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Bye Week Priorities

We all know the Panthers are dinged up with injuries, so getting healthy is an obvious need currently. But aside from that, what are the top three things the Panthers can do this bye week to prepare for their next opponent? We don’t know who that opponent is as of yet, so game planning will come next week. This week the Panthers are working on three key things in preparation for January 10.

1. Tackling. The Panthers lately have lacked in this department. Missed tackles are a big contributor to why the Panthers are not the #1 seed in the NFC. They failed to wrap up and tackle in New York, and now they may have to travel. This week the problem must be corrected. Emphasis in practice must be less on stripping the ball, and more on bringing down the ball carrier.

2. Blitz Effectiveness. In New Orleans, the blitz schemes lacked imagination and effectiveness. The Saints had no issues in picking up the blitzing defenders. More needs to be done in this regard. If the Panthers host the Falcons, it will be less of a problem, as it will be easier to fool rookie QB Matt Ryan. But if the Panthers host the Cardinals, veteran Kurt Warner will easily decipher what is coming after him. The Panthers must improve here.

3. Killer instinct. In short, the Panthers must develop one, and fast. In New York and in New Orleans, comfortable leads were blown by lackadaisical  play calling and a run out the clock mentality. Problem was, this was started in the third quarter. The Panthers must not be afraid to pile on the points. If you are up 17, the goals should be to be up by 24 on the very next possession. The clock should  not be the number one priority.

These three things, if improved upon, will deliver a home playoff victory on January 10.

Bank on it.

Ranking the NFC Quarterbacks…

The end of the regular season is here, allow me to enlighten you on the best and worst of the NFC QB’s….

Top 5 – Put these guys on any team, and they are instantly better.

• Drew Brees – If he had a better team around him, he would be as good as Peyton Manning.
• Kurt Warner – Highest QB rating in the NFC. Still deadly accurate.
• Jake Delhomme – Best intangibles in the NFC.
• Matt Ryan – Rookie sensation
• Eli Manning – Good QB, better team around him.

Bottom 5 – These guys bring a team down

• Tony Romo – Gets worse as the pressure increases. Not a winner.
• Gus Frerotte – More picks than TD’s
• Marc Bulger – Regressing as a player
• Kyle Orton – Kyle who? Will never be a decent QB in this league.
• Dan Orlovsky – Bad name, worse player.

Game Grades – Panthers at Saints

I am not sure how to take this game.

Yes, the Panthers won. But they did not appear to have the killer instinct that a Superbowl team needs to have.

Offense:

Deangelo Williams is officially the best running back the Panthers have ever had, and likely will have for many many years. John Fox reportedly has said he is not just the most improved player on the Panthers, but in the entire NFL. That is a hard statement to argue against.

Steve Smith continues to the player that saves the Panthers from an untimely demise. His fourth quarter acrobatic catch between two defenders won’t be talked about much in the media, but was the most important play of the game.

Offensive Grade: B

Defense:

And now we come to the most troubling aspect of the Panthers going in to the offseason. I am confident the Panthers can score enough points to win a game, I am not very confident they can keep the opposition from doing the same.  The Panthers did blitz frequently, but rarely applied any more pressure than usual. The play of Ken Lucas is turning out to be a liability going forward.

Lets hope 2 weeks is enough time for them to get their heads on straight.

Defensive Grade: D

Special Teams:

Kasay made the kick that counted most, but missing kicks is never a good thing. Mark Jones made the return game completely forgettable.

Special Teams Grade: C

Saints will test Panthers run defense

All I see in the New Orleans media right now is talk over Drew Brees breaking the Dan Marino passing record this Sunday.

I don’t buy it.

While it makes for interesting talk and makes a game for a non playoff team somewhat meaningful, coach Sean Payton is not at all concerned for an individual player record. Sean Payton sees a chance to finish the season at .500 and momentum going in to next season.

Carolina could be without both starting defensive tackles, and reliable backup Gibson was placed on IR this week. Kemo did practice on a limited basis Thursday, but there is no guarantee he will be 100% at kickoff, if he plays at all.  Damien Lewis has not practiced due to shoulder issues. The Panthers have been signing defensive tackles to their roster and practice squad all week, which shows true concern despite what the poker face of John Fox is not saying.

Look for Sean Payton to test the Panthers interior line early and often. Saints RB Pierre Thomas is averaging close to five yards a carry, and at 5′11 and 215lbs is the type of back that can run off tackle and gash the Panthers in the middle of the field.

The Panthers will counter with Jon Beason playing a more aggressive run defense, putting more pressure on the safeties to cover tight ends out of the backfield. This will open up big play opportunities for the Saints, but the Panthers have little choice. They cannot allow another team to rack up hundreds of yards again on the ground.

It is possible the Panthers could be without Kemoeatu for the playoffs, Sunday will show us if they can survive without him.

Game Grades – Panthers at Giants

I was lucky enough to witness this game first hand. Fear not Panthers fans, while a loss is never a good thing, this loss is not the end of our Superbowl hopes, not by a long shot.

On with the grades.

Offense:

Plain and simple, 28 points should be enough to win any football game, especially when your team is coached by a defensive mind like John Fox. The Panthers offense did enough to win this game. It’s difficult to place much blame on them, but playing it too close to the vest late in the game appears to have been a mistake.

But 28 points on the road in the freezing cold? C’mon. They did their job.

Offensive Grade: B

Defense:

Allowing 34 points will get you a loss the majority of the time. Weakened in the interior defensive line by the loss of Kemo, the Giants gave the Panthers exactly what the Panthers gave the injury plagued Bucs a few weeks ago. Namely, a healthy does of up your gut and in your face. The soft interior line allowed 301 yards on the ground alone. For a moment I thought I was watching a mismatched college bowl game.

