What the Panthers did to shut down Baker Mayfield in 2023, how they can do it again

Carolina's defense had an inside track going up against Tampa's new QB1 last season.

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

One has to assume that Baker Mayfield wakes up every morning, looks in his mirror, lists off everyone that has ever doubted him, and uses it for fuel to shred NFL defenses. The NFL's petty king has history with the Carolina Panthers, the franchise that traded for him and cut him within a span of seven months just two seasons ago, but that beef hasn't translated to much success on the field against his former team.

Ejiro Evero and his Panthers defense shut down Mayfield in two meetings last season.

The first, a 21-18 Buccaneers win, saw Mayfield complete 14 of 29 passes for 202 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The second, a 9-0 win for the Buccaneers that everyone has erased from their memory, was another Mayfield disaster-class in which he completed 20 of 32 yards for 137 yards and no scores.

The key for Carolina was limiting big plays for Mayfield and his stable of weapons.

Mayfield has made a living by completing deep passes. The former number one overall pick is diminutive in size, but his arm is as live as any in the NFL. He owns the NFL Next Gen Stats record for the longest pass via air yards, a 70.5 yard Hail Mary to Donovan People's Jones. Carolina put a lid on his vertical passing game in 2023.

Mike Evans and Mayfield have become one of the league's preeminent downfield passing duo's, but in two games against the Panthers last season, they only connected on a singular big play. Said play was a 75-yard touchdown, the longest of Evans' ballyhooed career, but outside of that, it was slim pickings.

In order for Carolina to spring another upset in front of their home fans on Sunday, they need to bottle up Mayfield and Evans' impressive connection. Down to down, Liam Coen's offense chips away at opposing defenses with a three-headed Medusa-like backfield of Sean Tucker, Rachaad White, and Bucky Irving, but their bread will always be buttered when Evans streaks downfield to haul in passes from his quarterback.

Jaycee Horn will likely be tasked with guarding Evans wherever he travels. The veteran defensive back struggled with DeAndre Hopkins' physicality in last Sunday's loss to the Chiefs, and he'll face a similar test from the mountainous Mike Evans. The Buccaneer's wide out isn't nearly as physical as Hopkins in the allotted first five yards, but he's a monster at the catch point, and Horn will need to be smart with his hands to keep Tampa Bay from gaining first downs via penalty.

Divisional matchups always find themselves to be closer than prognosticators anticipate, and Sunday will likely end up as a one score game. In order for that to happen, Carolina needs to follow the same blueprint as last season: bottle up Mayfield and Evans en route to the upset.

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