The Carolina Panthers went 2-0 after blowing out the New Orleans Saints in Week 2, have they finally given QB Sam Darnold a home in Carolina?
Sam Darnold has had an indifferent career since coming into the league in 2018. He found himself in a bad situation at the New York Jets, with a poor offensive line, lack of a running game and a fractious relationship with then-head coach Adam Gase. After three years of inconsistent performances, the former No. 3 overall pick found a way out of the Big Apple, being traded to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2021 season.
The question has always been if some of the issues in New York were Darnold’s fault? Or would he step up to the plate on a team full of talent like Carolina? Currently, the answer is he’s stepping right up to the plate. The Panthers are 2-0 going into Week 3, and the quarterback is a big part of that.
For the first time in Darnold’s NFL career, he has a team stacked on offense, arguably the best running back in the league in Christian McCaffrey, and two top receivers with DJ Moore and Robby Anderson. Darnold, quite simply, does not have much of an excuse to perform poorly here.
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The Panthers took on the Jets in Week 1, the former USC quarterback’s revenge game, straight off the bat. Though timid, Darnold threw for 279 yards and one touchdown, leading his team to a solid start. In Week 2, the 1-0 New Orleans Saints came to town and Darnold began to heat up, going for 305 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a blowout win.
It is only Week 2 but it is possible to think that maybe the quarterback could have found his home. Week 1 was a tentative performance, but against the Saints, Darnold really stepped up and got the Panthers offense moving at a rate the opposition couldn’t handle.
The Panthers were rumored to be big movers in the Deshaun Watson situation. Instead, they went for the former Jets signal-caller and it looks like it could be an astute move. It’s early days, but it’s possible that Darnold in Carolina could be a solid match with the way he’s playing.