Panthers Coast in Preseason Loss to Steelers 19-3

by Jaxon on Sep 3, 2010 9:07 AM EDT in Panthers Game Recaps

The Panthers coasted out of the preseason in their loss to the Steelers. The first team offense remained on the bench and so did and semblance of scoring opportunities. When the Panther back-ups did mount a drive it was typically stalled due to penalties (7 for 65 yds).But John Fox did get what he wanted out of this game and that is no injuries to key players. Mission accomplished!

Therefore there just isn't mush to recap about this game itself. On the other hand we did have a lot of players fighting for their jobs so lets discuss a couple bubble players.

The Risers

Todd Carter kicked both of his kick offs into the end zone. Though one was still returned 28 yards I'm thinking Fox keeps him for now
WR David Gettis had two catches and a nice KO return for 34 yards. He is going to be one of the toughest cuts as he has really come on lately. I'm hoping he sticks.
Though WR Armanti Edwards is in no danger of getting cut it was nice to see him get a nifty 22 yd PR...more after the jump...

LB Jamar Williams led the defense with 8 combined tackles. I'm thinking he slides into one of the back-up LB spots as he got healthy just in time.
For me LB Nic Harris came out of nowhere to play pretty good. He is also a special teams guy who will also be one of the tough final cuts. I just don't see where he fits though.

The Fallers

Neither QB Hunter Cantwell or Tony Pike gave us any confidence either could be effective in a game situation. I thought Cantwell made a couple ncie throws but it wasn't enough. I would cut both.
Neither of the Panther RB's Josh Vaughan or Dantrell Savage did anything to justify a roster spot. They can thank the weak offensive line in front of them for most of that.
The back-up offensive line was terrible period. G Duke Robinson is still not ready and nobody else did much. I'm thinking the Panthers keep Schwartz, Robinson and Williams and bring in someone else' cut.
If CB RJ Stanford wasn't getting toasted he was getting called for a penalty
LB Quinton Culbertson looked average best against the Steelers back-ups.

I'm sure I'm some guys so please feel free to chimp in.

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I know the talk all offseason was about

Cantwell’s cannon and him being ahead of Clausen, but he really hasn’t impressed me. Pike looked like Flacco in the huddle, and I think he’s a better long-term development prospect. Ideally, I’d like to see Pike squeak into a roster spot.

You’re right, Jaxon. I couldn’t help yawning watching this game. =)

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by bmoyer on Sep 3, 2010 9:47 AM EDT reply actions

I have a feeling...

…you’ll see Cantwell make the squad as the 3rd QB and they’ll try to stash Pike on the practice squad. Pike hasn’t really been showcased enough to show people what he can do at the NFL level. And he didn’t do anything to generate major interest on the waiver wire when he did play. So scouts will have to go by his play in college and performance at the combine and whatever they may have seen on the practice field if they want to evaluate him higher than whoever they have in-house already.

The potential also exists for the Panthers to cut them both and try putting one or the other on the PS (doesn’t Cantwell have one more year of eligibility?). That would leave Armanti and the Mountaineer package as their emergency QB…and, honestly, if you’ve reached that point, it would BE an emergency to use Armanti in that fashion. But, if they trust him enough to throw the ball out of that formation, it means they trust him as a QB. So why not? If they go that route, it means they may clear a roster spot to retain their kick-off specialist or another contributor on special teams (like Nic Harris, maybe?). It’ll be interesting to see what kind of decision Fox and Hurney make on this one.

by NSpicer on Sep 3, 2010 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Dallas tried that

with a guy named Matt Moore. Reckon they would like to have that one back?

Pike will stick on the roster unless the Panthers decide he has no future in the NFL.

by Cyberjag on Sep 3, 2010 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

The Tony Pike Practice Squad scenario

If Pike is placed on the PS and subsequently signed by another team he must be placed on the 53 man roster. There may be 3-4 teams that have serious QB questions. Here how it will play out in their meetings:

“Carolina has released that Pike kid from Cincinnati, let’s look at the tape on him.” (Loads VCR, presses Play) About two minutes in, “Hmmm, I didn’t think I’d ever see a QB with a weaker arm than Chad Pennington” “OK, who’s next?”

Knee jerk reaction - adj. 1. an immediate unthinking emotional reaction produced by an event or statement to which the reacting person is highly sensitive. 2. a facilitator of long threads on Cat Scratch Reader and similar blogs.

by Sniff on Sep 3, 2010 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Dallas lost Matt Moore...

