Why the Panthers Sucked Last Night
by Revshawn on Jan 11, 2009 1:42 PM EST
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I think I got this loss mostly figured out.
I'm not going to go nuts and say everyone should be fired. To be honest there isn't that many people to blame. The blame on this loss belongs to a very small group of people, and I shall start with the obvious.
1) Jake Delhomme.
Cmon, you knew that was coming. In a season of record breakers, how fitting is it that Jake Delhomme sets another record in order to end the season? Five interceptions and a fumble for six turnovers overall. Irregardless of the horrible play calling on offense and defense, with good smart throws we could have made adjustments in the 2nd half and won the game. I don't care how bad the coaches have prepared you, I don't care how bad the offensive line was doing, you should know by now to throw a ball out of bounds when you don't have anyone open.
I think it's about time we start finding a replacement for Jake Delhomme. I know he is the emotional leader of this defense. Wears his heart on his shoulder and all of that. But that wasn't a leader I saw last night, I saw was a disaster. Use this moment as an opportunity to take him out and put in someone just as good. At the same time, we shouldn't get rid of Jake unless we can find someone better or just as good in order to take his place. Remember 2007? Yeah, we don't want another season like that.
My position towards him from now on is to continue to start him, but be extremely wary of another QB to replace him. Matt Moore has a cannon of an arm and if he improves his accuracy enough, I say give him a start and see what happens. We can always float back to Jake Delhomme if the going gets rough. We also have a handful of talented QB's being released to free agency or available by trades. Why not look for some of them?
Odds are we'll have another season of Jake Delhomme, but let's be honest this was the worst game of his career. You need to prepare for the future.
2) Offensive/Defensive Coordinators
More the latter than the former. The Card's offense for most of the first half consisted of getting the ball into Larry's hands. He had over 150 yards in the first half. What the hell? Did we suddenly forget that he was going to play today?
It wasn't just the defense either. The defense is extremely talented, and for the 2nd half they stepped up and stopped him and the offense from doing much of anything. They were able to string along a couple of long drives in the 4th quarter, but otherwise the stopped Larry and gave our offense chance after chance to come back and win the game. With Jake at the helm and the coordinators forced to pass the ball, there just wasn't any chance of us coming back.
We also gave up the run way too soon and for seemingly no reason at all. Why did we come into the game throwing the ball so often? Why....why....why? This is going to be the question I ask all off-season, mumbling it in my sleep as I toss and turn. You had everything going for you! A talented offensive line and two excellent running backs. Run the ball up the middle with DeAngelo Williams. When he gets tired or we get into a goal line situation, hand the ball off to Jonathan Stewart. When they start stacking 8 in the box, start getting the ball to Steve Smith.
I'll admit, the Panthers had a great first possession, a quick pass to Dwayne Jarrett to weaken the run defense, and then two long 40/10 yard runs by Williams and Stewart to put the capital T on a Touchdown drive. They should have stuck to this formula the whole game.
Yet all of the sudden, for whatever reason, the offensive coordinator diverted to Jake Delhomme the rest of the game. Williams had 12 carries for 63 yards, over 5 yards per gain. There is no reason that we shouldn't have been running the ball more. No reason at all. See this kind of think just makes my head explode. I don't know what to say. I have nothing to say.
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That's really it. I don't blame anyone else. The defensive game plan was horrible in the first half, and the offensive gameplan didn't adjust to how Jake decided to play today. That's it. By the time the damage was done in the first half, our 2nd half adjustments couldn't make a bit of difference. We were trapped. We were forced by that point on to throw the football, and Jake showed us how excellent he could do in making our team choke when it mattered most.
Next article coming up is the Panthers Plan for the Off-Season. You'll get to see the must sign to another contract and the ones that should be kicked to the curb. See you then.
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running the ball
You said it was too late in the second half to run the ball. I disagree. I agree with everything else you said, though. It’s just that when we’ve got two great RBs, we can score three TDs in one half by running the ball. We shouldn’t have abandoned the run. The coaches blew this one. Jake threw too much. But remember this is the guy who had a QB rating .5 better than David Carr when we brought him in. Carr sucked, and Matt Moore got some good reps last year. I think one of those two needs to earn the job in training camp. Everyone needs to earn their job…no free ride to a loss anymore.
by usana_gaines on Jan 11, 2009 2:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Honestly...
We should have come into the game running the football. Running the football takes up a lot of clock since you hardly ever get the ball out of bounds. We’re behind 3 possessions, and the defense would have had to play flawlessly in order to win the game. Even if we came back all the way, I still don’t think we could have won. The damage was already done.
In the end, I place the blame on Jake and the Offensive/Defensive Coordinators. John Fox and Hurney have done a great job of rebuilding this team. The gameplan that both of the coordinators cooked up was horrible.
