Panthers to start Darnold over Newton vs. Saints
The Carolina Panthers are going back to Sam Darnold.
Head coach Matt Rhule announced Wednesday that Darnold will start at quarterback over Cam Newton in Week 17 against the New Orleans Saints, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Darnold, who was traded from the New York Jets to the Panthers in the offseason, began the 2021 campaign as the starter but eventually lost the job due to his struggles and a shoulder injury that sidelined him for five games.
The 24-year-old returned in last week's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, tossing 190 yards on 15 of 32 passing while splitting offensive drives with Newton throughout the game.
P.J. Walker (one start) and Newton (four) were the Panthers' starters while Darnold was sidelined.
All three quarterbacks have struggled in 2021.
| QB | Record | Comp.% | TD passes | INT | Rate | TD runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darnold | 4-5 | 58.3 | 7 | 11 | 70.8 | 5 |
| Newton | 0-5 | 54.8 | 4 | 5 | 64.4 | 5 |
| Walker | 1-0 | 54.5 | 1 | 3 | 56.5 | 0 |
The 5-10 Panthers, who placed Walker on the COVID-19 reserve list on Wednesday, have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
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