Panthers bench struggling Walker for Mayfield

CINCINNATI -- Baker Mayfield wondered earlier successful the week whether helium would get different changeable to play backmost for the Carolina Panthers.

Facing the largest halftime shortage successful squad history, down 35-0 to the Cincinnati Bengals connected Sunday astatine Paycor Stadium, interim manager Steve Wilks yet turned to the archetypal prime of the 2018 draught and benched a struggling PJ Walker.

Mayfield, playing for the archetypal clip since a Week 5 nonaccomplishment to the San Francisco 49ers, threw an 8-yard touchdown walk to Tommy Tremble connected his archetypal thrust to chopped the pb to 35-7. He completed 4 of 6 passes for 34 yards and the touchdown, his archetypal since a Week 4 nonaccomplishment to the Arizona Cardinals.

It was lone the 5th touchdown walk of the play for Mayfield against 4 interceptions.

Mayfield was replaced by Walker successful Week 6 aft suffering a precocious ankle sprain successful the nonaccomplishment to the 49ers. He remained the backup contempt being steadfast capable to play the adjacent 2 games and Sunday against the Bengals. In portion this was due to the fact that Walker was playing good and successful portion due to the fact that Mayfield's 15.3 Total Quarterback Rating the archetypal 5 games was past successful the NFL and the worst for a backmost since ESPN began tracking the stat successful 2006.

Walker had a disastrous archetypal fractional against the Bengals, completing lone 3 of 10 walk attempts for 9 yards with 2 interceptions. The Panthers were outgained 268 yards to 19 successful the half, and the 35-point shortage was the largest for a archetypal fractional successful squad history.

The erstwhile grounds was a 32-point shortage to the New Orleans Saints connected Dec. 29, 2019.

Mayfield talked earlier successful the week astir the "looming question'' of what his aboriginal would beryllium astatine Carolina erstwhile 2021 starter Sam Darnold was activated from injured reserve with the Tuesday deadline coming up. That would permission the Panthers with 3 quarterbacks successful Walker, Mayfield and Darnold, and teams seldom transportation 3 quarterbacks with different connected the signifier squad.

Wilks besides has said antecedently helium wanted to get different look astatine Darnold earlier the play is over.

"That's not for america to handle,'' Mayfield said Thursday. "We're disquieted astir 1 time astatine a time. That's however it's been handled. We'll spot erstwhile that clip comes. I don't person the close answer.''