The Panther Playbook

Closing up shop

2010-12-01T10:05:00.000-05:00

Due to the amount of stress I'm under in my personal life, and the expanded role of editor that I've taken at CSR, I regretfully announce that I will no longer contribute posts to this blog. Something has to be cut for me to keep my sanity, and CSR has a broader readership than I do here, so I've decided to shut down this blog.

Thank you for your support and readership. If you would like to continue reading about the Panthers, you can do so at Cat Scratch Reader.

I really don't know what to say anymore

2010-11-28T17:00:00.002-05:00

Heartbreaking loss to the Browns. Old man Kasay should have made that kick, but at the same time we shouldn't have allowed Peyton Hillis to run like Jim Brown in the first half and score three TD's on our defense.

What can you say about a team that's 1-10 and is destined to pick in the top 5 of next year's draft? Oh well, I guess I should start scouting the top-notch college guys, because from the looks of it, we're going to get one of them.

Brian St. Pierre to start against Baltimore

2010-11-18T14:18:00.002-05:00

In what should be considered as the "WTF" moment of the season, Brian St. Pierre will start for Carolina on Sunday when the Ravens come to Charlotte to get an easy win as they prepare for their playoff run.

Considering the fact that St. Pierre was just signed to the practice squad last week, it makes no sense that he's going to get the start over Tony Pike, who at least has some knowledge of the playbook since he's been with the team all season.

I don't know what to say anymore. If this isn't John Fox holding up a big sign that says "I don't give a shit", then I don't know what is.

Jimmy Clausen has a concussion

2010-11-15T17:04:00.000-05:00

This season just keeps getting better and better.

Clausen suffered a concussion at the end of yesterday's 31-16 loss against the Buccaneers when he was blatantly cheap-shotted in a helmet-to-helmet hit by Aqib "The Thug" Talib on a QB sneak play at the goal line in the 4th quarter.

John Fox has formally complained to the league and sent a tape of the play for review, but it's unlikely that they will do anything, since Clausen isn't Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, and he wasn't a defenseless receiver attempting to catch a pass.

No word yet on whether or not Clausen will start against the Ravens*, but if he can't play it will be up to Tony Pike to lead us onto the field to ~~be destroyed by~~ face Ray Lewis and company.

* - To be honest, it really doesn't matter if he plays or not, because we're going to get our asses handed to us by Baltimore anyway.

Matt Moore out for season

2010-11-08T20:57:00.002-05:00

Update 2:The Panthers have signed QB Brian St. Pierre to the practice squad. Armanti Edwards will be the 3rd QB on game day.

Update 1: The Panthers have invited former Rams QB Keith Null to workout for the team, a move that almost guarantees Armanti Edwards will remain at WR for the rest of the season.

* * * *

Matt Moore is out for the season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He suffered the injury after taking a sack in the 3rd quarter against the Saints this past Sunday.

Jimmy Clausen, Tony Pike, and Armanti Edwards will now share QB duties, although at this point it doesn't really matter anymore.

LB's Dan Connor and Thomas Davis were also placed on IR. Davis has been out since training camp when he re-injured his torn ACL, and Connor injured his hip against the Saints on Sunday.

Embarrassment

2010-11-07T16:30:00.000-05:00

I really don't know what to say. I've never been this ashamed of being a football fan than I am right now. I know there were injuries to key players, but that's not an excuse for the terrible football that I saw played today by the Panthers.

I'm honestly speechless.

One and fucking seven, with a game coming up against the Bucs. Looks like one and fucking eight is right around the corner.

Can Matt Moore keep up the good work?

2010-10-27T13:33:00.001-04:00

I never would have thought that Matt Moore would come out and play the way he did against the 49ers last Sunday, but he looked like the Matt Moore that won over Panther Nation at the end of 2009 when he led the team to a 4-1 finish after the implosion of Jake Delhomme derailed the season and took us out of legitimate playoff contention.

It appears that Moore specializes in coming in and making a real shitty situation bearable, because that's what he did this past week when he led the 1-5 Panthers to their first victory of the season after rookie QB Jimmy Clausen failed to provide the spark that Panthers head coach John Fox hoped he would when he put him in the starting lineup in place of Moore, who played a terrible first game against the Giants, suffered a concussion, and played 2 1/2 quarters of more terrible football against the Bucs in the 2nd game of the year and didn't see the field again until Sunday when the 49ers came to Charlotte.

Let's take a moment and look at the stats. Matt Moore played a great game, going 28/41 for 308 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, and a 96.4 rating. The interception was on a busted play that caused Moore to roll out of the pocket and attempt to throw the ball away, but he ended up throwing it right into the arms of a defensive lineman, who took it back for a touchdown to give the 49ers a brief lead late in the game.*

* - Why he didn't throw it out of bounds, I will never know.

Moore was also helped by a monster game from rookie wideout David Gettis, who caught 8 passes for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns (he also dropped a ball in the endzone on 4th down, so he could have had 3 touchdowns). Brandon LaFell also contributed nicely, hauling in 6 balls for 91 yards, including a huge 35 yard reception with 1:08 left in the game that ultimately set up the Panthers for the game-winning field goal by John Kasay.

Now, we've seen what Moore can do, but the question is can he keep doing it for the rest of the season? Can he prove that drafting Jimmy Clausen was a mistake, and can he prove that he really is the franchise quarterback that many Panthers fans thought he was when he salvaged the season last year? He has his opportunity against the Rams this week to prove that last week against the Niners wasn't a fluke, and he has a chance to do something really special in Carolina. He has the chance to take an 0-5 team that no one thought would win more than 3 games and would pick in the top-5 of the 2011 draft and turn them into a legit playoff contender in the NFC*.

* - It's a long shot, and several teams have to lose to help out, but the Panthers are still somewhat in the hunt for a playoff spot. They still play the Falcons twice, they still play the Saints and Bucs once each, and there are several teams in the NFC who are banged up. If the Panthers can string some wins together and end up 6-5 or 5-6 by Week 12, then they will have a legitimate shot at the playoffs.

Can Moore do it? Only time will tell. I'm not going to play Nostradamus and jinx him, but I will say that I am looking forward to seeing what he can do now that he has a second chance to prove that he belongs in the NFL as a starting quarterback.

Well, at least we won't lose this weekend.

2010-10-14T15:32:00.002-04:00

As you can see by my lack of posts, I've pretty much checked out emotionally on this team thanks to their 0-5 start and absolute horrible play on the field. I just haven't had anything to say about this team that isn't a profanity-laced tirade, so I've just kept quiet on the subject of the 2010 Panthers and have decided to keep my sanity intact just in case this team decides to do something positive after the bye week and maybe win a game or two before all the bandwagon fans in Charlotte decide to jump ship.

I feel bad for guys like Steve Smith and John Kasay, who could be on teams who have a realistic shot at winning if they wanted to, and since they don't have that much time left in the league they may never get another chance at winning a Super Bowl because they're stuck on a team in rebuilding mode (more so the case with Kasay -- hey that rhymes, awesome -- but Smitty isn't a spring chicken either).

But oh well, at least we can't lose this week since we're on a bye. Of course, if anyone could lose on their bye week, it would be this team.

Dwayne Jarrett arrested for DUI

2010-10-05T11:21:00.005-04:00

UPDATE: The Panthers have released Jarrett (finally!) and have claimed WR David Clowney off waivers. Clowney was released by the Jets to make room for Santonio Holmes, who returns from his 4-game suspension this week.

This is a great pickup for the Panthers, who can use all the help they can get at WR, especially if Smitty is going to be out for any significant time.

* * * *

Stole this from CSR, but it was too funny not to...

Per Darin Gantt, Panthers WR Dwayne Jarrett arrested for driving under the influence in Charlotte this morning. This is the 2nd time Jarrett has been popped for a DUI since he came into the league.

Gantt:

Panthers WR Dwayne Jarrett was arrested for driving while impaired, his second such arrest. The 23-year-old receiver, who has one touchdown in his career here, was stopped by Charlotte Mecklenburg Police early Tuesday morning. Team officials said they are aware of the situation, but still gathering information at this time. Jarrett was also arrested for DWI in March 2008. Since it's his second such arrest, he could be subject to suspension from the league as well.

Way to go Dwayne -- just drive that final nail in your coffin of what was your sorry excuse of a career in Carolina. If he's not cut by the end of the week, I'll be surprised. It's not like they're playing him anyway.

The suckage continues

2010-09-26T21:20:00.002-04:00

Well, looks like the Panthers get to climb out of an 0-3 start again this year -- I guess doing it last year wasn't enough so they have to try it one more time for fun.

On the bright side: Clausen looked okay for a rookie making his first career start in the limited time the offense had possession of the ball (when his RB's weren't coughing it up to the Bengals, that is). There were some issues with taking the snap, but I'm going to give him a pass and blame it on the terrible playing conditions (pouring rain).

I think the Panthers made the right move in starting Clausen over Moore. There are too many problems on this team (poor execution and poor coaching, just to name a few) that will prevent us from having a realistic shot at the playoffs (unless things get fixed quickly), and giving Clausen valuable game experience for the future is the best course of action.

Oh well -- so we're 0-3 and the only team in the division without a win. That could very well change next week when we travel down to the bayou to play the Saints.

I hope it changes, because 0-4 would suck a whole lot more than 1-3.

Jimmy Clausen named starter vs. Bengals

2010-09-20T15:57:00.001-04:00

John Fox has announced that Jimmy Clausen will start this Sunday against the Bengals.

After a 2nd straight horrible offensive showing, Matt Moore has been shown the way to the bench in favor of the highly touted rookie out of Notre Dame.

Hopefully this will be the spark the Panthers need to get their shit together and play respectable football, because I'm tired of watching a half-ass effort every week.

I just hope this isn't a ploy by Fox to make the Bengals game-plan for Clausen, only to pull a switcheroo at the end of the week and go with Moore. That would really piss me (and a lot of other people) off.

Panthers fall to Giants, 31-18

2010-09-12T17:48:00.002-04:00

The Panthers looked ugly on the field today against the Giants, plain and simple. The offense couldn't find any rhythm, they couldn't run the ball, and Matt Moore couldn't stop throwing passes to the other team in the end zone (3 end zone picks that could have turned into 21 points, which would have been enough to win the game).

The one bright spot, if there was a bright spot, is that special teams played an overall good game, save for the bad snap on a punt that the Giants recovered deep in Panthers territory. Mike Goodson seems to have the ability to return kicks, as he has greatly improved in that role since his case of fumblitis last season cost him the position.

It does appear that we may get to see Jimmy Clausen in at quarterback sooner than we'd thought, however, as Moore suffered a concussion at the end of the game after taking a brutal hit. He is being evaluated at a local hospital and his status should be known sometime later this week. At any rate, if he has a concussion he will be out of action next week, per the new rules of the league that state a player must sit at least one week after sustaining a concussion. Hopefully Clausen can man the ship better than Moore did this week, even if it does create a QB controversy when Moore is healthy enough to play.

Week 1 is officially over, and this year we won't go 16-0, but this team should give a better performance next week when they take on the Bucs at home.

Gameday has finally arrived!

2010-09-12T09:00:00.002-04:00

It's about time...

I don't know how much longer I could have waited for the regular season to start for the Panthers. Hopefully we get off to a better start than we did last year when we lost the first three games of the year.

It should be a good game, and the Giants will be ready to play and will have revenge on their minds after the way we closed out their old stadium last year, but I'm going to hold on to the hope that the Panthers can pull out a win.

Prediction: Panthers 20 Giants 17

Panthers make final roster cuts

2010-09-05T09:57:00.011-04:00

UPDATE: The Panthers have signed 8 players to the practice squad, including 6 of the players who were released during the final roster cuts.

Practice Squad
WR Trent Guy
DT Corvey Irvin
FB Rashawn Jackson
LB Sean Ware
RB Josh Vaughan
CB RJ Stanford
OG Dan Santucci*
OG Shawn Murphy**

* - Cut from Bengals
** - Cut from Dolphins

* * * *

The Panthers have cut the roster down to the required 53 players, and even though there were a few surprise cuts along the way, most of them were expected.

The following is a list of players who were waived or cut:

Released
DE Eric Moore
OT Rob Petitti

Waived
QB Hunter Cantwell
OG Andrew Crummey
LB Quinton Culberson
WR Trent Guy
OG Ray Hisatake
DT Corvey Irvin
LB Mortty Ivy
FB Rashawn Jackson
WR Kenneth Moore
TE Jamie Petrowski
RB Dantrell Savage
CB R.J. Stanford
DT Tank Tyler
RB Josh Vaughan
LB Sean Ware
CB C.J. Wilson
CB Brian Witherspoon

Injured Reserve
G C.J. Davis
S Aaron Francisco
G Duke Robinson

Two of the most notable surprises to me are that Andre Neblett made the team over Tank Tyler, and Charly Martin made the roster over Kenneth Moore (I thought Moore would be cut, but I never thought Martin would have earned a spot, due to the fact that he was injured for the majority of training camp). There are 10 rookies on the roster, including 9 of the 10 draft picks selected by the Panthers (Neblett was an undrafted free agent pickup).

I hate that Trent Guy didn't make the roster, but David Gettis came on strong at the end of pre-season, and Guy suffered a hamstring injury at the worst possible time (before the final game), allowing Gettis to take his spot on the roster.

The 53 man roster is listed below:

Offense

QB: Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen, Tony Pike

RB: DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Tyrelle Sutton, Mike Goodson

FB: Tony Fiametta

TE: Jeff King, Dante Rosario, Gary Barnidge

WR: Steve Smith, Dwayne Jarrett, Brandon LaFell, Armanti Edwards, David Gettis, Charly Martin

LT: Jordan Gross, Garry Williams

LG: Travelle Wharton

C: Ryan Kalil

RG: Mackenzy Bernadeau, Tim Duckworth

RT: Jeff Otah, Geoff Schwartz

Defense

DE: Tyler Brayton, Charles Johnson, Everette Brown, Greg Hardy

DT: Louis Leonard, Ed Johnson, Derek Landri, Nick Hayden, Andre Neblett

ROLB: James Anderson, Nic Harris

MLB: Dan Connor, Jordan Senn

LOLB: Jon Beason, Jamar Williams, Eric Norwood

CB: ChrisGamble, Richard Marshall, Captain Munnerlyn, Robert McClain

SS: Charles Godfrey, Marcus Hudson

FS: Sherrod Martin, Jordan Pugh

Special Teams

K: John Kasay

KOS: Todd Carter

P: Jason Baker

LS: J.J. Jansen

CSR Blog Talk Radio

2010-09-01T01:12:00.013-04:00

Update: There have been more shows recorded since I made my debut. My debut is Show #2, which should be in the archives. I also appeared on Show #3 for those interested. (Note: I don't appear until around the 40 minute mark on Show #3.)

* * * *

I made an appearance last night on CSR's new Blog Talk Radio program. (A major deal for me since I've never done a call-in show before because I've always been too shy.)

If you're interested in listening to four guys talk about Panthers football for an hour, you can listen using the media player below. If you're only interested in hearing my drivel, I come in around the 19-minute mark and chime in throughout the rest of the hour.

Listen to internet radio with
CSR Panthers Radio on Blog Talk Radio

Panthers make mandatory roster cuts, send two to IR

2010-08-31T16:34:00.004-04:00

Today is the deadline for rosters to be trimmed to 75 players, so the Panthers released two players and put two more on IR to meet the requirement.

WR Dexter Jackson -- released
WR Oliver Young -- released

WR Wallace Wright -- Injured Reserve
DE Hilee Taylor -- Injured Reserve
LB Thomas Davis -- Reserve/PUP*

The move that sends Wright to IR hurts (no pun intended), as he was supposed to be a big contributor on special teams, a unit that has clearly struggled in recent years. As for the others, I never thought they would make the team anyway, so it's not really breaking news.

The deadline for the final roster cut to 53 players is this Saturday.

* - Ineligible to play until Week 7 of the regular season, though with his torn ACL he may not see any action at all this year.

This is Moore's team

2010-08-17T05:51:00.002-04:00

Apparently, there's really not a QB controversy in Carolina, as much as the media wants us to believe there is one (imagine that). They're just going to have to deal with the fact that low-key Matt Moore is the starter instead of media-darling Jimmy Clausen at the present time.

An article by Jim Corbett in USA today focused on the Panthers and starting quarterback Matt Moore. Here are just a few of the quotes from the column.

Emphasis mine on all quotes.

Corbett:

One thing is clear: There's no quarterback controversy in Carolina despite a lingering national perception that the job is open since the Panthers drafted Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen 48th overall.

Moore:

When Jimmy was drafted, I got some calls from a bunch of people ... Then, Coach Fox called and said,"Don't read into this. You're the guy. You've proved to us you could play last year."

Fox:

Matt's our starting quarterback, and you can't control all the stuff on the outside ... Our team knows he's our quarterback. He's got the temperament and all the physical skills. What hurt us last year was the inability in the passing game.

Smitty:

Matt's earned everything he's got ... He took a tough road. It's finally worked out for him. This is his team.

Dear Media:

If you happen to be reading this, please take note of the quotes I have listed above, especially the one from Foxy. It's straight from the horse's mouth: the Panthers don't have a QB controversy.

Please, just let it go.

Sincerely,

The Panther Playbook

Smitty activated from PUP list

2010-08-16T12:52:00.001-04:00

According to Darin Gantt, Smitty is cleared to practice with the team after suffering a broken arm during the offseason (the same arm he broke against the Giants in Week 16 last year).

Gantt:

WR Steve Smith was activated from the physically unable to perform list, and ran a few routes during individual drills this morning. ... That's not to say he's going to take any contact soon, as they want to make sure that broken left arm is ready for the regular season opener.

This is great news! Smitty has been seen on the field since the start of camp, but this is the first time he's been cleared to participate in team drills, though they probably will hold off on the contact since it would be best for him to be ready for opening day.

Do we really have a QB controversy in Carolina?

2010-08-13T05:27:00.003-04:00

Okay, Matt Moore didn't light the world on fire last night against the Ravens. We get that. It was his first snaps of live action (just like everyone else), and he was a little rusty.

Normally, that would be okay, but there's one problem: Jimmy Clausen played very well.

Granted, Clausen played against the Ravens' 2nd team defense, which by comparison to the 1st team is like fighting a dog instead of a grizzly bear, but he still had a lot of poise and moxie to be a rookie playing in his first NFL game, even if it was the pre-season. He called audibles at the line, pointed out blitzers to his linemen, and took care of the football. His one turnover was due to a receiver falling on the turf after the ball was already thrown. He made a few great throws, a few good throws, but not too many bad throws. He ran with the ball to get a first down (and slid just in the nick of time to avoid needing dental work).

In short: Jimmy Clausen looked like a starting NFL quarterback against the Ravens, while Matt Moore looked like a backup quarterback.

Fellow CSR author James the Aussie had a few thoughts on Clausen in his weekly Monday Morning Optimist column, and among the things he pointed out about the rookie quarterback, the following statement stood out to me the most:

What I saw from Clausen was a player who did not look like a rookie QB walking into his first NFL huddle, he looked like a 5 year pro. For comparison I went back and looked at some footage of Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford late in the 2009 season and for Clausen’s 9 series he looked more comfortable at the line of scrimmage than either of those QBs did in December.

That's a huge compliment for a guy playing in his first career NFL game. I don't care if he ran a pro-style offense at Notre Dame, the NFL is an entirely different animal, and for him to have that kind of poise is nothing short of amazing.

Now, I will cut Moore some slack - he made a few good plays that were called back due to penalties on the offensive line (notably Jordan Gross). He made some nice throws, and his stat line isn't bad. But, it's just the way he looked on the field - like he was a nervous kid playing in his first game, not like the guy who won the fanbase over at the end of last season when he led a dejected Panthers squad to a 4-1 finish to salvage an 8-8 season, including two brilliant performances against the Vikings and Giants.

The media is going to take this QB story and run with it, because frankly, they want Jimmy Clausen to be the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers. He is a media darling and former Notre Dame quarterback who was supposed to be a top-10 pick in the draft, but somehow fell into the Panthers' laps at pick 48 in the 2nd round. So look for the flurry of QB controversy stories to hit the internet and television over the next few weeks, because the fact that Clausen looked so confident in his limited action is only going to feed the fire.

As for me, I don't think there's really a controversy yet. I still need to see Clausen perform against a team's starting defense before I believe that he's truly ready to take the reigns away from Moore and lead this Panthers team on Sundays. I look for Clausen to get some reps with the 1st team at some point in the pre-season, and when he does the media will certainly be all over it, foaming at the mouth to create the first real quarterback controversy in Charlotte since Jake Delhomme took over for Rodney Peete way back in 2003.

It's been a long time, and the media is hungry for a story, so don't expect this to go away any time soon. If Moore continues to struggle in the pre-season and Clausen continues to play well with the 2nd team, this thing is going to get blown way out of proportion, and the cries for Jimmy are going to get louder and louder until Clausen finally gets into the starting lineup.

But don't expect Fox to listen, as we've learned from the past 7 years - it takes a lot for a starter to lose his spot on the depth chart with Foxy at the helm.

Panthers open pre-season with loss to Ravens

2010-08-12T19:47:00.001-04:00

The final score says that the Ravens defeated the Panthers 17-12 Thursday night in Baltimore, but we all know that the final score of a pre-season game means practically nothing. It's the individual achievements of the players that really matter. How did the veterans look after a long off-season? Which rookies made a name for themselves? Who moved up the depth chart thanks to good play?

If you watched the same game that I did, you will not like the answers to those questions.

The Panthers looked sloppy for the majority of the game. Granted the 2nd half was played on a slip-n-slide due to the rain, but the starters looked pretty rusty in their first half action. Especially the offensive line. They were manhandled by the Ravens' defense, allowing the Baltimore linemen to get consistent pressure on the quarterback and disrupt most of the passing plays that were called. And the passes that did manage to get past the defense were for naught as stupid penalties negated nice pass plays by Matt Moore. Jordan Gross looked completely lost on the field last night, and hopefully that can be attributed to his extended time off last year after injuring his leg and ending up on IR.

There's bound to be a quarterback controversy in Carolina after the struggles of Moore (even if they weren't completely his fault), because backup rookie sensation Jimmy Clausen came in and played well. He led the offense down the field and would have led the offense to a touchdown if not for Brandon LaFell's drop in the end zone or Tyrell Sutton's fumble at the 1-yard line. Clausen looked more confident than a rookie playing in his first game against an NFL defense, and he made quick decisions and took care of the football very well (he threw one interception on a fluke play when the receiver slipped and fell down in the middle of his route). (Clausen highlights can be seen here.*)

One guy who impressed me on offense was fullback Tony Fiametta. Fiametta is replacing former fullback Brad Hoover as the lead blocker for Double Trouble, and he looked good in the time he was in the game. He made a few nice blocks, and even made a couple of nice catches for good yardage. If he keeps playing like he played last night, we won't miss Hoover at all. Hopefully he can keep it up and the running game doesn't suffer because of poor fullback play.

The defense looked sloppy overall, but there were a few good plays from a couple of guys who stood out in a positive way. Rookies Greg Hardy and Eric Norwood had nice showings, but things didn't go so well for Captain Munnerlyn, who proved that he isn't ready to get significant playing time outside of the nickel spot. Tyler Brayton had a few nice plays, until he left the game in the first half after injuring his ankle (it doesn't appear to be serious - he walked off the field under his own power), but Everette Brown was nowhere to be found.

Special teams were decent, but not as good as they could be. Jason Baker had some nice punts, but the coverage struggled to get down field in time to take advantage of the good kicks. The kickoff team needs some work, and the Panthers are still in need of someone who can kick off and give the coverage a chance to get down the field in time to make a tackle, as they gave up a few returns that could have been avoided with better hang time on the kicks. Armanti Edwards looked decent in his first game as a punt returner, but he has a lot of work to do before he's ready to take the role full time when the games count. The kickoff return team didn't get much of a chance to show what they can do, as the Ravens kicked the ball in the end zone almost every time they kicked off.

There seemed to be a few problems with the snap on field goal plays, as John Kasay missed an extra point due to a bad snap/hold, and a field goal attempt was denied at the end of the first half because of a poor snap that prevented the holder from getting the ball down in time for a kick.

On the bright side, most of the problems the team had against the Ravens are fixable, and it's normal to have some rust in the first pre-season game. I'm going to hold off on any major judgment until I see this type of play carry over into the 2nd and 3rd pre-season games. If they still look like crap after the 3rd game, then I will start to have some concern.

Overall, it was a decent effort by the Panthers. Too bad they didn't get a win, but again, it doesn't really matter at this point, because the wins and losses mean absolutely nothing in the pre-season.

And not that I'm counting, but last night's loss marks the 6th straight pre-season loss by the Panthers. Maybe that streak can end next week when they take on the Jets at the Bank.

Not that it matters, because as long as the starters get in quality work and stay healthy, everything else is gravy. After all, it is just the pre-season.

* * * *

* - Video courtesy of NFL.com

Did the Panthers steal the next Peppers?

2010-08-02T04:24:00.003-04:00

There has been a lot of chatter lately about Panthers 6th round pick Greg Hardy, the defensive end from Ole Miss, and most of the talk centers around the pre-draft rumors that Hardy "[was a guy with] a poor work ethic and a guy who simply disappeared for long periods of time".

The funny thing is: he was at one time projected to be the first pick overall. In the entire draft. But, that was before he went back to Ole Miss for his senior year, and before he developed his reputation for being a problem child. (Some sources say that he missed as many as 20 team meetings and constantly challenged his coaches.)

So how did the kid end up on the Carolina Panthers, the one NFL team above all with the reputation of avoiding trouble-makers at all costs? Could it be that the rumors about Hardy just simply aren't true? Could it be that the kid got an undeserved rep while in school? Apparently, the Panthers brass feel that the knocks on Hardy's reputation are simply rumor, because what they saw was a early round talent sitting in the stockpile in the sixth round, and they knew that they could use a guy with Hardy's speed and athleticism on the defensive line, so they took a chance.

And so far, they are glad they did.

Panthers defensive line coach Brian Baker says he heard the rumors about Hardy before the draft. But after working with him for a few months, he’s convinced they simply aren’t true and that the kid does have the desire. “I was a college coach for 12 years before I came to the league, and in the 15 since then it’s the same thing -- guys get labels on them sometimes ... sometimes it’s legit and sometimes it’s not. In his case it hasn’t been legit.”

To Hardy it’s all a bit perplexing, because he prides himself on his work ethic. Perhaps that’s why he seems like a caged animal fighting for his freedom every day on the field. Case in point. On the final day of OTAs every year, the Panthers run conditioning tests. Hardy ran against the rest of the team’s linemen, four times back and forth across the width of the football field. It wasn’t close. Hardy blew away the competition by more than 20 yards. Then he did it again. And again.

Hardy, on his work ethic:

That’s one of the things a lot of people don’t think I have, but I’m going to constantly prove that I do ... I’m going to be more in shape. I’m going to be more physical. I’m going to be faster because I’m out here grinding. I came to camp like that and I’m going to leave camp like that. That’s me in general every day of the week, all year long...

Sounds to me like he's a kid with an undeserved bad reputation who wants nothing more but to come out and prove his detractors wrong.

It would be nice if he can come out and give the same production he had at Ole Miss -- 26.5 career sacks, 7 forced fumbles (recovering 4) and 39.5 tackles for a loss -- because the Panthers can use all the help on the defensive line they can get. It would be an added bonus if that help is a reincarnation of the best defensive end in franchise history.

* * * *
Quotes courtesy of Steve Reed, Carolina Growl.

It's that time again...

2010-07-25T09:33:00.002-04:00

The start of training camp is just around the corner for the Panthers (Thursday, to be exact), which means that there should be plenty of things to talk about in the next few weeks. There will be camp battles for various positions, rookies trying to make a name for themselves and get significant playing time, and of course there will be a few of the "I didn't see that one coming" moments before the Panthers break camp on August 18.

So sit back and relax, and prepare for football season, because it will be here before you know it. Hopefully I will be here, blogging the team news from camp as I get pumped for a new season of Panthers football.

And hopefully you will be here as well, reading right along with me.

More to come in the next few days as the team heads off to camp...

Panthers position review: Running Back

2010-07-08T04:51:00.001-04:00

I posted this at CSR as part of the Positional Review Series, where the writers of CSR took on the task of analyzing each position on the field for the 2010 Panthers. My first position review was the running backs, and the article I wrote for CSR is posted below.

It's no secret that the biggest strength of the Panthers' offensive attack is the running game. Loaded with one of the best – if not the best – running back tandems in the league, the Panthers stick to their old-school philosophy of establish the run on offense and control the clock, and for the most part this strategy has paid off for John Fox and the Panthers.

(In fact, if you were to go back to the beginning of last season and replace Jake Delhomme with any quarterback not named Derek Anderson or Jamarcus Russell, and if a few key components on the defensive side of the football could have stayed injury-free, the results of the 8-8 2009 campaign would be vastly different.)

Let's face it: DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are easily top ten running backs in the NFL, and fortunately for us Panthers fans, they both are on the same team – a team that loves to run the football – and both enjoy the other's success just as much as their own.

Take a look at the stats: 437 att/2250 yds/17 TD, first running back tandem in the history of the NFL to each rush for over 1100 yards (add in the fact that Williams only played in 13 games, and this becomes even more amazing).

Like I said before, it's no secret that the Panthers' strength is the running game, so let's take a look at the individuals who make up the running back corps.

DeAngelo Williams

2009 Stats:

G: 13 / GS: 13 / Rush Att: 216 / Rush Yds: 1117 / Rush TD: 7 / Y/Att: 5.2 / Y/Gm: 85.9 / Rec: 29 / Rec Yds: 252 / Y/Rec: 8.7 / Rec TD: 0

DeAngelo Williams is one half of Double-Trouble, the two-headed rushing monster that the Panthers are fortunate enough to have on game days. Williams was en route to another stellar season before a leg injury sidelined him for the final 3 games of the season. He should be ready to go this season, and shouldn't have any drawbacks from the injury that held him out of action towards the end of last year. There is a slight possibility that Fox switches roles between Williams and Stewart, because nothing is impossible, but I look for Williams to be the "starting RB" come September. (Not that it really matters which one starts.)

Chances of making roster: 100%

Chances of starting: 95%

Jonathan Stewart

2009 Stats:

G: 16 / GS: 13 / Rush Att: 221 / Rush Yds: 1133 / Rush TD: 10 / Y/Att: 5.1 / Y/Gm: 70.8 / Rec: 18 / Rec Yds: 139 / Y/Rec: 7.7 / Rec TD: 1

Jonathan Stewart is the other half of Double-Trouble, who comes in to run over defenders after Williams has dashed around them and caused the linebackers to lose most of their energy chasing him down the field, and Stewart relishes in his role as the hammer who drives home the final nail in the opposition's coffin on Sundays. Barring some form of alien abduction, Stewart is guaranteed a roster spot, and could take over the starting role if Fox decides to pound the ball down the defense's throat in the early part of the game, only to bring in Williams in the 2nd half to blaze by the defense en route to the end zone.

Chances of making roster: 100%

Chances of starting: 5%

Tyrell Sutton

2009 Stats:

G: 7 / GS: 1 / Rush Att: 12 / Rush Yds: 68 / Rush TD: 0 / Y/Att: 5.7 / Y/Gm: 9.7 / Rec: 6 / Rec Yds: 62 / Y/Rec: 10.3 / Rec TD: 0

Tyrell Sutton was a pleasant surprise last year when he was picked up off waivers from the Green Bay Packers, as he filled in nicely in limited duty at running back and fullback. Sutton has the tools to be a good backup running back, and he can be useful on the roster as the backup fullback, saving the team a roster spot with his double duty. Sutton also provides some depth in the return game, as he saw some action last year as a kick returner.

Unless Sutton was a one hit wonder (and I don't believe he was) I think he will make the roster. There is a chance that some kid will find his way on the roster during training camp and wow everyone while stealing Sutton's roster spot during pre-season, because nothing is impossible (other than slamming shut a revolving door), but I don't expect that to happen, so I would say that Sutton is a safe bet to be on the roster after the final cuts have taken place.

Chances of making roster: 90%

Chances of starting: 2%

Mike Goodson

2009 Stats:

G: 8 / GS: 0 / Rush Att: 22 / Rush Yds: 49 / Rush TD: 0 / Y/Att: 2.2 / Y/Gm: 6.1 / Rec: 2 / Rec Yds: 15 / Y/Rec: 7.5 / Rec TD: 0

Save for a case of fumbilitis early in the year, Mike Goodson played fairly well in the limited action he saw. He has the tools to be a deadly weapon out of the backfield with his speed and pass catching ability, and could be seen as a valuable option in the slot in some offensive situations. He has elusive speed and could be used as a kick returner along with Sutton.

Chances of making roster: 85%

Chances of starting: 2%

Well folks, there you have it. There's really not much debate on the Williams/Stewart side of the equation (unless you guys want to discuss the option of starting Stewart and bringing in Williams as the change of pace back), but the Sutton/Goodson decision should be interesting fodder to keep us busy for the next few days or weeks.

If the Panthers were to cut one of the four backs during training camp, I would put my money on Goodson not making the roster, based on the fact that Sutton can play fullback in a pinch, and seems to be better suited for this squad.

Agree? disagree? What do you think?

It's been a while...

2010-06-22T08:25:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since I've been here and posted, so I figured I'd put something up to let everyone know that I'm still around, even if I've been silent.

I just haven't been inspired to write anything about the Panthers recently, mainly because this is the time of the football year where it seems nothing much happens - the dead era between the draft and training camp - and I just haven't had any inspiration to sit down and hammer out a blog (but that will change soon when training camp starts).

I know that there have been a few things going on with the team, such as Thomas Davis re-injuring his ACL, but that got me so depressed that I couldn't even bring myself to write about it. He's going to be missed, since he was one of the key contributors on defense last season before he went down with his first ACL tear.

And, just recently Steve Smith broke his left arm (again), but from the various reports I've seen, the injury doesn't seem too serious and he should be ready to go by the start of the regular season, so I don't think there's too much I can add to the reports that have been circulating around the web (other than the fact that Mike Florio is a retard).

That's all I have for now, but I'll be back when it gets closer to the start of training camp.

Richard Marshall to sign tender

2010-05-25T08:33:00.000-04:00

Some good news on the Panthers front, courtesy of Yahoo Sports.

Carolina Panthers starting cornerback Richard Marshall is back on the field after missing minicamp while upset about his contract situation.

Marshall is participating in voluntary workouts this week at Bank of America Stadium. He said Tuesday he hasn't signed his one-year tender worth $1.759 million, but will before the start of training camp.

Marshall is one of many NFL players with four years of service who would have been unrestricted free agents if the owners hadn't decide to end the collective bargaining agreement after this season. The move put different rules in place that left Marshall a restricted free agent with few options.

Coach John Fox said Marshall is in great shape despite also skipping the team's off-season conditioning program.

This is great news - now the team can focus on playing football and not have to worry about any possible distractions that may result in Marshall holding out of camp.

Panthers Draft Pick Analysis: Robert McClain

2010-05-11T07:08:00.002-04:00

Note: I posted this at CSR today, so I decided to share it here as well.

Carolina's version of "Mr. Irrelevant" came with the 249th pick in the draft, when the Panthers selected UConn defensive back Robert McClain in the 7th round. The selection of McClain was surprising to some (myself included), as it was the third consecutive selection that the team used on a defensive back (a position that most of us thought we had an abundance of) and failed to use one of those picks to bolster the defensive line (as many of us thought they should do). However, McClain appears to be the kind of player who would be a good fit to a Ron Meeks led defensive unit, so the front office decided to take a late round flier on the UConn product to see what he can bring to the table for the Panthers in 2010.

Looking at him on paper, there's no reason to go out and buy a McClain jersey (at least not yet), but he is an average sized defensive back (5-9, 195) with excellent speed and great jumping ability, as was displayed during his pro-day exercises (4.42 40 yard dash, 38" vertical jump, and 23 bench press reps of 225 lbs). According to NFL.com, he is rated as being good in man coverage, with excellent speed and physique, and has the tools that should allow him to compete for a backup spot during training camp.

In his last season at UConn (2009), McClain was tied for the Big East lead with 4 interceptions, and was 3rd on his team with 60 tackles (although ESPN says he only had 52), and he forced one fumble. He was also a decent punt returner for the Huskies, averaging 14.8 yards per return with 1 touchdown (15 returns in 10 games), and he was tied for 6th in the nation among seniors in punt return average. His return ability earned him 1st Team All Big East from the media as a punt returner, and his defensive play earned him 2nd Team All Big East honors from the coaches.

McClain was a team co-captain for UConn in 2009, and he was awarded the Brian Kozlowski Award last year, which is given to the player who proves to be a "courageous, hard working, and productive person". This honor speaks a lot of his character, and it could be part of the reason (and probably the main reason) the Panthers drafted him in the 7th round even though they had already taken 2 defensive backs before him: they like to draft good character guys, and McClain appears to fit this description well.

On the surface it appears that McClain will bring the potential for speed at the cornerback position and a possible threat in the return game - something that the team has desperately needed for some time. With the right amount of work and reps on the field during the preseason, McClain could sneak up and earn a spot on the special teams unit.

I believe that McClain will compete for and earn a spot on the roster during camp, and I believe that he has a slight advantage because of his experience returning punts. The team has totally retooled the special teams unit during the offseason, and there could be a spot available on special teams for McClain if he proves that he can return kicks in the NFL as well as or better than he did in college.

Overall, I believe that McClain is a good fit for this team, as he is a hard working player and a good person off the field - he should find himself right at home in Carolina and I will be somewhat surprised if he doesn't make the roster given his speed and his apparent off-field character and work ethic [which are very important to the Big Cat].

Panthers Draft Pick Analysis: Eric Norwood

2010-05-05T05:10:00.003-04:00

Note: I posted this draft analysis on CSR about a week ago, but have been so busy I haven't had time to post it here.

The Panthers were originally slated to choose at #112 in the 4th round, but Marty Hurney and John Fox made a deal with the Jets that gave the Panthers an additional 6th round pick to move down 12 spots to #124. The rumors at the time were that the Panthers had lost the player they wanted to draft prior to their selection and saw no problem with trading down, but it was later revealed that they had no intended target and just decided that moving down 12 spots was worth the additional pick in the 6th round.

Prior to the 4th round the Panthers had picked all offensive players, despite the numerous fans and analysts conclusions that the front office would shore up the defensive line in the beginning rounds of the draft and focus on the BPA (Best Player Available) strategy in the later rounds.

But, as we all know, there is no formula to understand what is going on in the mind of John Fox, other than "it is what it is" and "we'll take it day by day and go from there" - after that it's practically impossible to figure out what he's thinking. Say what you will about Fox, but just because he acts coy with the media and doesn't give out a lot of information doesn't mean the man never goes into a draft without a plan to make the Panthers a better football team. Fox and Hurney are notorious for going after the best player available on the draft board, regardless of need or the fact that the draft choice makes absolutely no sense to anyone but Hurney and Fox (see Kalil, Ryan and Stewart, Jonathan).

This year's draft was no different, and per their usual style, the Panthers decided to go with the best player available on the board when pick #124 came due.

Eric Norwood played college football at the University of South Carolina, where he was the team's starting linebacker for each of his four seasons. During his tenure with the Gamecocks, Norwood set two school records (sacks and tackles for loss), was named first-team All-SEC 3 of 4 years, and was a 2009 first-team All-American.

Norwood is one of the surest tacklers to come out of the SEC and should be an asset in 3rd and long situations when he can rush the quarterback. He could see action on the field as a linebacker or at defensive end, and his durability will allow Defensive Coordinator Ron Meeks to be creative with how he uses Norwood in different situations.

One of [the] SBN bloggers over at the South Carolina Gamecock Blog Garnet & Black Attack had this to say about Norwood's strengths:

Pro scouts correctly note Norwood's draws as his pass rushing, tackling, special teams abilities, and durability. His closing speed, instincts and ability as a tackler, and ability to block kicks are well documented, and he has the skills to translate these attributes to the next level. Norwood is exceptionally durable, having played in every game over the course of his career and started 32 consecutive games. The pros do and should love that.

Based on the positives that Norwood brings to the table, I believe he will compete for the starting SLB job in training camp and preseason, and he could very possibly take the job away from Connor and Anderson. At the very least he will be an effective backup and special teams player for his rookie campaign until he adjusts to the speed of the NFL game.

But every player has weaknesses, including Norwood. [SB Nation's Gamecock blog] Garnet & Black Attack's assessment tells us:

As far as weaknesses go, pro scouts judge that Norwood will likely only be effective as an outside linebacker in 3-4 schemes. This is probably a correct assessment. While Norwood has great instincts in coverage, his height allows bigger tight ends to pick on him underneath, and faster receivers and backs can get a step on him. These weaknesses would be exposed in 4-3 schemes. In essence, Norwood will be at his best in a limited, pass-rush specialist role in the NFL.

Based on this analysis, you're probably wondering why we drafted him. The answer is simple. Norwood is a good tackler who can rush the quarterback, and the pressure that he can put on the backfield will help out the corners and safeties in coverage. Norwood is a great fit to Ron Meeks' system, and his size is nearly identical to [Panthers starting OLB] Thomas Davis' (Davis is 6-0, 240; and Norwood is 6-1, 245).

What we have with Norwood is a 4th round pick who should be able to contribute right away on special teams and should see quality action on the field in specific situations (e.g. - 3rd and long). But was he worth the pick? The blogger at Garnet & Black Attack predicted that he would be drafted in the 2nd-3rd rounds, stating:

Most mocks I've looked at project Norwood in the second to third rounds. I think this is about right. Norwood provides incredible potential as a pass rusher and special teams player, and his durability suggests that he will have a long, productive career. He's also a very positive force in the locker room and a player that teams rally around on the field.

Considering that he should have been picked in the 2nd-3rd rounds and we got him in the 4th round, he already classifies as a minor steal. Norwood was rated as the 10th best linebacker according to CBS Sports, and he was the 15th linebacker taken in the draft. He was rated as the 79th overall player, and was taken 124th. Based on these numbers, I can't help but think that we made another quality selection and took the best player available at the time, regardless of his position (because we do have quite a few linebackers on the roster already, and Norwood adds yet another body to the competition of starting SLB).

I know I'm a bit of a homer with my belief in Norwood because of my ties to USC, but I really believe that the Panthers have made a heck of a draft pick and we will see the benefits of this selection on the football field for years to come.

Steve Smith shares his thoughts on the draft

2010-04-28T08:05:00.000-04:00

Panthers WR Steve Smith shares his thoughts on the draft during a phone call to WFNZ 610 AM (aka The Fan). The first part of the interview is totally off the wall, but hilarious. Smitty gives his thoughts on the team's quarterback situation heading into camp, and also talks about the status of head coach John Fox.

Chris Harris traded to Chicago

2010-04-27T11:01:00.001-04:00

Update: According to the Charlotte Observer, it's a good thing we traded Hitman, because apparently the team was prepared to release him. They allegedly tried to trade him during draft weekend, but no teams had anything to offer in return. If this is true, then it is good that we traded him instead of releasing him outright. Getting a backup linebacker who may only play special teams is better than getting nothing, and if he becomes a starter then it ends up being a great decision by the front office.

* * * *

Sometimes it really sucks when I have to type transactions that have been made, and this is one of those times. But today, the Panthers have traded SS Chris Harris to the Bears for LB Jamar Williams, according to a report by ESPN. This will be Harris' 2nd stint with the Bears, who drafted him in the 6th round in the 2005 draft.

Harris had announced on his Twitter page earlier in the day that he was being sent back to Chicago, but I didn't want to believe it at first because he is a really good football player and a frequent contributor at CSR, but it appears that Panthers Nation will have to cope with the loss of Hitman and prepare to welcome Williams into the fold.

Charles Godfrey is the most logical player to replace Harris at SS, with 2nd year FS Sherrod Martin moving into the starting lineup. Jamar Williams looks to compete with Dan Connor and Charles Johnson for the OLB position during training camp.

Thanks for the memories Hitman, you will be missed.

Defending Jimmy Clausen

2010-04-26T06:03:00.000-04:00

Here is an interesting article that defends Jimmy Clausen from his naysayers.¹

The article is quite long, so if you only have a few minutes you might want to either skim it briefly or wait until you have more time. (If you just don't want to read the whole thing, there is a conclusion section at the end.) It goes into a good bit of detail about Clausen's strengths at the QB position and debunks a few myths about his shortcomings while at Notre Dame.

I'm not going to paste the article because it is so long, but I will post part of the introduction to give you an idea of where the writer is coming from.

To be perfectly honest, I don't expect to convince anyone. At this point, if you still aren't a Jimmy Clausen fan, you just have some irrational hatred either for him personally or for Notre Dame, because there is no logical reason not to have him as a top-10 player in the 2010 NFL Draft and easily the most sure-fire quarterback in the class. Really, I just want one post to point to that says "You're stupid" whenever I read the same, tired, dumb arguments for why Clausen doesn't deserve a first-round grade.

And, for good measure I will paste the last sentence of the article, to give you an idea of what the author is trying to prove.

In essence, there is no reason Jimmy Clausen should not be, at the very least, considered the top quarterback in this draft class.

It's pretty interesting stuff, so if you have the time to kill I would recommend you read it.

* * * *
1 - Article courtesy of WalterFootball and CSR.

Fox/Hurney post-draft press conference

2010-04-24T16:04:00.000-04:00

Carolina Panthers Head Coach John Fox and General Manager Marty Hurney met with the Panthers beat writers to speak about the team's 2010 draft choices.

Overall, I think the Panthers had a great draft. They took a top-10 rated QB at 48, a good blocking WR at 78, traded down in the 4th round and got an extra 6th round pick, took a great OLB/DE in the 4th, and filled holes in the defense in the later rounds.

Compared to the rest of the league, the Panthers easily had one of the 5 best drafts, especially when you take into account that they didn't even have a first round pick (and didn't give up the 2011 first rounder either). Now, it's up to these draftees to get to work on and off the field and make something out of themselves, and help the Panthers win football games.

Armanti Edwards' interview with Panthers media

2010-04-23T19:25:00.000-04:00

Armanti Edwards speaks with the Panthers media after being drafted in the 3rd round.

I like Edwards, but I still think we reached for him. But, I've read that the Colts were interested in him at #94, which means he possibly wouldn't have been on the draft board in the 4th round when our next pick came up at #112. So, it may have been the best move to trade up to get him when we did instead of missing out on him completely.

Should Jimmy Clausen Start?

2010-04-23T18:54:00.000-04:00

Update: Panthers GM Marty Hurney shares his thoughts on Clausen.

****

NFL Network analysts discussing if the Panthers should start Clausen next year.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/09000d5d817c081d/Should-Clausen-start

My bold prediction: Clausen will be the starting QB in 2010, and Matt Moore will either be the backup or be traded tomorrow for more picks in the 4th/5th rounds.

Jimmy Clausen's first interview as a Panther

2010-04-23T18:25:00.000-04:00

I am really starting to like this kid.

Here is Clausen's interview with the Panthers' media.

And for those who don't want to listen to it, here's the transcript¹:

Clausen's opening statement: I'm so excited to be a part of the Panthers organization. I just want to tell you you just made the best pick in the draft and I'm going to make you guys proud.

What has it been like going through this process?

It's been a dream come true. Obviously, I wanted to get picked as high as I could, but at the end of the day, everything happens for a reason. I couldn't be happier than to be a part of the Panthers' organization. I can't wait to get there on Thursday and just get right to it and start getting to work.

Are you surprised you fell to No. 48?

To be honest, I didn't think I was going to go anywhere, whether it was the top 10, first round, second round, third round. I just wanted to get my name called. My agent had been talking to a lot of people.

Have you talked to John Fox?

Oh, I definitely did. He called me. He was just really excited and he told me they were trying to get up to the 33rd pick, but it didn't work out. He was just really excited to have me on the team. I told him I can't wait to get there and start going to work and help the team and the organization, do whatever I can to help the team win.

What do you know about the quarterback situation with the Panthers?

I've watched Matt Moore. I know a lot about Matt Moore. He played at Hart High School in California. He played in the same division as my older brother. I know a lot about him. He's a great quarterback and I just can't wait to get there and meet him and start going to work with him.

Can you talk about your goals?

My goal is to get the playbook as soon as I can, as soon as the coaches allow me to get it, learn that as fast as I can. My goal, you know how I'm going to take this, is try to be the starter from day one. That's going to be my mentality, be the starter from Day 1. Whatever the coaches want me to do, I'm going to do it the best of my ability and at the end of the day, if I'm good enough to play, I'm going to play. But if not, I want to do everything I can to help the team win.

How much do you think running a pro-style offense at Notre Dame will help you?

I think it's going to help me tremendously being in Coach Weis' system. Coach Fox told me it's the same exact system I've played in the past three years at Notre Dame. So, I'm really excited about that. I'm just going to hit the ground running and try to do everything I can to help the organization and the team win.

Was it hard sleeping last night?

Not really. After the first round was over, me and my family sat around and watched TV, had some food to eat, just went to bed, woke up this morning. At the end of the day, there's nothing I could do rather than sit back with my family and wait to get your opportunity. I couldn't have ended up at a better spot and I'm really excited right now.

Do you feel pressure, or are you excited? Marty Hurney was visibly excited ...

Oh, I'm so excited. Obviously, I wanted to go earlier, as early as I could. But at the end of the day, I'm in a great situation at Carolina. I keep saying it over and over, but I can't wait to get there and get starting to work.

You took flack for your interview with Jon Gruden, pointing out the wide receiver's mistake. What's our reaction to that?

That's just the nature of football. I make mistakes, other guys make mistakes, but at the end of the day, you've just got to come together and learn from your mistakes and get better each and every day, each and every week, you've just got to get better, on the practice field and during games. I had a great time with coach Gruden. He helped me tremendously. I think he texted me just a second ago. I couldn't thank coach Gruden (enough) for helping me.

There are different opinions about your leadership. What kind of teammate do you think you are?

I think I'm a great leader and teammate. If you ask all the guys on the team, they love hanging out with me. They love being around me and my family. I don't know everything that was being said, but it's over now. I'm a Carolina Panther. I couldn't be happier than I am right now.

Does it motivate you, though, that 47 chances to pick you passed you up, and make you want to prove people wrong and redeem yourself?

It's frustrating sometimes. It's definitely going to be in the back of my mind every single time I step on the field, every single time I'm in the facility working out and watching film, to make me that much better. It's a dream come true and I just can't wait to get there.

Last night in first round, any spot you thought you were going?

My agent was telling me some of the teams wanted to get up, that the Steelers wanted to get up and make a trade into the top 10, that the Redskins wanted to take me at 4 and swap with St. Louis. There were a bunch of different things my agent was telling me. At the end of the day, I was just sitting back, really wasn't just paying so much attention. Just wanted to get my name called and that didn't happen, but I was really excited and thinking my name was going to get called.

When I got the phone call, I was jumping up for joy. I was playing pool with a bunch of my buddies. My brother handed me the phone. It was coach Fox and I was so excited.

Do you have any ties to the Carolinas or Charlotte, or have you been to Charlotte?

I went there, I think when I was going to South Bend, but I think that was about it.

You were playing pool when the call came?

I was playing pool with a bunch of my friends. My brother Rick and Casey (sp?) were sitting right there. They saw the phone ringing. They screamed at me and handed me the phone. It was coach Fox on the phone. That was a pretty big moment for me.

Were you watching the draft at that point?

I wasn't. I wasn't at all. I was playing pool with my buddies.

Where were you?

I was out in Palm Springs with my entire family and friends and my grandfather who leaves out in Palm Springs. My grandmother passed away about a month and a half ago, so I decided not to go to New York and just be here with my family and grandfather. (said he was at a hotel out there).

What do you think about the chance to throw passes to Steve Smith?

I can't wait! I can't wait! I'm trying to get his phone number right now so I can call him and just tell him how happy I am to be a Panther. I can't wait to get to work with him.

****
1 - Courtesy of Inside the Panthers.

What an interesting day at the draft

2010-04-23T17:35:00.000-04:00

I'm still trying to get my thoughts together. The Panthers took Jimmy Clausen at 48, Brandon Lafell at 78, and Armanti Edwards at 89 (Edwards cost the Panthers a 2nd round pick in 2011), and I must say that my initial reaction of the Clausen pick violated the 3rd Commandment, but after much thought on the matter I am happy with the picks that the Panthers made.

It's going to be a hell of a training camp with a battle for the starting QB position between Clausen and Matt Moore, but I'm looking forward to it. Clausen has impressed me with his attitude about being drafted by the Panthers, and I hope that he pans out and becomes a franchise QB for us for the next 10 years.

I think that Lafell was a great pick, as we now have a replacement for Moose - a good receiver with excellent blocking skills who should be an instant upgrade for us on offense.

I'm surprised we traded a future pick to get Edwards at 89, mainly because I think he would have been on the board at 112 when we pick again tomorrow, but obviously the front office knows something I don't know, or they wouldn't have made the deal.

I'm going to gather all my thoughts and write a post-draft article on all the moves that were made, because if I try and give an in-depth analysis right now I'm afraid my head will explode.

Stay tuned for day three of the draft, where there is no telling what may happen.

Mocking the draft, Panthers style

2010-04-22T06:02:00.000-04:00

Update: Thanks to the Denver Broncos, my worst fear is alleviated. Now, I can enjoy the draft without having to worry if the Panthers are going to draft Tebow.

****

Darin Gantt's mock draft¹:

Rd. 2 (36) - Tyson Alualu, DT (Cal)*
Rd. 2 (48) - Chris Cook, CB (Virginia)
Rd. 3 (78) - Eric Decker, WR (Minnesota)
Rd. 4 (112) - Dekoda Wilson, LB (Florida St.)
Rd. 5 (136) - Clifton Geathers, DE (S. Carolina)*
Rd. 6 (175) - Arthur Moats, LB (James Madison)
Rd. 6 (202) - Cody Grimm, SS (Virginia Tech)
Rd. 6 (204) - Kyle Calloway, OT (Iowa)
Rd. 7 (249) - Trindon Holliday, WR/KR (LSU)
Rd. 7 (253) - Traded to Redskins*

* - Gantt created two hypothetical trades. Trade #1 gives Kansas City our 2011 1st round pick for the #36 and #136 picks in this year's draft. Trade #2 gives Washington our pick #253 for Jason Campbell.

Gantt's fellow beat writer Charles Chandler also did a mock draft, sort of. He cheated and listed several choices in the first two rounds, instead of doing an actual mock draft like everyone else. So, to prevent confusion I'm just going to link his mock draft instead of putting down three or four picks for two different positions for each round.

And, of course, what would a draft article be without my official mock draft?

Rd. 2 (48) - Terrence Cody, DT (Alabama)
Rd. 3 (78) - Eric Decker, WR (Minnesota)
Rd. 4 (112) - George Selvie, DE (South Florida)
Rd. 6 (175) - Myron Rolle, SS (Florida State)
Rd. 6 (202) - Armanti Edwards, QB (Appalachian St.)
Rd. 6 (204) - Taylor Price, WR (Ohio)
Rd. 7 (249) - Darian Stewart, CB/S (South Carolina)
Rd. 7 (253) - Trindon Holliday, WR/KR (LSU)

Knowing how Fox and Hurney like to operate and keep everything hidden until just before they do it, I'm sure that no Panthers mock draft will ever be close to what they actually do. But, like I've said all along - as long as they don't trade up and draft Tim Tebow, I'm good.

****
1 - I love how bitter Gantt is over the release of Jake Delhomme. You would think that he was personally cut by the team after reading his first three sentences.

Panthers 2010 schedule released

2010-04-20T14:40:00.000-04:00

It's here! The 2010 schedule:

09.12 - New York Giants
09.19 - TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS*
09.26 - CINCINNATI BENGALS
10.03 - New Orleans Saints*
10.10 - CHICAGO BEARS
10.17 - BYE WEEK
10.24 - SAN FRANCISCO 49ers
10.31 - St. Louis Rams
11.07 - NEW ORLEANS SAINTS*
11.14 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers*
11.21 - BALTIMORE RAVENS
11.28 - Cleveland Browns
12.05 - Seattle Seahawks
12.12 - ATLANTA FALCONS*
12.19 - ARIZONA CARDINALS
12.23 - Pittsburgh Steelers
01.02 - Atlanta Falcons*

* - Division Opponent
Home games in CAPS

A few notes...

I like that the league instituted the division matchups for the last week of the season, but that doesn't really make a difference for the Panthers who will close the season within the division on the road for the 6th straight year.

Two games that are on my radar: the Oct. 10 matchup against the Bears and the Nov. 28 matchup against the Browns. (Obviously for the Peppers/Delhomme reunions.)

I'm glad the Panthers have a decent bye week this year (Week 6) as opposed to an earlier one like they had last year.

Overall, I don't really have any major complaints about the schedule. I don't like the fact that the Panthers open and close the season on the road, but oh well - everything isn't perfect. (And hopefully we can open the new Giants stadium the same way we closed the old one, with a good old fashioned ass whipping of the Giants - wouldn't that be sweet?)

Panthers claim CB/KR off waivers

2010-04-16T18:34:00.000-04:00

According to Darin Gantt's twitter feed, the Panthers have made an effort to shore up their return game by signing CB/KR Brian Witherspoon, who was placed on waivers by the Lions.

Gantt also reports that Witherspoon had good return stats for Jacksonville in 2008, averaging 24 yards per kick return and 11.3 yards per punt return, so he is an immediate upgrade to the Panthers return unit that was a major weakness last season.

I guess this means the Panthers will go after a possession-type receiver or a defensive lineman with their first pick in the draft (#48 overall), instead of trying to find a guy to play receiver and return kicks. (Unfortunately this almost guarantees that they won't be looking at Mardy Gilyard, which slightly bums me out - but I could be wrong. It's not like I haven't been wrong before.)

I like what the Panthers are doing this offseason. While it is slightly frustrating to see several good players go to other teams for peanuts (Anquan Boldin, Santonio Holmes, Ted Ginn, Jr.), I think the Panthers are making smart decisions by signing guys to play special teams, which prevents them from having to find people to fill holes out of desperation with the other 31 teams after the draft.

Now, Hurney and Fox can focus on the draft and pick the player they've probably been targeting all along at #48. I'm not a gambling man, but I'd almost be willing to bet that the player they've been looking at drafting is someone that none of us would have expected, but will be someone who Fox believes will give us the best chance to be a competitive squad on the field. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Panthers take a defensive lineman with their first pick, and then worry about drafting a receiver in the 3rd round or later.

And like I've said before, I'm pretty much okay with anyone that is drafted as long as it's not that kid who played quarterback at Florida.

NFL Schedule to be released Tuesday

2010-04-14T09:45:00.000-04:00

Update II (04/16): Panthers.com has confirmed the preseason schedule is correct.

Update (04/15): The Panthers' preseason schedule is now complete with game dates and times, at least according to Yahoo! Sports. I haven't been able to confirm the dates with any other sources, but I went ahead and put them on the schedule in the sidebar anyway.

For some reason, Yahoo! thinks the Panthers will be on a bye week during Week 3 of the preseason, where all other sources I've seen say they will play the Titans. I put the date of the 28th because it's a Saturday and it's 1 week from the previous game on the 21st, so it makes logical sense (at least to me) that the 28th would be the date of the game. (Of course if it's wrong I will change it.)

****

According to multiple sources the NFL will announce the 2010 schedule on Tuesday, April 20 at 7:00 PM. That is of course as long as no one else gets traded to set up potential featured matchups that could benefit the league (Like McNabb to Washington and Marshall to Miami).

But, hopefully we will know the schedule on Tuesday and can begin speculating how the Panthers (and other teams) will fare against their opponents next season.

The case for Hurney and Fox

2010-04-12T12:26:00.000-04:00

Author's Note: I wrote this piece for CSR on Saturday, and I decided to give it a few days to be featured there before sharing it here.

John Fox and Marty Hurney have endured a lot of criticism since they were brought in after the 2001 season that saw the team endure an embarrassing 1-15 record, and a lot of the negative attitude from fans and analysts alike really has no foundation at all.

I would like to make the case as to why we should keep Hurney and Fox around for the future, based on the positive contributions they have made to the team through the draft (Hurney) and on the sideline (Fox).

It has been said about Hurney and Fox that they don't make enough noise during free agency, and they don't look out for the best interest of the team by their decisions to not offer huge contracts to big-name players. What most people fail to realize about Fox and Hurney, however, is the fact that they do look out for the best interest of the team. They build the team through the draft and player development, and continually put out a product on the field that is among the league's best, regardless of what the win-loss record may indicate.

If you go back and look at the team's draft history since 2002, you will notice a lot of quality names that stand out. Guys like Julius Peppers, Jordan Gross, Thomas Davis, DeAngelo Williams, Jon Beason, Ryan Kalil, and Jonathan Stewart were all drafted by Hurney and Fox. I'm sure I don't need to elaborate on how vital these guys are (or have been, in Peppers' case) to the team - but as you can see, Hurney and Fox know how to draft the right players to fit the team's needs.

It can be argued (and has been argued ad nauseum) that Fox and Hurney don't deserve to be in Carolina anymore, and the most frequent reasoning is the fact that the franchise has yet to put together back-to-back winning seasons in its first 15 years of existence. But, that shouldn't be the ultimate gauge of success, because during the course of a football season there are many factors (e.g. - injuries) that come in to play that determine a team's final record, and sometimes teams just cannot control the adversity they face.

A perfect example of this is the 2004 season, which on paper is a 7-9 record sandwiched between two 11-5 records, but as most fans know is the season that the Panthers were totally decimated by injuries. (Steve Smith broke his leg during the first game, the top four RBs on the depth chart went down, Kris Jenkins went on IR with shoulder problems, and a total of 14 players were on the IR list at season's end. Given the fact that the team got off to a 1-7 start, it should be applauded that the team finished the season at 7-9 and barely missed out on a playoff berth.)

When I look at the team's history since 2002, I don't see a team that can't put together back-to-back winning seasons. I see a team that hasn't had a 10+ loss season (one of only four in the league who haven't), I see a team that has won 71 games, I see a team that has made 3 playoff appearances (with 1 Super Bowl appearance), and I see a team that hasn't quit on its coach.

John Fox may be coy with the media and may come across as a guy who doesn't have a clue sometimes, but the man has all the confidence and belief from the 53 men in the locker room every single week, and that's something that not many coaches can truly say.

The Panthers may have ended up 8-8 and missed the playoffs last season, but what most people don't see is that the team was dealing with a starting QB that had lost his mojo and several key injuries (Kemoeatu, Davis, & Gross, just to name a few) , all while trying to adjust to a new defensive scheme and coordinator on the fly.

But Fox didn't lose the team and the locker room. The team found out towards the end of the season that they didn't have any chance to make the playoffs, and instead of cruising to the finish line like most teams do, they came out and made a statement by going 4-1 in their last 5 games, winning their final 3 in a row.

I'm not a gambling man, but if I were I would place a sure bet that the Panthers will be back in contention in 2010. Based on the prior 8 years since Fox and Hurney took over this franchise, with the worst seasons being 7-9 records, I have no reason to doubt their judgment when they decided to let Delhomme go in favor of Moore, and I have no doubt that they knew what they're doing by letting Peppers walk with no compensation. I know that money had something to do with those choices, but I'm not convinced that they were strictly financial decisions (especially Delhomme).

Besides, a lot of people thought Fox was crazy for putting in an unknown guy from Louisiana at quarterback in the first game of the 2003 season, but he did it anyway, and the result was a trip to the Super Bowl and a near-miss Lombardi trophy - so I think I will trust him when he puts Moore in for the start of the 2010 season, and expect the team to rally behind their new quarterback and put together a serious run for the playoffs.

Based on the way this team has played since the 2002 season, I just can't see any real reason that Fox and Hurney should not keep their jobs. We are fortunate to have one of the best organizations in the NFL, and it is because of the leadership at the top, from Richardson down to the coaching staff, that this is the case.

It would be foolish to get rid of Fox and Hurney at this point because they have always bounced back from adversity before, so why wouldn't they do it this time? I stated earlier that the one of the biggest complaints from many fans and "experts" is that the Panthers have never had back-to-back winning seasons. But, since 2002, they've never had back-to-back losing seasons either - and that is due to the consistent leadership and player development from Hurney and Fox.

Why on earth would we ever want to get rid of that?

Panthers sign Aaron Francisco

2010-04-12T12:20:00.000-04:00

According to beat writer Darin Gantt's Twitter page, the Panthers have signed former Arizona Cardinals special teams captain Aaron Francisco. The terms of the contract have not been revealed (at least I haven't been able to find them), but Francisco should help out on special teams, which was a huge need for the Panthers based on their performance last season.

Panthers sign kick off specialist

2010-04-07T08:32:00.000-04:00

The Panthers have apparently solved the "who will replace Rhys Lloyd as kick off specialist" dilemma by signing Todd Carter to a 1-year contract at the league minimum [$320K]. Rhys Lloyd would have cost the team approximately $1.1M this season, so they decided that a KOS just wasn't worth that much money and went with the cheaper option.

Scott Fowler of Carolina Growl:

The Carolina Panthers signed a potential replacement for kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd on Tuesday, adding kicker Todd Carter of Grand Valley State. Carter, who played at Grand Valley from 2005-2008, converted 12 of 17 field goals and 56 of 58 extra points as a senior. However, leg strength is his forte and he has a chance to replace Lloyd, who signed as a free agent this off-season with Minnesota, in the kickoff role.

Whew! I'm glad that crisis is averted. I don't know what I would have done had the team entered training camp with no kick off specialist. In the event Carter doesn't work out, it appears that punter Jason Baker would then handle kick off duties for 2010.

Jason Campbell to Carolina?

2010-04-05T12:22:00.000-04:00

Could the Panthers be in the market to trade for Jason Campbell?

With the recent addition* of Donovan McNabb in a trade that shook the very foundation of the NFL world yesterday, the Redskins suddenly don't need Campbell anymore.

Panthers beat writer Darin Gantt thinks Campbell would be a good fit in Carolina:

And Campbell might just be the perfect addition to a thin depth chart here. The Panthers, while expressing the utmost confidence in Matt Moore, sincerely want to find someone to push him, someone who could take over if his December mop-up excellence fades in the heat of September. Campbell might be just that guy.

I actually think that Gantt might have a point here. I mean, Moore should do fine this season, but do we really know that he's the guy to lead the Panthers for the next 5-10 years? I hope so and believe so, but the truth is: it can't hurt to bring in a guy to push Moore to the next level. With Campbell in training camp competing for the starting job, Moore should have the drive necessary to put forth his best effort in the preseason, instead of taking a lax approach during camp knowing he already has the job in the bag.**

And, it's not like Campbell is a bad quarterback. As Gantt says in his blog:

The former first-rounder never had much help in Washington, in terms of offensive weapons or a consistent philosophy. Here, there's more of both. Surrounded by a top-five in the league line, and with the option to hand to a pair of top-10 backs, there are many scouts who think Campbell would flourish here.

I don't know if the Panthers will make a move on Campbell or not, as there are about 4 or 5 other teams in the league who would probably pay more for his services than we have to offer (assuming the Skins don't just outright release him, which would be dumb - certainly someone like Buffalo, Jacksonville, or Oakland would give up a pick or two for him). But, I would be open to bringing in Campbell and giving him a shot to compete with Moore.

It might just be the best thing that has ever happened to Moore, and it would give us two good options going forward after 2010.

* - By addition, I mean: bending the Eagles over and totally screwing them out of their All-Pro QB (and best QB they've ever had) for a pair of shoelaces and a candy bar.

** - I don't think he will have a lax attitude, but you never know.

Panthers 2010 Preseason opponents announced

2010-03-31T10:12:00.000-04:00

The Panthers learned today who they will face in the 2010 Preseason, and just like last year the team has a game on National Television (ESPN).

The Panthers will open the Preseason on Thursday, August 12 in Baltimore against the Ravens on ESPN. After the Ravens game, the team travels to Charlotte to face the Jets and Titans before making a trip to Pittsburgh for the customary Preseason contest with the Steelers.

After going 0-4 in the 2009 Preseason, the Panthers will hope to get off on the right track this time around. (Not that the Preseason record makes that much of a difference, but it is still nice to win a few Preseason games.)

After the Ravens game on ESPN, the remaining three Preseason games will be shown locally on Panthers TV. The only date that is set at this time is the Ravens game, but I will update the information once it is available.

Fox doesn't really want to draft Tebow, does he?

2010-03-25T10:11:00.000-04:00

ESPN's NFC South blogger Pat Yasinkas had some interesting comments about John Fox in reference to the comments Fox made about Tim Tebow at the owner's meeting.

I know John Fox caused a bit of a stir in some circles when he spoke highly of Tim Tebow. I’m telling you right now, calm down. Let’s put this one in perspective. Fox always praises players on other teams, available free agents and every member of the year's draft crop that he’s asked about. He also never closes the door on anything. Remember last summer when everybody was sure the Panthers were going to sign Michael Vick just because Fox wouldn’t publicly close the door on that possibility? It never happened. Look, I know Fox better than any other coach in the NFC South. If the man is going to make a move that likely will shape the rest of his career, he’s probably not going to reveal it over breakfast with the media.

I really hope you're right Pat, because the last thing I want is for the Panthers to draft Tim Tebow. Words can't even describe how much I will hate it if he is picked - a boycott may even be necessary (I hope not, but I am keeping it as a last resort).

I'm not too worried though, because I genuinely think he will be gone before the Panthers' first pick comes along at #48. Which is fine - let some other fan base worry about the fact that their team wasted a draft pick on a quarterback who will most likely suck in the NFL. As long as I don't have to worry about it, it's all good.

Steve Smith wants another receiver

2010-03-24T04:37:00.000-04:00

The Panthers have a lot of choices to make in the upcoming draft. Do they take a defensive end to replace Peppers, do they take a defensive tackle, or do they take a wide receiver? There are certainly plenty of arguments for each one of those choices, and each one makes sense in it's own right - but the Panthers have at least one player who feels that offense should be the main focus in the draft.

In a recent interview*, Panthers receiver Steve Smith said that he would like for the Panthers to pursue another fast receiver to complement him in the offense.

After being asked about a previous statement in which Smitty claimed that the team needed to get a faster receiver, the Incendiary One felt that he needed to clarify what he meant.

Smitty:

What I meant by getting a fast receiver ... is that I am getting older. I'll take that role of getting older. Let me get in the slot. Let a young guy run outside. I ran clear-outs for Moose Muhammad and Ricky Proehl back in the day, and I was happy to do that. Now we need another guy to do that.

He also had these nuggets of information:

Not that I am losing a step ... I can dominate the outside, but I want to move into the slot and prolong my career. Let the new guys play outside and just run aimlessly. I am looking for a young, aimless runner. ... I don't want to be the grumpy, old receiver who can't let go of the No. 1 spot. I'll give the freedom to the young guys; let them be kings. Let those guys catch the 50-yard bombs. I can take a five-yard out route and run 50 yards with it. ... As long as I am in the car, I am straight. I ain't riding on the hood and I am not in the trunk. I don't have to drive, but don't get me in the car with (a receiver) who doesn't have his learner's permit. He's got to be certified to drive. And I'll be the guy to complement him, not the other way around.

What do I think? I think that Smitty is dead on target with this. It's hard not to agree with a guy who understands what this team needs, and if anyone knows what it's like to be the only receiving threat in an offense, it's Steve Smith. I just hope the front office listens to him and drafts a receiver who can play outside and let Smitty work the middle like he wants. Because if that happens, linebackers everywhere will learn just how dynamic Steve Smith really is.

And that's all he wants to do. He simply wants to let the world know just how good he is, and how much he loves the game of football. What more can you ask for in a player?

* - Author's Note: My favorite part of the Smith interview has nothing to do with this article, but I love the fact that he says Matt Moore is "just a little squirrel trying to get a nut" ... hilarious stuff.

Panthers Links - 3.18.10

2010-03-18T06:17:00.000-04:00

Here are just a few recent links of Panthers news around the web...

Panthers head coach John Fox spent time watching Tim Tebow debut his new throwing motion. [God, I hope that he was really there to scout other players and this is just media sensationalism (not that they would do that), but I just hope he wasn't really there to scout Tebow. Can anyone confirm that Tebow wasn't the reason for the trip?]

Charlotte Observer columnist Scott Fowler thinks that 2010 is John Fox's last chance to win in Carolina. [He may be right - if the Panthers completely tank this season, I would expect to see Big Cat hire a new coach instead of giving Fox a new deal. But, if the Panthers make a serious playoff run and finish with an 8-8 record or better, then I would expect Fox to be at least offered a new contract - whether he signs a new deal or not is a completely different matter.]

James Dator from Real Bits of Panthers offers his analysis on the Panthers decision to re-sign DE Tyler Brayton (one of the best decisions they could have made, if you ask me).

Darin Gantt tells us that the Panthers are showing serious interest in Appalachian State QB Armanti Edwards, but they may not be looking at him for the backup QB position.

Pat Yasinkas offers his thoughts on Tebow's workout as it applies to the NFC South. [Again - I truly hope that Tebow does not end up in a Panthers uniform. I don't know if there are words to explain how much I am against the thought of drafting him.]

Panthers sign DE Tyler Brayton to 3 year contract

2010-03-17T11:06:00.000-04:00

It appears that the Panthers will have some decent depth on the defensive line after all. According to several sources, Tyler Brayton has re-signed with Carolina. The financial terms of the deal have not been announced, but according to the information I've seen, the deal is for three years.

This is great news for the Panthers, who were going to need to pick up some veteran help on the defensive line after Julius Peppers signed with the Bears, and Brayton is the best available option because he has a year under Ron Meeks' system and several years in the Panthers locker room. His veteran presence will be helpful to Everette Brown and Charles Johnson, who appear at the moment to be the future of the franchise at the defensive end position.

Darin Gantt provides an interesting thought on his twitter page:

Brayton made it clear early on he wanted to stay. Said in December he'd have been "heartbroken," if Panthers didn't want him.

Even though Brayton is 30 years old and goes against what the Panthers have apparently decided to do this offseason, this was a good move to bring him back. I really think they will be glad they did this when the season starts.

Also, this completely changes the Panthers' draft strategy. Now they can go after a WR with the first pick in the 2nd round instead of focusing on defense. (Mardy Gilyard, anyone?)

A new opportunity

2010-03-16T19:18:00.000-04:00

People of Earth:

I am pleased to announce that I have been offered an awesome opportunity to become a writer for SB Nation's Panthers blog, Cat Scratch Reader, and I have graciously accepted the offer and will start writing for the website in the near future.

Some of you may be familiar with SB Nation, and some of you may not be. For those who are not: SB Nation is a sports blog site that is full of fan blogs for pretty much every team in every sport. Regardless of what your favorite team (or sport) is, there is a blog for you to join and be a part of a community with other fans just like you. CSR is, in my opinion, one of the best sports blogs on the planet - not because I'm now a part of the writing staff, but because the fans there all understand the concept of being a true fan, and there is a true camaraderie involved. CSR will make any Panthers fan feel right at home, and if the other team blogs are anything like CSR, you must join and get involved with your favorite team now, because you will truly enjoy the experience.

What does this mean for the status of The Panther Playbook? Nothing, really. I'm still going to maintain this blog, so don't worry about that (because I'm sure you were nervously awaiting confirmation that this blog would still be active). I just wanted to share this exciting information with everyone, and invite anyone reading this to take a look at CSR (or any other team site you would like to look at).

Thank you for reading.

Panthers add OL depth with Petitti

2010-03-15T06:23:00.000-04:00

Update: Marcus Hudson has signed a 1-year contract.

The Panthers have added depth to the offensive line by signing RFA OT Rob Petitti to a one-year deal, according to his agent.

According to Darin Gantt, this is a good signing:

Petitti was a late-season injury replacement, after playing in the UFL last year. A one-time 16-game starter for Dallas, he's at least a good complement to Geoff Schwartz and Garry Williams on the second line. He was a restricted free agent who they chose not to tender, but they made it clear to his agent from day one they wanted to bring him back.

This looks to me like nothing more than a move to ensure that there is some veteran depth on the offensive line next season, and since Petitti is a cost-effective option, it's a good move.

In other free agency news, the Panthers are also expected to meet with former San Francisco defensive back/special teamer Marcus Hudson soon. Could this be the man who replaces Dante Wesley on the ST unit?

Jon Beason shares his thoughts

2010-03-12T16:33:00.000-05:00

Found a post on CSR that linked a great blog written by Panthers MLB Jon Beason. Because it is so long, I'm not going to paste the entire thing - but I will post a portion of it here because there were a few parts that really stood out to me.

Beason, on Jake Delhomme:

In terms of Jake Delhomme, he’s one of those teammates that you always want to do well, a guy you definitely want on your football team. He has those intangibles that make professional athletes who they are, what makes them special. Jake is a warrior, a competitor. One thing I always appreciated about Jake was that he was honest and genuinely wanted to win. Every snap, every day in practice, whether he was rehabbing an injury or preparing to win on Sundays, he always had the same philosophy. Jake always gave it everything he had, he played with guts and played with his heart on his sleeve. The QB position is rare in terms of the evaluation process. There are quarterbacks who can throw, quarterbacks who are great athletes and can run, quarterbacks who are smart and have all the intangibles, but the No. 1 factor in choosing a quarterback is the IT factor, and every quarterback doesn’t have it. Simply put, they know how to win. In any sport, that in itself is more important than gold, and Jake has it. It’s sad to see him go, but I know he’s going to land on his feet like he always has. He’s overcome bigger obstacles before.

Beason, on his approach to next season:

So as a veteran leader of this team heading into the 2010 season, what do I do? One, I trust in the organization and the coaching staff that they are making the best decisions for the team, and two, come to work with my hard hat on, ready to work to be better than ever before.

Beason, on what he expects for 2010:

To me, I expect every guy on this team and everybody affiliated with the organization to go out and try to be exceptional. The last two years have been glaring to me in terms of the teams that played in and won the Super Bowl. It’s very fresh in my mind that the team we should have beaten twice this year won the Super Bowl, and I’m asking myself, why them and not us? The answer is simple: as a whole, as a group collectively, the Saints decided to go out and win the Super Bowl and they did that. The year before it was the Arizona Cardinals, they went 8-8 but made it to the Super Bowl, and again, I’m asking myself, why them and not us? Really, the focal point for me is to do what we have to do to get it done. We’re good enough. We’ve got to have that mentality moving forward, going into the preseason and then into every regular-season game.

After reading his blog, I can't help but be excited for what the 2010 season will bring. I think this Panthers team has the opportunity and the ability to do something special, and I can't wait to say that I was able to witness it as it was happening.

Go out and try to be exceptional - sounds like pretty good advice to me.

Panthers to raise ticket prices in 2010

2010-03-12T10:26:00.000-05:00

According to Darin Gantt, the Panthers will raise ticket prices for the 2010 season:

At a time when the team's purging salary, the Carolina Panthers are asking ticket holders for more of theirs.

The Panthers said Friday that they'd raise ticket prices between $1 and $9 per seat. A team spokesman said roughly half the tickets in the stadium would go up between $1 and $3 each.

It's the eighth time in the last 11 years they've raised prices, after an early trend toward holding costs steady.

The Panthers kept prices constant the first five years of the franchise's existence, but since then have hiked ticket costs each year besides 2003, 2007 and 2009.

The Panthers are quick to remind that they're still among the cheapest tickets in the league, in the bottom half. They'll also point out that the other two teams with privately funded stadiums (Washington and New England) are among the league's most expensive tickets.

The team has also announced some new payment options, as PSL owners can break up their season-ticket renewals into three equal payments, due in April, May and June.

So let me get this straight: You're purging the roster to get younger and save money, yet you feel the need to raise ticket prices so fans can pay more money to watch a lesser quality product? Okay, that makes perfect sense.

I know it's not a lot of money, but it's the principle of the matter. In this economy, teams should be doing everything they can to lower ticket prices, especially when they've already admitted that they're not going to spend a lot of money on the team to begin with. Why should fans pay more to see an inferior product, especially when fans in the local area (who would be purchasing the majority of the tickets) can just stay home and watch the game on television for free? (Granted enough fans buy tickets so the game doesn't get blacked out.)

Of course, it doesn't really effect me that much: I wasn't planning to purchase tickets to a game this season anyway. I live too far away from Charlotte to make it a reasonable day trip, and I would also have to consider hotel accommodations, child care, and all those other "extra expenses" that would make it not worth the price when I can tune in to FOX or CBS and watch in the comfort of my own home for free.

Matt Moore to sign tender for next season

2010-03-11T09:32:00.000-05:00

It's official: Matt Moore will be back for the Carolina Panthers in 2010.

According to an article by Charles Chandler from Inside the Panthers, Moore is expected to sign the 1-year, $3M* tender today or tomorrow, as confirmed by his agent.

"It's a done deal," said agent Lynn Lashbrook. "He's excited about getting started for next season. He did not want to wait around. He wanted to send a message to the community and the team. ..."

It's still not a 100% guarantee that Moore will be the starter, but as of right now he is penciled in at the #1 QB position on the depth chart. Hopefully the team can get a long term deal worked out if Moore can prove that he is ready to take over the offense this upcoming season.

If nothing else, at least this adds some excitement to the previously depressing offseason, and there's finally an announcement that doesn't involve a player being released.

Moore is the first player to sign his RFA tender for the Panthers this offseason.

* - $3.043 million, to be exact.

Gilyard's Pro Day a success

2010-03-11T08:51:00.000-05:00

I've been saying for quite some time now that I want the Panthers to draft WR Mardy Gilyard if he's still on the board when the #47 pick comes due. (I really believe he will be - simply because the WR class is so deep this year. There are several receivers that could be taken before Gilyard, and there aren't that many teams who are looking for a receiver.)

Anyway, the bloggers over at Cincy Jungle posted a great article about Gilyard's performance at his Pro Day.

The assessment of Gilyard's performance was simple, stating that he improved on his 40-time,stating:

Gilyard ... improved his 40-time from 4.56 to 4.47 and made a few nice grabs.

His 40-time at the NFL Combine wasn't horrible by any means, but it is nice to know that he had a better one at his Pro Day. Of course this could spell doom for my hopes of the Panthers drafting him, because this could also increase the interest in him from other teams in the league who have picks before Carolina in the 2nd round. (I really don't think he will go in the 1st round - there are just too many other highly touted players at other positions.)

At the end of the article, it is mentioned that the Bengals are interested in drafting the former Cincinnati Bearcat, though I believe this was written before the Bengals signed free agent receiver Antonio Bryant. Now that they have added Bryant to their roster, they may not be in the market to draft a receiver until the later rounds in the draft.

I really hope the Panthers can get this guy - he would be an upgrade to the return game, and he could be a deadly weapon in the slot with his speed and ability to create separation from defenders.

I just hope no other teams were paying that much attention to him when he was working out, though I doubt that is possible. It's hard not to notice what could be the next big time WR in the league.

Some Julius Peppers fodder

2010-03-11T07:29:00.000-05:00

Surfing around ESPN's NFC South Blog, I found a link to an interesting article in the Chicago Sun-Times about Julius Peppers' childhood in the small town of Bailey, NC.

What I'm most intrigued by, though, is the first part of the article that discusses Peppers' decision to move to Chicago rather than stay in Charlotte where he was regarded as a super-hero by most of the population.

Peppers yearns to take his game to another level, under the direction of Bears respected defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, and he plans to unveil the Julius Peppers Project in Chicago, an offshoot of a program he started to help at-risk boys in North Carolina.

Keep in mind this is the same Rod Marinelli that was the head coach of the only team to ever go 0-16 in an NFL season, a team that is considered by many as the worst team to ever play in the history of the game (the 2008 Detroit Lions, for those who didn't already know). He's the man who Peppers trusts to take him to another level - well Julius, all I can say is: best of luck with that one.

So Julius, you expect us to believe that you couldn't live up to your potential in Carolina? Instead of owning up to the fact that you didn't live up to your potential because you didn't want to?

I've heard some humdingers in my lifetime, but you take the cake on this one pal. And don't try to say you've never half-assed your way through while you were in Carolina, because wasn't it you that said: "I feel I haven’t given everything I have to give yet, and I can do more. I’ve had a good career so far, but there’s still more I could give."? Well it's good to know that you feel that way, Julius. You've confirmed what I've known all along: you don't care about anything other than yourself.

Best of luck in Chi-town Pep - you're gonna need it when thousands of angry Bears fans rip you a new one when you don't show up for a game or two. But you won't care right? Because in the end, you're still getting paid.

* - Quote courtesy of Pat Yasinkas, ESPN.

Jake Delhomme to Cleveland?

2010-03-10T11:58:00.000-05:00

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, former Panthers QB Jake Delhomme is scheduled to meet with the Browns tomorrow.

This could be a real potential landing spot for Delhomme, who looks to find a starting job somewhere in the league. I know Cleveland isn't the preferred destination for most players in the NFL, but at this stage in his career Jake will have to take what he can get if he's planning on realistically competing for a starting job.

I think Cleveland would be a good fit for him, as long as he's prepared to be pulled in favor of Brady Quinn at any given time during the season.

Kemo finds a home in Washington

2010-03-10T06:52:00.000-05:00

According to Darin Gantt's Twitter feed:

Skins bought a lottery ticket. RT @Adam_Schefter Former Panthers DT Ma'ake Kemoeatu signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the Redskins.

I'm happy for Kemo. I hope this works out for him because I was a little bummed when I saw that he was cut without the opportunity to prove he could return from his season ending ACL injury last year. At least now he has the chance to show he has recovered and can still contribute to a team's defense.

Panthers could be targeting Derek Anderson

2010-03-09T04:51:00.000-05:00

Update, Part 2 (3/10): Classic response from Anderson on being released here.

Update (5:45 PM): It's now official - the Browns have released Derek Anderson. Don't be surprised if he's in Charlotte tomorrow for a workout with Fox, Gump, and Hurney. I have a feeling this is the beginning of the end for my sanity. (In today's Gaston Gazette, Steve Reed wonders if the Panthers will sign Anderson now that he's available.)

****

With the news that the Browns are expected to release former Pro Bowl QB Derek Anderson today (they owe him a roster bonus and just traded with Seattle for Seneca Wallace, so they only need one backup, and Brady Quinn is cheaper to keep than Anderson is), the Panthers automatically jump to the top of the list of potential suitors for Anderson's services.

Are the Panthers going to sign Derek Anderson to compete with Matt Moore in training camp?

I hope not - we don't need an overrated quarterback to come in and compete with Moore for the starting job. It's not like Anderson is that great. Sure, he made the Pro Bowl three years ago (but we all know that making the Pro Bowl isn't all that special anymore), and even if you want to say that the Pro Bowl is something to take into serious consideration - allow me to point this out: what did he do before that season, and what has he done since? The answer: not that much. His career QB rating is 69.7 (and his Pro Bowl season rating was only 82.5) - so it's not like we're getting the next Peyton Manning. He's going to end up being a career journeyman/backup - nothing more, nothing less.

Sure, he made the Pro Bowl in 2007 - but I look at that season as the exception, not the rule. The bottom line: we don't need the guy. I would rather bring in a proven veteran backup than bring in a guy like Anderson, who will probably have an upper hand in the competition because the Panthers offensive coordinator and quarterback coach (Jeff Davidson and Rip Scherer, respectively) happen to be the same two people who coached him during his Pro Bowl season in 2007.

If the Panthers buy into the hype and sign Anderson to a contract, consider me an unhappy fan. Unless Anderson can recreate his 2007 self and lead the Panthers to the playoffs, this move doesn't make sense (he doesn't bring the wisdom that an older, cheaper veteran would bring to the backup position, so obviously he would have a 50/50 chance at starting, which is not a good thing).

After Delhomme was released I was optimistic about the 2010 season because I was looking forward to finding out what Moore brings to the table. Now, I have that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that I will have to put up with yet another year of crappy QB play before Matt Moore is officially given his chance to shine, and I don't like that feeling.

So Big Cat, if you can hear me: please, say no to Derek Anderson.

CSR: The sky is not falling, Panthers fans

2010-03-08T14:10:00.000-05:00

James the Aussie over at CSR has a great article on the Panthers and the state of the 2010 season. After the recent events that have taken place over the past few days (i.e. - cutting players who were originally thought to be a part of 2010), a lot of fans have grabbed on to the "it's the end of the world" philosophy, and James has decided to set the record straight.

For those of you who are not familiar with CSR - it's the Panthers blog on the Sports Blog Nation platform. SB Nation has a blog for every team in every sport, so you should check it out, regardless of where your loyalties lie. (CSR is the best, though.)

James is right - the sky is not falling. Fear not, Panthers fans - Big Cat isn't going to lead us astray. We just have to trust him.

Panthers are going young in 2010 and beyond

2010-03-08T10:46:00.000-05:00

When the move to cut fan-favorite FB Brad Hoover becomes official this afternoon, the Panthers will be one of the youngest teams in the league. According to ESPN's NFC South blogger Pat Yasinkas, the Panthers will only have three players on the roster who are 30 or older (two of which who don't really count because they're kickers).

Yasinkas:

After the last post on the Panthers reportedly cutting fullback Brad Hoover, I quickly grabbed a Carolina roster and started looking at ages that didn’t have two as the first digit.

As expected, I didn’t find many. In fact, I found fewer than I expected. If you take Hoover off the roster - and it looks like the Panthers soon will do that officially - there are only three players remaining who are not in their 20's. [However, there are quite a few players who are in their late 20's - it's not like we have nothing but 21 year-olds on the roster for next season.]

They are: punter Jason Baker (31), kicker John Kasay (40) and [receiver] Steve Smith (30). At a time when the Panthers seem to be whacking anyone over 30, I think those three are safe.

Baker’s only a little over 30, he still is playing well and he’s a punter. Kasay is the last of the original Panthers and the same rules don’t apply to him as everyone else. Owner Jerry Richardson would never cut Kasay. The kicker’s going to decide how long he wants to play.

Smith isn’t going anywhere. He hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Besides, if it ever came down to it, who would have the guts to tell Smith he’s cut?

I know these cuts are financially motivated, and I know that the Big Cat doesn't want to spend money on players who are getting up there in football years when there are younger capable backups ready to play, but I still wish there could have been a way for Hoover to remain on the team - primarily because now I can't use "Hoover the Mover" anymore.

But one thing is certain: 2010 is sure to be an interesting year. I'm excited to find out what these young guys can do, and it may cost the team a 4-12 season in 2010 to find out, but I think in 2011 and beyond this team will be ready to dominate with the young and experienced nucleus that is being built.

And in 2013 when we have won 3 straight Super Bowls, I'm confident that will all look back on this day and laugh when we thought the world was coming to and end in Pantherville.

The Panthers handle everything with class

2010-03-06T12:31:00.000-05:00

A lot of people involved in the NFL say that the Panthers are one of the classiest organizations in the league. They have been known to treat their players, coaches, and fans with the utmost of class, and sometimes it is nice to see examples of this behavior.

The first-class tactics of the Panthers are shown in the way they treated the release of QB Jake Delhomme.

The following is an excerpt from Panthers beat writer Darin Gantt's blog that discusses the way in which Panthers GM Marty Hurney notified Delhomme's agent of the decision to release the fan favorite quarterback.

Agent Rick Smith, who’s represented Delhomme throughout his career, was working in his Chicago office building Thursday morning, preparing for the free agent period himself, and certainly not expecting the next call.

“It’s 11 yesterday morning, my time,” Smith said. “I look down at my cell, and it’s Marty’s cell. We talk all the time. So I answer, ‘Hey, Marty, what’s up.’”

“I’m in your lobby,” Hurney replied. “Come downstairs and get me.”

Smith said he was initially confused, and quickly found a conference room where they could sit and Hurney could deliver the news no one wanted to be on either end of.

“He said he just couldn’t do it over the phone,” Smith said. “So what does he do? He flies to Chicago so he can tell me to my face. To me, that tells you about the bond between the player and the team, and the character of the organization.

Yes, Jake Delhomme was still released when some experts think he should have been retained as the backup quarterback (and some even think he should still be the starter), but the fact that he was released with nothing but first-class treatment should be a testament to how the Panthers conduct business. It's not just a non-personal decision to Richardson and company - they actually develop personal relationships with their coaches and players, and I for one am proud to be a fan of such a first class organization.

Because honestly, who else would have handled it this way?

The cuts keep coming

2010-03-05T06:10:00.000-05:00

Jerry Richardson must be doing some serious spring cleaning, as three more players have been cut from the roster today.

So far, the list of released players includes:

Jake Delhomme - QB
Damione Lewis - DT
Ma'ake Kemoeatu - DT
Landon Johnson - LB
Na'il Diggs - LB

I have no idea who else will be cut, if any one is cut, or what the reasons (other than money) behind these cuts are. But right now, it looks like if you are a Panthers' seasoned veteran making more than the minimum salary, your job is in danger of being taken away. I knew the front office wanted to go younger, but I didn't expect this.

More to come later as the day unfolds and more moves are revealed.

Panthers cut Jake Delhomme

2010-03-04T18:30:00.000-05:00

I never thought I would type this next sentence. The Carolina Panthers have cut quarterback Jake Delhomme, and will buy out the remainder of his near $13M guaranteed contract. (ESPN article here.)

From a business standpoint, this makes sense: there is no salary cap for 2010, so the team could absorb the money and move on with Matt Moore under center. But, from a personal standpoint: I'm a little saddened, because Delhomme has always been a class act, and he will be remembered as one of the better quarterbacks in franchise history.

But, the NFL isn't about feelings - it's about winning, and at the present time, Matt Moore gives this team the best chance to win (unless they're working out a trade for Peyton Manning or something, which I very highly doubt would be the case).

Best of luck Jake, you were one of the good guys.

In other news: the Panthers have also released DT Damione Lewis, which is a bit of a surprise. The Panthers have a lot of young depth at the position, and will apparently look to add the younger guys into the rotation for 2010.

More Vick to Carolina nonsense

2010-03-02T10:31:00.000-05:00

When asked what team he would like to play for in 2010 in a recent radio interview, current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick mentioned the Carolina Panthers. (Fast-forward to the 7:40 mark in the video.)

I don't know how to say this other than to be blunt: HELL NO - we do not want you or need you on our team, Vick! Also, check out the name of the radio show - Gangsta Grillz Radio. If that doesn't that just scream "I'm reformed, please take a chance on me and let me prove myself", then I don't know what does.

We don' t need Michael Vick. We already have a "who is going to be our QB in 2010" situation, and that doesn't need to be further compounded with Vick. Also, we don't run the wildcat formation, which would be the only reason I could even fathom the team bringing him in. He's not a drop-back passer, and he never was. He's a gimmick quarterback at best, and his gimmick just doesn't fit this team.

Also, his reason for wanting to join the team is just asinine. According to an article by Charlotte Observer blogger Charles Chandler, when asked why he wanted to join the team, Vick said: “Well, you know, it’s close to home. I like the uniforms. You get to play against Atlanta twice a year. Ain’t nothing better than playing against your former team, right? So, yeah, that would be a good look, it would be a good look.”

You like the uniforms? You can't be serious. That's part of your reason? Hell, if you want I'll gladly purchase you a Panthers jersey and send it to you (if you want I'll make it a Peppers #90, I hear they're half-price).

I can understand wanting to get back at the Falcons because they are the team that released you, except when you consider that they released you because YOU WENT TO PRISON FOR RUNNING A DOG FIGHTING RING.

There are too many reasons why this doesn't make sense, and there aren't enough pros to make it worth the risk. So please, for the sake of everything that is good in this world - just say no to Vick.

Notes from the combine

2010-02-28T06:50:00.000-05:00

I've been watching the NFL Combine for the past two days, and I must say that there are a lot of interesting players out there who could make the Panthers a better football team down the road.

Of course, the Panthers aren't going to draft guys just because they're on the board when it comes time for them to pick, but they will look at a few key positions: WR, DL, QB, & TE. The most pressing needs (at least in my opinion) are at WR and DL (particularly DE). Honestly, I can picture the Panthers drafting at least two receivers in the draft, and they may even use their first two picks on receivers (assuming they don't sign any free agents).

If you've read my blog in the past, you would know that recently I have campaigned for the team to draft former Cincinnati Bearcat WR Mardy Gilyard, because I think that his receiving ability is further enhanced by his contributions in the return game, and the Panthers could use a guy to return kicks - something that has been a weakness in recent years.

Below are Gilyard's strengths and weaknesses, according to NFL.com's scouts. (emphasis and commentary mine)

Strengths:

Gilyard is a very athletic prospect who was extremely productive in college. Is a terror in the open field with the ball in his hands after catch. Has the quickness and burst to separate from defenders when running short to intermediate routes. Is a high-character guy on the field.

Weaknesses:

Gilyard has adequate height but lacks the bulk you like to see in a starting receiver and isn’t a good blocker. Is quicker than fast and top end speed is only adequate – won’t blow by many pro DB’s. Hands are inconsistent. Makes too many body catches. (His quickness makes up for his lack of pure speed.)

Gilyard didn't have a blazing 40 speed (4.51 unofficially, according to NFLN*), but his calling card isn't his straight-line speed. His ability to get a quick start and make quick cuts in his routes have been the selling points for him, and he has been called "quicker than fast" by several of the analysts at the combine. He's not going to run away from anyone, but if he has the ability to make a cornerback bite on a fake and get that extra step downfield, then straight-line speed won't really make that much of a difference.

After seeing the few drills he has run at the combine, I still like Gilyard. I still think that he would be a great fit for the Panthers, and I haven't seen any reason for the team to not consider adding him to the roster.

That is of course if no one else nabs him first.

* - NFL Network has been clocking 40 times unofficially for all the combine participants, and based on their commentary they have been pretty close to the official times. But, I don't know the official times so I'm not sure how accurate they've been.

The Panthers will not franchise Peppers

2010-02-23T09:23:00.000-05:00

According to the team's Twitter page, GM Marty Hurney announced today that the franchise tag will not be applied to DE Julius Peppers. Franchising him would cost the team more than $20M this season, and Peppers was apparently unwilling to sign a long term deal (at least that's what his agent said).

With this move, Peppers will become an unrestricted free agent and will go to the highest bidder (or whichever team offers him money - whatever the case may be). The Panthers are not expected to offer him a contract.

Hurney also announced that both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had successful surgeries, but it is not known if they will be available for mini-camp.

Hey Julius: Cry me a river!

2010-02-16T10:20:00.000-05:00

I haven't written on the Julius Peppers situation for two reasons.

1. I've been really busy and haven't had much time to collect my thoughts.

2. I didn't want to get into a lot of speculation as to what he was or wasn't going to do.

Now, I think it's safe to assume that he's not coming back to Carolina, and I can honestly say that I don't even care. Sure, he's one of the best defensive ends when he is healthy and when he wants to play, but it's those times when he doesn't want to play that bother me. Peppers has a problem with giving a full effort for 16 complete games, and I can't imagine paying someone upwards of $20M to only give 100% effort some of the time when there are plenty of other players who will bust their butts on the field and give everything they've got for significantly less money.

It's just not worth the time, the money, or the hassle.

Furthermore, I am getting tired of his crybaby antics. Listen dude, we don't want to hear your "they haven't talked to me so I guess they don't love me anymore" excuse. It's called waiting to see if there's even going to be a 2011 season before shelling out millions of dollars on one player. You know that Collective Bargaining Agreement that people keep talking about? Well, it determines how much money each team can afford to spend on players - so don't you think that maybe the team is waiting to see if it's worth the money to pay you? Have you not thought about that? Maybe they're keeping their mouths shut to find out how the CBA is going to play out before signing any players to long term deals.

So Julius, please shut up with your whiny "nobody loves me anymore" crap. We don't want to hear it. Maybe if you played your heart out on the field as much as you wear it on your sleeve during the offseason we wouldn't even be having this problem, because the team would do whatever it takes to retain you. But, as I see it: you're not worth the trouble.

There are 31 other teams out there, and there are surely one or two that need a defensive end and are willing to pay you the money you think you deserve. If you think you can get a better deal than the superstar treatment you have received in Carolina, then by all means go for it.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Can we please get this guy?

2010-02-06T05:39:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while, a player comes along that you just hope and pray your team has the good sense to draft. This year, that player is Cincinnati's much heralded WR Mardy Gilyard.

Marshawn "Mardy" Gilyard - WR, Cincinnati

Gilyard comes into the draft off of a strong performance in the 2010 Senior Bowl, where he was named the player of the game after a 103 yard, 1 touchdown performance.

Perhaps the greatest thing about Gilyard is his mindset, as shown in this interview with Scout.com, where Gilyard discusses his plans for his offseason workout program and the NFL Combine.

Gilyard (emphasis mine):

The one thing I want to show everyone at the Combine is that I’m not a 4.51 guy (laughs). I’m working on my 10- and my 20-yard dash. The guys know I’m a lighter receiver - and my weight will come through my workouts and diet - so I may end up coming into the Combine somewhere between 180 and 185. I don’t want to be heavier than that because I’ve shown I can play and be successful at the lighter weight against those bigger, heavier, stronger guys that the critics said I couldn’t compete with. My speed is the only thing I really want to work on. I’m able to get DBs on their toes fast, but I want to do it faster. I’m able to run my routes, but I want to run them faster. I’m not worried about my top speed, I just want to work on getting this motor started.

Sometimes, it's not just about a player's physical ability. Of course, we enjoy seeing a receiver who has explosive speed and great hands - but sometimes it's more important to admire a player for what he has inside - the makeup of a true professional.

Here at the Panther Playbook you will see more information on Mardy Gilyard, as I have officially joined (and probably started) the "Draft Gilyard" bandwagon.

Home Sweet Home

2010-02-02T12:23:00.000-05:00

Ahhhhh...

It feels nice to finally be moved in to my new place. The pungent smell of fresh paint still wafts in the air as I move around the new digs, and everything just looks "new". Of course I'm over-indulging a bit - it's just a blog, after all.

But, I'm here now. So I may as well enjoy it.

Please take note of the three page links in the upper-right section of the page. The About this Blog, Glossary of Terms, and Rules and Regulations have been moved there for your convenience.

Speaking of the glossary - if you have any suggestions for terms to be added/updated, I'm all ears.

A few (albeit late) Panthers updates

2010-01-22T10:53:00.010-05:00

I've been busy as of late, but I wanted to get these few tidbits of news out there in the blogosphere (as if they're not out there in other places).

I know this is old news, but J-Stew announced on his Twitter account that he was having surgery on his injured left foot on Wednesday. Hopefully this will help him finally get over the nagging foot injury that kept him out of practice most of the season. Even though he missed practice at least once a week during the regular season, he never missed a single game, and managed to lead the team in rushing with 1133 yards.*

Also, the Panthers have found a replacement for recently retired WR coach Richard Williamson. Williamson had been with the Panthers for the entire 15 years of the team's existence, but decided to retire at the end of this season. He will be replaced by former Bills WR coach Tyke Tolbert. Tolbert is, at least according to John Fox, a well respected position coach around the league and should be a good fit in Charlotte.

Fox, on the hiring of Tolbert:

“Tyke’s experience both as a player and coach provide him with a sound knowledge of the wide receiver position ... He is a highly regarded coach and we think he will make strong contribution to our offense.”

Can Tolbert be the guy who finally brings Dwayne Jarrett to the promised land? Tolbert is known for being the man who coached Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin during his monstrous rookie season, so I have a positive outlook on the impact he can have on the Panthers' receiving corps.**

Perhaps Tolbert's influence on the Panthers' receivers can convince Boldin that he should play in Carolina as well? Wouldn't that be sweet to have Smitty on one side and Boldin on the other? Add in the domination of the run game and a decent quarterback (cough, Matt Moore, cough) and you have an offense that would be almost unstoppable.

* * * *

* - Keep in mind that D-Will missed the last two games of the season with an injured ankle, which helped Stewart lead the team in rushing.

** - Maybe he can turn Dwayne Jarrett and Kenny Moore into the next Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin -- you never know.

Putting the "special" in Special Teams

2010-01-15T11:41:00.005-05:00

Here's an interesting article from Panthers.com's Andrew Mason about the poor performance from the ST unit since Danny Crossman took over in 2004.

Mason: [comment in bold-italics mine ]

Five seasons as ST coach = 5 seasons without a return for a TD

“Crossman had been the team’s special-teams coach for five seasons since replacing Scott O’Brien, who moved on to the Miami Dolphins after the 2004 campaign. The 2009 campaign was Crossman’s seventh on the Panthers staff; he worked under O’Brien as a special-teams assistant in 2003 and 2004.

Under Crossman’s watch, the Panthers enjoyed stability among their kickers; John Kasay and Jason Baker handled full-time placekicking and punting duties, respectively, while Rhys Lloyd became the kickoff specialist in Week 17 of the 2007 season and remained there the following two seasons, leading the NFL in touchbacks with 51 over the last two seasons.

But in spite of Lloyd’s kickoff proficiency, the Panthers struggled on kickoff coverage. Lloyd’s 30-percent touchback ratio ranked fifth in the league last season, but when opponents returned his kickoffs, their average drive start was at their 29.6, the fourth-worst in the league.

Kickoff returns were also a point of frustration for the Panthers in recent seasons. Their collective average of 20.3 yards per kickoff return in the last five years ranked 32nd [dead last] in that span, was 2.3 yards below the league average (22.6) and four yards behind the league’s best (New England, 24.3).

During the last five years, 13 teams had single-season kickoff-return averages below 20 yards. Three of those 13 — the most in the league — were by the Panthers, including a 19.9-yard average in 2009 that ranked 31st.

Carolina fared better on punt returns the last five years; the team’s 8.4-yard average ranked 20th in the league in that span.

Return touchdowns were also difficult to find. The Panthers are the only team without a kickoff- or punt-return touchdown in the last five seasons; they’ve allowed five to opponents in that span, including two in 2009: an 85-yard DeSean Jackson punt return in Week 1 and a 97-yard Sammie Stroughter kickoff return for Tampa Bay in Week 6.

The Panthers’ regular-season special-teams touchdown return drought goes back to Dec. 28, 2003, when Steve Smith scored on a 58-yard punt runback against the New York Giants.

Carolina also had some difficulties with punt protection, allowing a league-worst five punts to be blocked in the last five years, including three in 2008. The Panthers were also one of six teams to not block an opponent’s punt in the last five years. Their last punt block was by Karl Hankton on Dec. 26, 2004 at Tampa Bay in the penultimate game of O’Brien’s tenure.

Based on this information, it looks like my assessment of "it's about freaking time" is pretty accurate. I'm just glad that the decision to improve one of the two glaring weaknesses has been made.

Now, if we can only get that quarterback situation straightened out...

Panthers will not retain ST coach Crossman

2010-01-14T15:47:00.013-05:00

Danny Crossman, the Panthers' [incompetent] Special Teams coach will not be retained for the 2010 season, Panthers' beat writer Darin Gantt reports.

Gantt:

In part because of the money committed to DE Julius Peppers, Crossman had another difficult year, with the Panthers ranking 31st in kickoff return average, 30th in kickoff return average allowed and 29th in punt return average allowed.

Crossman has been the ST coach of the Panthers since 2004, and the Panthers coincidentally [or not] have had one of the worst ST units in the league since his hiring. [They averaged 19 yards per kickoff return in 2009, which is one of the worst ST performances in franchise history. You know something is wrong when your team's kickoff returns would have had better results if they never returned a kick and just took a knee every time -- it was that horrible.]

All I can say is: it's about freaking time. Crossman definitely put the "special" in special teams (and I don't mean that in a good way). Hopefully they will hire someone who has an idea of how special teams is supposed to work, because it was definitely one of the major weaknesses of the 2004-2009 teams.

John Fox has the option to leave town

2010-01-10T21:56:00.004-05:00

According to a report from ESPN.com's Adam Schefter, the Panthers have given John Fox permission to opt out of his contract should he be enticed with a better coaching situation than the 1 year remaining on his contract with the team.

The only head coaching jobs that are available at the time are with the Seahawks (who appear to have Pete Carroll waiting to sign a contract) and the Bills -- neither of which would be an upgrade from Carolina, unless they threw insane amounts of money and years in Fox's direction.

If a job comes available that Fox would be interested in, he now has permission to leave. I don't think he will, because he seems like the type of guy who finishes what he starts.

I hope he decides to stick around for one more year, because a shake-up at the top is the last thing this team needs if it wants to make a Super Bowl run in 2010.

Beason motivated by Pro Bowl snub

2010-01-09T11:02:00.006-05:00

Carolina Panthers MLB Jon Beason has all the motivation he needs going into 2010. Sure, he is the defensive captain of a team that missed the playoffs and had to adjust to a new defensive scheme¹ this season, and he plays in a market that is notorious for getting little to no recognition in the national media, but Beason is motivated by something more.

Beason is motivated because he was left off the NFC Pro Bowl roster².

It's shocking to say the least that he was left off the roster. I mean, sure there were other guys who had good years, but can it really be argued that Beason wasn't deserving?

Let's examine the stats and see where he ranks against the guys who made the roster over him: 49ers MLB Patrick Willis, Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma and Redskins MLB London Fletcher. These stats are courtesy of Pro-Football Reference³.

Patrick Willis:

G	Sk	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	Fmb	FR	Yds	TD	Tkl	Ast	Sfty
16	4.0	3	33	1	23	8	3	0	0	0	0	113	38	0

Jonathan Vilma:

G	Sk	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	Fmb	FR	Yds	TD	Tkl	Ast	Sfty
15	2.0	3	25	0	11	8	0	0	0	0	0	86	23	0

London Fletcher:

G	Sk	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	Fmb	FR	Yds	TD	Tkl	Ast	Sfty
15	2.0	1	2	0	2	6	1	0	0	0	0	95	47	0

Jon Beason:

G	Sk	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	Fmb	FR	Yds	TD	Tkl	Ast	Sfty
16	3.0	3	46	0	18	7	1	0	2	0	0	112	30	0

Based on these statistics, can someone please explain to me how Beason was snubbed in favor of Vilma? I understand that Willis deserved to make the roster, but seriously: how in the hell does Vilma make the Pro Bowl (other than the fact that he played for a team that went 13-3, and since Hurricane Katrina has become "America's Team"?)⁴ Beason should be the 2nd MLB on the roster, not the 2nd alternate. It's bad enough that he didn't even make the roster, but he's the 2nd alternate? Behind London Fletcher? WTF?!?⁵

One positive thing that came out of it was Beason's attitude about the situation. On his blog, Beason discussed the snub and said that even though he was upset at first, he is just using it as motivation for next year.

Beason, on being left off the Pro Bowl roster:

Initially, I had a lot on my mind, a lot to say. I had a lot of anger as well as disappointment. But I’ve had some time to step back from it and think hard about my words before I said anything, simply based on the fact that Jon Vilma is one of my friends, like me a University of Miami linebacker standout and a guy I admired and looked up to in college.

So even though I felt like I was shafted from the Pro Bowl, I wouldn’t want it to come out publicly in any fashion that I’m downplaying the year he had or the type of player he is.

As far as London Fletcher being the first alternate, I can live with that. He’s had a long and underappreciated career. And in my eyes, I’ve always seen him as a very consistent, very good player.

To me, it’s not so much about breaking records. It reminds me about the Colts having the opportunity to go undefeated and break that record. It’s not about breaking records, it’s about finishing first. To me, that’s all I want to do. Year in and year out, as long as I’m wearing a helmet, as long as my play represents my family and my name, I want to strive to finish first.

When you do that, and it’s overlooked, it is a very demoralizing feeling.

Things like being named NFC Player of the Week and team MVP, as well as the highest praise from the likes of Bill Belichick, Sean Payton and Brian Billick, coaches that are widely respected and renowned, to go out of their way and mention my name as a guy who deserves to go to the Pro Bowl, or make reference to me being one of the best linebackers they’d ever seen, almost makes it hurt worse.

I'm glad that Beason can keep a positive attitude about this situation, even though he got robbed because he plays in a small market. But, I can't wait to see how he puts this motivation into action next season -- hopefully it will lead to a Lombardi Trophy.

So, look out NFL: you've got a beast who's motivated and ready to unleash his fury on anything in his path next season, and it won't be pretty.

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1 - Ron Meeks' "Tampa 2" scheme.

2 - He's the 2nd alternate at MLB, behind London Fletcher, so he wasn't "completely" left off the roster, but still -- it's a shame that he wasn't recognized for his awesome season.

3 - If you've never been there, they have a lot of information. Check it out here.

4 - No disrespect intended, but it's true: everyone (read: the media) loves the Saints since Katrina devastated the New Orleans area. There's nothing necessarily wrong with it, but that shouldn't be the sole reason for all the attention they've gotten since it happened.

5 - Again, no disrespect intended towards London Fletcher, but come on.

Smitty explains the rules and regulations of the game

2010-01-08T10:53:00.010-05:00

This is a few weeks old, but it's still funny as hell and will probably go down in Panthers lore as one of the greatest post-game moments of all time.

For those who have no idea what I'm talking about: Steve Smith was interviewed by Andrea Kramer after the Panthers defeated the Vikings on 12/20/09, and in the interview Smitty explained that "#22 [Vikings DB Benny Sapp] ... a little youngster" needed to understand the "rules and regulations of the game", and it is hilarious.

The Rules and Regulations of the Game, according to Steve Smith:

[My favorite part: "89 ... bottom line" -- that gets me every time I see it.]

Fox plans to return next season

2010-01-05T10:26:00.008-05:00

Looks like John Fox is going to come back in 2010 after all. According to a report by The Charlotte Observer's Inside the Panthers blogger Charles Chandler, John Fox all but confirmed his intent to return to the Panthers sidelines next season as head coach.

Chandler:

Panthers coach John Fox indicated he will return to the team next season in an interview aired last night on the weekly "Panther Talk" radio show on WBT (1110 AM) ... "Going in front of the press group yesterday, you're fresh off a win," Fox said. "I don't have a lot of answers at this point other than I have a year remaining on my contract. I see myself being back here a year from now. That's just the way it is. It starts there and we'll move forward from that."

"That's just the way it is" ... some things just never get old.

Panthers 2010 Opponents

2010-01-04T17:10:00.017-05:00

Listed below is a home & away breakdown of the Panthers' 2010 schedule¹. Game dates will be provided once the official schedule is released by the NFL during the offseason.

Home
Atlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Arizona Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Chicago Bears

Away
Atlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
St. Louis Rams
Seattle Seahawks
Cleveland Browns
Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Giants

Well, it looks like the Panthers will play the NFC West and AFC North next season, and will play the Bears and Giants as the same-place finisher games.

At first glance, the schedule looks pretty decent (of course this could all change by next season and it could be unfavorable when the game dates come out, but at first glance it's not a terrible schedule). There will obviously be some tough matchups, but only 4 of the 13 teams on the schedule made the playoffs this season. It could be a lot worse.

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1 - My thanks to CSR for this information.

Panthers defeat Saints to finish season 8-8

2010-01-03T23:50:00.004-05:00

Where was this team at the beginning of the season?

After finishing off the Saints 23-10 today, the Panthers completed the 2009 campaign on a 3-game winning streak to finish the season at 8-8, and even though they are not going to the playoffs it was nice to see them finish up on a winning note. Because of the injuries that were suffered during the season a lot of reserves got valuable playing time and gained a lot of experience for the future, and a lot of players could have played themselves into more prominent roles in 2010¹.

I am excited for what this team can do in 2010. It all starts with the draft in April, and after that it begins with mini-camps and training camp. I think this team has a chance to contend next season, primarily because they will get back several key players who went down with injuries in 2009, and also because the defense now has a full season under Ron Meeks' system².

Over the next few months I plan to re-evaluate what went wrong in 2009 (with more depth than "Davidson sucks" or "Delhomme is crap") and I also plan to weigh in on the draft and free agent signings (if there are any).

Of course, I wish I could be evaluating a Panthers playoff game for next weekend, but alas, it just wasn't meant to be.

But, as the old adage goes: there's always next year.

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1 - The main one being Matt Moore. If he hasn't at least earned an open quarterback competition with Delhomme and/or a draft pick or free agent in training camp next year, he may as well quit now because there's nothing else he can do to prove himself.

2 - They consistently improved week to week under the Meeks system, and it can only improve after adjusting to the new scheme over the course of a full season.

Panthers look to finish season on a high note

2010-01-02T11:30:00.004-05:00

The Panthers are hoping to finish the season on a 3 game winning streak and with a .500 record as they prepare to finish out this injury plagued campaign with a home game against the NFC South champion New Orleans Saints.

The Panthers have caught fire recently and have played like the team that many thought they would be all season long, but unfortunately it is a case of too little, too late for this squad as they have apparently found their groove under the leadership of 3rd year quarterback Matt Moore, who has started the last 5 games of the season after Jake Delhomme went down with a broken finger in Week 12 against the Jets¹.

Moore's play should at least guarantee that there will be an open quarterback competition in training camp next season, if it doesn't cement his name in the starting lineup and put Delhomme at either #2 on the depth chart or on another roster.

But, before anyone can worry about next year, there is still one more game to be played. The Panthers hope to close the year with a win to avoid a losing season and to have some momentum to build on for next year. Moore could also use the boost in confidence that would come with a strong outing, as he could use the extra time on the field to help him contend for the starting position next season.

Or, hopefully Moore can prove that once and for all he deserves to be the starter, and he can show that the Panthers knew what they were doing when they signed him 3 years ago as the heir apparent to Delhomme's position.

That is if Fox will ever admit that it's time for a change.

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1 - Delhomme has been on IR since December 24.

Foxism of the Day: 12/29/09

2009-12-29T10:36:00.010-05:00

Okay, I know he said this yesterday, but I was too busy to post it.

John Fox, on Steve Smith's recovery time from arm surgery (emphasis mine):

Right now, as far as I know, he's day-to-day. He had good surgery. I don't even think he's out of the hospital yet. I'll let you know when I find out more information.

It really doesn't get any better than this. You have to love the guy for his ability to answer the tough questions the media throws in his face.

On a side note: Smith is expected to have a smooth recovery and be ready for the team's offseason workout programs.

How bout them apples?

2009-12-27T16:48:00.005-05:00

Wow! I knew the Panthers were capable of beating anybody in the league if they would get their act together and play up to their potential, but I never thought they would completely dismantle the Giants like they did today. 41-9 ... are you kidding me? That's freaking awesome. The only thing that would have made this win better for me is if the Panthers could have clinched a playoff spot -- but oh well, I'll take it anyway.

Thanks to the joy of holiday travel I was unable to watch the game on tv, but I was fortunate to listen to the majority of it on the radio as I was on the road for most of the morning with my family, and I really wish that I could have watched today's game. There's just something special about seeing your favorite team obliterate another team on Sunday afternoon, but I guess I'll have to settle for listening to it on the radio.

This win is the Panthers' 2nd in a row against teams either in the playoffs or in the hunt for a playoff spot, and even though it is nice to see these performances at the end of a non-playoff season it makes me wonder where this team was earlier in the year when they still had a chance to make a Super Bowl run.

But, a win's a win, and there's not much to complain about based on what I've seen over the past two games. And, I really believe that Matt Moore has solidified his case for the new starting quarterback -- because if his performances over the past two games hasn't convinced Fox that he deserves the job, I don't think he ever will.

Sometimes the rules should be bent

2009-12-19T21:52:00.007-05:00

Sometimes, the sheriff needs to look at the circumstances and bend the rules.

Chad Eight-Five, the oft-misunderstood wide receiver/diva of the Cincinnati Bengals, has stated that he wishes to honor his former teammate Chris Henry, who passed away this past Thursday, on Sunday by wearing the number 15 instead of his usual 85.

But, the sheriff thinks that it's a bad idea.

Obviously, the threat of a fine has never made Eight-Five turn away from doing what he wants. After all, we are talking about the man who wore a sombrero on the sidelines after scoring a touchdown. But, in this case, I feel that sheriff Goodell might be going a little overboard with his stance on the "letter of the law".

Let's face it: it's not like Eight-Five is pulling another publicity stunt like he did when he changed his name. He's actually trying to do something positive. He's trying to honor his dead teammate by wearing his number on Sunday, and honestly, I can think of a hundred things that Eight-Five could do that would be worse than that.

An even bigger problem is that if Eight-Five decides to go through with his plan, and the sheriff decides to lay down the law and hit him in the wallet, the NFLPA can't cover the cost of the fine like they said they would.

ESPN.com's Adam Schefter:

NFL rules prevent the NFL Players Association from reimbursing Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco for any fines he might incur should he decide to wear Chris Henry's No. 15 jersey Sunday.

NFLPA spokesman George Atallah had tweeted earlier Saturday his organization would cover the fine.

The organization has already established a memorial fund for Henry and plan to match any fine for Ochocinco to that fund and/or the Players Assistance Fund.

But the NFLPA is prohibited from reimbursing the fine money that would be automatically withheld from Ochocinco's paycheck by the league.

Ochocinco wants to wear Henry's jersey to honor his former teammate, who passed away Thursday, just as he did during practice last week, but league rules prohibit it.

Ochcocinco is familiar with NFL rules. He was prevented from changing the name on his jersey two years ago unless it was his legal name; later Chad Johnson changed his legal name to Chad Ochocinco.

The Bengals are planning to wear a No. 15 decal on their helmets. But Ochocinco wants to further honor his teammate.

Take a second and re-read that last sentence: he wants to further honor his teammate. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. And, it's absolutely pathetic that he will have to pay a fine if he decides to do it.

Sometimes it's just best to bend the rules a little when circumstances like this arise. But, I am reminded of the time that Jake Plummer wanted to honor Pat Tillman and the NFL said no (and that one was even worse because Tillman died in combat) -- so I don't expect anything different this time around either.

And it's just a crying shame.

RIP Chris Henry

2009-12-17T10:46:00.022-05:00

Official police reports now claim that former Cincinnati Bengals WR Chris Henry has died from multiple injuries sustained in an automobile accident yesterday.

According to several reports, Henry was involved in a domestic dispute with his fiancee yesterday when he allegedly jumped in the back of a moving pickup truck his fiancee was driving, and was later thrown from the vehicle. His body was found on the side of a residential road in Charlotte, NC and he was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at approximately 6:30 this morning.

While I do think what he did was monumentally stupid, now is not the time to discuss what he could have done to avoid this mess. However, I wrote an article about this story for my weekly column at You Gab Sports, primarily focusing on Henry's lack of responsibility in the situation (and the premature reports of his death). If you're interested in reading it, you can do so by clicking here.

Please keep in mind that it was written before Henry passed away, and it should not be taken as "speaking ill of the dead" -- because he was alive at the time the article was written, and the primary focus of the article was on the premature report of his death by the media, not the domestic situation between him and his fiancee*.

My condolences to the Bengals and the family of Chris Henry.

* * * *

* - In other words, please don't think I'm being insensitive.

The injuries just keep coming

2009-12-16T12:31:00.008-05:00

The Panthers have placed RT Jeff Otah on injured reserve, ending his season.

Sometimes, you just have to accept the fact that your team is going to be one of the unfortunate ones to suffer through an injury-ridden season, and you have to accept the fact that your team will not perform up to the standard that you had set for them at the beginning of training camp.

I knew it was a bad sign when Ma'ake Kemoeatu went down on the first day of training camp (the first day!) with a season ending ACL injury, but I never would have imagined that injuries would have dominated the Panthers this season the way they ruthlessly have.

Take a look at this list of players:

Ma'ake Kemoeatu
Josh McCown
Louis Leonard
Thomas Davis
Jordan Gross
Jeff Otah
Jake Delhomme
Chris Harris
Charles Godfrey
Deangelo Williams
Julius Peppers¹

Do you notice a common thread among these players? These are all players that have missed at least 1 game due to injury this season or have been placed on IR.

This is not just some random group of people -- we're talking about the anchors of the offensive line (Gross and Otah), one half of the most important part of the offense (Williams), and three of the leaders on defense (Peppers, Davis, and Harris) -- and not to mention the starting and backup quarterbacks².

Have the Panthers played up to expectations? No, of course not. But, they have had a lot to deal with this season: poor quarterback play, terrible coaching and game-planning, and key players missing due to injuries. It's really no surprise that they are 5-8 and out of contention for the playoffs.³

Oh well, there's always next year I guess.

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1 - Peppers didn't miss any games due to injury, but he was only available on obvious passing situations (ie - 3rd and long) for two weeks because of a broken hand.

2 - Ok, I will admit this one isn't that bad, but still -- if I'm going to make excuses for why the Panthers suck this year, I might as well milk it as much as I can.

3 - They're still mathematically alive at this point, but a lot has to happen for them to sneak in the back door and take the 6 seed -- so much that I don't see it happening and have prepared myself to jump on a bandwagon once the playoffs start.

Charges against Beason to be dropped

2009-12-11T17:11:00.007-05:00

Awesome development in the Jon Beason case involving the night-club incident where he allegedly attacked a fellow patron of the club in a "drug-related dispute".

The Herald, via CSR:

Mecklenburg County prosecutors won’t pursue the criminal charges filed against Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Beason, his attorney said Friday.

Attorney George Laughrun received a two-page notice that the case was being dismissed, saying that the Mecklenburg County district attorney’s office didn’t find sufficient evidence to continue to the case.

"That was a pretty big vindication of Jon," Laughrun said.

There is still a pending civil suit in the case, but the good news is Beason won't face any jail time and will have less to worry about when he prepares to play every week.

Looks like Moore will get another start

2009-12-10T17:04:00.005-05:00

Nothing has been confirmed yet (because we all know that Fox likes to keep his opponents guessing until the last possible nanosecond), but it appears that Matt Moore will start for Carolina this Sunday against the Patriots because Jake Delhomme is still unable to grip and throw a football¹ due to his broken finger.

I hope that Moore gets the start, because I'm anxious to see what he can do against a formidable opponent. The 1-10 (now 1-11) Buccaneers playing without their best CB² didn't really give the proper challenge to find out just how good (or bad) Moore is.

Sure, it was a nice way to shake off the rust from riding the bench for 2 years, but now is the time to really evaluate what he has for the future so the front office knows how to handle next year's draft.

The Patriots will be in a pissy mood after losing to Miami last week, and will be playing at home, where they are 6-0 on the season. Hopefully the Panthers can pick up a much-needed win and move to 6-7 and get some help from a few other teams and get back in the wild card hunt³.

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1 - Not that he could really throw it before.

2 - Aqib Talib

3 - I have to keep my hopes up until they are mathematically out.

Just say no to Michael Vick

2009-12-09T00:33:00.008-05:00

Bill Simmons said it best¹. There really are three types of athletes.

1. Those who bring something to the table.
2. Those who bring nothing to the table.
3. Those who take things off the table.

Following this theory, the object of any professional franchise should be simple: avoid drafting/signing guys who take things off the table. They're no good for the morale of the team², and team morale is almost as important as talent³.

I'm sure you're wondering by now why I'm bringing this up. Well, I was watching the NFL Network today, and the talking heads decided to bring up the "where will Michael Vick play next season" discussion (as if anyone really cares right now), and of course the Panthers were mentioned as one of the potential teams that may take a chance and acquire Vick.

The fact that Delhomme has struggled this season was used as the analysts' reasoning behind the Panthers possibly being in a Vick courtship, but what the talking heads forgot to mention was that Delhomme is signed for $13M more guaranteed from his contract extension, and it would be pointless to bring in a quarterback like Vick to replace Delhomme. If the Panthers are going to replace Delhomme (and they should), it would make more sense to replace him with someone younger instead of someone who has seen little game action for the past 2 years⁴.

Also, there are the off-field ramifications of bringing in Michael Vick. Let's face it: there are a lot of people who don't like the guy. He is still in the process of rebuilding his public image, and there are a lot of people who are reluctant to support him, regardless of how many times he says he is sorry or how sincere he seems to be with his apologies.

Remember, I said that Simmons was right when he claimed there are three types of athletes, and I believe that Vick is one of those athletes that takes things off the table. The constant media attention to Vick would be a distraction for the rest of the team, and a distracted team doesn't perform up to standard most of the time.

But, it's not just about his off-the-field actions that makes him a "takes things of the table" guy. In reality, he's just not that great of a quarterback. Sure, he can move in and out of the pocket and can get a lot of rushing yards over the course of a season, but when it comes down to the position of on-field leader and passer he fails miserably. He doesn't have a good arm, and he doesn't have a clutch mentality. I wouldn't want him under center with my team down by 6 points with 1:00 remaining in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship Game on a drive that must go 80+ yards for a game-winning score.

At this stage in his career (if you can even say he has a career anymore), he's nothing more than a gimmick quarterback that can be used in "Wildcat Formation" situations for teams that want to give the illusion that "hey, we might pass out of this formation, so you better be on your toes" -- but that's all he has left in him. He's not the same player that he was when he came out of Virginia Tech and led the Falcons back to respectability. He's no longer the same threat he used to be. (And, he has never been a passing threat, he's always been a run-first type of quarterback.)

I really hope that the Panthers' front office isn't even considering the possibility of signing Vick, and if they are, I hope they will take some time and think about the negative impact such a move could make on the franchise. I believe that if they were to look at both sides of the argument, they would see that the bad most definitely outweigh the good, and that Michael Vick has no place in Carolina.

We already have enough guys who bring nothing to the table, we don't need anyone taking the little we have off of it.

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1 - Bill Simmons' "Table Theory" is found in this column.

2 - A perfect example of a guy who takes things off the table is Terrell Owens. Sure, he's a great receiver (or at least he used to be), but his attitude problems cause so many distractions that the problems associated with him negate the positive impact he makes on the field. (Constantly attacking his coaches and quarterbacks on the field and to the media when he's not featured enough in the offensive gameplan is his most frequent way of causing problems.)

3 - I truly believe this is why teams like the Cowboys can't win the Super Bowl. They have too many egos in the locker room to form the proper bond necessary to have any positive morale, causing an "every man for himself" attitude that kills them when they face teams that are sold out for one another and for the benefit of the group.

4 - A counterargument could be that Moore falls in the same category, but he has at least been through camp, practiced, and been on the sideline, unlike Vick.

Moore played as expected, and the Panthers win

2009-12-06T18:08:00.012-05:00

The winds of change swiftly blew through the confines of Bank of America Stadium earlier today when the Panthers took the field behind the leadership of 3rd year quarterback Matt Moore. Fans were eager with anticipation to discover what Moore would bring to the table for the Panthers this week after suffering through multiple disasters through the first eleven games of the season with Jake Delhomme under center, and Moore could almost do no wrong in the eyes of a loyal fan base who has stuck with the team through many hard times over the course of this season.

The bottom line is simple: the Panthers have played well below the expectations that the fans had for them this season¹. Coming off a 12-4 NFC South title season that ended in an embarrassing loss to the hands of the Arizona Cardinals in the playoffs, most fans felt that the Panthers would use that loss as inspiration to come out firing on all cylinders to prove the naysayers wrong -- and Delhomme would use his ultimate stink job as inspiration to prove to the world that he was not done, that he had something left in the tank, and that he was still a viable option at the most important position on the football field.

Panthers head coach John Fox believed in his quarterback this season. The front office believed in their quarterback this season (enough that they gave him a contract extension after the Arizona debacle). The players believed in their quarterback this season, showing their support for him when he was going through the most difficult of times.

But, the fans didn't believe in their quarterback. The fans called for a change after the stink job Delhomme pulled out against the Eagles in week 1. The fans called for a change after the team fell to an 0-3 start heading into the bye week (when everyone thought they should have been 2-1 at worst). The fans called for a change when the Bills came to town and left with a victory².

But, Fox has stuck by his quarterback through thick and thin. Like him or not, you have to give Fox credit for his loyalty (even if it is to a fault). You can call shenanigans on Fox for saying that Delhomme "gives us the best chance to win", but you can't deny the fact that Fox is trying to do something that the fan base has apparently forgotten to do: remember what Delhomme did for us in the past, and instill confidence in Delhomme that he can do it again in the future.

I know, I know -- you can't rely on the past to satisfy what is going on in the present. But from a coach's standpoint, you have to give him the benefit of the doubt for being a little reluctant to believe that Delhomme's career is over. He's done so much for the franchise that he has been given chance after chance to resurrect his career, and even though he has failed at pulling a Lazarus and coming back from the dead -- you have to at least respect Fox for giving him ample opportunity to do so.

Even though he's had several chances to get back to 2003 form, Delhomme has been unsuccessful. We all know he has stunk it up on several occasions this year. There's no need to rehash that here. That's not really what this is about. This is about the team as a whole, and what the team should expect from the quarterback position.

Let's face it: we don't have Tom Brady or Peyton Manning under center, and unless we get extremely fortunate in the draft this offseason, we won't have a "Tom Brady" or "Peyton Manning" under center in the near future. What we have is Jake Delhomme, a quarterback who was never supposed to amount to anything more than a career backup, and Matt Moore, who is currently in a situation where he has been waiting for his opportunity to prove that he has what it takes to lead a team in the NFL.

Due to an injury to a finger on Delhomme's throwing hand, Moore was given that opportunity today against the 1-10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Panthers trusted Moore to do one thing: avoid losing the game. He wasn't instructed to go out and destroy the Bucs' defense, he wasn't supposed to lead 99-yard touchdown drives, and he wasn't supposed to throw for 400 yards.

He was supposed to manage the game and allow the running attack to flourish by taking a few shots deep down field to keep the defense honest enough to respect the running game and eliminate the 8 and 9 man boxes that the Panthers have seen in previous weeks.

When you break it down and realize what Moore was supposed to do, and look at what he actually did -- it's hard to call today's effort a failure. Sure, he didn't go out on the field and dominate the game. He didn't throw for 400 yards (he didn't even throw for 200), and he didn't throw 5 touchdown passes.

But, he also didn't throw 5 interceptions and he didn't have a terrible day. He led the team on a successful touchdown drive in the first quarter, and he led the team to three successful scoring drives throughout the rest of the game (3 Kasay FG's)³.

Of course it can be argued that Moore benefited from a solid red-zone defense (especially by Jon Beason)⁴. But, allow me to counter-argue that he benefited from that red-zone defense because he didn't turn the ball over and give the opposing offense a short field to work with. In other words: he gave the defense a fighting chance to make plays.

For the stat-heads, Moore's final stat line looked like this:

14/20, 161 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT, 73.1 RATING

Sure, those stats don't jump out as a dominating performance. But he completed 70% of his passes (including a sweet 66 yard bomb to Steve Smith), and he didn't make many mistakes throwing the ball (the interception was off a tipped pass and unfortunate ricochet for the Panthers). A 73.1 rating isn't spectacular, but would anyone like to guess what Delhomme's passer rating is this season? It's 59.4 in case you really wanted to know. So while Moore wasn't spectacular -- he was better than the man he replaced.

Was he good enough to win the starting job outright? I think so, but I don't think that Fox agrees with my assessment. I don't think that his performance stood out as "wow, we have to start this guy for the rest of the season" to Fox and the rest of the coaching staff. I think that once Delhomme's finger has healed he will get back into the starting lineup, until he either gets hurt again or stinks even worse than he already has this year. (And, it is possible -- see Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russell, for example.)

But, just because I think that Fox will go back to Delhomme doesn't mean that I think he would be making the right decision⁵. I personally believe that Moore should be in the lineup for the rest of the year, if for nothing else but to have a true look at what he can bring to the table. (Today's game could be an aberration on either side -- he could throw for 400 yards every game from here on out, or this could be his best performance -- either way, we won't know unless he plays.)

Hopefully Fox will approach this situation from the perspective of a talent scout instead of a loyal friend who wants to squeeze as much out of his quarterback as he possibly can, and hopefully Fox will be open enough to see that maybe Moore actually gives this team the best chance to win. He may not have been as pretty as we would have hoped, but he was efficient enough to get a win.

And at this point in the season, that's all that really matters.

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1 - That's being nice. The mean version: The Panthers have played like dog shit all season.

2 - This was the breaking point for me. We should have destroyed the Bills, and the fact that we didn't meant something had to be done.

3 - He should get brownie points because he had to lead this team without DeAngelo Williams, which made this game even more difficult for him.

4 - Beason activated beast mode today with 2 (yes, 2) goal-line interceptions.

5 - Translation: it would be the dumbest move he has made all year.

Moore will finally get his chance

2009-12-03T11:19:00.012-05:00

It's official. Matt Moore will start for the Panthers this Sunday against the Bucs¹.

It wasn't really a secret, though. Everyone knew this was going to happen, even if Fox refused to publicly state it through the media until today.

Rotoworld:

Matt Moore will start Sunday's game against the Bucs, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. This is the worst kept secret in football. Jake Delhomme is dealing with a broken middle finger on his throwing hand and may have been benched anyway, but coach John Fox was trying to maintain a "competitive advantage" by keeping his starter a secret.

I'm looking forward to finding out what Moore brings to the table this week. I hope it's enough to keep him in the starting slot for the rest of the season, and I hope that he can prove that he really is the quarterback of the future in Carolina.

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1 - On a side note: If the Panthers win, they will be guaranteed to finish no worse than 3rd in the division (1st place is out of the equation, and they would have an outside shot at 2nd, but most likely would finish 3rd). A Panthers win would mean that an 0-5 finish for Carolina and a 5-0 finish for Tampa Bay would put them both at 5-11, with Carolina winning the head-to-head series. It's sad that the season has come to the point where I'm figuring this stuff out.

Beason to face civil lawsuit

2009-12-02T13:36:00.003-05:00

Found this article today while surfing the web.

From the Charlotte Observer:

Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Beason was sued Tuesday by a team fan who claims Beason beat him last month at the Uptown Cabaret.

Gregory C. Frye claims in his lawsuit the Nov. 15 attack occurred after he told another Panthers player that he had seen Beason "up at the lake doing coke with some girl."

Beason, 24, was arrested Monday and accused of punching Frye in the face at the Morehead Street strip club after the team's win over Atlanta.

Beason, one of the Panthers' team captains and their leading tackler, adamantly denies attacking Frye and the drug allegations, said his attorney George Laughrun.

"I think Mr. Frye is living in fantasyland if he thinks Jon Beason ever snorted cocaine," Laughrun said.

Frye's suit claims he went to the annual Lake Bash at Lake Norman in June and saw Beason and an attractive woman "engaging in what he believed to be snorting cocaine."

The suit then describes what Frye, 29, alleges happened at the nightclub after he told Panthers tight end Dante Rosario that he had seen Beason doing cocaine.

Frye claims Beason's driver/bodyguard later approached him, saying: "Whatever you said about Beason, he's really pissed. You need to go talk to him."

Frye says a short time later Beason approached him "in a noticeably angry manner, cursing and yelling at Frye about the 'cocaine' statement."

To cool things down, Frye said, he suggested talking outside.

Frye says he took one step and turned to see if Beason was following.

"Just as Frye turned around, Beason hit him with a crushing right blow to his left eye/nose area," the suit says. "When the blow landed, Frye saw a streak of light, his legs buckled, and he fell to the floor."

Frye claims he was kicked as he tried to get up. When he got to his feet, he alleges, Beason struck him again on the left side of his head, causing him to stagger back as someone handed him a rag to catch blood rushing from his nose.

Frye says he didn't raise a hand or provoke Beason, and that he didn't fight back.

The lawsuit alleges that Beason was asked if he had struck Frye, and that Beason responded "something along the lines of, 'Yeah, I hit him. It might cost me a hundred grand, but you don't go around telling people I'm doing coke ...'"

Frye says he suffered a crushed nasal cavity, a facial fracture and swelling on the left side of his head. He is seeking damages in excess of $10,000.

Frye has a history of criminal charges and civil complaints, according to court records.

Among them: He sued a woman in 2005 for assault and battery and for medical costs, records show, but the case was dismissed. He was charged in 2008 with assaulting a female. That case was also dismissed.

Delhomme's finger mystery revealed

2009-12-02T10:55:00.011-05:00

We all knew that Jake suffered a broken finger at some point in Sunday's loss to the Jets, but no one knew the exact finger that was broken. Until now.

According to Rotoworld, John Fox has stated that Delhomme suffered a broken middle finger on his right hand, and because of the injury we will finally get to see Matt Moore in action against the Buccaneers this Sunday.

Rotoworld:

Jake Delhomme's middle finger on his right (throwing) hand is broken. Coach John Fox wanted to keep the exact finger a secret, but now that Delhomme isn't starting it doesn't really matter. It's unclear if the finger will prevent Delhomme from holding a clipboard for the rest of the season.

I seriously hope that Jake is holding a clipboard for the rest of the season, just so we can find out what we have in Matt Moore for the sake of the future. The coaching staff needs to find out what they have for next season, and who they need to target in the draft. So, it makes sense to give Moore the keys to the offense for the rest of the year, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it just yet. I'm sure we will see Jake back in action in 2 weeks when his finger has healed and he's ready to get back out there and throw games away.

Coming soon to a theater near you...

2009-11-30T21:24:00.009-05:00

Quarterback Mountain, a love story between a coach and his quarterback.

Foxism of the day: 11/30/09

2009-11-30T12:09:00.013-05:00

John Fox is doing what he does best, making absolutely no sense.

Rotoworld: (emphasis mine)

Panthers coach John Fox admitted he thought about benching Jake Delhomme in favor of Matt Moore during Sunday's loss to the Jets. "There was discussion about it," said Fox. "But overall, we felt like Jake was the best guy to be in there for what we were doing in this game, and that's what we did." Really? Delhomme posted a 12.7 passer rating and Fox is under pressure to make a switch for Sunday's game against the Bucs.

So Jake was the best guy to be in there for what we were doing in this game? Actually, when you sit down and think about it, he's right. Jake is the best guy to put in there when you want to pull off a choke job, which is what the Panthers did yesterday when they blew a totally winnable game against the Jets.

If Fox sticks with his boy Jake against the Bucs next Sunday instead of going with Matt Moore (or A.J. Feeley), I can't wait to hear his explanation. I can't see any logical reason to explain why a quarterback who has led his team to a 4-7 record and out of the playoff race, has 18 interceptions, and is coming off a game with a 12.7 passer-rating should get any more action on the field.

Get with the program Fox: it's time to put in Matt Moore, and it's time to give Jake the old yeller treatment -- Jake doesn't have it any more, so please put him out of his misery.

If you won't do it for Jake, then please do it for the fans.

The Panthers are playing for pride now

2009-11-29T16:50:00.016-05:00

After another mind-numbing loss today, the Panthers have nothing to play for other than their own personal pride for the remainder of the season, because the playoffs are officially out of reach¹.

And, as it always seems to be the case this season, the loss can be laid squarely on the shoulders of Jake Delhomme and Jeff Davidson. Gump had the statue throw 34 times, even though everyone on the planet who follows the Panthers knows that when statue throws 30+ times, the Panthers rarely win.

D-Will and J-Stew were non-factors all afternoon², and Gump allowed his quarterback to throw the game away³ and prevented any chance of the Panthers winning with his atrocious play-calling.

But I'm not going to rehash the game details. There's no point. They lost, and are now out of the playoff picture. What they need to do now is look to the future, and give Matt Moore a chance to play. If the Panthers are going to have a successful draft, they need to know what they have and what they need, and keeping Moore on the bench isn't going to do anything to help figure that out.

If the Panthers plan to draft a quarterback in the draft, they need to know if they need a 1st/2nd round type quarterback, or if they can buy a few years with Moore and wait until the later rounds of the draft and get a less-known guy to be the quarterback of he future⁴.

Either way, it should be blatantly obvious that Jake Delhomme's best days are behind him, and he should find a comfortable seat on the bench to sit back and enjoy the last few weeks of his career, because there should be no reason to keep trotting him out on the field week after week. The Panthers are out of the playoff race, and Delhomme has had ample opportunity to recover his career⁵.

It's time to let Matt Moore start a few games to establish himself as either (a) the quarterback of the future, or (b) a career backup. Regardless of what kind of quarterback he is, it's time we get the chance to find out. Besides, things couldn't be much worse for the Panthers with Moore in the lineup⁶.

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1 - Okay, they're not officially out of the race. But, the Panthers have to win out (with games against the Vikings, Patriots, Giants, and Saints remaining on the schedule) and have to get help from other teams in the playoff hunt -- so, while it's still possible, it's highly unlikely they will make the playoffs at this point.

2 - Some credit should go to the Jets defense, because they did a good job with their containment of Double Trouble.

3 - Literally. Delhomme threw 4 interceptions today, including a pick-6 in the first quarter, and had a passer rating of 12.7 (I wish I were making this up).

4 - My short list of who I would like the Panthers to draft:

Tony Pike, Cincinnati

Max Hall, BYU

Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan

Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State

Jevan Snead, Ole Miss

5 - And has failed miserably.

6 - Obviously it could be worse. I mean, we could be the Browns, Raiders, Bucs, or Lions.

Panthers prepare to face Jets

2009-11-28T00:15:00.010-05:00

Author's Note: Please notice that I have started using footnotes instead of a * symbol to denote "hey, I want to talk about this more" in my blog. I discovered how to use superscript font with HTML today, so some of the footnotes are probably excessive and will be toned down once I am over the newness of my discovery.

This Sunday, the Panthers will try once again to climb back into playoff contention when they travel to the Meadowlands to take on Dirty Sanchez¹ and the New York Jets.

Carolina got some desperately needed help from the Broncos on Thanksgiving², and look to help themselves by defeating the Jets and moving to 5-6 on the season. For the Panthers to have any realistic chance at making the playoffs, they are going to have to win at least 5 of their final 6 games, or will have to rely on several other NFC teams³ to go on losing streaks and end up with sub-.500 records.

The Jets will be a formidable opponent for the Panthers, primarily because they feature a strong running game led by running back Thomas Jones. The Panthers have been noticeably weak in their run defense since losing OLB Thomas Davis to a season-ending ACL injury⁴ three weeks ago, and teams with strong running games have had success against the Panthers' defense all season long⁵.

If the Panthers want any hope of making the playoffs, they must start winning games. It can almost be taken as fact that if they lose to the Jets on Sunday they will have no chance at making the playoffs, because out of their final five games, only one can be considered truly winnable⁶.

No one knows how the events will unfold on Sunday, but hopefully the Panthers can put another win on the board and get back into the playoff hunt. They've come roaring back to make a playoff run in the past⁷, so it's not impossible for them to do it one more time.

After all, we don't call them the Cardiac Cats for nothing.

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1 - Jets QB Mark Sanchez. Dirty Sanchez is explained in graphic detail here.

2 - Denver defeated the Giants 26-6 on Thursday night.

3 - Teams that the Panthers have to pass to get a playoff spot: Giants, Eagles/Cowboys, Packers, Bears, 49ers.

4 - They really haven't had a great rushing defense all season. They lost Ma'ake Kemoeatu in training camp, and until the acquisition of Hollis Thomas a few weeks ago, haven't really had a stout-enough defensive line to prevent the run this season.

5 - Atlanta, Dallas, & Miami have had the most success running the football against the Panthers so far this season. The Saints beat them with their passing attack, the Eagles relied on a turnover-laden performance from Jake Delhomme, and the Bills just got lucky and caught the Panthers on a bad day.

6 - Their final five games: Buccaneers, at Patriots, Vikings, at Giants, Saints.

7 - In 2004, the Panthers started 1-7, but won 6 of their final 8 games to finish 7-9 and narrowly missed a playoff spot in the final week of the regular season.

Another one bites the dust

2009-11-24T21:45:00.006-05:00

Sometimes, teams just face seasons where they can't catch any breaks. That's been the story for the Panthers this season, fighting off injury after injury in a season that has been well below the team's (and the fans') expectations after the 12-4 NFC South Championship season that the team enjoyed in 2008.

The 2009 campaign has been far from what the Panthers wanted it to be. Sitting at 4-6 and on the outside looking in to the NFC playoff picture, this team, already making ends meet with spare parts that were cast away from other clubs during the preseason, couldn't afford to lose any more depth on special teams or defense.

But, lo and behold, the Panthers have yet again placed a defensive player on injured reserve. This time, the victim is LB Landon Johnson (who was moved up to starting LB after Thomas Davis went down with a season-ending ACL injury earlier this month).

Rotoworld:

Panthers placed LB Landon Johnson (knee sprain) on season-ending injured reserve. Johnson is the second Panthers' starting WLB lost to injured reserve in three weeks. Dan Connor, last year's third-round pick, is the favorite to take over for Johnson, though he's spent much of his time with the Panthers practicing inside. James Anderson is also a candidate.

Hopefully this will be the opportunity to get a look at James Anderson and see what he brings to the table (if for no other reason than to evaluate what the future looks like).

Meanwhile, the Panthers had to replace Johnson on the roster, and to do so, they brought in someone who should already be familiar with Ron Meeks' Tampa 2 defensive scheme.

Rotoworld:

Panthers signed LB Jordan Senn. Senn spent time with the Colts earlier this season when Gary Brackett was injured. He'll add depth at linebacker, with Dan Connor and James Anderson needed on the weak side.

I'm not familiar with Senn, but I trust that he is the right player for the position (or the only one left who could even do a respectable job). Hopefully Senn will make an impact on special teams and provide some spark off the bench, and hopefully he will be able to contribute to the roster by doing something that many players haven't been able to do this season: stay healthy.

I don't know how this move will work out for the Panthers, but I hope it helps in some way, because at this point in the season the Panthers can't afford to lose any more bodies.

Did franchising Peppers hurt the Panthers?

2009-11-23T17:50:00.008-05:00

There is an interesting article over at Cat Scratch Reader by CSR moderator Jaxon that discusses recent comments from Panthers' beat writer Darin Gantt suggesting the Panthers are struggling this season because of the team's decision in the offseason to apply the franchise tag to Julius Peppers.

From Darin Gantt's blog:

Where keeping Peppers mostly hurt them this year was in the way it robbed them of their depth ... Without funds to adequately fill the backup positions, the Panthers are filling kick coverage and return units with odd parts, and guys who were never good special teamers to begin with. The fact that an undrafted rookie receiver such as Charly Martin can go from practice squad to active roster in a week speaks to special teams coach Danny Crossman's desperation. He essentially is trying to play high stakes poker with Old Maid cards, and not surprisingly, it ain't working.

I personally (like Jaxon says in his article) disagree with Gantt on this one. I think that the Panthers' problems have little or nothing to do with Pep's franchise tender. The only thing that signing Pep could have had a negative impact on would be the potential to sign or trade for a quarterback, but with Delhomme signing a 5-year extension in the offseason, I don't think that was in the team's plans for 2009 and beyond anyway.

My comments on Jaxon's post at CSR:

I may be in the minority here...

But I actually wish we could have pulled off a trade for Cutler. He’s young, and is a definite upgrade over what we have now. I know that right now he’s sucking like a whore with a rent payment due, but he’s in Chicago with absolutely NO offensive line and no one to throw to other than a decent TE and a punt returner who decided that he wanted to try being a WR. Add in the fact that Forte has had a down year and it further compounds Cutler’s problems — he feels he HAS to make high-risk throws to make something happen, and he has failed this season.

(But when you think of it, Jake has done almost the exact same thing because of the poor play calling)

But, if you put Cutler behind our offensive line (obviously it would be even better with False Start Gross still in there — but it’s still better than what they have in Chi-town) with Smitty and Moose to throw to and Double Trouble to hand off to, and we have a completely different season right now — we’re probably sitting at 7-3 or 8-2 with a realistic chance at catching the Saints for the division — at least I think so.

So, I think the franchising of Pep was a bad idea when we could have possibly worked out a deal and got a franchise QB. (Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t Denver play the 3-4? And Pep said he wanted to play for a team that uses the 3-4 — so Pep for Cutler would have been within the realm of possibility.) But, I do not think it is why we are 4-6 and on the brink of missing the playoffs. That, like has been stated already, is because of poor execution by the guys we do have, and the horrid coaching (particularly by everyone’s favorite offensive coordinator) that we have endured this season. Losing several key players (Kemo, Davis, Gross) to injury hasn’t helped matters much either.

Gantt is usually spot on in his analysis of the Panthers, but in this case I think he's wrong. I think the fact that the Panthers didn't go out and get a franchise quarterback (or a new offensive coordinator), along with the team's lack of execution are the two main causes of the 4-6 record we have at this point.

But, I could be wrong. It's not like I haven't been before.

Jordan Gross broke his leg, not his ankle

2009-11-23T16:35:00.005-05:00

We all thought that False Start broke his ankle against the Falcons on November 15, but it appears that we were wrong.

According to Rotoworld, he suffered a broken leg, not a broken ankle.

Rotoworld:

Panthers LT Jordan Gross revealed that he actually broke his tibia and fibula in his right leg. It was originally thought that Gross broke his ankle, but that joint was not damaged. He has screws and plates holding his leg together, but this development shouldn't affect Gross' timetable for return. The Panthers' best offensive lineman should still be fine for next season's training camp.

I don't know if this is good news or bad news, because in reality False Start is still out for the season. I guess it's a good thing, otherwise I can't see the need in it being a story.

Same old song and dance

2009-11-20T14:19:00.009-05:00

Numb. That's all I can feel. Everything is a blur.

After seeing the Panthers lose to the Dolphins 24-17 last night for the same reason they have lost every game this season, it gets old. Consistently inconsistent. That's been the name of the game for this team for a long time, but the blame for this loss lies on the shoulders of one person -- our favorite offensive coordinator, Mr. Gump Davidson.

How can Gump not figure out what to do? It's a simple game plan. You use the best players you have, and you put them in the situations that work best for them, and you give your team the best chance to win the game.

It's not rocket science. (Or running a shrimp boat, to keep the Gump reference.)

Yet, Forrest can't figure out what everyone who has seen the Panthers play a game this season already knows -- run the football and stop throwing it 35-40 times per game.

It's insane. The Statue shouldn't have to throw that many times. Give the ball to D-Will and J-Stew and let them chew up the defense, because believe it or not -- we do have two of the best running backs in the league, and they know how to put the ball in the end zone.

You would think that Gump would have listened to Jenny now -- RUN FORREST, RUN!

It just doesn't make any freaking sense.

Oh no, not another injury

2009-11-15T17:27:00.008-05:00

UPDATE: It's official, False Start is on injured reserve.

Rotoworld:

Panthers placed LT Jordan Gross on injured reserve with a broken right ankle, ending his season. Practice squad WR Charly Martin was activated to take Gross' place. The Panthers signed Gross to a $60M extension through 2014, so he'll certainly be back at his $4.5 million salary for 2010.

Line play was not the reason for Carolina's slow start -- it was awful run defense and terrible decision making at quarterback. Gross suffered a clean ankle break and had surgery immediately, so the 29-year-old figures to be 100% well before '10 camp.

* * *

Just when you think it can't get any worse, it usually does. This time, it happened to Panthers' OT Jordan Gross, who was carted off the field in today's game against the Falcons with a right ankle injury.

I knew this one was bad when I saw the play.

The initial reports are that Gross has suffered a broken right ankle, and if that is the case his season will most likely be over. With only 7 games remaining, there is little to no chance that Gross will be able to come back and make any significant contribution to the team if his ankle is broken.

This sucks for the Panthers, who looked today like they were starting to turn the corner and get back on the right track for a late season playoff run, but losing Gross will be a huge blow that they might not be able to recover from.