This past Sunday marked the first loss for the Carolina Panthers under the watch of quarterback Sam Darnold in 2022. But given his solid play at times, it’s difficult to pin the result solely on him.
The story of the 24-16 defeat was the dominance in the trenches. Whether it was through their running game, one that produced 156 yards and three touchdowns, or against Carolina’s—the Pittsburgh Steelers put the Panthers on hold nearly all afternoon.
But as for Darnold, he did what he could to put his team in another position for a victory. He completed 14 of 23 passes for a season-high 225 yards and a touchdown.
After their ground attack got shut down, it was clear that Carolina was attempting to keep a balanced attack—one that would protect their quarterback from being hit and making mistakes under pressure. That, however, ultimately did not work given that Sam was sacked four times by a ferocious and relentless Steelers front.
While Darnold did not turn the ball over and was smart in throwing it away when needed, it is a bit concerning that offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo was clearly trying to mask his quarterback. Darnold hit big offensive plays, including two passes of at least 40 yards, but it still seems like he was being held back for fear of turnovers or being hit.
Although protecting your quarterback is, of course, important, we are left wondering if Darnold could have pushed the Panthers over the top if he had been allowed to let it rip a few more times with bolder play calling.
Week 15 grade for Darnold: B-