4 areas Panthers QB Baker Mayfield must improve in Week 4 vs. Cardinals
By Dean Jones
What areas must Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield improve in Week 4 against the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium?
Confidence is building within the Carolina Panthers after picking up their first win in ten games last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. However, for Baker Mayfield and the offense, there is still a significant amount of work ahead and not a lot of time to get things right.
Things just aren’t going to plan for a multitude of reasons. Mayfield‘s inaccuracy is a problem and Ben McAdoo’s scheme is easily figured out by opposing defenses, offering little in the way of creativity.
Carolina’s defense and special teams got them over the line in Week 3. But relying on these areas to score points consistently isn’t a recipe for success and Mayfield must avoid becoming a weak link with Sam Darnold’s return on the horizon.
With that being said, here are four key areas that Mayfield must improve next weekend versus the Arizona Cardinals.
Improvement No. 1
Baker Mayfield must trust his OL
It was another outstanding performance from the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line in Week 3. This unit is finally coming of age and looks like an area of real strength, which is a remarkable turnaround after some inept consistency over the last two seasons.
Despite this exceptional production, Mayfield just doesn’t seem to trust it. The signal-caller is hesitant in the pocket and is too willing to escape somehow rather than maintain pocket presence and go through his reads effectively.
The offensive line is no longer an issue. And the sooner Mayfield realizes this, the better his chances will be.