What were some major observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield’s performance in Week 2 at the New York Giants?
The Carolina Panthers and Baker Mayfield looked to avenge a poor opening day loss by finally getting their season on track at the New York Giants in Week 2. It was a difficult occasion overall for the quarterback versus the team that traded him this offseason, but he can take plenty of heart from a stunning fourth quarter that almost resulted in the unlikeliest of victories on home soil.
Carolina is counting on Mayfield heavily this offseason. It was a rocky start, but the signal-caller was keen to point out that there is a lot of football still to come and the Panthers are only going to get better once chemistry improves moving forward.
The Panthers don’t have the luxury of time. They need to start producing better results immediately and a trip to the rejuvenated Giants represented a difficult challenge despite Brian Daboll missing some key figures through injury – one in which they fell to defeat once again.
With this in mind, here are four major observations from Mayfield’s performance at the Giants in Week 2.
Major Observation No. 1
Baker Mayfield’s accuracy wasn’t great
Although the New York Giants were missing two critical pass-rushers from their front seven, there were still timing and accuracy issues for Baker Mayfield. The signal-caller completed just 48.28 percent of his passes for 145 yards, one touchdown, and a yards-per-reception average of just five.
Mayfield had a couple of batted passes in the first half once again. There were also some moments of hesitancy and mistakes from the likes of Shi Smith, who didn’t enjoy the best afternoon after being declared healthy enough to participate.
This should improve as Mayfield gets more familiar with his teammates. However, there is immediate pressure for better fortunes with the Carolina Panthers sitting at 0-2.