Carolina Panthers' Monday Morning Optimist 11/2/09
by James Dator on Nov 2, 2009 9:53 AM EST
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PrintGood morning Panther faithful and welcome to the Monday Morning Optimist; and boy oh boy, do we have a lot to be optimistic about this week! The proverbial voodoo doll that was created in the 2008 playoffs has been poked and prodded by most of our opponents in 2009 and ultimately, we're hoping Jake exorcised those demons with a little Cajun mojo to bring the Panthers back from the brink. By no means did Jake do it alone, nor has he done enough to absolve himself from this season's other performances, but it's a start.
One of the key weaknesses of the Carolina Panthers has been our turnover ratio (so aptly written about by Ryan Basen last week for CSR ). Against the Cardinals the Panthers forced six turnovers without turning the ball over once; couple this with a power running game and a choking defense and it's hard to believe watching Sunday's game that the Panthers are a sub .500 football team.
Overall it was a big, fat EXTREMELY OPTIMISTIC for the entire Panthers team on Sunday. But, stay tuned after the jump for more analysis and individual accolades.
Yesterday's game was a solid example of what I like to call ‘football abuse'. This occurs when a team takes their opponent's traditional strengths and turns them into weaknesses; this was perfectly typified in Sunday's game. The Panthers ran all over the Cardinals, and when Arizona were forced to throw to get back into the game we intercepted Warner five times, that means we averaged over 1 INT per 10 pass attempts against one of the best QBs and best pass offenses in the NFL. We should hold our heads very, very high.
Does anyone doubt Ron Meeks at this point? Anyone against Ron Meeks please stand up. He has proved that his defensive scheme works, and done so admirably. We are still #1 in the NFL against the pass and proving this against Kurt Warner and the Cards prove it's not just a fluke, or padded by playing poor QBs. We have the #1 pass defense in the NFL despite playing Donovan McNabb, Matt Ryan, Tony Romo and Kurt Warner... think about that. Furthermore, we are slowly climbing up the ladder for rush yards allowed, now at 24th and a 7th in the NFL in total yards allowed. The future is looking very bright on the defensive side of the ball.
Thank you Jeff Davidson for coming to your senses! I don't know whether Fox dropped an iron fist, or Davidson realized the obvious, but running the ball over 40 times and passing 15 is a guaranteed method for offensive success with this football team. With Sunday's game the Panthers improved to 5th in the NFL in run offense with DeAngelo Williams not only forcing his way into the top 10 in rushing yards, but also establishing a new mark becoming the all time rushing leader for the Carolina Panthers. Let's hope this keeps up!
OPTIMISTIC
Julius Peppers- Extremely Optimistic: Pep, what can we say? You've been a beast. I never doubted Peppers' ability, just his desire. Though the cynic in me wonders if this is because it's a contract year, the optimist in me wants to believe his (alleged) speech to his teammates was heartfelt, and he realizes that too often he has phoned in his performances. If this is the Julius Peppers we get every week, then I wholly advocate trying to keep him in Carolina and let him retire a Panther, though it will take a lot on Pep's part not to leave for big money. The key for 2009 though is that teams are starting to fear Peppers, which in turn will open up more opportunities for Brayton, Brown and Johnson- and this is where we will succeed.
DeAngelo Williams- Extremely Optimistic: There is no running back in the NFL with more poise. D-Will has an innate understanding of blocking schemes to the point where he knows he can either make his move in 1 second and get 3-4 yards, or wait that extra second, let blocks develop and get a 9-10 yard gain. His performance yesterday was simply stunning.
Jonathan Stewart- Extremely Optimistic: Hey, remember when Jonathan Stewart was injured? Neither do I! He is running like a man possessed and I can't honestly remember the last time a single tackler was able to take down J-Stew without assistance. The Panthers have the best tandem in the NFL and Stewart is brining it each and every week.
Sherrod Martin- Extremely Optimistic: Sherrod, where have you been all my life? In my mind a great victory entails two parts:
One- Great players playing to their potential,
Two- Getting a great performance from an unlikely source.
Martin was scintillating at FS. We've become attuned to having a FS in Godfrey who was a safety valve to prevent the big play, but not a playmaker in his own right. Martin made plays and was flying around. He should be cemented as the starter, because Martin and Harris shape up to be the playmakers we need in the secondary.
Thomas Davis- Extremely Optimistic: I'll sing his praises ‘til I'm blue in the face. There's nothing more to add. Davis' performance yesterday was like Davis' performances all season, breathtaking.
Jon Beason- Extremely Optimistic: Watch out... Beason's about. He's coming back to form and having fun out there. I would be remiss in not giving credit to our defensive QB when the defense performed so well.
PESSIMISTIC
The Injury Bug- Somewhat Pessimistic: Waiting to hear on Jake Delhomme and Brad Hoover are the only negatives to come out of Sunday's game. If someone can think of another pessimistic element let me know in the comments, because I've racked my brains trying to find one, and I can't.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
As sweet as the Panthers' win was, it served to mildly punctuate just how much the Buffalo loss hurt. Beating Buffalo would have made us 4-3 and forced a tie at second with the Falcons (provided they lose tonight), but c'est la vie, such is life.
The Cardinals game was a statement. I'm not a superstitious man, but part of me thinks that some bad mojo got removed from the Panthers in Glendale. We head to the Superdome to face the juggernaut that is the New Orleans Saints. On paper, we should get destroyed by the Saints... luckily though; football is played on a field, not on paper. Never count out these division matchups; because regardless of who we play next week, if the Panthers can run the ball and play defense like they did yesterday you'll be hard pressed to find any team in the NFL who can beat these Panthers. Yes, it was one good game in a sea of mediocrity, but sooner or later the rain must end and the Panthers just got their head above water, for the first time in 2009.
65% Optimistic heading to New Orleans
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Go Panthers!!!!
I enjoyed the game for the first time in along time and I think you were right on about the players you pointed out. I still have my doubts about the rest of the season because one good game doesn’t make a sucessful season. I hope they have gotten the cobwebs out and will go foward with this new mindset. I want to point out Sherrod Martin’s play is as good as any FS I have seen in along time, but I would not be to hopeful that Fox would put him in front of Godfery in the rotation.
