Welcome to the next edition of Panther Paw Prints and unfortunately it revolves around another Panther loss. The sixth one against one win in 2010 to be exact. It's a said sate of affairs in Carolina and all be are left to do is again analyze what was a complete mess for the most part. The offense did nothing but turn the ball over early and often (4 turnovers) and another strong defensive effort was wasted.
The first link starts with a Report card on the loss. It appropriately gives everything related to the offense but also gives the coaching staff an undeserved pass:
Panthers Report Card - CharlotteObserver.com
B COACHING: Opening the game with a flea-flicker might have been the spark they needed. But when there was pressure and Moore got frazzled, that plan was out the window. You can't take the coaches off the hook for everything, but it's hard to blame them for a four-turnover day.
The flea-flicker would have been a 2o yard gain at best even if Moore throws is complete. Sure I don't blame them for the turnovers but they also need to call a game plan the players can execute. We have to look no further than to the other sideline to see how its done...
Preaching to the choir about TOP:
Panthers' Defense Can't Continue to Cover for Unproductive Offense -- NFL FanHouse
The Panthers had the ball 23 minutes, 32 seconds Sunday against St. Louis in a 20-10 loss. The Rams had the ball 36:28. There is no way an NFL that prefers to run the ball can survive that.
We got dunked and dunked all day with just enough runs to keep the Panther D on the field...
Pictured via cdn0.sbnation.com
Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart gets swarmed by teh Rams defense.
Wow, well RB Jonathan Stewart is suddenly not afraid to say what has been obvious all season:
Panthers run low on ideas - CharlotteObserver.com
Asked whether there were any holes to run through against the Rams, tailback Jonathan Stewart said, "Did you see any holes?" Stewart rushed 14 times for 30 yards while starting in place of injured DeAngelo Williams, who had no update Monday on when he might return from his sprained left foot. A year after leading the Panthers with 1,130 yards, Stewart has yet to reach 200 yards. "Just got to do your job and keep pressing on. That's the only thing you can do in this game," he said.
Sadly I did not though isn't it his job to adjust based on how the play develops? I can't count how many times I saw him run into the back of a blocker...
Pretty humble for a WR that received all of three targets and zero completions a week after posting 125 yds and 2 TDs.
Mistakes haunt Panthers, lift Rams
"We were building some momentum, but we didn't put points on the board when we needed to," said Panthers wide receiver David Gettis, who had no catches a week after scoring two touchdowns. "They played a great game, obviously. They slowed us down, but I think we slowed ourselves down as well."
A week after making all the right reads Moore suddenly can't find an open receiver to save his life, and there were plenty of them...
So I guess we go ahead and chalk up all of our remaining road games as losses, because I can't explain the difference between last week and this week otherwise:
Fox, Panthers have overcome odds before
"I think the first play he would like to have back, but he made some good throws and he did some good things," Fox said. "There were some other areas that broke down on some of the interceptions, so all-in-all, I don't think I can pin it just on him."
How about a dumb ass game plan?...
If I were to play devils advocate I could shoot this line of reasoning down:
Limping Williams unsure about return - CharlotteObserver.com
NO SWEAT: Coach John Fox swatted away a question about his job status by saying he didn't think it affected the team's play. "No, I don't think it matters if you have four years or one year," he said of his contract, which will expire after this season. "I don't care if you're a player or a coach. I think the time is now and we are all well-compensated. "I never worried about having a job in this league, and I'm not going to start now."
But maybe your lesser paid staff members are thinking more about how to explain the Panthers season to their future employer more than they are about how to turn around a team already in the ditch? How many will throw JR or Fox under the bus?...
Did anyone else notice former Panther DT Gary Gibson is now starting for the Rams and is being given part of the props for their improved play on defense?
What has been biggest change in Rams, other than Sam Bradford?
A big, but often overlooked factor is the improved play of the defensive line, particularly the stout presence of Freddie Robbins and Gary Gibson on the interior of that line. With Robbins and Gibson anchoring things inside, getting strong pushes inside, it allows so many other things to work well. Chris Long's play on the edge continues to rise, James Hall is having a career year and the depth in the secondary has been outstanding.
So now Gibson is stout? And didn't our DL coach Brian Baker come from St, Louis? Maybe this means nothing but it still makes me scratch my head...
Let's go ahead and get this out of the way...WR Randy Moss is not coming to Carolina Tom so forget about it!
Tom Talks
Moss would be nothing more than a temp. So what? How much fun would it be to watch him line up on the same field as Steve Smith? For the first time, Carolina would have a receiver with a bigger name and a bigger ego. The Panthers can't run anymore; I think there were times Sunday when St. Louis stacked 12 defenders at the line of scrimmage. The quarterback is going to have to win games.
So now Scott Fowler is the voice is reason? What has this season come to?
Scott Says ...: No Moss... No Moss
I totally disagree. I think Moss would be little help to this Carolina team. I think he would disrupt the development of Carolina's young wide receivers, would run after the ball only when he wanted to and would end up imploding here.
Oh, and it was 'No Mas" Scott, but I will assume you knew that and was simply trying to be funny.