While he wasn’t asked to do a whole lot in his first start of the season, Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold impressed in the team’s Week 12 victory over the Denver Broncos. He showed some of that heralded physical talent that made him the third overall pick in 2018—totaling a pair of touchdowns with a passer rating of 103.8 against a tough defense.
But this Sunday, in Carolina’s Week 14 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, he’ll likely be tasked with quite a bit more. After all, this isn’t Russell Wilson’s offense the Panthers will be facing.
Although this’ll add more pressure on Darnold, it will present him with more opportunities to exhibit his tools and try to minimize the game-breaking mistakes he’s been prone to in the past. He will need to remain cool and confident behind a revamped offensive line that has provided much better protection than he has had previously.
If the Panthers get down early, they will be reliant on Darnold to operate quicker than he did in his first start—where he was late on a few reads. He will need to be decisive and accurate to keep up with Most Valuable Player candidate Geno Smith, and will need to deliver balls on time while under pressure against one of the better secondaries in the league.
Going through all his reads and finding alternative options on the move, especially if his top target in DJ Moore is locked down, may be a theme on Sunday. And if Darnold can consistently make the most of his arm strength and movement skills while avoiding costly turnovers, Carolina could be staring at back-to-back wins.
Projection: 19-of-32, 240 yards, two touchdowns, one interception
