NFL Network breaks down the NFC South.

The Panthers get chatted about a good deal. It's a good little piece about what's going on in our division. Worth a watch.

6 months ago Revshawn 31 comments 0 recs |

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That's funny...

…I was just watching that video last night.

They make some interesting points about how 3 of the 4 teams in the NFC South are adjusting their defense with new coordinators or coaches. I’m really interested to see how much Ron Meeks actually does tweak our schemes…and how much of it comes with John Fox’s blessing.

In addition, the talking heads are already beating their drums over the Panthers’ contract signing…not of Julius Peppers…but rather, Jake Delhomme! Get ready to hear that pop up all year long. And twice as much if Jake has another blow up game.

by NSpicer on May 26, 2009 7:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Who else...

were we supposed to bring in to challenge Jake, though? They sound like idiot message board fanboys with that half-analysis.

by MichaelProcton on May 26, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But why such a steep pricetag?

They should have been able to make the deal for much less. It’s not like he’s going anywhere anyways. What do they think he is going to play better cuz he got more???

on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city

by southtunnel on May 26, 2009 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think...

…in large part, the reason why Delhomme’s contract was maybe more than people expected, is because the Panthers organization typically rewards prior play/production as opposed to future play. It’s a loyalty thing to the veterans. If you produce, you’re rewarded on the other side of that. I’m not saying that justifies it. I just think it is what it is…

by NSpicer on May 27, 2009 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because it's not actually steep.

They were able to take his cap number down by more than 20% for this season, and over the remaining years of his contract, the average cap hit is only $6.58 million. Here are some of the awesome QBs we could have gotten for that kind of “steep pricetag”:
Brett Favre-$12 mil
Matt Hasselbeck-$10 mil
Alex Smith-$9.9 mil
David Garrard-$9.5 mil
Marc Bulger-$9 mil
Matt Schaub-$8.1 mil

by MichaelProcton on May 27, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very interesting facts there MP

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on May 29, 2009 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yup! I agree about Jake Delhomme.

I’m actually hoping that we get into the playoffs off a wildcard if Jake Delhomme continues to blow his games after his week off. We almost lost one to the Raiders when Jake tossed up 4 INT’s, and that was after the Bye week as well. I’m not going to call shenanigans on the Bye week, but it’s awful eerie that every time he comes back he throws up a bad game.

I’m more worried about Atlanta’s defense then I am their offense. They lost a good bit of their players, including two starters in Keith Brooking and Michael Boley, as well as some of their D-Line. They solved some of their problems in the draft, but I don’t see them getting any better this year. Sure they have the best offense in the league, but Matt Ryan is no Peytan Manning, at least not yet. They’re going to have to stop teams from roaring back, and the Panthers have a mighty big roar when they get fired up.

"Once again the trowsers of evil are yanked down by the mocking hands of justice!"-Revshawn

by Revshawn on May 26, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very good points Rev

I have the opposite take on the Wildcard/bye week theory. That when given an extra week to prepare our opponents are able to effectively out-coach us. Not that I like that theory, but it sure seemed like we got out-coached many times.

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on May 26, 2009 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Its a good piece

but I take issue with a couple things:
1 – That Tony Gonzales will put ATL over the top. The Falcons problems last season were more on defense than offense. Matt Ryan had plenty of targets, more so than the Panthers, given they had 3 effective WR’s. They needed more upfront so I think again they will struggle on defense as the season progresses. That said I think they are the only team that will challenge the Panthers division title
2- I don’t think Malcolm Jenkins at CB will have a huge impact on the Saints defense in 2009.
3 – That the Falcons are the team to beat. Is there another division winner out there getting any less respect? Geez, its getting annoying already.

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on May 26, 2009 9:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm with ya

It does seem like the Panthers win of the NFC South is viewed as an aberration. I can’t possibly see how the Falcons are the team to beat. I read somewhere (I think on yahoo.sports.com) that people were saying that the NFC South division title was “the Falcons’ to lose” this year.
As far as Atlanta goes, as you said Jaxon, it wasn’t an offensive issue. From the appearance of it, their defense is going to be really youthful. Whereas that’s not necessarily a bad thing—it’s a toss up of whether they’ll be good or not. With the addition of TG on offense, they certainly won’t have much issue with scoring. But unfortunately for them, I believe their defense will be the weakest link. The defensive scheme will need to be simplified to help with the acclimation of new players—and when a D-scheme is simplified, a smart O-coordinator will capitalize down the stretch.

I’m personally more worried about the Saints in terms of fighting for the division title again. Their explosive offense coupled with a better-than-average defense could do some real damage. Gregg Williams is a good D-coordinator and they’re getting 2 players back from injury (Grant & Ellis) that will contribute more. With the addition of M. Jenkins, I think their secondary will be ‘better’ but not a gigantic quantum leap forward.

by boywonderncsu on May 26, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know I have heard someone on NFLN say that ATL won the NFC South.

I think most sports analysts have forgotten that the Panthers won one more game than ATL. Or maybe they are so in love with the Falcons that they never realized it in the first place.

on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city

by southtunnel on May 26, 2009 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well...

…it’s not like we gave them anything to remember us by in our home playoff game…other than how badly Jake played, and how badly Fox and Co. got out-coached. So, it’s hard to blame them for forgetting us. In fact, I’d like to forget that game, too, if I could. :-[

by NSpicer on May 27, 2009 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

...and Atlanta was a rousing success?

by MichaelProcton on May 27, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

With a rookie QB...

…in his first playoff game ever, the Falcons gave the Cardinals a better game than we did. And that’s saying more about how poorly we played than how well the Falcons did.

by NSpicer on May 27, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually...

Jenkins was apparently flashing shutdown abilities in their early camps as an M2M corner. Maybe you’re right, but the transition’s moving well to this point.

On point 3, though, I couldn’t agree more…they were basically talking about the Falcons as if they were the defending division champs.

by MichaelProcton on May 26, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And also, on Jenkins...

it’s not like he should have a hard time being more effective than Randall Gay.

by MichaelProcton on May 26, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jenkins shutdown corner in mini-camp?

Uh-oh watch out Steve Smith! Psych…

by zrjohnso on May 26, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Please put Jenkins on Smitty

The we’ll see if he had shut down abilities. I agree with MP though that getting those DE’s back will be big for them Since we don’t play the Saints until mid season a lot can change before we see them.

Game 2 at ATL will be the BIG early season test as to who is the team to beat.

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on May 26, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That game

will set the tone for the season I bet.

by Flowing Willow on May 27, 2009 3:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What did he mumble about E. Brown?

by zrjohnso on May 26, 2009 9:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Just that he was insurance

in case Pep doesn’t return. As good as I hope Brown can and will be there is no way he will make a similar impact in ’09 as having Pep return, even if Pep is not happy about being here. Pep still has to play for a new contract.

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on May 26, 2009 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At least they seem confident he will play.

Wonder how long he will sit out camp though???

on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city

by southtunnel on May 26, 2009 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's got to play...

…if he wants to remain an unrestricted free agent, he has to play at least 6 games this season. Also, if he wants to establish that he really does deserve to be the highest paid defensive player in the league, he’s got to prove it all over again. Last year was a good “numbers year” for him, but a lot of those numbers came against some really sub-par competition. This season, given that we’re playing the 2nd toughest schedule in the league, should really give interested teams something to evaluate him on. And frankly, I expect they’ll come to the conclusion that he’s not worth what he’s asking…particularly if he plans on sliding back to play the OLB position in a 3-4 defense. That’s just not going to justify the money he wants…or the draft pick compensation the Panthers will seek as well.

Regardless, though…he’s got to play. And he’ll be well compensated for doing so once he signs the tender. I don’t expect Peppers to participate in the OTAs or possibly part or all of training camp, either. He doesn’t have to…so why risk injury? He constantly stays in great shape. He’ll probably be fresher for the season if he sits all that out. And that hopefully allows him to play incredibly well this season, at a time when he really needs to…

But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil

by NSpicer on May 27, 2009 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Saints may have that "big back" they were talking about already...

Not only has Pierre Thomas bulked up 10+ pounds (Beat writer Jeff Duncan believes Pierre Thomas is “primed for a big year” after the Saints’ flirtation with Beanie Wells and Edgerrin James “lit a fire” under him. The extra bulk Thomas is carrying has mostly been added to his legs, increasing his squats from 495 to 675 pounds this offseason. Thomas is said to be carrying himself with a “quiet confidence,” knowing that he’s ready for the challenge of being the Saints lead back), but they’ve also added on Heath Evans, Mike Bell, and PJ Hill, all of whom seem like good short-yardage backs.

by MichaelProcton on May 26, 2009 11:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thomas was impressive in '08

They were smart to draft for other needs as he could be a good RB in 09.

I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com

by Jaxon on May 26, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with the Thomas statement....

but everyone seems to forget the Panthers do better when we fly under the radar. After our Super Bowl, we collapsed. Conference championship appearance, collapse. I’d rather they hype the Falcons and eat crow when we are in the Super Bowl than having them hype us, then we collapse and everyone can say, “Oh, I guess the Panthers just don’t have it in them.”

by Flowing Willow on May 27, 2009 3:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You don't think that had anything to do with...

Losing Steve Smith and Kris Jenkins along with being down to our 5th-string RB in ’04, do you?

by MichaelProcton on May 27, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or...

Losing Delhomme for the last three games of ’06, when we went 1-2 and came up one game short of the playoffs. Or being without Smitty in an 0-2 start? Or losing Morgan, Wharton, and Hartwig within the first two weeks of the season?

by MichaelProcton on May 27, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ya got me thinkin'!

So I made a list. Check the FanPost to the right.

by r3 on May 27, 2009 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Injuries played a big part

but the trend is after we are hyped, we play poorly the next year. So lets fly under the radar and avoid both.

by Flowing Willow on May 28, 2009 3:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think that most people feel the Falcons got better in the off season...

While the Panthers stayed the same. We’ll see. I think that in a division were two of the three other teams like to pound the rock, a lot of concern has been made about the Panthers DT depth. The lack of roster turnover could certainly be a plus for the Panthers. Even with a new DC, we all know Fox runs the D. Good to have continuity. The Falcons are hoping for some…

"We're not maxed out, ... The best is still ahead of us."

Bobby Bowden

by NaGaNole on May 27, 2009 10:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs