CHARLOTTE — If Baker Mayfield head-butts anyone this weekend, he'll probably have a helmet on.
The Panthers will have a new starting quarterback when they take the field this weekend, as interim coach Steve Wilks just told reporters that PJ Walker suffered a high ankle sprain during Thursday's win over the Falcons and wouldn't be available for Sunday's game against the Ravens.
That means Mayfield will start and that Sam Darnold will back him up this weekend.
Mayfield started the first five games this season, and they did not go particularly well. He had four touchdowns, four interceptions, and a 71.9 passer rating in those five starts before he was injured against the 49ers. He played better in the second half against the Bengals two weeks ago in relief of Walker, throwing for 155 and two touchdowns in the second half. But even he admitted that was against some passive Bengals coverage (since they were up 35-0 at halftime when Walker was pulled after two interceptions).
But he's also been supportive of Walker when he was serving as the backup, and said repeatedly he wanted to be a part of wins. That's why his viral helmet-less celebration Thursday night (when he exchanged head-butts with linemen coming off the field) appeared to be in character.
Mayfield has experience against the Ravens, starting eight games against them in the previous four years with the Browns. He was 3-5 in those starts, but his 83.2 rating in those games was solid (13 touchdowns, nine interceptions).
Mayfield won the preseason competition with Darnold for the starting job, and then Darnold suffered a high ankle sprain of his own in the preseason. He was activated to the 53-man roster last week but was inactive for the Falcons game.
View the best in-game photos from Carolina's Week 10 game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football.
LB - 50 - Chandler Wooten
LB - 55 - Cory Littleton
RB - 33 - D'Onta Foreman
WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.
RB - 33 - D'Onta Foreman
CB - 26 - Donte Jackson
DE - 53 - Brian Burns
CB - 8 - Jaycee Horn
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
DE - 53 - Brian Burns
CB - 8 - Jaycee Horn
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
DE - 53 - Brian Burns
LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson
CB - 8 - Jaycee Horn
DE - 97 - Yetur Gross-Matos
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
DE - 53 - Brian Burns
WR - 2 - D.J. Moore
WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
T - 70 - Brady Christensen
WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.
Carolina Panthers quarterback PJ Walker passes against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson is tackled by Carolina Panthers linebacker Cory Littleton during the first half of an NFL football game on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
Carolina Panthers place kicker Eddy Pineiro celebrates after field goal against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier runs against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL football game on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
S - 25 - Xavier Woods
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
S - 25 - Xavier Woods
CB - 24 - C.J. Henderson
S - 25 - Xavier Woods
CB - 24 - C.J. Henderson
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson
LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
RB - 20 - Raheem Blackshear
WR - 12 - Shi Smith
WR - 2 - D.J. Moore
TE - 45 - Giovanni Ricci
DE - 53 - Brian Burns
LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson
S - 25 - Xavier Woods
LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson
RB - 20 - Raheem Blackshear
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
C/G - 56 - Bradley Bozeman
K - 4 - Eddy Pineiro
T - 70 - Brady Christensen
RB - 33 - D'Onta Foreman
RB - 33 - D'Onta Foreman
WR - 12 - Shi Smith
WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.
DT - 95 - Derrick Brown
TE - 45 - Giovanni Ricci
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
RB - 20 - Raheem Blackshear
WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.
RB - 20 - Raheem Blackshear
TE - 82 - Tommy Tremble
WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.
WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.
WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.
CB - 8 - Jaycee Horn
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.
DE - 53 - Brian Burns
DT - 99 - Matt Ioannidis
DE - 53 - Brian Burns
DT - 99 - Matt Ioannidis
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
LB - 55 - Cory Littleton
TE - 45 - Giovanni Ricci
LB - 57 - Damien Wilson
LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
DT - 95 - Derrick Brown
DT - 95 - Derrick Brown
S - 25 - Xavier Woods
WR - 2 - D.J. Moore
WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.
WR - 2 - D.J. Moore
LB - 55 - Cory Littelton
WR - 15 - Laviska Shenault Jr.
DE - 53 - Brian Burns
T - 79 - Ikem Ekwonu
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
DE - 53 - Brian Burns
DT - 99 - Matt Ioannidis
LB - 55 - Cory Littleton
S - 21 - Jeremy Chinn
LB - 49 - Frankie Luvu
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
DE - 97 - Yetur Gross-Matos
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr.
CB - 26 - Donte Jackson
DT - 95 - Derrick Brown
DE - 90 - Amare Barno
DT - 99 - Matt Ioannidis
RB - 20 - Raheem Blackshear
RB - 30 - Chuba Hubbard
DT - 99 - Matt Ioannidis
S - 42 - Sam Franklin
WR - 2 - D.J. Moore
QB - 11 - PJ Walker
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
RB - 33 - D'Onta Foreman
QB - 11 - P.J. Walker
RB - 33 - D'Onta Foreman
TE - 82 - Tommy Tremble
LB - 57 - Damien Wilson
LB - 55 - Cory Littleton
T - 79 - Ikem Ekwonu
WR - 2 - D.J. Moore
RB - 33 - D'Onta Foreman
RB - 33 - D'Onta Foreman
RB - 33 - D'Onta Foreman
