Somehow, I get the feeling that with the injury to Thomas Davis it's going to take a pretty big bite out of a potent Panther defense. When we look back on this season 10 years from now, what are we going to remember it as? For myself, I'll remember this season as a season that could have led to a deep playoff run and maybe even a Super Bowl, but instead became the biggest letdown in franchise history. Yes, that's including the 2004 8-8 season following the year the Panthers made it to the Super Bowl.

The Panthers are 3-5 right now. We have three DT's on IR, and now our star linebacker Thomas Davis who ((Thanks R3)) led the team in tackles has joined them all as well. We suffer from a one-dimensional offense which succeeds well in the running game, but can't do anything at all in the other. We're like the offense of the Arizona Cardinals last year, but backwards. We suffer from a offensive coordinator who gets away from what works in the middle of a game, an inept special teams unit, and a QB that continues to throw high in the air and out of reach of any potential receivers. We also fail at the 2 minute drill. The memories of guys flying to the offensive line is still very fresh in my mind, especially during the final drive against San Diego in the first game of 08. Now they're just waddling, so it's kind of sad.

Overall, that's a lot of problems on our team. They're also easily fixable, if the right buttons are pushed in the off-season.

But enough of rain clouds and dark thoughts, it's time for football! This week the Carolina Panthers go up against the Atlanta Falcons, and they'll be seeking revenge for the earlier 28-20 debacle that occurred before Jeff Davidson realized with a gasp that the Panthers are built to run the football.

On Offense: Good luck trying to figure out what the Panthers will do this week. With both of our wideouts crying out that they aren't getting the ball enough, he might just give in and let Jake air it out a bit this week. The biggest question in our minds right now is whether or not Deangelo Williams will be on the field. He had a knee injury going into this week, and he was kept off the practice field on Friday. He joins a list of questionable's that include Tony Fiametta, Moose, Daunte Rosario, and Jonathan Stewart all of whom are expected to play.

If Deangelo Williams takes a seat for this game, the Panthers might end up using Jonathan Stewart as their every down back. Sure, we kicked Goodson onto the field a little bit these last few weeks when they were having injury troubles, but with Goodson being especially fumble-prone during the pre-season I expect to see Stewart to have most of the playing time on the field. It'll probable force Jake to throw the ball a bit more, but we can't run the ball every single play with just one guy. He'll start huffing and puffing, and by the time he's made it to the goal line you'll be able to blow him down. So expect Jake to awaken the passing game and try to get the ball to Steve and Moose if Williams doesn't make it to the field. And if Deangelo Williams does start, forget everything I just wrote.

On Defense: The big story here is how we're going to change our defensive scheme now that our Pro-Bowler linebacker Thomas Davis is on IR. How good is Landon Johnson going to be? That's the big question we have to ask ourselves here. If Landon Johnson was so good, if he was so awesome, then where was he during the pre-season? He only had 4 tackles during those 4 games, while James Anderson had 25 and Dan Conner had 19. In my mind, either one of those two deserve the start over Johnson. They put in the work, they got the tackles, so they should get the job.

In the waning moments of the Saints game, Landon Johnson immediately proved to be a liability on defense. The vast majority of that final drive that gave the Saints the 23-20 lead was running plays to Johnson's side of the D-line. He couldn't make the plays, and it was a huge reason why the Saints gave us our 2nd half rickroll. If we have that transition to the entire game tomorrow, then it's going to give us a lot of problems. We already have one invisible linebacker on the line that doesn't do much in Na'il Diggs, whom only has 16 tackles for the season. We don't need another one.

Nevertheless, even without Davis our defense is still very improved since the beginning of the year with the additions of Hollis Thomas on the D-Line and Sherrod Martin at FS. These two additions will help offset the presence of Davis at our OLB spot. If we can shut down Turner the Burner and keep Matt Ryan throwing the football, we'll have plenty of chances for turnovers. Here's a statistic, Matt Ryan has thrown at least one interception in the last 5 games. Good ol' Matty Ice won't seem so ice cold anymore when he's giving presents to our defense. He might as well dress up as Santa Clause during Christmas, he has the red color of his jersey to show for it. Hohoho! Merry Christmas Panthers! Merry Christmas to you all! I hate to be the Grinch, but that's how I see it.