"Once again the trowsers of evil are yanked down by the mocking hands of justice!"-Revshawn
by Revshawn on Jan 11, 2009 2:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
U nailed that analysis
Marty Hurney was answering questions last nite about who would we get at QB. Who is available? I agree with giving Moore a chance. It’s not like our QB is gonna be asked to carry the load towards winning with the run first mentality. Just need a QB that won’t turn the ball over and keep the defense honest with the pass when needed. Now if the defensive questions aren’t answered and the QB is trying to come from behind…they still have to be smart about throws. Offensive/defensive coordinators getting blame, I couldn’t agree more.
by Davejinxer on Jan 11, 2009 5:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I actually went through a list at the "Inside The Panthers" blog in a comment yesterday...
very uninspiring.
I’ll probably go through a list soon at my blog… after I get settled into my class schedule and all. Moore is probably the best option though…
by UtesFan89 on Jan 11, 2009 6:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I saw that too.
I don’t pay attention to them too much.
"Once again the trowsers of evil are yanked down by the mocking hands of justice!"-Revshawn
by Revshawn on Jan 12, 2009 2:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Game plan and poise....UGGGHH
No way, no how did we expect the game to unfold the way it did, especially after the opening drive. The Panthers ran the ball a total of 8 times in the first half, 6 of which came in the first two drives! Unacceptable play calling! Are you ever out of a game after the first half? If you have to even ask yourself that question as a team then you already have your answer.
We believe that the coaching staff is just as much to blame as the play of Delhomme. After the second drive went 3 run plays of no gain, 8 yards, and no gain to result in a punt, for some mystical reason the coaches lost faith in the run game. The following drives and turnovers put the Panthers into a panic, which is something we haven’t really seen all year. Panic is ok in the 4th quarter, definitely not in the 2nd. It is the coaches job to settle down the team and QB, and to remind everyone it is a long football game, and to stick to your strengths until there is no other option.
In the end, the only indicator of what might have been coming last night would be the Panthers game at Oakland after coming off of their bye week. How did Delhomme play in that game? The defense saved the win that day, but defending Oakland and defending Arizona are completely different tasks. It is disappointing that the coaching staff did not learn anything from how the team/Delhomme played after a week of rest.
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by sancho8297 on Jan 11, 2009 8:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Jake is a good backup qb. plain and simple.
we need to give Moore a shot. Id rather have a bad season starting a new qb than have Jake take us to the playoffs and do this again.
by jamieclayton on Jan 11, 2009 2:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I agree, kinda
maybe it’s the way the gameplan was implemented, but I find a lot more people deserving of at least some blame… as I state over here
by UtesFan89 on Jan 11, 2009 2:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I know, you're right in a way.
I want to put more blame on the defense myself, but I can’t find it in my heart to do it. When you’re giving up the ball 6 times on offense, it’s tough to blame anyone over there.
I do find fault in the backfield for letting Larry get open for 155 yards in the first half. That’s inexcusable. But I blame it most on coaching. They just didn’t seem ready for him.
"Once again the trowsers of evil are yanked down by the mocking hands of justice!"-Revshawn
by Revshawn on Jan 11, 2009 4:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
if it came down to laying blame, Delhomme & the coordinators get the brunt of it.
That said, the CBs struggled to keep up with Larry when they were matched up, and the DL got very little pressure… which is only partially impacted by the short fields.
by UtesFan89 on Jan 11, 2009 5:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i agree too
it was the coordinators faults and jake’s execution. mike trgovac needs to be fired. jeff davidson, keep him, just smack some sense into him about abandoning the run.
i do disagree about our QB situation. Jake has to go. he’s getting old, he’s playing with an injury prone elbow, he’s inaccurate, inconsistent, and blows the big games. and sorry to the matt moore fans here, i know he showed life in the 3 games he played last season, but he isn’t our future.
the draft is our best shot. there are a lot of good QB’s going in and with some trading and dealing we may be able to get a 1st round pick back to get one. Look at this years class, TIm Tebow, Colt McCoy, Matt Stafford, Sam Bradford, Todd Boeckman. We got a lot of pieces in place, a great o-line, phenomenal RBs in Double Trouble, Steve Smith. We need a quarterback.
by rkpanthers on Jan 11, 2009 10:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Not sure..
if Matt Moore has been given a fair shake. We have only seen him play with the starters at the end of 2007, in which he looked OK. In 2008 preseason he didn’t look to sharp but he was playing with some of the guys that are no longer on the roster. As far as drafting a QB, it would have to be one heck of a package to get one in the 1st round since we don’t have a 1st round pick. Will any of these other guys fall to the 2nd round. too early to tell.
by Davejinxer on Jan 12, 2009 7:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
If Sanchez declares
he might go in the 2nd round, and would be worth a look. That’s doubtful though… more likely he goes first round next year (worth a look then?).
