If there's one that Baker Mayfield doesn't lack, it's confidence. The Carolina Panthers quarterback was not going to lose any of it even after a loss to his former team, Cleveland Browns, at home Sunday, 26-24. Mayfield isn't going to be deterred at all by a Week 1 loss, knowing that the season is still very much ahead of the Panthers and that the NFC South remains a wide-open race.

Via Steve Reed of the Associated Press:

“Everybody made this out to the Super Bowl, but despite what everyone is going to make this, there are 16 more games,” Mayfield said. “The Super Bowl is not until February and this is the beginning of September. There was a lot of anticipation, but we’re going to flush this and learn from it and be better from it.”

Baker Mayfield, however, will have to be better. He was all over the place in the Browns game, completing just 16-of-27 passes for 235 passing yards and a touchdown. He got intercepted once and sacked four times for a loss of 28 yards. At the same time, the offensive line work of the Panthers left much to be desired, with Carolina struggling to be consistent on the ground. Running back Christian McCaffrey mustered just 33 rushing yards on 10 carries, though he did score a rushing score.

In any case, the focus will always be on Baker Mayfield, who was also lucky to recover all four fumbles he committed against the Browns.

The Panthers will hit the road in Week 2 for a showdown with Daniel Jones and the New York Giants.