4 major observations from PJ Walker’s performance vs. Bucs in Week 7
By Dean Jones
PJ Walker was poised
Considering how lackluster the offense has looked in 2022, it was a shock to see such an efficient product in Week 7. The Carolina Panthers gave up two outstanding playmakers last week when they traded Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey, which left expectations at an all-time low with PJ Walker under center.
As it turned out, the offense looked better than it’s done for some time. Walker played a significant part in their triumph, providing a calmness that simply wasn’t there at any stage of Baker Mayfield’s time as Carolina’s No.1 option.
There was a real poise to Walker’s performance that caught the eye. He was rarely flustered in the pocket, with the offensive line once again providing a stable presence despite missing center Pat Elflein due to injury.
Walker finished the game with a 72.73 percent completion success rate for 177 passing yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 126.5 passer rating according to ESPN. He was sacked just once for a loss of seven yards.
Perhaps being big underdogs actually helped the Panthers relax and try different things. The defense provided some integral moments, with Walker also having the benefit of a strong running game to lean on thanks to highly productive efforts from D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard.
Having stability at the quarterback position also assisted greatly. Something that earned Walker the game ball from interim head coach Steve Wilks for good measure.