How has Sam Darnold fared over his first three games as quarterback of the Carolina Panthers in 2021?
It certainly hasn’t been dull for Sam Darnold over the first three weeks of the 2021 season. The Carolina Panthers place a significant amount of faith in the quarterback to acquire him via trade from the New York Jets, which was a make-or-break move both for the player and the organization in no uncertain terms.
There appears little doubt that Darnold made a nice impact throughout the offseason. He got his teammates onboard very quickly with a quiet sense of confidence, which was the first critical stage in what will hopefully become the long-term solution to Carolina’s woes under center.
That was just the opening objective, obviously. How Darnold performs when it matters most is the biggest measuring stick of all in pursuit of finally providing beyond all doubt he is a capable NFL starter.
The former USC star has had some very nice moments over the campaign to date. Even if there are some concerning elements to Darnold’s production that need to be eradicated moving forward.
Still, this is better than anything Carolina’s fanbase hoped after three weeks with the team sitting at 3-0.
Some sterner tests are coming for Darnold and the Panthers, beginning in Week 4 with a trip to the Dallas Cowboys. Ahead of this crucial contest, we graded the signal-caller’s performances over the first three games.
Sam Darnold vs. New York Jets – Week 1
This was probably a nice first game for Sam Darnold. Sticking it to the team that gave up on him in favor of Zach Wilson was all the motivation the quarterback needed on his full debut for the Carolina Panthers.
Darnold’s performance overall was solid in this one. He demonstrated some improved footwork and wasn’t afraid to sit in the pocket when pressure inevitably came his way.
The No. 3 overall selection in 2018 missed a couple of red-zone throws and there was the fumble on fourth-down after a miscommunication with Giovanni Ricci. But his composure during the two-minute drill left plenty of reasons to be encouraged.
Things regressed somewhat in the second half, which saw the offense stutter and the tempo become a little flat. Something that was evident throughout the 2020 season in Carolina.
Grade: B+
This was as good as the Panthers and Darnold could have hoped. They weren’t in any real danger at any stage outside of a slight blip in the third quarter, with Carolina’s defense seeing the game out in convincing fashion to take some of the heat off their quarterback.
Christian McCaffrey’s return to the lineup was another massive boost. One that Darnold and the Panthers leaned on heavily.
Sam Darnold vs. New Orleans Saints – Week 2
Many believed the New Orleans Saints defense would cause Sam Darnold some real problems despite missing some key men from the lineup. Outside of one poor decision that resulted in an interception, this wasn’t the case.
Darnold was absolutely sensational in the first half. His throws were on point more often than not and the signal-caller benefitted enormously from some additional time to go through his reads in the pocket.
The Carolina Panthers got out to a 17-0 lead at the break thanks to another complete performance on both sides of the football. Darnold regressed as a whole in the third quarter in keeping with what’s transpiring of late, but he regrouped and led his team on a game-winning drive late on that saw Christian McCaffrey go in for a running score.
This was the biggest indicator yet that the Panthers have something in Darnold.
Getting it done against the New York Jets is one thing. But this was something else entirely.
Grade: A
As Darnold stated in his post-game presser, there are some areas that need to be cleaned up. But few would argue that things aren’t trending in the right direction.
Another polished performance from Darnold led the Panthers to a 2-0 record. Something fans hadn’t experienced since the 2017 campaign.
Sam Darnold at Houston Texans – Week 3
The first road game of Sam Darnold’s career with the Carolina Panthers came on Thursday Night Football at the Houston Texans. This was another winnable game for the organization against a team that’s undergone substantial changes this offseason, but some significant complications emerged that centered on Christian McCaffrey suffering a hamstring injury in the second quarter.
This potential disaster was immediately felt by the Panthers, who seemed to be reeling from the All-Pro’s absence. Getting in at halftime to regroup was the best possible thing that happened to Carolina, who came out with a renewed sense of purpose after the break led by their new signal-caller.
Simply put, when the Panthers needed Darnold the most, he came up with the goods.
He put together some impressive throws throughout the half to keep the Texans out of range, with Carolina’s defense also contributing despite Jaycee Horn going down with a broken foot that is expected to sideline the rookie cornerback several weeks if not more.
Grade: A+
This was a coming-out party for Darnold after becoming a target for ridicule throughout his three-year stint with the New York Jets. It was another 300-yard performance and the player also went over for two rushing scores to boot without a consistent presence across the protection once again.
Sam Darnold overall grade through Week 3
There was a quiet sense of optimism surrounding Sam Darnold after a strong training camp. But few believed the quarterback would hit the ground running in this fashion.
There are still some things the player himself needs to work on. However, his confidence is growing with every passing game and even though there will be more in the way of responsibility on his shoulders if Christian McCaffrey is out for an extended period, it might just be the making of him.
Darnold has looked the part and the Carolina Panthers are benefitting. His footwork has improved dramatically – as has his decision-making under pressure – so providing things progress on the offensive line then the organization may have found its long-term successor for Cam Newton.
It’s still early days and Darnold has to put a better run of consistency together in pursuit of convincing everyone. But his production when the Panthers needed him to stand up and be counted at the Houston Texans was a testament to how far he’s come in such a short space of time.
Grade: A
Anyone who thinks Darnold hasn’t been playing exceptional football simply has an agenda at this point. The Panthers took a massive gamble bringing him on board after striking out in bids for Matthew Stafford and Deshaun Watson, but the gunslinger has repaid their faith an untold amount so far.