…primarily because we were still a team in desperate need of some decent 2nd and 3rd string QBs and so we were looking to raid them. But how many other teams out there are having serious problems with their backup QBs right now…and, so much so, that they’d prefer taking a flyer on Pike (or Cantwell) as development projects over what they’ve already got? I know Pike had decent numbers in college…and maybe someone at the NFL buys into those numbers (I don’t know)…but the guy did fall to us late in the draft for a reason. Most scouts don’t believe his style can work at the NFL level. Or, if it can, that it’s only suited for a specific style of offense (which limits his appeal to only those types of teams). While working out with us in camp and during preseason, I don’t get the sense that Pike has done anything to dispel those types of concerns. So, his probability of making it onto our practice squad is probably a little higher than Matt Moore’s when he was with Dallas.

But understand that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil

by NSpicer on Sep 3, 2010 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions

I could see Arizona looking for quarterbacks

they seem pretty desperate to me right now.

by Armaskarhu on Sep 3, 2010 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Max Hall is better than either Pike or Cantwell

I also think they’ll ask for a QB in return in any Matt Leinart trade

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by James Dator on Sep 3, 2010 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually - I'll take up that gaunlet

How much more important was it to them to get that roster spot freed up? If you’ve lost Romo and his backup and are down to your third choice, you’re in big trouble anyway…. Use that spot for a KOS or a backup who can play Special Teams. That way a team gets real immediate value.

Also, the Panther’s situation is that the 2nd QB is not a “Hefty Lefty” situation where you have an aging guy who is only going to come in as a game manager anyway. Then having a young guy to bring up in your system might be worth that last roster spot. Clausen is already fillng that role, If the Panthers lost Moore and Claussen, Edwards could hand off and make quick throws at least as well as the other two, and then you see if you can try to entice Warner off his couch like Vinny T.

by panthersnbraves on Sep 3, 2010 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Heard on the news this morning...

…that Jeff Otah may sit out the game against the Giants. That means Schwartz and Bernadeau filling in on the right side together again. Our running game hasn’t been as potent without Otah. And yet, New York has displayed quite a few deficiencies in their own execution throughout the preseason. Given how our defense has been playing, we may be able to shut Eli and company down. Then, it’ll just be a matter of seeing how well our offense can do with Steve Smith and Jonathan Stewart back on the field against the G-men’s defense. Oh, and our special teams needs to play error-free. ;-)

In the meantime, I’m high on Gettis making the team. I think the guy deserves more than a shot at the practice squad. I’d be more inclined to release Duane Jarrett or…more likely…Kenny Moore at this point. I know the other two have more experience in the system. But, for my money, Gettis gets open more than Jarrett with better route-running. And he’s a bigger body with more upside than Moore. In addition, he can capably fill in as a return man…something Jarrett can’t do…and something Moore doesn’t do any better than Gettis has shown.

So, for a rookie big-body receiver with speed like Gettis to show this much improvement as quickly as he has, I’d like to see this guy make the roster over the practice squad (and that’s assuming he could clear waivers). Personally, given all our WR woes right now, I’d rather cut Moore and Jarrett…keep Gettis…and then check the waiver wires for a veteran WR or another promising guy who got cut just because another team didn’t have room for him. I feel like any decent prospects out there will be equal in talent level to Jarrett and Moore at this point, and they may have a bigger upside. That’s how I feel about Gettis right now. And maybe there will be other WRs in the roster trimdowns that fit that bill, too. Whatever it takes to improve the WR corps at this point, I’m all for it.

But that’s just my two-cents,
—Neil

by NSpicer on Sep 3, 2010 10:12 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs

Neil

Just wondering are you from the triangle?

GSO

by MikeTrain on Sep 3, 2010 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions

No...

…I live in Charlotte.

by NSpicer on Sep 3, 2010 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions

I too really liked Gettis

especially in the game against Tennessee. Dwayne Jarrett is no longer at the point where we can hope for potential, we have to see results. And Kenny Moore, while solid, just isn’t that exciting, especially considering all the rooks we have.

by Armaskarhu on Sep 3, 2010 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

I had a dream last night that...

We had acquired both Vincent Jackson and TJ Houshmandzadeh, with a first rounder for one and a couple players for the other. Needless to say, I woke up in a wet spot. :-) We wouldn’t need both. But, just one of those guys, and we’re in the upper echelon in the NFL. Up there with the Saints and Vikings. With a potent complement to Steve Smith we would be virtually unbeatable. Both of those guys are available. However, I think I’ll have to return to bed to see it come to fruition. :-(

by BSKincaid on Sep 3, 2010 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I see it as you do, Neil.

…and you usually see it with clarity, so I’m feeling pretty good about myself right now.

