Baker Mayfield has had a bumpy start but Carolina and Mayfield still has potential

The Mayfield haters, the Browns bros whatever you want to call them have been having their early victory lap to this point in the season. Baker Mayfield is 32nd in QBR around the same in EPA, and the Panther’s offense looks stuck in the mud, regardless of how much potential it might flash from drive to drive. Seeking a sense of comfort and validation with what transpired this off-season in Cleveland many of the fans there are excited to see Baker not doing well. It is a way of coping with the risky gambit the Browns took in the off-season, one that the jury is still out on.

This isn’t Baker vs the Browns

While it seems like there has been a lot of focus as to how Baker has done relative to Jacoby Brissett of the Browns, and questions like how would Cleveland be doing if they had Mayfield. This story is really not, about Baker Mayfield and his past in Cleveland, or the fans that have jumped on a wagon so they can comfortably point the finger at someone gone.

This is about Mayfield, and his opportunity to prove himself as a franchise QB, and for the Carolina Panthers to win games, and perhaps qualify for the postseason and the focus should stay there. Mayfield has been okay- at best so far in Charlotte, and while this is only week three and there is plenty of time to change that direction, with a 1-2 record the Panthers can hardly wait to get things going.

This was always going to be somewhat of a work in progress

When you get traded after Mini-Camp and OTAs, late in the process it will affect the way you can impact your team early. Especially for a QB who has a lot of work to do. Mayfield did a great job learning a good chunk of the playbook and beating out Sam Darnold in camp, but he is just now crossing that two-month mark since the first time he was allowed to work with coaches on the team. Mayfield is still thinking while playing with this new offensive system, it is not second nature for him, and it shows. But it’s also still somewhat new to his teammates, who have just a five-month head start on him, but only two months of reps with Baker.  DJ Moore, the Panther’s top wide receiver seems to be about a step and a half out of sync, this is something that can and needs to change for the team to reach its ability. But this is only something that developers with reps there is no magic gel.

Mayfield needs to learn to trust what he sees, and his offensive line as he has caused many of his own pressures and has had guys here and there that are open, and he needs to be decisive so he can hit them. Right now you can tell he is trying to be careful and not turn it over, but at some point, it’s gotta be sink or swim.

This weekend’s Sooner Heisman bowl can be a coming-out party

The Panthers got a much-needed divisional victory last week against New Orleans. It doesn’t erase losing the first two weeks, but you would probably rather be 1-2 with a division win, than 2-1 with a division loss. The Panthers will host the Cardinals on Sunday, on national TV.  This means yes, Baker will play against his former teammate and fellow Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray. Murray is 2-0 against Mayfield so far in their young careers, but the Panthers have not lost to the Cardinals since 2013. Something has to give here.

The reason this match-up could be a great opportunity for Mayfield and the Panther’s offense is that the Cardinals have yet to record a sack or an interception. QBs that face the Cardinals through three weeks have a passer rating of 118. There has been a lot of talk about how Mayfield cant find WR DJ Moore, and about his separation (or lack thereof) evening up the W/L record and getting the offense moving in the right direction could catapult Carolina forward, as well as Baker Mayfield. It’s really now or never. While all the kinks won’t be worked out by Sunday, a step forward is necessary. There have been flashes, like the opening second-half drive against the Giants, or the strong mid-second quarter on against the Browns. They simply need to put it all together