A change of scenery didn’t even remotely benefit Sam Darnold’s hopes of finding success against the New England Patriots.
The Patriots defense gave Darnold all sorts of trouble Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium, especially in the second half. New England extended its lead over Carolina to 21-6 with a little less than five minutes to go in the third quarter when J.C. Jackson returned an interception 88 yards for a touchdown.
The Patriots picked off Darnold again on the Panthers’ next drive when Jamie Collins elevated at the line of scrimmage, and New England capitalized with a field goal after taking possession. How did Carolina’s next drive conclude? You guessed it. Another Darnold pick.
You’ll remember Darnold had a similarly nightmarish showing against the Patriots in 2019 when he threw four interceptions on a Monday night in the Meadowlands. The quarterback said he was “seeing ghosts” that evening, so you can imagine how folks on social media reacted to Darnold’s latest dud against New England.
At this rate, Darnold going up against the Patriots with another new team next season probably shouldn’t be ruled out. That is if the 2018 first-rounder manages to secure a starting job in 2022.
