Panther Paw Prints - Preseason Week 3 Edition
by Jaxon on Aug 25, 2009 12:08 PM EDT
27 comments
This weeks edition of Paw Prints starts with our least favorite topic: injuries and what is being done to deal with them. As you know the Panthers signed former Saints S Kevin Kaesviharn, who thinks he can still play at a high level at age 33. If anything he should proof a quick study given his knowledge of the division.
Minutes: Defensive injuries spur shuffle
"I like to think that I can still play," said Kaesviharn. "I want to come out here and prove that -- not just to myself, but to everyone else." "We think can step in and help us," Fox added. "He's got some catching up to do but he's proven he can play, and we'll take a good look at him here moving forward."
- LB Dan Conner may be young and inexperienced but the 'tackling machine' appears mentally ready to man the 'mike' LB position:
Connor the center of attention
"There's pressure to come in there and try to fill a huge void," Connor said. "Jon's not only a great player, but a great leader, so it's big shoes to fill. But I'm looking forward to it. "It's a chance to prove myself to this city and the NFL. It's a good opportunity for me."
- Okay now I'm getting a little worried about Jonathan Stewart's Achilles:
Panthers-Dolphins one-liners | ProFootballTalk.com
Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart went through pregame warmups in uniform, but his Achilles' tendon injury forced him to the sideline for the game.
- Hopefully we've seen the worst of the return game:
Panthers good, bad in loss to Dolphins
All three of Carolina's punt returners were part of at least one fumble or muff apiece during the game as Munnerlyn fumbled in the second quarter.
- RB DeAngelo Williams is ready for the season even if he doesn't see another snap in preseason:
Panthers: What we learned from training camp - Sports - The State
Best of the bunch Running back DeAngelo Williams, who had a breakout season in 2008, has not missed a beat. He has looked sharp since he took his first snap in the first practice.
- Still no word on signing a DT but a lot of speculation is tied to the Chiefs Glen Dorsey:
Darin Gantt's Panthers Blog | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC
The Vikings have perhaps the league's best line. Tonight's opponent, Kansas City, is shifting from a 4-3 to a 3-4 (like both the Packers and Browns) and some odd parts are bound to shake out.
Could we even afford Dorsey and isn't je just a 2nd year player? Hardly the 'seasoned vet' everyone thinks we need.
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I don’t see why they’d move Dorsey this soon after drafting him, even with the switch to the 3-4. If we can get him at a reasonable cost, then I’d be all for it. Don’t think it’ll happen though.
by bravesfan91 on Aug 25, 2009 12:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Even if the Chiefs did decide to move him
what would the price be? Could the Panthers even afford it? Probably not. It seems to be a pipe dream.
I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com
by Jaxon on Aug 25, 2009 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Peppers said he wants to play in a 3-r
And he’d be a better fit there than Dorsey right? Make the trade Furney! Even without a pick, we can use the cap space to add depth.
I think we could collectively make a better GM than Hurney ;)
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Aug 25, 2009 2:32 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
* 3-4
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Aug 25, 2009 2:33 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
makes since
that’s one of the better ideas I’ve heard in awhile.
by LittleKing on Aug 25, 2009 3:12 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
So...
…you’re interested in trading away our best edge rusher to gain a dubious “space-eater” in the middle? I don’t see it happening.
1) I don’t think the Chiefs can afford Peppers’ salary…
2) The Chiefs aren’t high on Peppers’ list of teams he’d like to play for…and,
3) We still need him. He’s our most capable pass-rusher even if he isn’t full-throttle all the time. To trade him for Dorsey would be trading one major defensive problem for another. And there aren’t any good DEs out there as a replacement for Peppers.
As for all of us collectively making a better GM than Hurney…no. I disagree. Fans make knee-jerk reactions to everything. Hurney has done very well these past couple of seasons (both in the draft and in making trades).
But that’s just my four-cents,
—Neil
by NSpicer on Aug 26, 2009 7:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dorsey probably isn't the best answer
But more of the point was to clear the cap to add depth. What is better a sack and maybe a turn over from Pep each game? Or more beef in the middle and line depth for the next injury?
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Aug 26, 2009 11:11 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
I'd also like to put out that we don't need a space eater IF
we get penetration. If we pentrate and hit them in the backfield, we don’t need a big guy in the middle. And the threat of penetration will keep the O-line from going all out on a block, meaning our smallish guys could hold at the point of attack better.
by Flowing Willow on Aug 27, 2009 2:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But getting penetration...
…usually starts with a strong push up the middle. Edge-rushers have a much longer way to go. And if you keep cheating up LBs or safeties to try and rush a gap, opposing offenses can adjust to that by keeping a RB in to block and then the QB picks apart your secondary by hitting quick slants or TEs over the middle.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is that strategy can get us killed just as quickly as being unable to take on blocks with our DTs against the run. And, if Jon Beason is saying we “definitely” need to sign a space-eater to replace Kemo, because he and the rest of the defense will benefit from it, I’m going to take him at his word that it’s the single most important thing the front office needs to focus on right now. And I think that’s exactly what Hurney’s doing. They recognize that they can’t get penetration with a strong push up the middle. And they can’t get a strong push without some really big DTs.
