Panthers’ defense stout, but Baker Mayfield and offense sputter in loss to Ravens
The Carolina Panthers defense did everything it could to hit, contain and turnover Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
But Baker Mayfield and the Carolina offense could not support its defense at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday and lost 13-3. Mayfield did not generate enough explosive plays or score in the red zone against Baltimore, but it was a fourth-quarter Shi Smith fumble in Carolina territory that swung the game.
Smith caught a short pass with 8:22 to play and turned upfield seeking yards after the catch. But Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters stood up Smith and ripped the ball away. The play was originally called dead, but a review confirmed Smith fumbled and Marlon Humphrey recovered. Baltimore scored the game’s lone touchdown three plays later via a 1-yard Jackson rush.
To beat Baltimore (7-3), Carolina (3-8) needed to play mistake-free football and create a handful of explosive plays. Mayfield was not explosive nor mistake-free. His longest pass gained 34 yards, and he threw two fourth-quarter interceptions. In his first start since injuring his ankle in Week 5, Mayfield completed 21 of 33 passes (63.6%) for 196 yards and two interceptions.
“We have to protect the football down the stretch, too many turnovers in the fourth quarter,” interim head coach Steve Wilks said. “Defensively, we had a takeaway, but it wasn’t enough. We’ve got to find a way to get off the field on third down. I think they were 6-for-15.”
The Ravens did convert 40% of their third-down attempts but Carolina could not recover after Smith’s fumble.
Jackson’s score put the Ravens up 10 and dashed the hopes of a Panthers upset. Carolina squandered a stout defensive performance. The Panthers’ first three fourth-quarter drives resulted in a fumble, turnover on downs and an interception.
“I thought the play was blown dead, to be honest with you,” Mayfield said. “They said otherwise. I’d honestly have to go back and watch the TV copy to see. There were a few things there that were a little questionable.”
Mayfield’s performance was questionable, too. The Panthers did have backup quarterback Sam Darnold available but Wilks elected not to inject Darnold into a negative circumstance.
“I felt like at the flow of the game, it would have been a disadvantage to him ... to throw him into that type of situation to try to go down and win a game for us,” Wilks said. After the game, Wilks declined to name a starter for next week.
The Panthers gained just 63 first-half yards. Baltimore halted Carolina’s rushing game. D’Onta Foreman entered Sunday averaging 97 rushing yards over the past four weeks. On Sunday, the Panthers gained just 36 yards on 17 carries.
“We have to be better at the run game. I kind of put that on me,” Foreman said. “I feel like when we run the ball well, we are able to stay on the field. When we don’t run the ball well, we get off the field earlier than we want to. I’ve got to figure out how to be better and make those plays.”
Punter Johnny Hekker was one of the best players on the field. His six punts helped consistently flip the field. Carolina punted the ball five straight times to start the game. Mayfield struggled to convert third downs to keep the offense on the field.
“We didn’t get anything in rhythm in the offense, which starts for us in running the football,” Wilks said. “We’ve got to do a great job in the passing game as far as executing. It wasn’t a great job on our part offensively today.”
Carolina’s first explosive play did not come until halfway through the third quarter. Mayfield connected with receiver Terrace Marshall on a 25-yard post route versus Peters. The grab set up Carolina in Ravens territory.
Marshall nearly converted a touchdown a few plays later when Mayfield threw an outside vertical down the left sideline. But Marshall dropped the one-handed opportunity. Two plays later Carolina scored its only points, a 32-yard Eddy Piñeiro field goal that tied the score 3-3.
Jackson found a rhythm on his next drive. He completed five passes to four different receivers. DeMarcus Robinson gained 20 of his 128 receiving yards on the series. He excelled when covered by cornerback C.J. Henderson all afternoon.
But the drive stalled when defensive end Brian Burns sacked Jackson on a third-and-long. The sack took Baltimore out of field-goal range. Carolina sacked Jackson three times and generated 10 tackles for a loss.
Carolina held the Ravens scoreless in the first quarter. It was the first time since Week 18 of last season Baltimore did not score in the opening quarter.
The Ravens did not reach the red zone until the 20-second mark of the second quarter. A double-clutching Jackson throw to Robinson pushed Baltimore to the Panthers’ 14-yard line. But the Panthers’ defense kept Baltimore out of the end zone again, forcing a 32-yard Justin Tucker field goal to end the first half.
The Ravens average 167 rushing per game, second most in the NFL. On Sunday, the Panthers defense limited Jackson and running backs Justice Hill and Kenyan Drake to 115 yards on 30 carries.
Early in the second quarter, defensive tackle Bravvion Roy intercepted Jackson as Baltimore drove to Carolina’s 29 yard line. Dropping Roy into coverage is an example of the creative play calls defensive coordinator Al Holcomb deployed against Jackson. Thirteen points should be enough to win a game, but the Panthers offense did not complement Holcomb’s play-calling.
“I would say it’s not really about the offense, its more about us,” Burns said. “Our goal every game is to have three takeaways and we only had one. It was a great play by (Roy). We only had one, but we have opportunities to get more. We’ve got to capitalize.”
With the loss, the Panthers remain winless on the road this season. The team does not have a win outside the NFC South yet. Next week, Carolina hosts the Broncos at Bank of America Stadium before taking a Week 13 bye.
This story was originally published November 20, 2022 at 4:51 PM.
