In Week 11, Baker Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers fell to the Baltimore Ravens 13-3.
With the loss, the Panthers now sit at 3-8 and are in fourth place in the NFC South.
The Panthers defense put on a strong showing against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. They held the Ravens to just 13 offensive points, their lowest of the season.
Along with keeping them out of the endzone, the Panthers defense did a good job of containing the offense. Jackson threw for just 209 yards while throwing one interception. He was also sacked three times.
On the ground, the Panthers limited the explosive Ravens run game. They allowed just 115 rushing yards and one touchdown on 30 total carries. The Ravens averaged just 3.8 yards per carry.
Unfortunately, the Panthers offense struggled to be as effective. They scored just three points. This was the first time they failed to reach double-digit points in a game this season.
With this loss, the Panthers have only solidified that this season has not gone to plan. And yet, there is still potential to turn things around. Through their remaining six games, they play just one team who currently has a winning record.
This game had the potential to be an upset victory for the Panthers. Unfroutanly, that wasn't the case for this team.
Here are three Panthers most responsible for their Week 11 loss to the Ravens.
3. WR, DJ Moore
Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore has had an inconsistent season in 2022. With changes at quarterback and an offense that has not played to expectations, he has struggled to put up consistent numbers. His outing in Week 11 was just another that the Panthers WR1 would like to forget.
Moore finished the day with three receptions for 24 receiving yards on five total targets. This was the third straight game that he had been held below 30 receiving yards.
At times this season, Moore has shown flashes of his typical self. In Week 8 he posted his only 100-plus-yard receiving game of the season. In this contest, he recorded six receptions for 152 receiving yards and one touchdown. Outside of that performance, he is yet to surpass 69 receiving yards in a game.
The Ravens do have a secondary consisting of several elite players, but Moore is expected to perform against whoever he is lined up against. That wasn’t the case against the Ravens. Moore finished the day as the Panthers fourth-leading receiver.
In Week 12, Moore will have the opportunity to bounce back against the Denver Broncos. If he hopes to turn things around, he will have to be prepared to line up against an elite cornerback in Patrick Surtain.
2. RB, D’Onta Foreman
Since the departure of running back Christian McCaffrey, D’Onta Foreman has looked like a star for this Panthers offense. But in Week 11, he struggled to be effective.
In what marked his second poor outing in the last three weeks, D'Onta Foreman struggled on the ground. He recorded 24 rushing yards on 11 total carries.
This was a near identical performance to what he did in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He finished that outing with 23 rushing yards on just seven total carries.
Excluding his performances in weeks 9 and 11, Foreman has excelled in this backfield. Over the past five games, Foreman has rushed for 413 yards and four touchdowns.
His performance in Week 11 held the Panthers offense back. But he has proven just how effective he can be in a lead role. The future still seems bright for the Panthers RB1.
1. QB, Baker Mayfield
Heading into the season Baker Mayfield was expected to undergo a career resurgence with the Panthers. Instead, he struggled to be effective.
In six games, he had a starting record of 1-5. During this time, he threw for 1,117 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. With him leading the charge, the Panthers offense struggled to be effective.
Due to his poor outings, Mayfield lost the starting job to P.J. Walker. But a high ankle sprain opened the door to Mayfield returning in Week 11. But he once again struggled to keep this offense afloat.
Mayfield finished the day throwing for 196 passing yards and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times.
The Panthers struggled to move the ball through the air. Mayfield had just one completion of more than 15 yards the entire day.
There is an argument to be made that with just a few strong trips down the field, the Panthers could have stolen this win. With their defense holding the Ravens to just 13 points, this game was theirs to take. But a poor showing from Mayfield and this offense kept this from happening.
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