Carolina Panthers 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20
Q. Just in those moments, in those big games, just sort of where were you at? Bop yeah, again, moments like that, where else would you rather be? I have all the confidence in the world in our guys. I just want to be able to give them a chance to go make a play. They did a great job around me stepping up. Those plays, great pockets. They did a great job of getting open, making catches. I trust on those guys and it's a fun place to be.
Q. How much pain were you playing through today after you got stepped on? Looked like that hurt pretty good?
BRYCE YOUNG: Hey, we're all playing through something at this time of the year. It's football, you know? Everybody's going through something. So any chance I can to be out there with the guys, I'm always going to take.
Q. Can you walk us through the touchdown with JT? What the call was, what the read was and what happened?
BRYCE YOUNG: Yeah, did a good job matching the concept. They did a great job up front. Scrambles like that, you're only able to do that because they create scramble lanes for us. O-line did a great job of giving me time to extend the play and that was JT's scramble response, which is something you love to see, him seeing me, get outside the pocket and doing a great job of losing his man and finding himself open. So, again, great job. It takes all 11 for a play like that. So I'm grateful.
Q. What was your relationship with Baker? When you were benched last year, he spoke out in your favor and said that your story is not done. He's had his rough times. What's your connection with Baker?
BRYCE YOUNG: Yeah, I have a ton of respect for him. Again, we're -- on the field, you watch the same, we're in the division so I have been watching his tape all these three years and a ton of respect for the player he is, how he carries himself, the heart he plays with, all that stuff.
Off the field, great dude. Again, always been super respectful to me. We've had some really good conversations and, again, just the way he carries himself. I have a ton of respect for him. Yeah, it's a lot of respect.
Q. Bryce, after two years of ups and downs here, how does it feel to be in first place with two weeks to go here?
BRYCE YOUNG: Yeah, it feels great and it will feel great for the next 24 hours and after that it's not going to matter. What is this? Week 16, 17? That's not when the playoffs start. There's still a lot more work to be done. There's still a lot more football to be played. Again, 24-hour rule. We'll celebrate this one but we know we have to refocus.
Q. Rookies have had a huge impact so far this season on both sides of the ball. Obviously not used to playing a season this long. How do you go about motivating through the fatigue that they're getting to at this point?
BRYCE YOUNG: The great thing is we have a group of guys that don't need to be motivated. That rookie wall that people talk about, you know, you don't see that from our guys. It doesn't show up in practice. It doesn't show up in games. Lathan making a big play, you know, winning us the game there. It's guys that are motivated, which is, again, a pleasure to be able to work with guys like that. We have a really, really good, young group. It hasn't had to do anything. They've come in motivated.
Q. How did Nijman do stepping in for Icky?
BRYCE YOUNG: Sorry, sorry, my bad.
Q. How did 77, Nijman do for Icky, stepping in?
BRYCE YOUNG: Yeah, yeah, Yosh did a great job. He's a competitor. It's tough when you get thrown in there and we have a ton of respect for them as a unit but for him to come in, not miss a beat, do a great job. Run game, pass game, great job communicating. Throughout the week, Yosh is a pro. He comes in, he's someone who regardless of whether he's expected to be playing or not, he has the same focus. In practice, he's taking the same mental reps if he can't get them physically. When he's out there, I have all the confidence in the world in him. Him stepping up, I'm super grateful for that.
Q. What are your thoughts of the resiliency of this team bouncing back every time like after a tough loss last week, for instance.
BRYCE YOUNG: Can I hear that one more time?
Q. What's your thoughts of resiliency of this team constantly bouncing back, like you had a tough loss last week but you always keep coming back?
BRYCE YOUNG: Yeah, I'm so proud of this group. I'm so proud to be a panther. Like you said, the resiliency speaks for itself. We just know how to come bang and refocus. Good or bad, we try to flush it and there's no quit in us. Coach talks about it all the time... finish. That's something we take a lot of pride in that we carry into every aspect of who we are as a team and for us not to just talk it but to walk it. To be resilient, to go and continue to battle. I wouldn't want to go to war with any other team.
Q. Bryce, are you a running quarterback now? (Laughter)
BRYCE YOUNG: I don't think that's up for me to decide.
Q. You said the playoffs don't start for a couple of weeks but you guys have been in that playoff mindset for a while now. How much have you seen this team grow as you play in more and more of these big spots?
BRYCE YOUNG: Yeah, again, I think it's just us being able to come into our own. A lot of key young guys and you see them getting more and more comfortable. We play one-game seasons. That's kind of our mentality, going 1-0. Again, the playoffs is, whatever, a couple weeks away. We don't have the luxury to be able to think about that and play what-if. We have to focus on next week.
Right now it's fun in the locker room, we goat to perform, but for all of us, after 24 hours, next week will be the biggest game of the year. That's always how it will be. That's always going to be our approach. I'm grateful to be with a group of guys that embody that.
Q. After the Rams game, you gave a nod to the home crowd about how great things were that day. Today, packed house, black towels, you played in a lot of big environments and big stadiums. What did that feel like out there?
BRYCE YOUNG: Yeah, that was an amazing environment. We're super grateful for the city, for the Carolinas to come out. It had a big effect. It makes -- it effects the game. They did a great job, a couple of false starts. There were a delay in there. That's credit to our fans. For them to come out and support like they have and to have our back, we're really grateful for that.
Q. How last week ended, Lathan made that play at the end, what's that like adds a teammate?
BRYCE YOUNG: Yeah, it's so much fun. Lathan is someone who works super hard, always doing the right thing. Has such a great attitude, great approach to the game. In practice, he's always locked in, always going 110%. Just seeing him. It's not surprising at all him in a moment like that going and making a huge play. Not at all surprising to see, but it's a ton of fun to watch that.
Q. The touchdown to Ja' Tavion, once again, it highlighted your maneuverability in the pocket despite not being like a speed merchant. What did you see on that play? And what do you owe your pocket presence to and your elusiveness in the pocket despite?
BRYCE YOUNG: Yeah, they did a good job of matching things. A great job in the pocket for our O-line creating a pocket like that. You have to be able to have lanes to run around in. That's the reason I was. They did a great job in protection.
Coach talks about starting the second play when you're above the time clock and just wanting to keep the play alive and allow my play makers get themselves open on the second route. JT did a great job of that. Great scramble response finding himself open like that.
So, yeah, we work on it. We talk about it. We always want to get through our progressions but when we're above that time clock, we talk about starting the second play, so just taking coaching and giving our guys a shot.
Q. Do you feel you've earned a fifth year?
BRYCE YOUNG: I'm 1-0. I'm trying to figure out how to do that. I'm trying to figure out how to go and win next week I guess in whatever, 23 hours. But, again, that's out of my hands. I'm excited to go and be part of this team.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports