Easy Call on Panthers Comeback Player of 2011: WR Steve Smith
by Jaxon on Jan 3, 2012 8:35 AM EST
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After four straight 1,000 yard receiving seasons from 2005 to 2008 Panthers WR Steve Smith fell short in 2009 (994) and then even further in 2010 (554). Of course you could argue that it was mainly due to QB problems and offensive game planning but I find that irrelevant to this award. I say that because Smith literally did come back, to the Panthers that is when he indicated he would prefer to leave. Enter rookie QB Cam Newton.
Smith returned to WR greatness behind the arm of the rookie sensation and the production followed. Smith came within 27 yards of his career high in receiving yards with 1,396 yards and 7 TDs, good for 5th in the NFL for the season. Smith was as dynamic as ever, always a threat to make the big catch, the tough catch, the catch only elite WRs can make. If you need evidence look no further than the season finale against the Saints. On his franchise record 697 reception he snatched a ball throw behind him on a sideline route and still managed to keep both feet in while falling out of bounds.
So congratulations to Smitty on his most excellent season and thanks again for returning to Carolina. I trust you are here to stay!
When the NFL looks at awarding its comeback player of the year I think Smith should at least get a mention. I know QB Alex Smith might get a good look but my comment there what is coming back from? Alex Smith has never been good until this season...but I digress.
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How can we call it a comeback...
when he never really left? :p
Nobody fucks with the Jesus! -Big Lebowski
by Tomthehomer on Jan 3, 2012 8:47 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Jimmy Clausen gets an assist for going away
While I think your comment is in jest, many (myself included) see his comeback as the result of better passing more than better play on 89’s part. I think he has played a little better because he knows the ball will get there if he gets open, but I don’t really consider this a comeback season for him.
True, an assist for Chud also
Which in my mind makes it even less likely that Smith gets recognized for it. Don’t get me wrong, I love 89 and he played awesome this year. But I think the better numbers were due more to his situation improving rather than his play improving and the comeback award is for the latter (IMOBIR : ) ).
The CBPOY award is silly anyway.
Smith shouldn’t even be in the running for it.
It should be reserved for guys coming back from devastating injuries, not down years.
"Nah, you look like Elijah Wood." - danmerqury
Smith was also fighting injuries all of last season
He only missed 2 games, but he wasn’t 100% all season.
Usually its guys coming off injury that get this award
and I’m certainly not saying Smitty’s level of play subsided, just the production. Agree it mostly wasn’t his fault but when you consider all the pundits who said he had lost a step, he was getting old, yada yada yada…he’s a boda fide comeback player in my view.
He's certainly the heart and soul of this team.
I completely love that he’s taking the other Panther receivers to Hawaii with him.
http://blogs.charlotte.com/panthers/
"Hope for the best plan for the worst"
"They laugh at me because I'm different, I laugh at them because they're all the same"
They were just as surprised as you were...
http://blogs.charlotte.com/panthers/2012/01/smith-taking-teammates-to-hawaii.html#comments
Pretty classy move, from a very classy guy, who’s had a bad rep for too many years.
He should take the TE's along too
Especially since they did most of the work opening the field.
Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano
by AParker on Jan 3, 2012 10:21 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Honorable Mention
While I agree that Smitty is the Comeback Player of the Year for the Panthers (and possibly in NFL), I believe that Chris Gamble is a close 2nd for the team award. Gamble was in Pro Bowl form all season and was truly a shut down corner for us.
True. I expected Smitty to be better, not Gamble though
This is how I roll, animal print pants out control.
All I know is that Smith is going to be around till his 89,
and he will still be able to out run half the league.
Gambles game was much imporved as well but I wonder how much of that was a change in the atmosphere in Carolina.
I am a proud supporter of troll hunting.
smitty
Is a cantankerous little bulldog, glad to see the fight back in him this year. Classy awesome player
Save us Pilares
by LimeyPanther on Jan 3, 2012 9:06 AM EST via mobile reply actions
QB Alex Smith plays on a COAST.
STEVE Smith plays in Charlotte. He won’t get the votes.
It’s SOUTHERN. It’s not Coastal. It’s not Chicago.
It’s not stylish.
It’s too much a red state. Lead editors won’t permit it.
Alex doesn't have the stats to support it.
Yes his team had a winning season, but he’s not even top 15 in passing yds or passing TDs. He is ranked 9th in passer rating but he’s only 20th in pass attempts.
Smitty is ranked 5th among all receivers in yds and yds/game, tied for 7th in TDs, and 2nd in catches of 20+yds. All top 10 stats.
If he doesn’t get it… (shaking my head)…rediculous.
CAN'T WAIT!
The question is not how far. The question is, do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far is as needed? - El Duche
He'll get it for the wins and the fact that he was (and still is based on his draft position) a bust...
I think more people expected Smitty to at least rebound soooomewhat this year, whereas with Alex basically no one outside of Harbaugh or his staff was expecting him to play well enough to even keep his job, let alone nab the #2 seed
Nobody fucks with the Jesus! -Big Lebowski
Steve Smith is a badass.
ACC Championship Member Brandon Thompson is the new Jacoby Ford. You better pick him Panthers or you will be doomed to relive the 2010 season over and over again in the Twilight Zone.
Clemson 2011 ACC Champions! Look forward to doing it again next year! :D
Were there any players who missed considerable time due to injury?
I usually see this award go to guys who had serious injuries and then bounce back, but I can’t think of anyone right now who fits the mold, except maybe Reggie Bush, with almost 1,000 yards rushing more than he had last year, and Matt Moore as well. He was awful last year…just ask Smitty.
Moore came back from an injury - that's his claim.
But for an increase in performance, I think it’s gotta be Smitty.
