CLEVELAND (AP) — Bryce Young has an unspecified lower-body injury, but he insists it had nothing to do with Carolina's loss at Cleveland.
“It was nothing, just football,” Young said Sunday. “We’re all our there dealing with stuff. Tough one, just didn’t get it done, but none of that stuff had anything to do with (the outcome).”
Young, who came into the game tied for the NFL lead in passing touchdowns and second in passing yards, threw for 291 yards but
just one TD in the Panthers' 21-18 loss to the Browns.
Young connected with John Metchie III for a touchdown with 4:25 remaining, but Cleveland's Deshaun Watson answered with the go-ahead TD and a 2-point conversion on the next drive.
Carolina coach Dave Canales would only admit to Young having a lower-body injury, saying, “He’s working through something. We’ll give you guys more information once we do a full evaluation, but he was cleared to go back in. He finished the game.”
Young limped into the medical tent in the second quarter after being sacked on fourth down by Mason Graham. He was hobbling between plays in the second half but took every snap.
The fourth-year quarterback finished 26 of 48 and threw an interception on the Panthers’ final offensive play. He did not have a rushing attempt and was sacked three times.
The Panthers took an 18-13 lead on Young’s 8-yard strike to Metchie, completing an efficient six-play, 72-yard drive that lasted 3:05. They had only managed four field goals in their first nine possessions and were stopped twice on fourth down.
Cleveland scored on both failed attempts, taking a 10-0 lead in the second. It obtained the ball at its 43 on Graham’s sack of Young on fourth-and-3, and at the Panthers 40 on Young’s incomplete pass to Tommy Tremble on fourth-and-1.
“For us, it was an absolute no-brainer to go for it,” Canales said. “I thought Bryce had the corner route and missed the throw. I can’t remember the first one, but it was the execution of it. We can talk about the choices of plays and all that stuff, which we will tomorrow. But I like the decisions.”
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