Carolina Panthers

[jakez4ut]

The defense begins and ends with Dan Morgan. It's as simple as that. They drafted Beason to be a solid backup in the middle and a starter opposite TD- but JB just isn't ready yet. Obviously because he's just a rook.

There's obviously no question that JP isn't 100%, which is bad for Ruck, because he thrives being opposite JP's double teams, and when he isnt, well we have known he isn't a good player for a while now.

Then, you get to the fact that Minter's sudden retirement in preseason is also killing this team. He left the front office in a major bind with his timing, and the lack of a safety presence (opposite MM) has haunted the Panthers for years,

this post is wrong on a lot of different levels.

1st, how can a defense begin and end with a guy that has yet to play 1 full season in his career? this defense starts and ends with the D Line, which is supposed to be the strength of this team. and so far they've sucked. the only thing that Morgan has proven to be is a significant hit on the Panthers salary cap. letting Witherspoon go was the dumbest thing they've done to date.

as for JP not being 100%.......news to me. they said he's "sick". sure he is. he should be the way he's played. fact is he's just been a no show.

as for Minter, Minter has lacked a step for two seasons now. they were looking for a replacement for him two years ago. his retirement didn't hurt except that they hadn't yet found an adequate replacement yet.

that defense has no heart, no leader, no one to hold the others accountable. Sure, Jenkins is trying to do that now, but hell, he hasn't exactly been doing much either.

the truth is this defense, starting with the defensive line is completely overrated. the secondary is awful and has been for two years now. the LB's are average at best.

need to quit trying to find excuses where there are none.

 

[Heebs]

The defense's success rate is significantly better with Dan Morgan in the lineup. Theres nothing closer to the truth than that. When he is healthy, he makes this defense go. Morgan is the sideline to sideline player the D needs, but thinks it has in Beason.

Peppers lacks the strength and the quickness on the edge that made him the best end in the league the last few years. They can't use him like they did in years past, like letting him drop back into underneath coverage. Now, be it injury or just being a "no-show", without any reason, he's still not there.

Minter may have lacked a step, but he was that leader in the locker room. He also knew how to read coverages and help his corners, without just letting them sit on an island, and let someone like Ike Hillard catch everything thrown his way. Carolina has no adequate safety, and Branch and Cooper and whoever else they have tried have been terrible.

Plus, that is part of what I am saying. Retirement in the preseason leaves almost no time to get in a replacement that will fit into the system. Had he done it in the preseason, the panthers couldve picked up someone competant.

The D showed up after the first quarter yesterday, from their fumble recovery to their goal line stand. The question on the other side of the ball is easy- this offense can't work with David Carr playing like he did yesterday.

 

[volwindy]

i had to remind myself of your "hot" factor when determining which qb should start before i replied to this.

as for the dropped balls, i refer you to my post about the Houston game. besides Steve Smith ,there is no other quality receiver on this team. and say what you want about Jake, but you hit on the head, they have a good chemistry and as good as Steve makes Jake look, i think it's apparent, Jake makes Steve look pretty good too. they know each other, they know how each plays and they use that to their advantage.

but anyway, there's so much more wrong with this team than the Jake D and Steve S. relationship. As i've said, Jake is not the reason this team sucks. just look to Turgo and his defense adn the special teams play if you really want to see an excercise in futility.

And as I said before, you can't always rely on this duo. When they are having a bad day, then obviously you can't, but I mean how long are we going to keep this up with just a two man team. It just doesn't work.

 

[jakez4ut]

And as I said before, you can't always rely on this duo. When they are having a bad day, then obviously you can't, but I mean how long are we going to keep this up with just a two man team. It just doesn't work.

and that at the end of the day is the bigges problem offensively.

 

[jakez4ut]

The defense's success rate is significantly better with Dan Morgan in the lineup. Theres nothing closer to the truth than that. When he is healthy, he makes this defense go. Morgan is the sideline to sideline player the D needs, but thinks it has in Beason.

Peppers lacks the strength and the quickness on the edge that made him the best end in the league the last few years. They can't use him like they did in years past, like letting him drop back into underneath coverage. Now, be it injury or just being a "no-show", without any reason, he's still not there.

Minter may have lacked a step, but he was that leader in the locker room. He also knew how to read coverages and help his corners, without just letting them sit on an island, and let someone like Ike Hillard catch everything thrown his way. Carolina has no adequate safety, and Branch and Cooper and whoever else they have tried have been terrible.

Plus, that is part of what I am saying. Retirement in the preseason leaves almost no time to get in a replacement that will fit into the system. Had he done it in the preseason, the panthers couldve picked up someone competant.

The D showed up after the first quarter yesterday, from their fumble recovery to their goal line stand. The question on the other side of the ball is easy- this offense can't work with David Carr playing like he did yesterday.

that line about Morgan is all i need to know. there's a reaosn why the local radio station refer to all injured athelets as being "morgan'd".

they have been doing that with Peppers all year. and to me it points to the fact that they don't have a LB worth his salt to drop back and do the same. this guy is supposed to be a our best pass rusher, and they're dropping him back in to coverage? i know he's fast and a good athelete, but look this up and tell me again about this defense....how many qb sacks and hurries do the panthers have and where does that rank in the NFL? they don't blitz enough, and they rely on 3 down linemen and maybe a LB to generate a pass rush.

agree about Minter's leadership, but at some point everyone stops listening to a guy that just can't play anymore. and he's not been able to play at the level needed since the 03 season.

the've been trying to address the safety position for over two years. they drafted Thomas Davis as the heir apparent but due to Mr. Morgan's prolonged injury status, the departure of Will Witherspoon and the lack luster play of Draft and others, they moved him to LB. Chris Gamble was drafted to be a shut down corner and has been anythign but. then they signed Harris in a attempt to build some depth at safety, then Minter decided to retire, so yes, in a way the timing was off, but the panthers will ill prepared for it due to all the other issues on the defense. they also let "he hate me"(rod smart) and Deon Grant go, who was starting in JAX and is now a starting safety i think in Seattle. How valuable would it have been if they had resigned Deon two years ago? I'd take Rod or Deon over who we have now, and both are suiting up for other teams today. throw in the fact they re signed Morgan to a big contract and let spoon go, you have to question the overall skill of the management team to make sound personnel decisions.

basically the defense is a complete disaster.

 

[volwindy]

and that at the end of the day is the bigges problem offensively.

Exactly, so then what? Get new qb and receiver? Get new coaches, get more receivers? I think the receivers we have need to step up and make the plays they are supposed to, if not, with steve smith there, jake is always going to go to him, as we are seeing. But I think more importantly more attention needs to go to the defense, I think it was the first game this season or maybe second, the commentators were saying how the panthers have the best defensive front and all of that, apparently we don't, he obviously meant to say USED to have that and we need to get back to that.

I'm just disappointed in the end, in the team, the fans, etc. And it sucks that the panthers are doing so bad this year with Tenn doing so bad as well. Why can't one of them at least be decent!? :banghead2:

 

[jakez4ut]

the defense is definitely the biggest issue.

Jeff King is a nice addition to the offense, and hopefully Jarrett will develop in to the #2 guy. do that and have some kind of running game, the offense will be fine.

 

[volwindy]

What do you guys think about our chances this weekend? NO is winning the spread by 3 right now. Even though NO is sucking so far this year, I think they are "hungry" for a win and stand a good chance on getting it. Guess it depends on who plays QB and whether the defense shows up or not.

 

[Heebs]

They would have beaten us last Monday if we had played like we did against TB.

 

[jakez4ut]

if history repeats itself, we'll win this game.

but we're NO is getting us at a good spot this weekend....i honestly have no idea who will win this game.

though, i'd say most of what has been afflicting NO is fixable. i don't know that's the case for us. I'll take NO right now in a close one.

 

[volwindy]

I also do not know who will win, I think its a toss up that can go either way, but hopefully the panthers will pull out the much needed win!

Any news on Delnohope?

 

[Heebs]

They are keeping him out until the bye, and will see if he can play after that. If not; surgery will be imminent.

 

[volwindy]

They are keeping him out until the bye, and will see if he can play after that. If not; surgery will be imminent.

I did't realize it was surgery bound. Why not go ahead and get it done with now, otherwise they delay him getting back even more if thats what he needs.

 

[volwindy]

GO PANTHERS! Well I missed 90% of the game due to traveling back from knoxville, but I did listen to it on the radio on the way back. It appears I did not miss much besides Carr possibly hurt, putting in an unexperienced qb for a round, Fox making the stupid call with under 2 mins to go in the 1st half putting a possibly injured Carr back in the game to do absolutely nothing, and plenty plenty of penalities it seemed. I loved getting to see what mattered, the ending FG! :dance2:

Any other observations from those who watched it?

I showed my panther and vols pride at the game yesterday! Great weekend for us! :rock:

 

[jakez4ut]

here is the most accurate description of the Panthers/Saints game:

The panthers snatched Victory from the jaws of defeat.

You hear the term "teams hanging around" in football games all the time. the panthers were the epitomy of that yesterday. if not for a blocked fg on the heels of a 93 yard, 10+ minute drive in the 2nd half, the panthers would have lost by double digits.

as good as Panther fans should feel about getting a W yesterday, there should be no fan base more disgusted than the Saints fans. the saints did everything but win that game.

honestly i think it was more amazing that the saints lost than it was the panthers won. unbelievable.

 

[volwindy]

here is the most accurate description of the Panthers/Saints game:

The panthers snatched Victory from the jaws of defeat.

You hear the term "teams hanging around" in football games all the time. the panthers were the epitomy of that yesterday. if not for a blocked fg on the heels of a 93 yard, 10+ minute drive in the 2nd half, the panthers would have lost by double digits.

as good as Panther fans should feel about getting a W yesterday, there should be no fan base more disgusted than the Saints fans. the saints did everything but win that game.

honestly i think it was more amazing that the saints lost than it was the panthers won. unbelievable.

I definately hate listening to games on the radio, and it just seemed that all I heard were penalties and the Saints getting plenty of first downs, guess they could only convert on their side of the field. I was definately surprised about the ending thats for sure, was not expecting to see a W. The panthers better make some changes and be prepared for when NO comes to Carolina as they probably have a lot of hatred for us right about now.

 

[Heebs]

Well, what I feared was very possible since the moment I saw Jake grab his elbow in the Georgia Dome, he is out for the season due to elbow surgery.

I didn't want to say anything about it because it had all the makings of an ugly, ugly injury.

So, is David Carr a playoff Quarterback? Because that's where we had this team going at the beginning of the year right? I mean I silently saw this team as a contender for one of the top 3 teams in the NFC if we lived up to our own expectations. Now, we're 3-2 with a tie in the division.

I watched the game and it was definately clear that the Saints lost it as much as we took it away in the 4th quarter. It was a good win on the road because it was a game we just didn't lose, and it's obvious that the offense and David Carr need some more time to get on the same page.

But, our offensive line is getting some cohesion in the running game, which is something we've been looking for for quite awhile now. Although it wasn't a complete game, Foster is finally coming out of his shell just in time.

Just in time for the defense to continue to respond to what Kris Jenkins did. He called out some teammates (I would say that it was probably his boy Pep...). I think he is becoming the leader someone like Mike Minter was. Jenkins has gone through a lot in his tenure in the NFL, including 2 serious career threatening injuries and bouts with alcoholism and depression, and he has the personal experiences to humble some teammates. And Pep needed someone to tell him to man up.

The Panthers got big special teams play for the first time in a couple of years. In their most successful years, they would win the close one because of their ST. They were notorious for pressuring the kicks, and John Kasay.

Carolina has to circle the wagons now. John Fox has to decide whether he wants to keep his job and have David Carr do nothing but throw passes to Steve Smith this week in practice. Its so frustrating because I feel like the Panthers not using Steve Smith is something that is criminal. The way the guy plays makes me feel like its the same as not giving it to Barry Sanders. He has dropped a lot more balls than in the past, but if we can get Deshaun Foster and Steve Smith going with our D, we can make something of it in the NFC. We need complete games, kind of like our team in Orange and White as well.

 

[Heebs]

And now we have to go to the desert and play Kurt Warner. It will be a big test for our secondary and for our offense to keep up. The Cards have two big wins in the last two weeks, but their last was a team we beat severely in the first week before injuries killed them. Tough test before Peyton and Co. come calling.

 

[jakez4ut]

the cowboys, packers, seahawks and bucs are all better than the panthers. the giants and redskins may also be better.

no way we make the playoffs this season. if we do it's by attrition alone, and it will be an early exit in the 1st round.

 

[Heebs]

The next 6 weeks are brutal:

@ Arizona
Bye
vs Indy
@ Tennessee
vs Atlanta
@ Green Bay

Good bye week, as we have time to prepare for the Colts, who look unstoppable right now. But in a month and a half we will see.

 

[volwindy]

the cowboys, packers, seahawks and bucs are all better than the panthers. the giants and redskins may also be better.

no way we make the playoffs this season. if we do it's by attrition alone, and it will be an early exit in the 1st round.

Such negativity. :nono: Hey since you have no hope for the panthers and all this ill will, how about you just give me the indy tickets now. lol:

 

[volwindy]

The next 6 weeks are brutal:

@ Arizona
Bye
vs Indy
@ Tennessee
vs Atlanta
@ Green Bay

Good bye week, as we have time to prepare for the Colts, who look unstoppable right now. But in a month and a half we will see.

It will be a tough one, but I still think we can get by Atl a second time. The rest, who knows, but I really hope for the best against Indy and Tenn.

 

[volwindy]

As much as I hate to see Delnohope go, I get my wish! :dance2: It sucks that it is to an injury though, I would have loved to see him benched.

Yes Jake, I already know that means a losing season, a no scoring offense, dropped balls, sacks, etc, but lets not ruin this moment for me mmkay?!

 

[jakez4ut]

Such negativity. :nono: Hey since you have no hope for the panthers and all this ill will, how about you just give me the indy tickets now. lol:

sorry....can't do it. it'll be a treat to see Peyton play in the NFL...haven't had the chance to do that since he's been in the league.

there's at least 4 losses in the next 6 weeks btw....

As much as I hate to see Delnohope go, I get my wish! :dance2: It sucks that it is to an injury though, I would have loved to see him benched.

Yes Jake, I already know that means a losing season, a no scoring offense, dropped balls, sacks, etc, but lets not ruin this moment for me mmkay?!

okay. i'll wait til next week.

 

[volwindy]

sorry....can't do it. it'll be a treat to see Peyton play in the NFL...haven't had the chance to do that since he's been in the league.

there's at least 4 losses in the next 6 weeks btw....

okay. i'll wait til next week.

Might be the week after if Carr pulls out the W. lol: