What were some major observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback PJ Walker’s performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
The Carolina Panthers were heavy underdogs for their Week 7 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But quarterback PJ Walker and his teammates were in no mood to roll over versus their NFC South divisional rivals at Bank of America Stadium.
Walker got the start with Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold working their way back from ankle injuries. This was seen as his final opportunity to impress interim head coach Steve Wilks, which he managed to accomplish in no uncertain terms.
The former XFL MVP candidate turned in arguably his best performance in a Panthers uniform as the hosts moved to 2-0 within their division thanks to a comfortable triumph. Carolina is now just one game behind, so all hope might not be lost in terms of the unlikeliest of divisional titles.
With that being said, here are four major observations from the performance of Walker versus Tampa Bay.
Major Observation No. 1
Confidence in PJ Walker
If their Week 6 game plan at the Los Angeles Rams indicated almost no confidence in PJ Walker’s ability, then Sunday’s game was a completely different story. Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo called his best game since joining the Carolina Panthers, allowing his quarterback to be creative and move the football downfield quickly.
This is something Walker relished, looking far more comfortable than he’s been previously. The former Temple star and McAdoo deserve credit for the way they applied themselves throughout an impressive victory that keeps them right in the hunt despite their 2-5 record.
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.
PJ Walker was clinical
One big criticism of the Carolina Panthers’ offense this season has been a distinct lack of conviction on third downs and in the red zone. A problem many expected to continue after the team traded Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers.
Waving the white flag wasn’t in this team’s mindset. They are intent on restoring pride back into the organization following Matt Rhule’s disastrous three years as head coach, with PJ Walker providing the right mentality to turn red-zone trips into touchdowns that provided the spark behind Carolina’s second win of the campaign.
Just why offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo was so cautious with Walker in Week 6 is anyone’s guess. But he at least adjusted the scheme enough to make the best out of a bad situation and allow his quarterback the freedom to flourish in difficult circumstances.
This spoke a lot about the resolve within the locker room. While many fans were already looking towards the 2023 NFL Draft and the prospect of someone like Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud coming on board, losing is out of the question for players fighting for their own futures with a new head coach joining the franchise next year.
Walker was ruthless when it mattered most. Something that the Panthers have desperately craved from their signal-caller without much success in 2022 so far.
PJ Walker earned the right to start in Week 8
Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold are both reportedly ready to play again barring any setbacks in practice this week. However, the Carolina Panthers would be wise to ride the hot hand and keep PJ Walker under center for their Week 8 trip to the Atlanta Falcons.
This is a far cry from Walker’s outlook during the summer. He was seen as the team’s fourth-choice option behind Mayfield, Darnold, and rookie Matt Corral, but a serious foot injury to the Ole Miss product meant he got a reprieve and he’s earned the right to lead Carolina’s offense next weekend at the very least.
When asked about the prospect of Mayfield or Darnold replacing Walker, interim head coach Steve Wilks conceded it would be extremely difficult to demote the player after such an outstanding performance against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that still had quality despite missing some key men within their secondary.
"“PJ had an outstanding performance. When you look at what he did today – still have to evaluate the tape – it’s going to be hard to try to pull him out.”"
The Panthers haven’t had much to cheer about this season. Therefore, moving forward with Walker for another crucial divisional matchup in the hope he can build on some newfound momentum is the correct call to make.
Whether he can achieve similar consistency on the road is the bigger question. But he deserves the opportunity based on what we witnessed in Week 7.