OK so this is a little premature BUT
I wonder when we get a look at the 2012 nike uniforms. As much as I have always loved the Panthers uniforms, I really hope they do something different with them next year. I just hope they don’t go to extremes like they do with some of the colleges.
IT AIN'T SIZE OF THE DOG IN THE FIGHT BUT THE SIZE OF THE FIGHT IN THE DOG
I beginning to think taking a WR in the 1st round would be WAY too premature
Smitty still has legs as this article points out, and LaFell is a solid #2.
But the other wildcard that we keep forgetting about is David Gettis. He was our deep threat last year, and played well with friggin Clausen throw down field. Now factor in Cam’s deep ball… Gettis very well might have lit it up this year! We need to address one of our other many needs in the 1st 2 rounds, and re-examine what we currently have at WR in 2012.
This is how I roll, animal print pants out control.
This...
I’m not going to crown Gettis as our solution just because of the nature of such injuries, but what we’ve learned this year is at the very least we have a solid Smitty at #1, a much improved Lafell at #2, and some ok talent/good potential at the #3 (although I consider Olsen/Shockey our #3 more than anything); Especially given how WRs tend to shake out (unless you’ve got a physical specimen like Fitz or Megatron, you can find equally talented WRs later on), it just seems like we’d be reaching taking a top 10 WR. I mean, having a solid QB is faaaar more important than having some blue-chip prospect lined up on the outside (see: Cruz, Victor; Nelson, Jordy (2nd round); Hell, Agent 89!). We need line help/depth, and we need LB depth if it shakes out in a way that LB is bpa (maaaaybe CB, although I think safety is more pressing than that).
Nobody fucks with the Jesus! -Big Lebowski
Exactly
I probably should have added that in, but yea he basically epitomizes the importance of having a solid QB vs. some blue-chip WR (unless of course, we’re talking about the chance to draft someone like Fitz or Megatron, just physical freaks of nature)
Nobody fucks with the Jesus! -Big Lebowski
If we draft a WR early, that bumps Gettis to #4 before we even know what he's got.
He had 500 yards his rookie year. If that was Cam’s deep ball, I think that number would be much higher. Got to see what he can do with Cam.
This is how I roll, animal print pants out control.
How long should it take to know how his acl healed?
Will they know before the draft?
STICK THE KNIFE IN AND TURN IT!!!!!
No clue. But worst case scenario we have the same very capable receivers we had this year
And we’ll learn about Gettis sooner or later in 2012. I just have a hard time justifying it with so many other needs… Unless someone majorly slips.
This is how I roll, animal print pants out control.
by southtunnel on Jan 3, 2012 11:30 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I agree.
I think they need to work on defense, top priority. I would say if there is no good defensive players available at our pick, try to trade the pick to a team for a defensive player. The offense has put up winning numbers and still losing due to the defense.
STICK THE KNIFE IN AND TURN IT!!!!!
Yeah, but it's pretty unlikely he'd still be available
I just don’t think adding any receiver makes us that much better next year. We’re running the ball more and spreading the ball around to Smitty and TE’s. What’s left for Blackmon. However a defensive stud can really turn things around in the other side if the ball.
This is how I roll, animal print pants out control.
by southtunnel on Jan 4, 2012 11:01 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I think that he will be ready for OTA's, which are in early April.
So if he comes back and looks horrible, the team can address the issue via FA or the Draft
Cam Newton, when a reporter asks him who will win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday: "I'll tell you Sunday."
by Son of a Newton on Jan 3, 2012 4:46 PM EST up reply actions
yup yup
I’m just hoping that Gettis is not beset by the same bad luck that TD has experienced, but regardless we def have the receiving core right now to be effective again next year even if worst case scenario plays out for Gettis (although I’m giddy just thinking about what his speed will do for our offense; two legit deep threats and three legit med-short threats? cha-ching!)
Nobody fucks with the Jesus! -Big Lebowski
It's the Dan Morgan bug that still haunts this team
Im mostly worried about Beason. If he doesn’t come back 100%, and TD’s gone for sure… Then LB is all the sudden one of our bigges needs.
This is how I roll, animal print pants out control.
by southtunnel on Jan 3, 2012 12:59 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I assume he simply means excellent players held back by injuries.
by jojoisthemann on Jan 3, 2012 2:37 PM EST up reply actions
What could have been...
God, imagine if Morgan had stayed healthy and Beast stayed at Weakside (like in college)? It would’ve been dom-i-nation for yearrrrs!
Nobody fucks with the Jesus! -Big Lebowski
I think that term was coined on WFNZ
A player who can’t stay in the field… Repeating the experience Morgan had.
This is how I roll, animal print pants out control.
by southtunnel on Jan 4, 2012 11:03 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Here is to Beason being comeback player next year
A full season without beason was saddening
by Josh Isitt on Jan 3, 2012 11:04 AM EST via Android app reply actions
Considering what Smitty did this year compared to the last two
He is very deserving. I honestly think he wins that award in a landslide. The voting shouldn’t be close.
Integrity first. Service before self. Excellence in all you do. -- USAF Core Values
by Disciple of Carolina on Jan 3, 2012 2:51 PM EST reply actions
Alex Smith winning would be oxymoronic.
To come back from something would imply you’ve been somewhere before.
The only award Alex Smith should win is the “it’s about damn time you did something in the NFL” award.
The truth will set you free, but not until it is finished with you. ~David Foster Wallace
I may not always be right, but even a blind nut finds a squirrel every once in a while.
by BW Smith on Jan 3, 2012 2:57 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Smitty might be runner-up.
Matthew Stafford will win the award.
So much to be done, and so few people willing to do it for me.
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