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Roman Harper: Why We’re Undefeated (A Must Read)

The Saltman

By The Saltman,
in Carolina Panthers

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The Saltman Apprentice

The Saltman

Posted
Posted

Man, what a great article by Roman Harper. 

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/12/03/nfl-roman-harper-carolina-panthers-undefeated

 

Quote

The Panthers are 11-0, something I’m proud to have a small part in. At 32, I’m no beacon of wisdom in the NFL, though our team is so young and my hair is so gray my young defensive backs are calling me Uncle Rome in the locker room. These days guys are beginning to realize how rare it is to go undefeated for this long. As a veteran of the 2009 New Orleans Saints, a team that started 13-0 and won a Super Bowl that season, I get asked about success, and winning, and what an undefeated team looks like.

The short answer is I don’t know.

Also... this is ridiculous... 

 

Quote

 Luke Keuchly, like Jonathan Vilma, has the authority to change any call on defense now, and it’s one of the biggest reasons we’re 11-0. There was a moment, two weeks ago against the Cowboys, that made me fall in love with football all over again.

 

Kuechly’s second interception against the Cowboys was a result of the freedom he’s given in Carolina’s defensive scheme.
Photo: 

Kuechly’s second interception against the Cowboys was a result of the freedom he’s given in Carolina’s defensive scheme.

 

During the Dallas game, Luke checked us completely out of a blitz at the very last moment, a scenario we hadn’t even practiced. Normally with that play we will just flip the side of the blitz if a change is needed. But Luke got everybody into a different coverage and communicated with the defensive line to rush Tony Romo with four men just before the ball was snapped. Then Luke saw the beginnings of a dig route by the slot receiver and recognized that Jason Witten was likely coming over the top, trying to work the gap between me and the linebackers. Luke just slid into the window, and Romo threw it right to him for his first of two interceptions in the game. And it all happened in the span of about five seconds.

It’s the kind of play that makes you proud as a player to be apart of something like that. That’s what football’s all about.

 

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pantherking15 Newbie

pantherking15

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Yes, we have loads of talent on both sides of the ball and are well-rounded, but so are a few other NFL teams. It's the intangibles Roman Harper talked about that sets this team apart from the pack.

My favorite part:

Quote

We have a bunch of really good football players, but most of them realize they wouldn’t be as good if they weren’t on this team.

It sort of reminds me of what Charles Tillman said when he was on First Take back in October: "The most dangerous thing you can have is 53 guys believing in one thing together. Right now, we have 53 guys believing that we are the best team in the NFL."

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KB_fan Proficient

KB_fan

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Great article.  Thanks for posting it.

I also really enjoyed BBRs "oral & pictorial history" of our huge win last year in New Orleans that started our current 15 game winning streak. 

http://blackandbluereview.com/oral-history-of-the-panthers-2014-win-at-new-orleans/

Roman Harper is also one of the players whose comments are featured.

Really great to reread the highlights of that game, the players' comments, and see how certain trends we've seen all year began (eg. a turnover on NO's 2nd play of the game ... sounding so much like our wins against Tampa or Dallas this season...)

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yasuhara2241 Contributor

yasuhara2241

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awesome article! For some reason I am obsessed with hearing players talk about the teams culture and the differences between this team and their prior teams. When you hear things like this from Harp and what we have heard from Tillman and Allen, it really makes me as a fan appreciate our team so much more! Go Panthers!

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