What were some key takeaways from Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield’s media availability ahead of Week 2 at the New York Giants?
Now that the dust has settled on Baker Mayfield’s clash against his former team, the Carolina Panthers quarterback is aiming to put things right in Week 2. While the New York Giants pose a significant threat on the road based on their first outing, how the signal-caller finished Sunday’s contest means Matt Rhule’s men have a chance of finally ending their concerning run of losses this weekend.
Mayfield was amped up to begin the game and left it too late despite an epic comeback. Something that inspired the Panthers to a degree not seen since the team relied heavily on Cam Newton during his glory days with the franchise.
Carolina cannot afford another defeat so early in the campaign. Tensions are high and the pressure is on after some underwhelming seasons in recent years, so the onus will be on Mayfield and others to provide the spark needed for success moving forward.
The former Oklahoma standout spoke in front of the media on Wednesday ahead of Week 2. Here are four key takeaways from the presser.
Key Takeaway No. 1
Baker Mayfield keen for a return to normality
It was nothing short of a circus surrounding Baker Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers in Week 1. Something the signal-caller expected going up against the Cleveland Browns, who traded him away for a conditional fifth-round pick this offseason.
Mayfield did his best to avoid unnecessary headlines. But the player is relieved to get back to some semblance of normality in Week 2 and beyond.
"“In terms of distractions and specific questions, yeah, just to get back into a routine. That goes for Week 2 of any year and the anticipation leading up to the opener. No matter who you’re playing, there are going to be a ton of questions about all the changes in the offseason, the schemes, the players, and new faces.”"
Whether this means we’ll see a more relaxed Mayfield is up for debate. However, getting this game out of the way early might be a good thing in the long run.
Baker Mayfield discussed some early jitters
Although he wasn’t showing it from the outside, Baker Mayfield’s production over the early exchanges indicated the quarterback was a little too hyped up going against the team that cast him aside. The Carolina Panthers put a lot on his shoulders after abandoning the run game, which gave the likes of Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney all the incentive needed to create havoc at will.
Mayfield’s timing was off and there were clear chemistry issues with Pat Elflein. Rather than passing the buck, the Heisman Trophy winner focused on his failings that the player said centered on footwork and not trusting the protection enough in the face of some significant pressure.
"“For me, it was kind of BS the way how I wasn’t settled in with my feet in the first half, I was kind of creating my own pressure moving around and not trusting them.”"
Perhaps knowing what Garrett and Clowney were capable of having practiced against them daily played a role. An eagerness to perform well in the face of his previous employers was another big-time factor, too.
Slowing things down at the New York Giants will be important for Mayfield. However, the onus also falls on offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo to provide a less predictable, more balanced scheme versus the organization that fired him as head coach.
If the Panthers can achieve this, then they have more than enough talent at the skill positions to make things happen.
Baker Mayfield sees the potential for offense
If the Carolina Panthers started slow on offense in Week 1, they left a notable impression down the stretch. Baker Mayfield was almost flawless in the fourth quarter, securing two touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 passer rating en route to almost attaining the unlikeliest of comebacks.
The Panthers might be regretting settling for a field goal rather than going for the touchdown on their final offensive drive. Especially considering the form Mayfield was in at the time.
Despite the eventual result not going Carolina’s way, Mayfield pointed out the potential demonstrated in the final stages, which will hopefully be the catalyst behind bigger and better things moving forward.
"“That’s the potential for all of our guys to look at, just everybody doing their job. Realizing even in some not-so-great looks, we were able to execute our plays and do it at a high level. Like I said, it was two completely different teams first half and second half, so everybody do your job. Focus on that, play the next play, … and realizing we can be a very good team and confident in that.”"
If the Panthers can put this sort of production on offense together for a full game, they’ll be difficult to stop. Mayfield’s urgency, accuracy, and poise made substantial strides when it came to the crunch, which was always a criticism of Sam Darnold and Teddy Bridgewater during their stints under center since Matt Rhule took charge.
Baker Mayfield expects real progress in Week 2
Now that the Carolina Panthers have further familiarized themselves with one another on offense after some chopping and changing from Matt Rhule and his staff, it would be a shock if major improvements weren’t made in Week 2.
Baker Mayfield had to split reps with Sam Darnold throughout camp and the preseason despite being the better option. Whether this is something that comes back to haunt Matt Rhule is undecided, but an opening day home loss to Jacoby Brissett was unacceptable and decreases the already slim margin for error in 2022.
There was a renewed sense of purpose and belief surrounding Mayfield during his presser, with the quarterback outlining the need for Carolina to learn from their mistakes and take the strides needed to cause Brian Daboll some serious headaches this weekend.
"“It’s just a matter of how you handle it, how you learn from Week 1 to Week 2. It can be your biggest jump of the year, and you can learn from those mistakes; the great teams and franchises learn from that, they improve, and they continue to push forward, realizing it’s a long season ahead.”"
Talking is one thing. Doing it is another.
Mayfield has the drive and the talent. But the coaches have to be better prepared during a contest they must get a result from.
Otherwise, things could get extremely ugly.