Zod

As much concern there is about the Panthers offense after playing Seattle, there is an equal amount of excitement about the Panthers defense. A key component of the excellent defensive showing against Seattle was the healthy starting combination of Jon Beason, Luke Kuechly, and Thomas Davis. Going in to Sunday's game against Seattle, containing Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was a top priority. Allowing Lynch to run the ball would have extended the Seahawks time of possession and worn the defense out further. Thanks to the linebackers, the Panthers were able to hold Lynch to 43 yards on 17 attempts, or just 2.5 yards per carry. This is an amazing accomplishment as Lynch averaged 5 yards per carry in 2012. The Panthers were able to cut his effectiveness in half. Good stuff. Luke Kuechly remains the leader of the linebackers, and the defense as a whole. Kuechly is relied on to make the defensive play calls and adjustments as needed. Veterans Jon Beason and Thomas Davis, two excellent leaders in their own right, seemed content to play support roles. After a Kuechly tackle I noticed Jon Beason was the first player to slap him on the helmet and encourage him even more. Beason has been a mentor for Luke, and that hasn't changed. Last season Beason was limited to counseling Kuechly from the sidelines while the defense rested. This season that veteran advice is available at any time. I expect this will help Luke continue to develop at an even faster rate. It is a scary thought for the opposition that Kuechly is only a second year player with room for growth. Seeing Beason and Davis play as tandem outside linebackers was a real treat for any fan of hard nosed defensive football. With Star Lotulelei clogging the middle, opposing offenses this season will be forced to try to run the edges. As Marshawn Lynch found out, it won't be easy. The backers of the line will be waiting. Click here to view the article

You mean aside from only allowing 12 points?

I don't assume we will have the same strategy against passing teams. I would expect more blitzes and pressure, fewer 3 down linemen play.

Scoring only 7 points gets a D? How many games in the NFL will you win by scoring only 7 points?

I'll spin it as allowing 12 points and I'll take that every week and be more than happy, as you should be too.

SMH Then I guess you give the offense a Z- ?

If you think allowing only 12 points is a meaningless statistic... well... I can't help you,.

As a whole, did the defense help or hurt our chances today?

No. Scoring 7 points cost us the game. You cannot expect a defense to hold a team like the Seahawks to 6 points to win the game. The offense should be expected to score 14.

Allowed 12 points to a team that normally scores 30+. Don't sweat the small stuff.

Holding the Seahawks to 12 points should be enough to win the game. Thats all you need to know.

huh?

hmmm... must have blocked that god awful play out of my memory. Grade adjusted to reflect Josh Thomas's dumbassery

What could have been a glorious return to winning ended up feeling like the same old routine. On with the grades. Offense: Scoring seven points will not win you any games in the NFL. That said, it is hard to figure how the Panthers only managed to score only seven points. Cam played reasonably well. The offensive line and the running backs looked good. The weakest link of the offense appeared to be options in the passing game not named Steve Smith. Brandon Lafell had the best camp and preseason of his career, yet disappeared when it counted. Tedd Ginn was open from time to time down the field but wasn't seen by Cam. If I had to put it down to one thing, it would be an overall lack of aggressiveness. The offense appeared happy to slowly move up and down the field with no sense of urgency. The offense did not impose it's will at any time in the second have, merely took what the defense was giving them. Winning offenses attack, they don't settle. Offensive Grade - D Defense: This defense has me excited. Already, it is easy to see great improvement over last season. Star Lotulelei provided more push up the middle since a guy named Kris Jenkins played for the Panthers. The linebacking trio of Beason, Kuechly, and Davis looked to be the best in the NFC, Charles Godfrey looked great in the safety blitz packages. A few miscues in the secondary cost the Panthers some yardage, but all in all you cannot ask for more. Holding a team who scored 30+ points a game last season to 12 points is a solid performance and a reason for hope. Defensive Grade - A Special Teams: Aside from a couple of bone headed penalties from Armond Smith, the Special Teams unit was good. They didn't allow Tate to make any great returns. Nortman's booming punts were a thing of beauty and Gano's kickoffs gave the Panthers great field position. Josh Thomas had a terrible touch on a live ball that kept the Seahawks drive alive. I am going to break this down into three grades. Armond Smith - F Josh Thomas - F Everyone not named Armond Smith or Josh Thomas- A Coaching: Like last season, the Panthers at times looked unprepared and undisciplined. This falls directly on the shoulders of Head Coach Ron Rivera. While his defensive unit looked fantastic, his offensive unit simply did not get it done. The Panthers must have an aggressive attacking mentality on offense if they have any post season hopes this year. Coaching Grade - C- Click here to view the article

Ok, you are now off notice.... For obvious reasons

Just passed by Sherman, smaller than I thought he would be.

Getting a good vibe from the sidelines during warmups. I think we will see a win. Cam looks focused in those ugly shoes.

Who: Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers Where: Bank of America Stadium Kickoff: 1:00pm Kickoff Weather: Mostly Sunny and 84 Degrees. Increased risk of burnt feathers. Tailgating info: TV: FOX Radio: 1110AM WBT Radio I will be tweeting amazing observations from the sidelines, follow @CarolinaHuddle on Twitter! Huddle Chat Room is Open! 50 person limit, first come first serve. This is it folks, the first Carolina Huddle Gameday Thread of 2013. The Panthers have a chance to win back the Charlotte fan base today with a win over the playoff caliber Seattle Seahawks. Panthers Keys to Victory: Limit Marshawn Lynch to under 100 yards.Eliminate offensive 3 and outs.Ginn and/or Edwards must make a big playLets Get It On! Click here to view the article

How are you so confident about your defense while missing starters and have a first year DC?

Its strange that someone with irritable bowel syndrome would incorporate their affliction into their screen name, but hey, to each their own.

Lol Giving Cowboys fans a run for their money in the geographical irrelevance department.

That's Missouri. Kansas is too pathetic to have a NFL team, so everyone just bandwagons the flavor of the year.

You're welcome.

We like it when Seahawks fans visit Charlotte. It nearly triples our international tourism numbers.