Wasn't Sherrod a Garbage Pail Kid?
AKA: “Startin Martin”? Or was it “Starvin Martin”? ;)
On the 1st INT an announcer made a comment that Warner probably threw it, seeing where the FS was positioned, and knowing that he was out of range to make a play on the ball. But Martin being a converted corner has better range and hands, than a typical saftey. If he can keep playing like that, the diversity of skill-sets between him and Harris could be huge for this secondary.
But it would be very un-Fox-like to continue starting him after only one game.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
The commentators kept mentioning that
“He was a converted corner, so he has good hands”
What they failed to do when they researched was that he was a 4 year safety at Troy, who we converted to corner. So he wasn’t really a ‘converted corner’ more like he was returning to his natural position. Though his grade out of college was a safety/corner tweener because of his ability to play the ball in the air.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Nice catch
I was listening on the radio, so they made the same mistake.
Either way, you want your SS better in run support and your FS better in pass defense. And that’s exactly what Harris and Martin excel at. I really like that lineup.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
It's what we have been missing at FS for a number of years
If Godfrey can play next week I’m sure Fox would start him but I think its obvious Martin has better instincts for the position. The first INT shows he knows how to take the proper angle on pass.
Godfrey might be better to go back to CB or even SS as a back-up. If he did how stacked at CB would we be? Gamble, Marshall, Wilson, and Munnerlyn already. Then add Godfrey. or Godfrey gets benched and backs up Martin
I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com
That's one problem I definitely wouldn't mind having
Godfrey just hasn’t shown anything since making the move to free safety after we drafted him last season.
by SmithnCompany on Nov 2, 2009 5:01 PM EST up reply actions
I think our problem was we’ve playing a lot of DBs out of position. I know we’ve had some problems with injuries in the secondary, and so, needed to sorta plug some holes, but Godfrey was a corner at Iowa, and had been playing safety. I believe that the majority of Martin’s time this year had been at corner? Somebody help me out with that one….
Anyway, I think once Godfrey is back, we gotta put him back at corner. Foxy is going to be hard pressed to start a rook at THE most important defensive position as far as pass coverage is concerned, but Martin NEEDS minutes. Big time. The kid has all the necessary tools. Besides I like the idea of Godfrey, Munnerlyn, and CJ sorta all rotating in and out at those two nickle and dimeback slots, and I think we’ll see an improvement in Godfrey’s play that we wouldn’t have seen with him playing out of position so much.
by The Kackalack Kid on Nov 2, 2009 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
Starvin' Marvin
is what you’re looking for. But we can certainly amend that to Starvin’ Martin… he SURE looked hungry yesterday.
I still like Startin Martin
Help throw Fox a hint
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
James..
The only other thing that would be slightly pessimistic would still be the special teams. They’re still making a lot of mistakes. But, there was some improvement this week (e.g. no muffed punts). Tackling is still an issue, and what was with Goodson and Moore running over each other.
Excellent point. They were still below par, but I gave them a break this week because they were better than previous games, if only by a little bit.
I noticed the Panthers are utilizing Chris Harris on kick returns, which should help sure up the tackling some.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Yes...special teams will continue to haunt us
and could cost us another game if we can’t cover kicks
I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com
Goodson has been too indecisive
Moore signaled him to down it and take a knee — Goodson shook him off and started out. Okay. But he came to a dead stop (I assume thinking he could juke the tackler coming right at him), as big no-no for a KR — he’s got to run as fast as he can, until he’s tackled — the cliche, “he who hesitates is lost” must’ve originated from a KR!
Right now...
…Goodson is playing on pure nautral instinct as opposed to refined talent by listening to the coaches and his peers at the pro level. He believes in himself and his ability to cut, juke, and flat outrun people to the edge. Sometimes he’s wrong. But, personally, I cut him some slack. He’s young and inexperienced…maybe a bit raw, if you will. But he’s also a major burner. Once he gets everything figured out (and as long as he stays injury free), I think he’ll be a major contributor. Same goes for Munnerlyn and Kenny Moore at the PR position. They’ve got the talent, now they’ve just got to work on the skills and ball security. It’s all part of learning the profession of NFL football.
But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil
Those are good observations, Neil
All those kids have the natural talent — and it leads to mistakes in their learning curves. Lack of confidence in their instincts may be part of it their first year or two, but game experience leads to gaining that all-important confidence — and at some point (maybe an INT for Captain, or breaking a good run-back for the other 2), the light goes on and they play with abandon — then the natural stuff kicks in.
4 different defensive positions had INTs
DE(Pep), FS(Startin Martin), LB(Davis) and CB(Marshal). No wonder our pass defense is #1 in the league. I thought that stat might be misleading, but maybe not.
What do you guys think about keeping Munnerlyn at CB and Marshall as the Nickel?
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Are you saying start Munnerlyn and Gamble, with Marshall as the Nickel and Godfrey as the Dime?
I like Munnerlyn alot, but he’s still too raw to be starting in my mind; he’s making some rookie mistakes in coverage, but over time I think he could be very effective.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
On Marshall's INT was he in as CB?
I can’t remember if he was in as the 5th DB in or not. But I thought the general feeling was that he has been struggling at CB when without help. Whereas Munnerlyn, even though he is making rookie mistakes, has been much more aggressive and shown more abilty to cover. They even had him single covering Fitzgerald a couple times yesterday… Which was a bit scary.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
We are talking about Richard Marshall right?
Marshall was at CB2 on his interception and started yesterday.
The depth chart yesterday for CB was:
1. Gamble
2. Marshall
3. Munnerlyn
4. C.J Wilson
5. Dante Wesley
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Are you trying to confuse me?
I know who’s been starting. But it looks like Munnerlyn has been in at times as CB in 4-3-4 formations… and shown potential. AND there was some question over Marshall as the #2 CB, even though he has done well as a Nickel.
I’m not sure what is so difficult to understand about that, but obviously I did a really poor job of phrasing my question.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
im so proud of captain!
he was covering one of the nfl’s best recievers and didnt let him go anywhere
On how Harris feels: Not well enough to practice today. - John Fox
I see Captain's mistakes being TOO aggressive -- not a bad thing
While he might get flagged for hits that are a bit early, he at least is making aggressive plays on the ball, and the receiver — better than that toreador stuff we’ve seen in the past from Lucas.
+1
I’m really surprised by how quickly Munnerlyn (an undersized CB in most scout’s opinions) has transitioned his game to the NFL. I really wonder sometimes if that whole experience with Deion Sanders on his reality TV show prepared him better than most low-round draft picks. I mean, at first, I just thought it would be a win for him to make an NFL roster. But the guy’s basically a starter now (whether at CB2 or the nickel DB). He’s also a contributor on special teams. And his future looks far brighter, specifically because he’s making plays with his aggressive style. Sometimes it costs us a penalty here or there. But his play also sets a tone and has opposing receivers realizing he’s going to be on them all day long, stride for stride. That’s a good thing for the Panthers.
Credit that INT by Davis..
To Charles Johnson on the D-Line. He knocked it straight up in the air like he was trying to swat a basketball. Beyond that however, Davis had to fight for the ball after he caught it.
It doesn’t matter though, the whole defense gets a W yesterday. Ron Meeks is just what the doctor ordered.
Holy f'n cow, that was fun to watch. I love to watch teams win like CAR did yesterday...
Problem is how do you feel about the future. If CAR makes it to 9-7, misses the playoffs, everyone would probably keep their job. The only think worse than one bad year, is a stretch of bad years. Do the right thing and fire Hurley and Fox…
"If lessons were learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education." -Murray Warmath
See, I don't thow if that's the right call.
Internally, if the first horrible losses were on Delhomme and Davidson, but now Fox has control of the team I don’t think it’s right firing him and Hurney. If the team goes 9-7 you definately keep them and evaluate the QB position and Davidson’s roll as OC.
Fixing a team needs to be like surgery, modified with a deft hand and scapel like precision. We’re not a team that has so many weaknesses that big cuts need to be made.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
As long as we hang Crossman at the end of the year.
I’m sure we can all agree by now that he deserves to be cut.
"Once again the trousers of evil are yanked down by the mocking hands of justice!"-Revshawn
+1
…although I’m not sure I agree with the crucifixion part.
I’ve tried to analyze the special teams woes this year. Part of me recognizes that Crossman has had lots of new players on his unit. Richard Marshall, for instance, got drawn up to serve with the starting defense. We lost a few others to free agency. He’s got all-new return men fielding balls. And so on…
BUT, despite all that, I question Crossman’s coaching ability if he can’t get those guys to properly execute their blocking and gap control on kickoffs. He hasn’t addressed the proper technique on fielding punts for these new guys. And he generally just hasn’t coached them up…which is what he gets paid to do. So, it can’t all be pinned on the individual players anymore. One gaffe here or there is not a big deal, as long as the coach gets it corrected before the next game. But we’ve seen the Panthers have epic fails on just about every phase of special teams…not once, but repeatedly at the same thing. To me, that means it’s not a personnel problem. It’s a coaching problem.
But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil
So much for that #1 spot.
The Arizona Cardinals fall to 9th in defending the run after last night, while the Panthers stand tall and proud with the #1 pass defense in the nation! Can I hear a whoop whoop?
"Once again the trousers of evil are yanked down by the mocking hands of justice!"-Revshawn
+1 and a whoop whoop
That was the statement game we needed to really feel secure in our role as the #1 pass defense. I am also very very very excited about our depth and future in the secondary.
My gameball goes to Sherrod Martin, all day.
Especially if the Falcons can beat them tonight
I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com
Far better for the Saints to win tonight...
Why? Because the Panthers aren’t going to catch New Orleans. They have an easy enough schedule that they’ll win the division hands down. Which means the Panthers are playing for a wild card and nothing else now. So we need other teams in a trailing position (like Atlanta) to lose. Same goes for Dallas, the New York Giants, Green Bay, Chicago, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Because it pretty much boils down to this:
NFC North Champions = Minnesota Vikings (I don’t see anyone catching them)
NFC South Champions = New Orleans Saints (I don’t see anyone catching them)
NFC East Champions = Philadelphia Eagles (or maybe Dallas or New York)
NFC West Champions = Arizona Cardinals (probably)
That means everyone else is playing for one of two wild card spots. If Dallas/Philly claims one of them, that leaves the Panthers vying for the last wild card against Atlanta, the New York Giants, and all those other teams I listed. But Atlanta and the Giants seem like the most realistic. Thus, if we want to see Carolina make the playoffs, we’ve got to pull for the Saints to beat the Falcons tonight. And we’ve got to hope the Giants, Bears, Packers, Seahawks, and 49ers also fade by the season’s end.
My two-cents,
—Neil
Also, better for the Saints to win for one more reason...
…if the Saints lose to Atlanta, they’ll be taking out their vengeance on us next week. Whereas, if they handily beat the Falcons tonight, it sets up New Orleans for a trap-game against Carolina where they’re way too overconfident. Do I expect us to win against the Saints next week? No. But then, I didn’t anticipate how well we’d play against Arizona either. And if our guys want to prove that wasn’t a fluke, they’ll come out hard against their division rival. I just hope our injuries heal before kickoff (particularly Brad Hoover and Delhomme).
+1
- Saints win tonight
- Falcons lose next week
- We beat Saints
=
Panthers tied with Falcons for 2nd in the South.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Atlanta's Schedule
Saints win tonight
- Falcons lose next week
- We beat Saints
=
Panthers tied with Falcons for 2nd in the South.
That would be great, but Atlanta has Washington next week. They could lose both, but I doubt it.
Unless Matty Ice gets injured...
Don’t want to wish serious injury on a great player, but maybe a nasty ingrown toenail that could prevent him from playing the Skins for a week.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
And regarding the NFC East
No one has pulled away thus far. Let’s hope they all beat each other up, so that at season’s end they all are hovering around 9-7… and maybe don’t take a wild card.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
It would be better if...
