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Game Grades - Raiders at Panthers
Dec 24 2012 06:54 AM | Zod in Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have won three games in a row for the first time since 2009. The feeling is good even if it doesn't mean much. On with the grades..Offense:
Generally the offense put up an acceptable performance. 17 points isn't awful, but in this day and age of the NFL it isn't good either. It is enough to win provided you have a top notch defense.
Cam Newton continues to impress with a solid performance. Greg Olsen is close to breaking Wesley Walls record for a receiving tight end for the Panthers.
The Panthers did take a step back yesterday, however, with numerous failed read options leaving Deangelo Williams at a loss. When will they stop running this play? We were calling for it to end after week 3.
Offensive Grade: B
Defense:
Luke Kuechly is the best defensive player the Panthers have ever drafted. Thats right, I said it. Better than Peppers. Better than Morgan. Better than Beason. Luke has every physical and intangible attribute you could ever want in a linebacker.
At one point in the game he took control and adjusted DE Mario Addison a bit, moving him to a new gap. The result? Addison made the tackle.
The defense gave up 6 points to a NFL team. Even with a backup QB, it is still an accomplishment.
Defensive Grade: A
Coaching:
If the Panthers can win on Sunday against the Saints, I believe Rivera will keep his job. That is not to say everyone on the coaching staff is safe, however.
A new GM will have the ability to assess the entire coaching staff and make adjustments as he sees fit. Rivera has lost the right to choose his own staff after two losing seasons and the firing of a coordinator mid season.
Fans of defensive football probably are enticed about the prospect of Rivera returning. By way the defense has played with mainly backups in the secondary, just imaging the prospects of the addition of higher caliber players through a new GM puts a smile on our face.
Coaching Grade: A
19 Comments
Kuechly is a once in a lifetime defensive player and we have him. I am most impressed with his football smarts and leadership, not his outstanding physicality on the field.
With the way guys like Thomas and DJ Campbell have played, I'm not sure replacing them should be a high priority. This gives us the flexibility to beef up our o-line in the draft and free agency, and maybe upgrade at WR #2.
Of course if a great CB or S is available at our pick and they are BPA, then yeah, grab them.
I agree with you 100% about the defense. After a season where the offense had to put up ridiculous numbers just to keep the team from losing, thanks to a defense that was like a sifter, it was/ is great to see them making positive strides.
But what I'm more impressed with is the over all team's maturity. Last season, and even in the earlier part of this season, this team struggled with holding it together. Any little thing cause this team to squander a lead or give up all together. This time around, and it's still a work in progress, I see a team playing with both maturity and confidence. This team never lacked confidence but they lacked maturity and discipline and it showed. When the team struggled with silly Ref calls and decision making, in the past, that used to spell doom for the team. Yesterday, it was cool to see the offense struggle a bit and the rest of the team step up and help them hold unto the lead by doing their part..
This season was clearly a slow start for this team but they're closing strong. I hope they do take the last game and use their string of wins to continue building and growing as a team. I also hope that this team find it's stride next season and learn to control the tempo of every game instead of allowing the opposing team to control it for them.
176.
still a panthers franchise record
Fans finally pressure the team into abandoning it and we have success, but "the mad scientist" couldn't make the connection and I could picture his dumbfounded little face in the box yesterday as each read option continued to reel -1 and -2 yard plays or sacrifice Cam to a charging Oakland DL. I can envision him sitting in the box, madly throwing his hands about, screaming "work you stupid play!! Why won't you just work?!?!"
(Don't take it too personally, just giving ya guff is all)
Two important things for me yesterday:
1. Cam threw a pick and we won. It's stil the shitty Raiders, but.. they did it. Shows progress if nothing else.
2. RR coming back may not be such a bad thing. I was dead-set thinking he was out the door about 6 weeks ago, and it's not that he's won games in that timeframe that I say this. It's that, even with backups in, the team as a whole is showing progress. Maybe, especially with backups in. I hope Chico takes the last few games to heart, if he does stay, in that change is a good thing sometimes. Losing the OC and his full-Chudtardo stance on the read-option BS is a good start. Pulling guys who are entrenched as starters for guys who seem to be hungrier is even better.
Do I think they have more talent? Not necessarily, but they are producing when given the chance, and seem more fluid in the scheme, which may be guys who are willing to "buy in" to RR's tactics. This may be fluff on my part, or it may be that the old regime just doesn't want to change. If it's the former, my apologies.. if it's the latter, shake some things up this offseason, and don't worry about the knee-jerk reactions of anyone - fans or front office.