On Special Teams: Don't fail. That's all I'm going to say: Please don't fail. Let's have a full game where our return team gets the ball out to the 20 yard line and John Kasey makes his field goals, and I'll be happy. I'll be happy. If we don't, I'll just laugh in Crossman's general direction.

And now, time for the top offensive matchups of the week!

Jake Delhomme vs Himself

I've told you guys I'm going to keep this up. Until balls stop sailing on Jake and forcing Steve Smith and Moose to jump up and make these impossible catches that they can't make, this matchup is going to continue again and again. At this point, I don't think faith in Jake can ever be restored with the fans. He can honestly play like Peytan Manning for the next 8 Weeks and miraculously take the Panthers to the playoffs and I promise you we're STILL going to be taking our heart medication every time he touches the football. Regardless, the ball is still in Jake's court. He has a powerful running game to take the heat off of him, and two great targets in Rosario and Smitty. If he can't make plays with them, then it is his fault. That is all.

O-Line vs D-Line

That is, if the offensive line can give him some protection. Now, we have a pretty decent line so far this season. We've been blessed with no injuries along our O-line, and they've done a pretty great job at opening holes for Deangelo Williams. Look for that to continue against the Falcons this week. Since his impressive campaign in 08, John Abraham has disappeared. Whether by age or another reason, he's simply not the same player he was. That makes the left side of the D-Line, a place that the Panthers already love to hit with the running game, particularly beneficial to hit again and again. Now if they could hold their ground in pass protection better, especially Keydrick Vincent, the Panthers will have the advantage over the Falcons no problem.

Steve Smith vs The World

Steve Smith is probably the angriest man in the world right now. The thing about Smith is that he's always had a chip on his shoulder. Someone is always looking him down, someone is always telling him that he can't play football, something is always looking him in the eye and telling him that he's too short, which only inspires him to get angry and prove everyone wrong.

That couldn't be more evident this year. He has an offensive coordinator that has phased him out of the game, a QB that won't throw him the football, and a football league that has forgotten about him. Whether or not these things are actually true, this is the mindset that he has himself in and he's pissed. Is this the game where he breaks out for 100 yards? That will be up to the Falcon corners to decide, and they aren't as good as him.

Daunte Rosario vs My Expectations

I love this guy enough to call him the Ghost of Wesley Walls. This is the perfect time to have Daunte Rosario break out for a big game. Just like Steve Smith, he'll often be covered by guys that cannot cover him. Mike Peterson may have been good at the beginning of the season, but he's too old! About this time in the season it's time for old seasoned veterans like him to get tired and break out the rocking chair. You see my friends, this is what you call blind faith. I know that Rosario has the potential to be the passing tight end we need to live up to the Legend of Wesley Walls. If the coaches don't see it, then it's their loss.

Jeff Davidson vs Our Expectations

We, as a fan base, expect Jeff Davidson to make the calls needed to win the game. Players will always complain that they aren't getting the ball enough after you lose a game. It's been a staple of the NFL, always has been and always will be. Jeff Davidson needs to make the calls necessary to win the game, and if that means making Deangelo Williams beat 8 or 9 players in the box in the running game, then let him do it! If that means throwing the deep ball to Smitty, then let him do that too. Just do not take what is working, and suddenly do the opposite in the middle of a game. If the running game is working, don't cease until the Falcons prove that they can stop it.

Finally, my prediction.

Taking Davis away will damage the Panthers blitzing ability. The Panthers should get a little bit into this game, and if Julius Peppers isn't lighting it up then it should be time to let Beason and Johnson fly down the line. See how that works, and Meeks will edit his defensive game plan from there. On offense, ram the ball down their throats. That's all they need to do. I'm running out of ways to say this. The battering ram on offense is better than the catapult. Do you guys get that? Good.

Panthers win 24-17