…at least one member of the NFC East broke away and gained major separation. Because that becomes the definitive division winner. And then we can hope the other two get beat up by that frontrunner. Right now the Eagles enjoy the lead position, but Dallas has a fairly easy schedule the remainder of the year. And you can’t count out the New York Giants. My fear is that even if we outplay Atlanta in pursuit of the playoffs, that somehow the NFC East sends three by claiming both wild card spots.
*"On paper, we should get destroyed by the Saints..."*
How so? Yes they have executed better than the Panthers have so far, hence why they’re still undefeated. Now as far as position by position, I think the Panthers 53 man roster is just as talented as the Saint’s if not moreso. Do we have a Drew Brees on our team? Nope, not even close. However, do the Saints have an equivalent of a Julius Peppers or a Thomas Davis? umm, NO
If our defense continues like yesterday then it could be a good game
And running the ball well would help keep their high powered offense off the field… big plus for the Panthers. My concern is that they have the potential to jump out to a big lead early. And I don’t trust Jake against their secondary to play catch up. We need a lot more long TD drives to have a shot. And turn overs will be very costly.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
On paper, we were supposed to get destroyed last night...
10 point dogs in Arizona — probably we’ll be 8 point dogs in N. O.
Martin vs. Godfrey
Both played out of position in the secondary but when Martin plays in his original spot he beasts! Maybe Godfrey will do good too?
by chinchillas sword on Nov 2, 2009 12:37 PM EST reply actions
Very optimistic....
and very superstitious, I believe the Panthers did indeed exorcise a demon yesterday and that some ebb & flow is due to strike the Saints. I agree with everyone, we need to control the clock & run the ball to have a shot. If the Saints do get ahead, I hope Davidson won’t panic and will stick with the run and put the onus on our D to create some turnovers to get us back in it. Meeks system really seems to be kicking in instinctively now with the players.
The Sound of Silence
No mention of the Panthers’ win this week in Peter King’s column. But, it’s okay… because he devoted a paragraph to Joseph Addai completing an option pass. That’s more important than a mirror image game from the playoffs last year, that’s for sure.
Most agregiously he awarded his personal defensive player of the week award to: Aubrayo Franklin, NT, San Francisco.
His stats? 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL
Peppers’ stats? 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 INT for TD
Martin’s stats? 4 tackles, 2 INT
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Some King quotes on the panthers in his MMQB
“d. And in the category of Best Performance By a Running Back in a Game No One Saw, the nominees are: Chris Johnson, Tennessee, for his 24-carry, 228-yard game against Jacksonville; Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville, for his 177-yard performance with a sick 22.1-yard average carry; DeAngelo Williams, Carolina, for his 158 yards in an upset of the Cardinals; and Steven Jackson, for his 149-yard day against Detroit in the Rams’ first win in a year. The envelope, please … And the winner — Chris Johnson.”
“d. The Panthers obviously had the game in Arizona circled on the calendar for months, because they came out and played like it was a playoff game.”
“i. Now that’s the way to make big plays, Julius Peppers.”
He did mention the Panthers, just not much.
Fair enough
I was filled with rage over the defensive player of the week snubs that I missed those last page references.
Thanks
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Don't get me started on King...
I think King spends his time writing where the money is – the large-market teams, the traditional powers – He of Ohio State and New York market liniage. The only time there is anything of substance written by him about the Panthers it is a negative story (see “Smith”, “Punching” or “Peppers”, “Over-rated”). When the Panthers are doing something positive, it is mostly silence or indifference (or a footnote, as in this week’s MMQB). i have never read a sports writer with such obvious man-crushes on Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as King has displayed.
I honestly think the Panthers style of football – field-position and ball-control, bores him. “Nothing to see here, move along…”
Now Dr. Z, THAT’S a write who could respect the grit a team like the Panthers displayed…!
i disagree
i think it’s not all about big markets as it is his friends. he’s been around a long time so he spends more time covering players for agents who are his friends, and he draws more interest for teams owned or coached by his friends. Okay, maybe I don’t disagree, I’m just adding to it. The more I read his stuff, the more irritating it gets. But when you look at the fine fifteen, you see other teams with the same record as the Panthers. A win is a win, and we could surprise the Saints next week. I think the key is to stop their run first, not Drew Brees, but when Brees drops back to pass, we have to hit him hard with 2 or 3 guys blitzing at a time.
Not convinced at all...
The Panthers got out to a big lead and happened not to blow it entirely. The second half was ugly overall, we couldn’t put the ball in the end zone, and we got lucky Warner pulled a Jake and tossed it to the wrong team so much. This Panthers team will do what it always does after a good season, it’ll have a mediocre season, not bad enough to get rid of the head coach and start over again, but not good enough to get into the playoffs. One day I’d like to see back to back winning seasons from this team, Atlanta appears to have figured it out, why cant we? ITIS what ITIS.
Welcome to the blog spcostne
Sorry we couldn’t instill just a little optimism in you but hang around and will give it another go later ;)
Cheers!
I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com
Cmon now man.
Those 5 interceptions didn’t catch themselves. Give us some credit.
"Once again the trousers of evil are yanked down by the mocking hands of justice!"-Revshawn
They finally decided to bounce our way this game
Lets keep this up. : )
by Flowing Willow on Nov 2, 2009 2:02 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe Martin got a gift on his 2nd
But I saw some serious athleticism on the 1st one… AND with Pep picking his out of the air after being on the ground… AND with TD wrestling one out of the receivers hands. The 2008 Panthers defense would NOT have had 5 INTs yesterday.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Once the Saints mop the floor with ATL
They will only be one game ahead of Carolina. Turner is running on fumes and their secondary is struggling. I’m not sure that classifies as having “figured it out”.
The Panthers 2nd half was by design. Fox never keeps loading on points. He takes a lead then tries to chew the clock up. Maybe you don’t like the philosophy, but it had little to do with playing poorly.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Nov 2, 2009 2:02 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Think of it...
…as the turtle and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race.
New Orleans...
will most likely be a better gauge of where the Panthers stand especially if they have to pass more. However, if they are able to run at will and the defense looks as stout as they did against the Cardinals…who knows we may still be questioning the passing attack.
One pessimistic addition…They only let Moore throw one pass the entire time he was in. I know Fox was playing it safe but they could have at least let him air it out on a short route or something at least one more time to see what gives. Oh well…maybe some other time.
When Moore came in it was a 10 point game. No way am I risking another pass when he overthrew Barnidge out of bounds on his one attempt.
I understand what you’re saying, and I would agree with you 100% if we were still up by 21 at that time, but 10 was a little close for comfort without two major pass catching threats in Muhammad and Rosario on the field.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Losing to the Saints, potentially the best team in the league, doesn’t mean much
They are very convincingly beating very good teams. Our problem now is not how good we are, but that we botched up the beginning of the season so bad, that even a really good team would have trouble recovering from it.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
However, given how things have gone, ST...
…it seems clear we lost a game we shouldn’t have (i.e., vs. Buffalo). So, winning a game we shouldn’t (i.e., vs. New Orleans) could help offset that and re-balance the season again. It’s all in the Panthers hands. Given how the defense is playing…and particularly the secondary vs. a potent passing attack like Arizona’s, I’m really interested in seeing what they do against Drew Brees. This will be the litmus test for the whole rest of the season. They win this one, they may have turned the corner. They lose this one and the season is likely lost as well.
But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil
Even if we beat the Saints
We have to follow that by going 8 games with only 1 or 2 losses. That to me sounds almost impossible… especially for a team that still doesn’t have much of a passing game.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
It's very tall order, indeed...
…but let’s look at the Panthers remaining schedule and play the what-if game in the most optimistic view possible:
CAR @ NO – Say we build on the momentum from ARZ and win this one, too.
ATL @ CAR – For revenge and a division rival, let’s say we win at home.
MIA @ CAR – We’ve seen the wildcat in preseason, so let’s say we win again.
CAR @ NYJ – The Jets are fading fast. This could be a winnable game.
TB @ CAR – We get them at home and take them to task again. Another win.
CAR @ NE – This could be a decisive game. Hard to win. But do-able.
MIN @ CAR – Will they have anything left to play for? Maybe. A likely loss.
CAR @ NYG – The Giants don’t look as frightening anymore. Maybe we win.
NO @ CAR – If they’ve locked up the division, they may not play the starters. Win?
The bottom line is that the Panthers control their own destiny. There are 3-4 likely losses in the remaining schedule. The other outcomes are more unknown. The good news is that some of our likely losses (i.e., Minnesota, New York Giants, and New Orleans) come late in the season when those teams will probably have locked up everything they need for their playoff seeding. So they could be resting their starters and trying to avoid further injuries. Carolina could catch a break from that.
Still, we’d need to beat New Orleans this week, take down Atlanta (so we split with them), and get past a string of good-but-not-great teams in Miami, New York Jets, and New England. That’s a brutal schedule. But, we did have the benefit of already playing Atlanta…and we saw Miami and the New York Giants in the preseason…so hopefully, we’ll know how to better prepare for them.
Also, this team has the potential to start turning things around. From the coaches to the players, they’ve started figuring themselves out. The Arizona win could be a turning point that enables them to go on a run. And, if they win these next few games and build both confidence and momentum, that could carry them a long way through the remainder of the season. What have they got to lose? No one expects them to pull off such a comeback season anyway. And, generally, the Panthers have always played better in that role.
So let’s see what happens with New Orleans next week…and how they come out of the short week of preparation following the Monday night game against Atlanta. They may just expend themselves against the Falcons and make an easier target for us. And if that allows us to win, it could start building a storm of confidence going forward. But we’ll have to see…
Just an unlikely two-cents,
—Neil
Love the optimism Neil... LOVE IT
Seriously, what a friggin story it would be if the Panthers finished 10-5, 11-5 or 12-4
It would be amazing.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Looking at the remaining scheule
I think it would be totally possible for the Panthers to be riding a 6 game winning streak and travel to New England with an 8-4 record. If that was to be the case they could conceivably be in the hunt for the NFC south too. Depending on the outcome of tonight’s game and next weeks Saints game, the panthers could only trail NO by 2 games with a home match up left and the tie breaker.
In my view, that NE game is the toughest remaining on the schedule. So i’m optimistic — shout out to some awesome D for that!
This is kinda what I had in mind.....
As per Gantt
“As good a day as he(Delhomme) had, there is a reality underlying the Panthers passing game. Against New Orleans, you’re probably going to have to complete a pass in the second half. That’s right, the Panthers were 0-for-6 passing after halftime. Helps being up 28-7 at the break and running for 270, but there are still strides to be made.”
After watching Michael Turner nearly walk through this Saints defense, I think Stewart is in for a big game, as well as Williams. Obviously, they’re going to defend against the pass much more vs ATL than they would for Carolina but they still best work on their run stopping all week.
Personally...
I think the Panthers need to work on their passing game vs. New Orleans, because the Saints will stack the line much like Arizona did. Only, I believe New Orleans’ run defense has more credibilty than the Cardinals (despite their #1 ranking when we played them). If we come out and run-on-1st, run-on-2nd, and fail to connect on a pass-on-3rd-and-long to go three-and-out, we’ll be in for a long day. Instead, if we can use the pass (while they’re playing off our receivers) in quick slants, smoke routes, etc. it will help set up the run. And, if we can get decent protection to pull off some play-action passing, that would do wonders, too.
Also, Carolina’s going to need to deal with crowd noise in the dome. So they need to hit some big plays and get off to a fast start on the scoreboard to nullify that. If I were the Panthers, I’d also work with Jake on changing his routine at the line to do some hard counts and take the Saints’ defense out of rhythm. And Jake’s got to do a good job of looking off Darren Sharper in the secondary. Otherwise, we could see INTs going the other way again. And he can’t hold onto the ball too long or those Saints’ D-linemen will be on him and forcing fumbles if he’s not careful.
Basically, to me, the New Orleans game has to be about controlling the clock and minimizing the number of touches for Drew Brees and the Saints’ offense. So that means our offense really has to step up their play again. I don’t think we’ll be able to control the clock with our running game right away (unless the Panthers’ O-line just has a field day). I’m especially worried we’ll be without Brad Hoover and possibly Tony Fiammetta. That means our RBs might not see the same lead-blocking they’ve enjoyed so far. So, again, I think a decent passing game will help loosen up the Saints’ run defense. This also might be an opportunity to exercise a speed back like Mike Goodson (carrying the ball and catching out of the slot) and see what he brings to the table. Ditto on the TEs over the middle.
But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil
Sorry, but i disagree on the needing to pass to open the run.
that’s what has gotten us in to troubles in our losses, not playing to our strengths. How in the world do we not run the ball against the last place rush defense in Buffalo? I say keep the ball on the ground as much as possible and shove it down the saints throat.
I know it's gotten us in trouble in the past...
…but, I just think the wheels could come off early if the running game fails us against the Saints. I’m not saying we don’t run it, though. Don’t misunderstand me. We should run it against them a lot. But, initially, in the early going, I think we may need to soften them up with the pass so they don’t crowd the line of scrimmage. Unlike Arizona, I anticipate New Orleans will give us more problems in the running game. I still think we can run successfully on them. But I think we’ve got to mix things up with the pass a little more.
As for the Buffalo game, though…I totally agree. How we got to 44 passes and 25 rushes in that game is just ridiculous. I still think we need to run more than pass against the Saints, too. But only after we take advantage of them a bit in the passing game for over-committing to the run.
But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil
I think what it is going to be key this weekend
Is whether Brad Hoover will or will not be able to play. We’ve seen how average our run game can be without him in the lineup.
by SmithnCompany on Nov 3, 2009 6:41 PM EST up reply actions
I really can’t agree with the Saints run defense having credibility, since they haven’t played a good running team all season. Hell, last night, Turner on fumes gave them fits.
by SlayerGhaleon on Nov 3, 2009 9:59 AM EST up reply actions
Turner on fumes is still Turner
A bruising back with a bright future ahead of him in his current situation. It may not be a long future with them running the wheels off of him (Norwood being out and all) but the man can play.
That said, we have the advantage in Carolina of having two backs that are workhorses, and we can rotate them out and keep them fresh. If they can’t stop a gassed Turner, they are going to have problems with a similar back who is running on a full tank by the name of Jonathan Stewart. After he bruises them down, D-Lo will clean up on big runs.
Let's see, so far...
…the New Orleans Saints have faced:
Detroit (meh)
Philadelphia (not a power running team)
Buffalo (meh)
New York Jets (Thomas Jones is somewhat impressive)
New York Giants (Brandon Jacobs is the real deal)
Miami (the wildcat has plenty of RBs to try and stop)
Atlanta (Michael Turner ran well, but the Falcons still lost)
So, I think they’ve faced some decent running teams and RBs so far. They’ve capably limited their opponents. But, admittedly, the scoring machine of the Saints often has other teams playing from behind against them, so the run might not get as strongly featured.
Granted, Michael Turner had the best outing against them, but it wasn’t enough for Atlanta to pull out the win. It’ll be really interesting to see how well they handle our O-line and RBs…who fared well against them last year. Unfortunately, this is a new season with a new attitude on both teams. So I don’t think I put much stock in how we played them a season ago. Also, it looks like we could be without Brad Hoover (the best blocking FB in the league right now, IMO) and if he can’t comeback from his injury maybe even Muhsin Muhammad (the best blocking WR in the league). If we have to go with Jeff King and Gary Barnidge as our lead-blocking FB, I’m not sure I have as much confidence in the running game this go-around for the Panthers. Thus, we may have to turn to our passing game a little more…and doubly so if our defense can’t hold Brees and company in check.
—Neil
+1
Brandon Jacobs is the impressive one on that list. They held him in check, and I think he is the scariest power runner in the league.
And...
…you can pencil in Michael Turner as pretty high on that list, too. He had more success against the Saints than Jacobs, but I think that’s because the Saints had to honor the passing game with Matt Ryan, Tony Gonzalez, and Roddey White.
So, to draw a comparison between the Giants, Falcons, and Panthers, we need to make sure we can threaten them in the passing game or they’ll likely handle us as easily as the Giants. Meanwhile, if we can bring some kind of passing threat, that (combined with a good performance by our defense) could give us more of a chance to win.
Jacobs, as powerful as he is, has been held in check decently throughout this season. He’s averaging 3.9yds per carry coming off of two back-to-back 5yd/carry seasons. Bradshaw has stolen some of the limelight with a 5.3 average thus far (the same as he ended last year).
The Giants haven’t exactly played the toughest of schedules either, which leaves me really surprised that Jacobs hasn’t produced more.
Jacobs is running kind of tentatively this year
He’s a big reason for the Giants struggles.
by Flowing Willow on Nov 5, 2009 8:25 AM EST up reply actions
A more outstanding example of what Ron Meeks can bring to a defense you will likely never see. Everything he preaches was shown in this game.
Defensive line causing havoc: Peppers with a great veteran read of Warner for the pick six, and Charles Johnson making one of several tipped passes leading to the Thomas Davis INT.
Swarming to the ball: You wanna know how Sherrod Martin got his two picks? This is why. The first was not only due to him making an outstanding read on the ball in the air, but also because Richard Marshall was within one foot of Fitzgerald the whole way, forcing Warner to overthrow. Great effort all around there.
On his second, if you watch it, you’ll see five guys in the direct vicinity of the catch, and one of them(Chris Gamble) makes a great timely hit to jar the ball loose, and Martin is the guy who’s right there to get the ball.
Really, I cannot say enough about the outstanding effort put in by the defense here. A++
I still don't understand why Johnson is not starting
The guy just makes plays. What does Brayton have on him?
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Brayton gives way on passing downs
It’d be interesting to have a count of how many snaps each is in for — I’d guess it’s about even. They each have their strong points. And even though Warner was scrambling on the pass play on which he was run down by Pep, it was Brayton who was right in the right spot to fall on the fumble — not sure Johnson would’ve pursued to that extent, and been there.
Panthers or Falcons
With my crystal ball I cannot see either team beating the SAINTS this season.
WHDAT TB= 2 14 Cats= 8 8 Falcons 9 7
Oh Man, I want to be in that number; when the SAINTS go marching in!!! WHODAT
Very true... the Saints will take the division
Maybe even sweep all division games. However a quick post season would be typical. Saints will go the way of the 2008 Titans or Panthers… maybe even getting beat by the Panthers or Falcons.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Oh Yea
SAINTS 15 – 1…..
Oh Man, I want to be in that number; when the SAINTS go marching in!!! WHODAT
That will depend on how the Panthers defense plays, in my opinion. If Brees gets the Warner treatment and hands the ball over too many times, I don’t think Bush, Thomas, nor Bell are capable of carrying a run game.
I’ll hope we test your 6th ranked run D as we did Arizona’s 1st.
The key will be Hoover
Our run game succeeds with him leading through the hole, not so much when he’s out.
Hope his ankle mends fast.
+1
…but I expect Hoover will miss this game. So the question becomes how quickly Fiammetta can heal from his concussion…and whether he can step up his game and perform at the same level as Hoover.
I look for Jeff King to be the FB if Hoover's out
He’s the best TE at blocking, and it would allow a 3TE set, which might present match-up problems for the Saints, as any of the 3 could catch a pass (I’m assuming here that Rosario returns.) And, considering the number of times when Hoover has been the screen outlet for Jake (and most times, he’s dropped it!), I think that would work to perfection with big King’s sure-handedness an improvement.
It pains me to see Fiammetta back there, unable to move anybody on a rush. He’s so far been ineffective as a blocker.
If there's one guy I think could help the Panthers offense...
…I think it might be Mike Goodson. The guy has a tendency to not always follow his lead blocker and uses his speed to get to the outside edge and make things happen. So, the FB almost becomes a decoy for LBs to follow while Goodson squirts out in a different direction and sprints downfield. I doubt Fox and the coaching staff will employ him that way, though. But, to me, I’d say what have you got to lose? If Hoover and Fiammetta both can’t go…and you’re relying on slow-footed Jeff King to be your lead-blocker, I’d like to see them gamble a bit with these younger guys and see what they can bring.
After all, it’s not like opponents had a lot of game film to study Sherrod Martin’s closing speed and tackling. And look what he did last Sunday. Goodson has been featured a time or two in the offense, but never for sustained work in the regular season. I’d like to see the Panthers throw a wrinkle into their game plan by using Goodson at RB and as a slot WR against the Saints. I don’t think they’d be able to prepare for him, as well. And, the guy’s got such big play ability that he might help the Panthers get out to some early scores and put pressure on New Orleans. I think that kind of early lead is what helped a lot against Arizona last week, as well.
But anyway…just another two-cents,
—Neil
But it will likely be too late (game already out of reach)
By the time Mike Goodson gets a handful of touches.
by SmithnCompany on Nov 3, 2009 6:43 PM EST up reply actions
Correct me if I'm wrong...
But doesn’t the NFL have a policy which started this season that if a player leaves a game as a result of a concussion they must miss a minimum of two games.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I don't think so...
I’ve not seen anything like that. Here’s a recent article (from Oct. 29, 2009) where Goodell talked with a congressional panel about the NFL’s concussion management. Generally, some people are urging players to be held out 10 days before getting back on the field. Others trim it to 7 and some to 5. But it varies. Nowhere have I seen a minimum of 2 full games, though. That’s a pretty long time.
Hmmm maybe it's just proposed then
Yeah, I thought it was a long time too… but there is a lot of evidence to support giving a person 2-3 weeks to fully monitor their brain after a concussion.
It’s amazing how much medicine still doesn’t know about the long term effects of concussions.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Correct me if I'm wrong...
But doesn’t the NFL have a policy which started this season that if a player leaves a game as a result of a concussion they must miss a minimum of two games.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I have respect for the Saints
particularly Darren Sharper, who is having a pro bowl season. But you Bayou Boys should know not to count your chickens before they hatch.
Historically, Panthers v. Saints brings close games and tough losses. You know you’re in for a fight.
Without a doubt
A fight is correct…yea I know …its always that way…..But I can DREAM…lol. On any given Sunday. The Panthers and for that matter the Falcons always play us tough….It will be a hard fought game…Good luck to you guys!
WHODAT
Oh Man, I want to be in that number; when the SAINTS go marching in!!! WHODAT
Where were you last year, when you got swept by Carolina ;)
Until you take care of business on Sunday… Carolina OWNS you!
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
southtunnel
Crying in my beer since 11-1-66 This might be our YEAR though. And fighting with my Son In Law whom is a Panthers fan.
WHODAT
Oh Man, I want to be in that number; when the SAINTS go marching in!!! WHODAT
It probably us your YEAR
How bout we trade you Jake, Smith and Peppers, for Drew Breez and Colston? I know Fox/Hurney would never do that… but I think I might!
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
"On paper we should get destroyed by the Saints"
Question…Are we not the SAME team that beat this SAME (except for Darren Sharper and DC Greg Williams) Saints team 30-7 last year in BOA, and again in a game that was really never in doubt in NO?
The “On paper” assessment is false. It reminds me of what an ignorant, large market bias, 300+ ypg quarterback jock-sniffing national media would say about this game. I can already hear it:
“New Orleans by four touchdowns! Drew Brees! Undefeated! Unbalanced passing attack! Why don’t they just go watch Arena Football? The Saints play a style of football that is as soft as babysh!t, if you ask me.
You want to win New Orleans? Nut-up, grow a running game. Unfortunately I am probably in the minority here but no way in hell would I trade Drew Brees for Double Trouble. In the right situation, as he is in now with his coaching staff and continuity, Kyle Orton, I mean Drew Brees, is a dime a dozen, (okay he’s a little better than that).
You will be pleasantly surprised next week when we physically dominate an offensive line that prefers to retreat like Frenchmen at the snap of the ball. A team that cannot win without 250+ yards from an unathletic, tragically immobile guy that stands in one place and throws the ball to overrated, overly-dependent receivers that can be stopped with a dominating pass-rush, which we have right now, can and will be physically dominated by a team that plays smash-mouth football, as we do.
We proved that last year against these Saints, and proved it again yesterday against Warner, who is the epitome of what I despise in the NFL. He is marginal at best. Any kind of pressure and he falls apart, completely. Remember when he was a NY Giant? Yeah, well they decided that Eli Manning as a rookie gave them a better chance to win. Enough about Warner. But Brees is only slightly more mobile/able to make plays on his own.
Speaking of the Giants, remember the 2007 NY Giants? They proved that a pass-rush beats a goofy flat-footed QB against an “unstoppable 18-0 Tom Brady” in the Superbowl.
New Orleans is going to get physically dominated Sunday
Did I not follow the 'on paper' statement with 'luckily though; football is played on a field, not on paper'?
In the future, please read an entire column before labeling me something I’m not.
In my opinion, it’s extremely shortsighted to call the 2009 Saints the same team as 2008 but with Darren Sharper and Greg Williams.
Offense 2008
- Passing: 1st in NFL
- Rushing: 28th in NFL
Offense 2009
- Passing: 6th in NFL
- Rushing: 3rd in NFL
Defense 2008
- Passing: 23rd in NFL
- Rushing: 17th in NFL
Defense 2009
- Passing: 16th in NFL
- Rushing: 6th in NFL
That’s a little more than a DB and DC difference in my book.
I’m all for optimism, but I don’t think for a second this game is going to be a cakewalk like you’re making it appear. The Saints are a very, very good team; possibly the best in the league and we will have to fight tooth and nail for the win.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
We need to see the Saints do it for a whole season. I don’t see where anyone was labeled anything, that certainly was not the intention in the comment, my point is the Saints have been beaten physically, very much like what happened yesterday to Arizona. I enjoyed your post, just think that even on paper we are the better team. Just haven’t put it all together until now. Playing a similar schedule to them last year, the 12-4 against 8-8, and two wins head-to-head I think goes a long way into our teams confidence coming in to the week.
by ERL on Nov 2, 2009 8:18 PM EST up reply actions
No harm, no foul. I thought when you said:
’The "On paper" assessment is false. It reminds me of what an ignorant, large market bias, 300+ ypg quarterback jock-sniffing national media would say about this game."
You were referring to me.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Personally...
I think the Saints are a much different team this year. Not only in the defensive improvements they’ve made and their newfound rushing attack. But it’s a change in attitude. They’re undefeated 7 games into the season. That doesn’t happen often for them. A lot of people expected them to play this well last year, but something just fell apart for them. They seem to be putting everything together this season.
Meanwhile, the Panthers have had the exact opposite happen to them. We had a great year last year (surprisingly so to many) and people expected even greater things of us this season. And instead, we’ve really fallen apart at the seams. Only now are things starting to gel a little bit…mostly on defense. But the special teams are improving at a glacial pace, still. And the offense is still rather Jekyll-and-Hyde right now. It all depends on the playcalling, Jake’s confidence, and the O-line’s performance in opening holes for the RBs. We’ve got to have a perfect storm for all those things to come together to beat the Saints. And even then, we may need to put a hex on Drew Brees so he has an off-day to further aid us.
But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil
Moving at a glacial pace, maybe, not necessarily improving
The improvement has come from the absence of negatives: no fumbles on returns, no missed FG’s, no blocked punts, no kicks returned for TD’s. But our kick coverage still stinks. Our D has scored 2 safeties this year, and is built to contain and attack when the opposition’s offense is backed up. Even when it’s not a safety, we gain advantage in the field position game-within-a-game.
But when our kick return team lets the opponent start at their (average) 32 yd line, we’re already at a disadvantage there.
Agreed...
But I’m going to measure the absence of turnovers and giving up big play TDs on runbacks as “improvement” for now. They still have coverage issues. At least the tackling is starting to improve a bit, though. Mostly, I think that’s because the Panthers have started using some of the defensive starters (like Chris Harris and Richard Marshall) on special teams. I think they’re at a point where they need to do that. Sure, it’s taking a risk on a defensive starter getting injured in a collision or something…but they run that risk on every play anyway. If they’re good special teamers or tacklers, use them. Because that helps the defense anyway by limiting an opponent’s starting field position.
But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil
Saints???
I actually believe if we are hitting on all cylinders when we play N.O. we can beat them. We would have to perform as well as we did yesterday or maybe a little better but it can be done. We have got to be better mentally prepared than they are, so the coaches need to get on the ball.
southtunnel
To that trade…….ahhhhhhhh NO!! LOL
Oh Man, I want to be in that number; when the SAINTS go marching in!!! WHODAT
Panther Fans
You all might want to watch how the SAINTS dimantle those birds tonight…….like homework…so you all can make plans for next week. I know on any given Sunday…or Monday for that matter.
WHODAT
Oh Man, I want to be in that number; when the SAINTS go marching in!!! WHODAT
If New Orleans lost they're starting center...
…it looks like Jamar Nesbit would fill in. Presumably, the Saints will be fine. But if that kind of change leads to a fumbled exchange at the line, that could certainly aid Carolina. I’m also curious what kind of changes it could cause in their blocking, if any.
Panthers
I was really surprised to see the Panthers doing so well this Sunday against the Cardinals. I will be honest.. I was prepared to turn the tv off halfway through the game to tune into another but they played so well I was engrossed. I can’t wait to watch them next week, I think this game gave them the much needed morale to do well in coming games. www.thetrademarkcompany.com
D-Ranger
We hope our center is alright also….May I say waht a classy Panthers Fan!!!!!
Good Luck next week
WHODAT
Oh Man, I want to be in that number; when the SAINTS go marching in!!! WHODAT
Welcome to the blog, WhoDatOne...
I think you’ll find this whole blog keeps things classier than most. We hope our team wins obviously. But it’s also very impressive how the Saints have started off their season. The Panthers will have a major challenge in front of them. In many ways, I think Carolina could benefit from watching the game film of Monday night against the Falcons. Michael Turner gashed you guys pretty good. Our O-line and RBs will be looking to take advantage of any perceived weakness there. And defensively, the Falcons blitzed Brees a lot more than usual. I’m curious to see what kind of strategy the Panthers employ in trying to contain him.
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