Tebow is returning to school (I really, really hope we don’t take him next year though), Stafford & Bradford will be first round guys (as will Freeman, most likely)… and neither guy will add all that much (both are horrible against blitzes), McCoy is returning I think (he’d be a nice pick next year as well… though I still haven’t seen much of him against a non-Big 12 D). Boeckman will be undrafted this year… I’d much rather look at someone like Graham Harrell. If we are going with a UDFA, Chase Daniel might be worth a look, or (a homer pick) Brian Johnson. He’s not a superstar in college, but he’s shown the ability to play the blitz, lead a 2-minute offense, etc.
by UtesFan89 on Jan 12, 2009 8:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Give Moore or maybe Basanez a chance
I don’t see them getting anything better than Moore, given the draft choices. He’s had time with the playbook. Unless you get really lucky, it takes a year or three to get a QB ready. The Panthers can’t really afford a superstar QB. Someone who understands that throwing the ball away or dumping to a TE or RB on second down would be fine. “The Playmaker” understands that there may be days he only gets a few passes -so long as the result is a win, he’ll block or draw the double coverage. Losing is when WR1 gets frustrated – no matter what team it is.
The secondary has had problems with assignments the last few games. DC and maybe Secondary Coach need to go.
by panthersnbraves on Jan 12, 2009 3:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hats off to you guys!
Glad it’s not us so I feel for you guys. Has anyone put Southtunnel on suicide watch???
See you guys next year, good luck in the draft!
Who would win in a fight, Whisenhunt or a Hurricane?
Hold on, hold on, what if the Hurricanes name was Whisenhunt?
Daaaaaaaaaa Cards, Da Cards Da Cards Da Cards Da Cards!!!
by boogatt66 on Jan 12, 2009 12:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
enough to go around
Delhomme had a truly crappy game. But you’ve got to take a look at how the O-Line performed as well. Delhomme was pressured all night long. I’m not sure a lot of other QMs wouldn’t have had a bad game as well.
The bottom line to this fiasco: We were outcoached and underprepared. We failed to execute on the O-line, and the defensive scheme was a mismatch with what the Cards came out and did. After half-time adjustments the Cards were pretty much shut down in the 2nd half. Those adjustments should have been made a lot sooner. Offensively, I would have benched Delhomme at halftime. What could Moore have done that could have been worse? In addition, I think benching Delhomme would have sent a message to the entire team - you are all accountable. Who knows, Delhomm may have taken the benching constructively, and learned from this nightmare.
Oh well, we’ll see what happens!
by kilgore_trout on Jan 12, 2009 8:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
boogatt66
Kurt Warner used to be the guy who had all the turnovers, but many critics failed to notice his completion percentage and winning percentage. The Giants had a a winning record when they benched him for Eli. I’ve always liked him and I’m glad he’s successful. The truth of the matter, though, is that he had nothing to do with Jake’s game.
SPeaking of Jake, after his horrible games against Oakland and Detroit, I asked this blog if anyone heard anything about some sort of injury, and the answer was no. My theory (and pathetic excuse for Jake’s play) is that because of his surgery last year, it takes him ridiculously long to warm up and make good throws (about three weeks, actually). We definitely need another QB, and drafting one is a good idea. I heard Tebow and McCoy are staying in college. The other good prospects will be gone before we pick. I wouldn’t mind putting a Ken Lucas included package together for one of last year’s draftees like Josh Johnson, someone in Green Bay (Flynn and Brohm), the QBs from Oregon or Appalachian State, or just somebody in general.
Kilgore talked about our offensive line play. I agree they didn’t play very well, but they’re a unit whose strength is run blocking, and they usually don’t pass block more than 20 plays a game. One way to make pass blocking easier is to run screens and draw plays. Last year we ran a draw every 3rd down, but not last week. I’ve also decided that a wildcat formation direct snap to Smitty is better than an interception. And after many runs, you know a flea flicker would’ve worked wonderfully.
As for the coordinators, well… An interview with Fitzgerald said he came out in the first half and recognized the Panthers were doing the exact same thing they did in the last game. The great receivers know how to read coverages. So he knew what the defense was going to do and just adjusted his routes to where he knew there would be an opening. I guess you could blame that on the defensive coordinator. It seems our playbook for offense and defense is a bit smaller than the one I use when I play Madden. So the coordinators then tell the players it’s their fault for not executing, I guess. I really don’t know what they do, but it didn’t work anyway.
by usana_gaines on Jan 13, 2009 1:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
If we played the same defense (which it seems we did)
then we deserve getting our asses spanked. That in my view is enough to warrant firing Tyrgovac. This the NFL and you can’t expect to run the same game plan week after week and expect to win. Besides, the Cards passed all over us in the first game. The only reason we won was the turnovers and the big plays by Smith. Do you have a link to this interview?
I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com
by Jaxon on Jan 13, 2009 12:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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