Now having said that, there is one method an undersized D-line can use to disrupt a running game. And that’s the cut-blocking employed by the Denver Broncos several years ago. The same coordinators and coaches landed in Atlanta for a stint using that technique, too. A lot of offensive linemen hate that type of blocking because it can lead to more knee injuries for them. And D-linemen have to execute it just right or they can be flagged for chop-blocking if one of them hits high while the other hits low on an engaged O-lineman. I’m not sure if Meeks is prepared to run such a system, though. He played with undersized DTs with the Colts for several years. So, presumably, he can make his system work for us if he has to…
Even so, I think they want to find a space eater, because it’s a much better solution.
But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil
by NSpicer on Aug 27, 2009 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah that was a pretty big if
My point was without blitzing (although more of that would be nice) and just using the front four, if the DT’s get inside penetration, which was a weakness last year, then we don’t need a big guy. A bug guy makes that a lot easier though.
by Flowing Willow on Aug 29, 2009 6:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well...
I see your point. But, Meeks prefers to blitz with just his down linemen. Same goes for Fox, actually, as that’s what we’ve been doing for awhile now. To effectively pull off a blitz using just the D-line, you’ve got to have really good edge-rushers, though. And I mean really good. Like Pro-Bowl good.
Do we have that? I’d say sometimes we do…i.e., when Peppers is on his game. And back when Rucker was in his prime and working with Julius, we had that on the other side, too. But now, even when Peppers is on his game, we don’t have anyone on the other side to consistently complement him. And it’s hurt us for the past couple of years now as our defense has gone downhill from what it used to be.
So, to compensate, we need a push from the interior to collapse the pocket for Peppers and whoever lines up on the opposite end of the line. Unfortunately, without Kris Jenkins (even as divisive as he may have been), we really don’t have someone like that. Kemo isn’t a pass-rusher, after all. And Damione Lewis isn’t that good at it either. Instead, they’re primarily there to just anchor the line against the run. And the defense relies on Peppers and the committee at LDE to “get lucky” or “get good”…throughout the season.
I don’t think that strategy has paid off very well so far. Hence, the need for Everette Brown. And now, with the loss of Kemo, we have this HUGE need (that can’t be understated) to get someone back in the middle who can at least anchor the defense against the run and let Beason freelance. It’s the same strategy that allowed Ray Lewis to excel with the Baltimore Ravens for so long. He had HUGE space-eaters in front of him during his most productive years. Beason benefits from the same thing if Kemo is in there. Otherwise, he’ll have a FB or a pulling G in his face before he can close on the ball carrier.
That’s the big thing, really…our run defense. We’ve got to improve that…ASAP…with teams like the Eagles, Falcons, and Cowboys as our first three opponents. It won’t matter one bit what we have in terms of edge-rushing DEs if RBs like Westbrook, Turner, and Barber are running it right up the gut. And if we don’t address the DT problem in these next two weeks, we could be in serious trouble to start the season…not just from a W-L perspective…but also because of how quickly fan dissent will come down on this team given expectations and the lingering dissatisfaction with the abyssmal playoff performance agianst Arizona.
That’s how I see it at least,
—Neil
by NSpicer on Aug 29, 2009 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Marlon Favorite has done well in run defense
I see him as playing up to Kemo’s past gap-filling standards. Problem is, he’s only gotten in the game, so far, vs the opposition’s second-teamers. By the time he’s entered the game, Nick Hayden’s been pushed around by their starters, and the effect is that it looks like we’ve got no interior run defense.
I’d like to see Favorite get the chance to see what he could do against the Ravens’ starters. The Hayden experiment is over, IMO. He only got promoted last year, in game 16, because we had nobody else, and now he’s viewed as the incumbent, when in reality, he never should have been a #1 in the first place. Favorite is 25 lbs heavier, built lower to the ground (better leverage), and shows much better aggression and resistance.
I pointed this out to one of the Observer’s writers, and he replied that, IHO, we’d be acquiring a DT before the regular season begins.
Maybe so, but everything I’ve seen of Marlon Favorite so far has convinced me that he could be our starter (on 1st and second downs — which is all Kemo ever did, anyway) if given the chance, UDFA or not.
Keep an eye on #60 tonight when he’s in there, and see if I’m right.
by bigdavis on Aug 29, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree with Neil's 2 cents
What happens when they drop back to pass and the whole middle of the field is open? Plus Meeks doesn’t seem to keen on blitzing, or much of anything other than zone coverage.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Aug 27, 2009 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Affordability etc.
