A look at what’s off between Sam Darnold and Robby Anderson through Panthers’ 3-0 start

The 2020 season was the best year of Robby Anderson’s five-year NFL career.

During his first season with the Carolina Panthers, he had a career-high 95 catches and 1,096 yards receiving. And after signing a two-year, $29.5 million contract extension in September, he said he hoped to build off his big year.

“If I went from that to that, I can go to more and that’s the goal,” Anderson said in August.

But through three games this season, what was supposed to be a happy reunion between Anderson and quarterback Sam Darnold, who played together for two years in New York, has been anything but.

Anderson has five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown in three games, far below the pace he set in 2020. He has the same number of catches as backup running back Chuba Hubbard. Perhaps the most surprising stat, though, is his targets. Anderson has been targeted only 11 times, which is tied for fourth on the team, behind DJ Moore, Christian McCaffrey and rookie Terrace Marshall.

He is tied with Dan Arnold, who was traded earlier this week to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“He has to be frustrated because he’s such a good player, such a good teammate,” Panthers coach Matt Rhule said. “He’s not really getting involved. The ultimate goal is winning, but I think getting everyone involved will help us win.”

When Rhule watched the film of the game against the Saints and against the Texans, he noticed Anderson open on a few deep shots that Darnold missed or didn’t see.

For example, at the start of the second quarter against the Texans, the Panthers had second-and-6 from their own 44-yard line. The Panthers ran a play-action fake. Anderson, who was lined up on the right side of the line, ran a streak route toward the middle of the field. The Texans were playing zone with safety help over the top.

Darnold looked Anderson’s way briefly, then focused solely on the left side of the field. Anderson was wide open in the middle of the field. Had Darnold kept his eyes on Anderson just a little longer, he could have connected with Anderson for a long gain before the safeties converged down.

But Darnold instead passed to McCaffrey, who gained eight yards.

“If you watch the tape last night, he’s open quite a bit and the ball’s not getting to him,” Rhule said Friday. “And the ball is being spreading around to a lot of different people. So I think as a coaching staff we have to emphasize it. He’s too good of a player to not be affecting the game. And it’s not like he’s not open.”

Rhule is right. The Panthers are 3-0, but to be great, they have to get one of their best playmakers involved. On Sunday, they’ll face the Cowboys (2-1), who will be, by far, the best team Carolina has played this season.

And they’ll have to do it without their best player, McCaffrey, who will be out for multiple weeks with a strained hamstring.

Anderson has shown how much of a threat he can be. In Week 1, Darnold and Anderson connected on a 57-yard touchdown pass, where Anderson had at least two steps on his defender.

That was his only catch of the game.

The Observer re-watched film on all 11 of Anderson’s targets in the first three games. Of those 11 targets, Darnold overthrew Anderson on three of those passes deep. Anderson dropped a short pass, and Darnold threw another one away.

Here were all 11 of Anderson’s targets:

Target 1, vs. Jets

Darnold’s first target to Anderson didn’t come until 4:14 left in the second quarter, but it was a successful one.

The Panthers ran a play-action fake. McCaffrey helped Dennis Daley, who allowed a pass rusher to get past him. Darnold stepped left and found an open Anderson for a 57-yard touchdown pass.

It was a perfectly drawn-up play, aided by McCaffrey’s help. Anderson had at least two steps on the defenders guarding him.

Target 2, vs. Jets

The Panthers had first-and-10 from their own 21-yard line to start the third quarter against the Jets.

Anderson was lined up on the left side and ran a corner route. But there seemed to be a miscommunication between Darnold and Anderson because Darnold threw it toward the middle of the field opposite of where Anderson was running and before he got out of his break.

The pass fell incomplete.

Target 3, vs. Jets

The Panthers had second-and-9 from their own 38-yard line with 9:41 left in the third quarter. Anderson was lined up on the right side. He ran a go route and had half a step on the Jets’ cornerback Bryce Hall.

Darnold overthrew Anderson long and outside just outside his reach. The pass fell incomplete.

It was the third and final target of the game for Anderson.

Target 4, vs. Saints

The Panthers had second-and-9 from the New Orleans 35-yard line with 26 seconds left in the first quarter. Anderson, who was lined up on the left side of the line, ran a deep comeback route against Saints rookie cornerback Paulson Adebo.

Adebo was all over Anderson, but he caught it anyway for an 18-yard gain.

Target 5, vs. Saints

The Panthers had the ball with first-and-10 from the Saints’ 26-yard line. Anderson, who was lined up on the right, ran a go route against Adebo. He had a step on Adebo, but Darnold overthrew him out of bounds.

Anderson didn’t have a chance to catch it and the pass fell incomplete.

Target 6, vs. Saints

The Panthers had second-and-8 from their own 27-yard line with 13:55 left in the fourth quarter and a 17-7 lead.

Anderson was lined up in the slot. He ran an out route toward the sideline, which Darnold found. But Anderson was quickly wrapped up.

Anderson gained only four yards.

Target 7, vs. Saints

The Panthers had first-and-10 from their own 47-yard line with 8:42 left in the fourth quarter. Anderson, who was lined up on the left side of the field, ran a fade route.

The play seemed to be for Moore, who was lined up right, but Darnold looked left toward Anderson and threw it away. Anderson was well covered.

Target 8, vs. Saints

The Panthers had first-and-10 from the New Orleans’ 38-yard line with 8:16 left in the fourth quarter. Anderson, who was split out left, ran a go route. Anderson had half a step on Adebo, but Darnold’s pass was just out of his reach, off his fingertips and out of bounds too far left again.

Target 9, vs. Saints

The Panthers had second-and-10 from the New Orleans’ 27-yard line with 6:36 left in the fourth quarter. Anderson was lined up on the right side of the line and ran an out route. He caught a perfectly thrown pass from Darnold.

Anderson wriggled out of Saints cornerback P.J. Williams’ grasp and gained an extra eight yards for a 16-yard gain.

Target 10, vs. Texans

The Panthers had first-and-10 from their own 26-yard line with 2:08 left in the second quarter. Anderson, who was lined up on the left side of the line, ran a short comeback route.

Darnold threw a perfect pass, but Anderson dropped it and it fell incomplete.

Target 11, vs. Texans

The Panthers had second-and-6 from their own 29-yard line with 8:26 left in the game. Anderson was split out in the slot. He ran a short comeback route and gained eight yards for a first down.

Before that, he hadn’t been much of a factor in the game.

The biggest takeaway is that Darnold and Anderson haven’t connected often enough. On at least one occasion, they weren’t on the same page. Darnold has also overthrown Anderson more than once.

In three games, Darnold has looked more often toward Moore and McCaffrey.

The Panthers need to find Anderson. He’s already shown how dangerous he can be. Last season, he had 15 catches for 278 yards through the first three games.

“I think I can be more accurate down the field, I think that’s definitely a part of it,” Darnold said when asked about the disconnect. “But we’ll find each other, though. Eventually.”