It was a rough performance for the Carolina Panthers and Sam Darnold on Sunday.
It appears Bill Belichick still has the young quarterback seeing ghosts. Darnold finished the day with 16-33 for 173 yards and three picks on the way to a 24-6 loss.
The fourth-year QB entered the week 9 contest “questionable” with a concussion and shoulder injury.
After playing the full game, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule says that Darnold is getting an MRI on his shoulder and that “the focus is on health.” P.J. Walker will get the nod at quarterback if Darnold can’t go per the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
#Panthers coach Matt Rhule told reporters that QB Sam Darnold is getting an MRI on his shoulder and that the focus is on his health. If he can’t go, PJ Walker would get the start.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 8, 2021
Darnold started out the season as everything the Panthers could have hoped through the first few weeks. However, the 24-year-old QB quickly got bit by the turnover bug, posting seven touchdowns to 11 interceptions and six fumbles.
Turnovers were always one of the questions scouts had about Darnold coming out of USC in 2017.
Phillip Walker, who could replace Darnold if he can’t go, started one game in 2020. Walker, who made a name for himself as an XFL standout, posted respectable numbers in his lone start.
The undrafted QB out of Temple led Carolina to a 20-0 shutout of the Lions in Week 11, going 24-34 for 258 yards and a touchdown, along with a pair of picks.
Matt Rhule: “I don’t want to lay it all on one guy, but we can’t keep throwing the ball up in the air.”
Is Sam Darnold still the guy? “We can’t keep doing that.”
— Joe Person (@josephperson) November 7, 2021
Head coach Matt Rhule was visibly frustrated with Darnold’s performance against New England, telling reporters “I don’t want to lay it all on one guy, but we can’t keep throwing the ball up in the air.”
When asked if their free-agent signing is still the guy, Rhule responded, “We can’t keep doing that.”
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