Wiki has his deal as five years, $51 million, with $23 million guaranteed. The trading team (Chiefs) would of course take an immediate salary cap hit for all the remaining signing bonus money not yet applied to the cap. That would leave just his base salary for the Panthers to cover. Still probably (a lot) more money than the Panther’s cap can handle.
What would the Chiefs get? Future draft picks, of course. Not sure what the Panthers have enough to offer there either…
If the Panthers think the Chiefs would cut Dorsey, then I don’t see why they would trade for him…
by TheMightyM on Aug 25, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Can't imagine they would cut...he has trade value at least
I blog the Carolina Panthers at www.catscratchreader.com
by Jaxon on Aug 25, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Now if the Bobcats would just go ahead and sign Iverson
Then maybe there is still a shot for us to watch some playoff games this year.
Could this be the year that the Bobcats out perform the Panthers? Hmmm sounds like a good FanPost.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Aug 25, 2009 3:26 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
you crazy
i say the panthers have more wins by christmas than the bob johnson cats. when they get a real point guard and a real center, we’ll be in for some wins. until then, okafor and wallace are a waste of great talent on losing teams.
by usana_gaines on Aug 25, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You haven't heard?
They traded Okafor for Tyson Chandler. Brown wanted a real center. Also, Bob’s trying to sell the team and Augustin is a real point guard. They were only 3 games out of the playoffs last year… you don’t think they could make it with Allen Iverson?
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Aug 25, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
no i haven't
i haven’t heard about the trade…i didn’t know we got chandler. i just had to look at the roster after your response, and it looks a lot better than the last time i looked at it. for the past couple years, i felt like we had a team good enough to be an 8th seed, and all that does is guarantee we don’t get a lottery pick. but you take the current roster with a HoF coach and add a little AI (my favorite player of all time), we could do some real damage. thanks for the update.
by usana_gaines on Aug 26, 2009 7:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
good call on the bobcats
ive been supporting them since 05 & i think this is finally the year to see them get to the playoffs. sometimes i wish larry brown would coach football
by D.W.G. on Aug 25, 2009 3:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I wish the Panthers had some of that Larry Brown defense
Bobcats nearly made the playoffs last year even though they were last in the league in scoring… Can you imagine what kind of defense you would have to have to do that in the NFL? So we got a football team that can’t defend and basketball team that can’t score.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Aug 25, 2009 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Trade Pep...
4 a first round bust? Yeah, the Panthers should hire u guys right now to take Hurney and Fox’s place.
by rawjem01 on Aug 25, 2009 4:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
he said us
so rawjem, you would be part of the collective job, too. i would leave the whole thing alone cuz i would’ve let pep walk. we could’ve signed haynesworth for less, and started him with brown and johnson as the starting DEs. obviously that’s worse than having pep still in carolina, but pep’s price is so hefty. if i was the gm, i would’ve kept jason carter and his drops, and found a way to trade jarrett for a last day pick, and just cut ryne robinson altogether.
by usana_gaines on Aug 25, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's more about the cap
Season hasn’t even started yet and we have already seen what can happen when you don’t have depth. But you might be right about Dorsey… he only had one sack in 08.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Aug 25, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Stop the Madness !!!! PLZ !!!!
Now stop with all the paniac and crazy posts already; Trading peppers is not going to happen b/c nobody can negotitate a new deal with him (including us) until after the 2009 season is over he is our problem until the end, and after the season he will walk period. Secondly we don’t have the personal or draft picks to acquire Dorsey from the Chiefs unless they simply wanted him gone for almost nothing (give him away is what I mean) which I doubt b/c they just got him in last year’s draft in the first round I believe. Either way this is getting funny, Godfrey hurt / Beason hurt / Kemo out for the year / whats next ?? Hey John Fox quiet risking our top players in games that mean nothing it is stupid, I know you want them to get active reps in a game situation but dang man wake up !!!! I must admit also that I know little to nothing about this new (FS) Kevin Kaesviharn but think it is a good move from a depth stand point b/c Wesley just switched to the FS or Safety spot last week and is still learning it, and Nate Salley your time is up; Fox and company closed the book on the mystery novel that is Nate Salley’s career as a Carolina Panther, simply put he is a draft bust and one that is note worthy is Carolina Panther history of drafts w/ such guys as Bruce Nelson, Kerry Colbert, possibly Dwayne Jarrett after this year, LOL; but he is still not the worst pick ever. Goodbye Salley we hardly new ya, and plz no crap about what a great special teams player he was b/c you can get UDFA to do that job, plus Colin Branch was a better player anyway and he is no longer in the league !! All in all I believe that we will make a trade after the Sat nite game this week or simply try to acquire two DT’s after the final roster cutdown to 53 players is made by all teams.
Go Panthers !!!
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Aug 26, 2009 1:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I just pray we don’t get DT’s Tim Anderson or bring back Darwin Walker !! No thank you !! Hurney don’t you dare !
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Aug 26, 2009 1:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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