Despite the Carolina Panthers possibly having both Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold available next week, interim head coach Steve Wilks seems to be leaning toward letting PJ Walker keep the starting quarterback job for another week.
On Sunday, the Panthers pulled off the biggest upset of Week 7, and arguably the season, when they spanked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21-3 at home. While the team’s stadium was far from filled to capacity, the few fans in attendance saw Carolina end a three-game losing skid and contain Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay offense.
The Panthers entered the game as 13-point underdogs and seemed primed to play victim to a Buccaneers team looking to bounce back from a stunning loss last week to a struggling Pittsburgh Steelers. However, like the Steelers, the Panthers stunned the NFL world and earned only their second win of the season.
Related: NFL scores – Get all the results from Week 7 in the NFL
What made the win so shocking is the fact that the team did it without starting QB Mayfield, or offensive impact players Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson after they were traded this week. They had no business winning this game yet third-string QB PJ Walker and fill-in running back D’Onta Foreman led the way in Wilks’ first win as interim head coach.
The offense finally stepping up after being one of the worst in the league for much of the season has seemingly now opened the door to Walker keeping the starting gig, even when Mayfield returns from his injury.
PJ Walker has gained the full support of Carolina Panthers interim head coach
Following Carolina’s shocking win on Sunday, interim HC Steve Wilks was asked about the QB situation heading into Week 8. Mayfield is expected back and last season’s starter, Sam Darnold, should be off injured reserve and an option to start as well. However, it seems like Wilks is leaning towards rewarding Walker for his 177-passing yards and two touchdown performance this weekend.
- PJ Walker stats (Week 7) 16-22, 177 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 126.5 rating
“It’s going to be hard to pull him out,” Wilks said (h/t Pro Football Talk) in his post-game press conference. In a world where coaches are often vague about difficult decisions at first, that seems like a strong endorsement for the undrafted three-year veteran.
At this point, it might be worth a shot since the offense has not been good this season with their full complement of options, and Darnold did not show much for the team in 2021. The team traded for Mayfield before the start of training camp this summer.
The Panthers hit the road in Week 8 for a division matchup with the Atlanta Falcons.