 18 yards against the Bucs and caught three passes for 23 yards, including a nifty 18-yard reception in which he juked two defenders.
Stock down II
Nickel cornerback Dane Jackson was replaced Sunday by Chau Smith-Wade, who finished with eight tackles and an interception. Jackson had a rough game against the Chiefs the previous week, including failing to tackle Mahomes on a 33-yard run that led to the winning field goal.
“It’s about opportunity,” Canales said. “When guys get these opportunities to get back in there and show us what they can do and they make plays, that’s great.”
Injuries
Backup TE Stephen Sullivan suffered a “significant” knee injury Sunday and is likely to miss the remainder of the season. Canales said the team hopes to get rookie TE Ja’Tavion Sanders and WR Jalen Coker back for Sunday’s game against the Eagles.
Key number
41 — Consecutive made field goals for Pineiro at home before missing two in the second quarter Sunday.
Next steps
The Panthers are assured their seventh straight losing season, but have not been eliminated from playoff contention. They travel to Philadelphia on Sunday.