Two Keys to Panthers Victory
January 4, 2009
I am sure you have heard by now, the Panthers are once again hosting the Arizona Cardinals.
This time, its for keeps.
The Panthers have won the last five games in the series, the Cardinals have not seen a divisional game in a decade. It would seem this should be a fairly easy victory for the Panthers. But looking closely at the game played only months ago, the Panthers need to do two things differently to seal the deal.
1. Pressure Warner often, and hit him early. Warner is an excellent QB, you are not going to confuse him or phase him with creative coverages. What you can do, however, is harass him physically. It will be crucial for Carolina to make sure Warner’s jersey is dirty by the end of the first quarter. He will wear down quickly, if they can get to him.
2. Run the ball. And when you are done running the ball, run the ball again. Deangelo Williams finished the first meeting with a 6.4 yards per carry average. Jonathan Stewart averaged only 1.3 yards per carry. Combined, this will not get it done on Saturday night. The Panthers need to shorten the game, wear out the Cardinals defense, and keep their own defense well rested. All of this hinges on the offensive line a the dynamic duo.
Panthers fan base impressive
January 4, 2009
Now there is a headline you won’t see very often.
Over the years the Carolina Panthers fan base has been much maligned. Frequently tagged as fair weather, whine and cheese, Carolina fans have frequently been seen in a negative light.
They hear it every year as the elder franchises visit the Queen City. They talk about their history, their generations of support for their teams. Their unequivocal and total domination of the fanatic title.
It turns out, however, that some of those storied elder franchises dripping in history are worse off than the teenage Panthers. For instance, winning their division, the Minnesota Vikings faced the prospect of a mandated NFL blackout for the local viewing area. The same Vikings team that started in the AFL in 1959. The same Vikings that have had 50 years to develop a loyal fan following. Half a century of development .
And yet, they cannot sell out a home playoff game without the help of Philadelphia. Roughly 50 percent of Vikings season ticket holders even bothered to buy playoff tickets.
In a little over a dozen years, the Carolina Panthers have been able to develop a fan base that not only sells out each home playoff game in seconds, but also a reliable sellout crowd each and every Sunday. Growing up in Tampa in the 80’s, I know what its like not to be able to watch your home team on Sundays.
Be happy your kids won’t have to deal with that.
