5 key observations from Sam Darnold’s horror show vs. the Eagles
By Dean Jones
Sam Darnold was hesitant in the pocket throughout
This was not the Sam Darnold that the Carolina Panthers are used to seeing.
Hopefully, it won’t be a sign of things to come.
The quarterback appeared really hesitant in the pocket. Probably for the first time for a prolonged period following his trade.
Darnold looked more like the signal-caller we saw for three years on the New York Jets than the player demonstrated through the first three games of the campaign.
He was hesitant in the pocket, panicking when his first read wasn’t there, missed wide-open receivers, and held onto the football much longer than needed in certain situations.
Of course, the interior offensive line needs to be held accountable.
They weren’t at the races once again – John Miller in particular – which cannot put Darnold at ease too much despite some encouraging production from rookie Brady Christensen at right tackle.
There’s been a lot of praise thrown Darnold’s way, but this game saw some old habits resurface. Something many thought the signal-caller had put behind him.
As Matt Rhule stated this week, if Darnold does get enough time then poor decisions inevitably follow. The third-quarter offense was abysmal for yet another week, which was made worse by how many opportunities Carolina’s defense gave them straight after the halftime break.
It was the worst showing of Darnold’s career in Carolina. And by some margin, too.