On Sunday, Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield got his first start in over a month—an opportunity he was handed due to starter PJ Walker’s high-ankle sprain.
So, did he do enough against the Baltimore Ravens to increase the odds of remaining the starter? Or will the Panthers be looking elsewhere (again) next week for their matchup with the Denver Broncos?
In what was a largely competitive game in Week 11, Mayfield found himself struggling throughout a defensive showdown—one in which neither quarterback could really get anything going. He had chances to make plays—but his afternoon was spoiled by bad misses, questionable decision making, dropped balls and turnovers.
Mayfield finished with a very disappointing line—completing 21 of his 33 passes for 196 yards, no scores and a pair of interceptions. This was, obviously, not enough to get the job done—even on a day where the defense held their opposition to 13 points.
On the surface, there certainly is an argument for Mayfield to lose the starting gig to a returning Sam Darnold or a healthy Walker. But there is the reality of what we saw from Darnold last year—which was certainly not much better than what Mayfield has done in 2022.
Unfortunately, there’s also the reality that the answer for this team—now or for the future—is very likely not on this roster. So whoever gets the nod in Week 12, they’ll have to make their case to leave some sort of positive impression moving forward.
