How a Panthers quarterback change could be just the ticket for receiver D.J. Moore

In football, confidence is king.

And there is a chance Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold got his swagger back.

Throwing behind the best offensive line he’s ever played with, Darnold quarterbacked Carolina to a 23-10 win last week against the Denver Broncos. In his first regular-season action since Week 18 of last season, Darnold scored two touchdowns and threw for 164 yards against the NFL’s No. 3 ranked defense. His 103.8 passer rating was his highest mark since Week 6 of the 2019 season.

Darnold’s stat line wasn’t robust but his play was timely, explosive and mistake-free.

Barring an injury or catastrophic performance, it should be Darnold who leads Carolina through its late-season playoff push. With five games left, the Panthers have an 8% chance to win the NFC South.

Darnold earned interim coach Steve Wilks’ trust by executing his game plan and distributing the ball to receiver D.J. Moore.

It’s been a tough season for Moore, who is on pace for 65 catches and 857 yards. Moore has not had less than 1,100 receiving yards and at least 66 receptions since his rookie season.

Moore (and the entire offense) started slowly with Baker Mayfield, whom the team released on Monday. Moore posted a season-high 153 receiving yards against Atlanta in Week 8 when P.J. Walker quarterbacked but it’s clear Moore has the best rapport with Darnold.

According to Draft Kings, Moore averages 15.7 fantasy points per game when Darnold starts (13-game sample size). That average drops to 10.6 points with Mayfield or Walker (11-game sample).

Moore and Darnold each played excellently against a challenging Broncos defense. Moore cooked cornerback Patrick Surtain II all afternoon. Moore and Raiders All-Pro receiver Davante Adams are the only two receivers to record 100-plus yards against Surtain this season.

Here is a closer look at why Darnold is best for Moore’s production.

Protection breeds confidence

When Carolina traded for Darnold in 2021, Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer vowed to protect Darnold by building a stout offensive line. It took an offseason of capital allocation and accurate player evaluation but Fitterer has finally delivered on his initial promise to Darnold.

The Broncos did not sack Darnold. He was only hit twice. The Panthers offensive line is one of the most consistent units in football. And a confident Darnold is the byproduct of that.

Take Moore’s 26-yard first-quarter reception.

The Broncos rushed four and the Panthers blocked it perfectly. Veteran right tackle Taylor Moton handled his one-on-one assignment against edge rusher Nik Bonitto. Right guard Austin Corbett walled blitzing linebacker Alex Singleton. Center Bradley Bozeman and guard Brady Christensen combo-blocked three-technique Dre’Mont Jones while rookie Ikem Ekwonu held against end D.J. Jones.

Sound execution from offensive line coach James Campen’s unit allowed Darnold to drop back and scan the field from his right to left. Darnold had more than 3 seconds to locate a crossing Moore, and he dropped a perfect throw to him on the left sideline.

This was Moore’s second-longest catch of the game, delivered via a cool, calm and collected Darnold throw.

Athletic in the pocket

Darnold is the Panthers’ most athletic quarterback. That was a fact before the team cut Mayfield. The team trusts him to run the football, evident by his stop-drop-and-roll touchdown.

But it’s his in-pocket athleticism which allows Darnold to quickly maneuver around the pocket while keeping his eyes up for potential targets.

His touchdown to Moore is an example of navigating through pocket clutter, which buys just enough time for his receiver. Darnold maximized his long frame on this throw by releasing the ball at the last possible moment.

Moore made an incredible grab in the back of the end zone, but it wasn’t even his best play of the game.

More first downs, more plays, more opportunity

Moore’s biggest play opened the fourth quarter. After moving the chains via a 10-yard D’Onta Foreman run, Ben McAdoo called a shot-play for Moore on first down.

On the snap, Darnold faked a handoff to running back Chuba Hubbard. He started his five-step drop and opened up about eight yards behind the center.

It appears Darnold made a pre-snap decision to throw at Moore, who had one-on-one coverage against Surtain.

Before throwing, Darnold took a few gather steps and then launched a long ball for Moore. As the ball traveled 58 air yards, Darnold held his follow-through as Stephen Curry does after a three-pointer.

Moore hit a second gear as he separated from Surtain and the ball landed perfectly in his chest plate.

This play had a better chance of working considering the Panthers had three successful runs on this drive already. The runs set up this pass.

Darnold helped Carolina move the chains. First downs create more plays which result in more explosive opportunities. The Panthers entered Sunday averaging a league-low 56 plays per game. The offense ran 65 plays versus Denver.

What we learned

The Panthers have the sixth-easiest remaining schedule according to tankathon.com. Only the Bucs (6-6) and Seattle (7-5) have .500 or better records. But neither defense should overlook Darnold and Moore.

On Monday, Tampa Bay allowed Saints receiver Rashid Shaheed to catch four passes for 75 yards. In Week 7, Moore had four grabs for 69 yards and a touchdown in a 21-3 victory over Tampa Bay.

Carolina is at Tampa Bay in Week 17.

On Sunday, Darnold and Moore will try to exploit a Seahawks defense that allowed a collection of Los Angeles Rams backups to score 23 points.

For the first time all season, Carolina has an advantage in the passing game and it starts with Darnold and Moore.