Please get well Kemo, maybe now fans will appreciate you.

Defensive Grade: D-

Special Teams:

I was on the field for the game, and can testify to how unpredictable the wind is down there. One second it is calm, then out of no where the wind hits from one direction, and then another direction. Its hard to blame Kasay solely for missing the kick under a weather wind advisory. The offense could have gotten him a bit closer with a more imaginative plan. But, in the end, Kasay did miss the kick, and judging by his sideline actions just after, he was not too thrilled with it either.

Special Teams Grade: C

Sleeping Giants?

Sunday night presents an excellent opportunity for the Carolina Panthers. They can proclaim on national television their football dominance in a convincing fashion. Sunday night also presents an opportunity for the New York Giants.

The sleeping Giants could send a wake up call to the rest of the NFL.

After losing the last two games, the Giants are no longer the darlings of the NFL. No longer heralded as the obvious NFC representative at the Superbowl. Without their star receiver, who for some odd reason enjoys hiding firearms in his sweat pants, the Giants are still searching for their new offensive identity.

Brandon Jacobs has said this week he will play, but with a lingering injury that could get much worse at any time on the field. The fact that he is even playing in this game speaks volumes to its importance and implications. It speaks to the heart of the matter, New York intends to make a statement.

I expect to see a playoff game on sunday night. The Giants know a thing or two about the playoffs obviously, having won the Superbowl less than a year ago. But this is not Carolina’s first playoff rodeo either.  Eight players remain on the roster from the Panthers 2003 superbowl appearence, and many others were on board during their 2005 NFC Championship run.

In the end these are two veteran teams, one on the rise, and one thought to be in free fall.

Can the Panthers keep the Giants in a slumber for one more week? I can’t wait to find out.

Pro Bowl a popularity contest, nothing more….

All the talk today on the huddle is over the Pro Bowl selections, and more specifically, the lack of Deangelo Williams on the roster.

I can certainly see why this would be a big deal to Deangelo Williams. Players typically get an incentive bonus and a free trip to Hawaii in February. But I am not certain why the fans care so much? What do Pro Bowl appearances do for the team?

Well, for one, they raise the prices of the players during contract negotiations. That definitely is not a thing to hope for. Also, it may give the player a sense of accomplishment while there are still games to be played this season (and off season). Personally, I like my premier players to feel slighted. I like them angry and with a chip on their shoulder when they take the national stage in the playoffs.

So Panthers Fans, you would be well advised to set your Pro Bowl angst aside until February. Feel free to complain about it constantly on February 8, 2009.

Until then, your Carolina Panthers are fighting in the only contest that matters. Not all fans can say the same about their team.

Yes, the Panthers can still miss the playoffs

by Greg Bailey

Is this even possible? As well as the Panthers have played in three straight wins to push their record to 11—3 with home field advantage in the playoffs now just 1 win away, could they miss the playoffs? Yes.

It sounds ridiculous, but Carolina could miss the post season under the following scenario:

Carolina loses to the Giants and Saints to close the season AND Atlanta, Dallas and Tampa all close the season with two wins.

The Panthers, Bucs, Falcons and Dallas would all finish with 11—5 records and Carolina would lose out based on division records and records within the conference.

Just for grim fun, I’ve included the remaining schedules for all those teams:

Carolina: @GIANTS, @ SAINTS

Dallas:  vs. RAVENS, @ EAGLES

Atlanta: @ VIKINGS, vs. RAMS

Tampa: vs. CHARGERS, vs. RAIDERS

This is one more reminder that the Panthers have had it right all year long. ONE GAME AT A TIME is cliché and it’s boring, but it also works for teams like Carolina.

Charles Godfrey – Unsung Hero

You won’t hear his name in many national news stories. You won’t see him interviewed on ESPN. But the fact is, the Panthers would not be where they are in the standings without Charles Godfrey.

Drafted in the third round, Godfrey was a projected NFL project. He played corner at Iowa for most of his college career, but because of his size ( 5′11 205) was projected as a prototypical NFL Safety. If he was to succeed in the NFL, he would not only need to adjust to the increased speed of the pros, not only learn the exponentially increased complexity of professional offensive schemes, but learn an entirely new position as well.

Carolina Panthers draft picks have struggled with these tasks in seasons past. First rounder Thomas Davis for example took two years before he settled in from safety to linebacker.

Charles Godfrey has done it in less than a season, at a third rounders salary.

Free Safety has been an Achilles heal in most of the seasons under John Fox. Opposing offenses could usually count on going deep a few times a game, or hitting  the tight end on a deep seem route at will. These days are gone, largely thanks to Godfrey.

Yes, Jeff Otah is a monster of a tackle. Yes, Jonathan Stewart is a good runner and important in the running game. But let me ask you this, if the Panthers had drafted a wide receiver in the third round that had started every game this season and performed well, wouldn’t he get plenty of appreciation?

Godfrey’s free safety position is not as glamorous, but every bit as important.

Panthers Undefeated at Home

by Ira Cronin

For just the second time in franchise history, the Carolina Panthers finished their home schedule with perfect record of 8-0.  The first time was in the team’s second year back in 1996, way before my days covering the Cats.

My first year covering the Panthers was in 2001, the infamous 1 -15 season.  So I can appreciate what it’s like to go into the locker room, game after game, and try to find a new way to ask the guys how they lost a close game they should have won.  Let me tell you it’s not fun.

I have been on both sides of this deal, 0-8 at home, and now 8-0 at home.  And I can tell you 8-0 at home is a much better deal.

The last time the Panthers were 8-0 at home in 1996.  They went all the way to the NFC Championship game.  Let’s hope this year’s edition of 8-0 at home can go just as far, and then take it all the way.

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