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BALTIMORE — Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield admitted Sunday “it sucks” to be questioned whether or not he ought to stay the starter after his efficiency in a 13-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Financial institution Stadium.
“It is powerful,” the primary choose of the 2018 draft mentioned matter-of-factly after his first begin since Week 5. “I will be trustworthy with you. I put my coronary heart and soul on this, and this sucks. I simply hope all people else feels the identical manner, to be trustworthy with you. That is the way you flip issues round. You must care about it. You do.”
Mayfield’s report as Carolina’s starter is now 1-5. With the Panthers 3-8 and nearing elimination from playoff rivalry there’s an opportunity interim coach Steve Wilks will flip to Sam Darnold, the third choose of the 2018 draft, for subsequent week’s sport towards the Denver Broncos.
Wilks has mentioned for a number of weeks he desires to get a have a look at Darnold, who started the season on injured reserve with a excessive ankle sprain after dropping the open competitors in coaching camp for the beginning job to Mayfield. He didn’t decide to who would begin subsequent week.
Wilks additionally may return to P.J. Walker, who was 2-3 because the starter earlier than struggling a excessive ankle sprain final week to open the door for Mayfield to begin once more.
“It is too early to say,” Wilks mentioned. “We have to guage the tape, after which from there, I will decide.”
The tape will present Mayfield led Carolina to solely three factors and threw interceptions on Carolina’s final two possessions with the Ravens (7-3) main 13-3. It can present the primary one was the results of a batted ball that has been a difficulty for Mayfield all season and the second gave the impression to be a results of huge receiver Shi Smith working a lazy route.
Mayfield completed 21-of-33 passing for 196 yards with no touchdowns for a Complete Quarterback Ranking of 20.2, barely higher than the league-low 15.3 he had over the primary 5 video games.
“Not adequate,” Mayfield mentioned when requested to guage his efficiency. “We did not win the sport. I say care for the ball, however we have now to make extra performs. Batted balls, once they’re not getting the push. … Shi and I’ve to be on the identical web page.
“He is (cornerback) Marlon Humphrey on the market within the flat and I am anticipating him to go within the flat. [Humphrey’s] enjoying good and I am anticipating him to run his route. Let’s simply get on the identical web page. It value us.”
Mayfield performed mistake-free by three quarters and Carolina trailed solely 6-3 with 8:14 remaining. That is when the Ravens stripped Smith of the ball after a catch and two performs later scored on a 1-yard landing run by quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson, the final choose within the first spherical of the 2018 draft, is now 6-3 towards Mayfield.
However even then the offense was largely stagnant. Carolina had solely 63 yards within the first half and completed with solely 205. The working sport that averaged 159.5 yards over the previous 4 video games, together with a season-high 232 yards within the final sport towards the Atlanta Falcons, was restricted to 36 yards.
“It is powerful when you possibly can’t get the run sport going,” Mayfield mentioned. “We simply should make extra performs. It is simply a type of days. It was an extended day for us on offense. We have to make the performs once they’re there, as a result of a crew like that there is not going to be many.”
Mayfield mentioned the sport plan coming in was “nice, however the execution, that is one other story.”
As for why the Panthers have been unable to win after being in so many shut video games, Mayfield recalled what it was like when he joined the Cleveland Browns in 2018 after they’d gone 1-31 their two earlier seasons.
“It is really a mindset if you’re making an attempt to recover from the hump and switch issues round,” he mentioned. “You’ll be able to have a look at your report proper now, and clearly our report proper now is just not nice, however have a look at how we’re dropping. You must have a look at these issues. It is a cliche factor (Invoice) Parcells mentioned, ‘You have to learn to cease beating your self earlier than you learn to win.’
“And I feel proper now, as we speak, was a reasonably good instance of that.”
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