Carolina Panthers QB Baker Mayfield’s bad
Baker Mayfield worked hard to keep his emotions in check during the week. There was an incredible amount of media attention coming his way, all looking for the one soundbite that would light the blue touch paper against the team that cast him aside in favor of Deshaun Watson.
The quarterback also displayed a calm demeanor before the contest. But his actions on the field indicated Mayfield was more amped up than ever as the Cleveland Browns had their way with the No. 1 overall selection in 2018.
Things looked extremely disjointed in the first quarter. The Carolina Panthers completely ignored the run, instead opting to put the game in Mayfield’s hands and they suffered as a result.
Multiple batted passes and botched snaps occurred throughout a frustrating half. And a wayward throw in the direction of Shi Smith was intercepted by Grant Delpit to compound Mayfield’s misery.
It was just so disjointed. A clear lack of chemistry stemmed from Mayfield’s late arrival and Carolina’s insistence to have a quarterback competition throughout training camp and the preseason.
Things got better gradually. Mayfield settled down and began making the right reads, providing an explosive element to his production that was sorely lacking with Sam Darnold and Teddy Bridgewater.
Had the Panthers and Mayfield started better, the result would have been different.