Of all the WR’s we’ve put out there, none has distinguished himself with TD grabs, or great YAC…but Gettis has shown the best of the bunch, and was way down the list to start. IMO, KMoore and Charly Martin are just average players, who’ll never make a major impact. And Jarrett has shown flashes in last year’s last game, but little since. LaFell’s only shown that he is indeed a project who, as does the average WR, will need a year or two to break out, if he’s going to. The pro level game is just a big adjustment to WRs who’ve stood out in college, vs slower, inferior CBs who don’t make it to the pros.

Yet here stands David Gettis, with a not-so-outstanding college resume from Baylor, a school that underused his talents, a guy who, at 6’3" – 6’4" can out jump CBs and Safeties, and who has been clocked at his school’s Pro-Day at 4.39 for the 40, and can out run them. Then we see he can catch the ball in traffic, too, and can return kicks, too.

I think he’s yet another draft coup by the Panther scouts, who saw talent in Greg Hardy, when so many passed on him for multiple rounds.

He not only has the most impressive record in the pre-season, he may have the highest ceiling, too. I can see him as the #2 WR.

by bigdavis on Sep 3, 2010 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

what makes me sad

when I projected my draft scenario. I didn’t believe that Claussen would last into the second round, or that Carolina were willing to trade up for him. I think he’ll be fine, but I wanted us to trade up for Arrelious Benn. That guy will be lights out right out of the box and it makes me wonder about the bucs. Everyone is counting them out as well, because they are young and unproven. I have a sneaky suspicion your top 2 teams in the south this year will be carolina and Tampa.

by elecp on Sep 3, 2010 11:06 AM EDT reply actions

I suspect...

…Tampa Bay will be better than people think this year, as well. They didn’t just upgrade at WR with the addition of Benn. They also added some MAJOR beef at DT. That’s going to help them make strides in defending against our run game, as well as Michael Turner for the Falcons. They’ll compete this year in our division. Make no doubt. And we face them week two on our schedule. So, we’d better not take them lightly.

by NSpicer on Sep 3, 2010 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Or you could have drafted Mike Williams in the 3rd

He’s the best WR Tampa has and may be the best rookie WR in this draft. He’s looked impressive this preseason against 1st string defenses.

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by The Earl on Sep 3, 2010 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Aren't you supposed to be in the Atlantic somewhere?...

by BSKincaid on Sep 3, 2010 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually, Benn is being outplayed in preseason by Mike Williams - another rookie.

They will be formidable as a tandem for many years, imo.

Where there’s a will… I want to be in it.

by Rick Bates on Sep 4, 2010 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions

wide receivers

I think carolina needs to pick a couple of wide receivers off waiver wire and dump these.They all looked bad and thanks to Jerry Richardson for going cheap this year on Football players.

by jayball on Sep 3, 2010 11:15 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah, let’s dump a WR class that features three rookies. That’s brilliant.

by SlayerGhaleon on Sep 3, 2010 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions

I would imagine he meant those past the top 4

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by Jaxon on Sep 3, 2010 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Would not mind PSing Pike and Cantwell

I had long felt that Cantwell had been hyped by the likes of Darin Gantt. I think Pike lacks confidence but you can’t say much when the guy is working behind our backup OL. Other teams can’t seriously be pursuing either Cantwell or Pike as their 3rd QB option. I like Neil’s idea of going with Moore, Clausen and Edwards as 3 QBs.

I found it really strange that Clausen did not see any snaps – I know he has the toe problem but I though he would get at least a dozen snaps. Not sure what that means. Maybe he goes on PUP?

I like Gettis a lot – he could contribute as a receiver this year if we ever intend to pass out of 4WR sets. Kidding aside, he has potential and would rather keep him over Pike or Cantwell.

I think we will have problem going up against bruiser-type backs. I don’t rate Mendenhall that high but the likes of him and Dwyer look like they could wear down our DTs. Luckily both games against the Falcons come late in the season. Hopefully we are better prepared for Turner by then.

by pieterzen on Sep 3, 2010 11:18 AM EDT reply actions

I don't think you have to worry...

…about Clausen going on PUP. I think they held him out, because:

a) It allowed them to take long looks at Cantwell and Pike
b) It protected him from further injury, since he’ll certainly be their #2 QB…and, depending on how well Matt Moore performs, he might get called up as the #1 QB later in the year. So, for the 4th preseason game (which typically gets real sloppy), they just preferred not to expose him to any additional risk.
c) It gives his toe more time to heal.
d) He’s already shown that he’s ready. Technically, he may not BE a starter yet, but they’re treating him like one. So, by resting the other starters, they’re resting him, too.

by NSpicer on Sep 3, 2010 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions