Josh Norman: 'It's been a long, long season'

[FootballMaestro]

3 hours ago, cardiackat88. said:

"

Panthers cornerback Josh Norman got his bat back.

Though he cannot take the Panthers' ceremonial Bring The Wood baseball bat onto the field anymore, reports out of Carolina suggest it was nestled inside of his locker on Thursday. Call it symbolism. After his worst game of the season last Sunday against the Falcons, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera sought out Norman for a talk about keeping his edge. Norman was fined and placed under more intense scrutiny after a battle royal with Giants receiver Odell Beckham two weeks ago.

Every game, all season
 
The bat, which reportedly caused Beckham to feel threatened, also had to go.

"Yeah, it's been a long, long season," Norman said, via ESPN.com. "A very long season, the amount of games we've played, everybody giving us their best shot. The media, always something.

"It's been a toll, man."

While Norman said he doesn't plan on curbing his antics, Rivera noted a calmer demeanor out of his lockdown cornerback during the week. He also thought it might not be the worst thing.

But against Tampa Bay this Sunday, Rivera will hope to see the same cornerback he's seen all season. It's difficult for Norman to find an acceptable common ground on the way he plays defense, but unfortunately he doesn't have much more time before the playoffs start. Tampa Bay wideout Mike Evans should be good practice.

If nothing else, Norman has the bat back and will carry it with him in spirit."

Even as a fan, I have found this to be an incredibly long season. I think it was a huge factor in our latest game, having just beat that team 38-0 three weeks ago, I felt like it would be hard to get motivated for that game.

 

Hopefully we wrap up this win Sunday and the guys get a good rest before the playoff game.

link:http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000613446/article/josh-norman-its-been-a-long-long-season

 

Yes. Being undefeated, with all the hoopla that went along with it (especially following that Giants game), made the season appear long indeed.

This is why, we didn't want the Panthers to lose per se. However, losing that game against Atlanta, could be the best thing for them, if the team resets, and comes out "Gun's A Blazing" vs Tampa Bay and in the playoffs; instead of carrying that heavy burden.

Yes. I to, was one of the fans who circled the Atlanta game, as the one they would more likely lose, following the much ballyhooed Giants game.

[FootballMaestro]

2 hours ago, Castavar said:

See, I didn't know that. Thanks for the info

Of course, it was OBJ who drew attention to this with his crazy alleged fears. Otherwise, the NFL would have kept looking the other way.

[CRA]

19 minutes ago, Mojo said:

He's right though.  It's not that we lost the game.  I know we were outplayed on that particular Sunday by our division rival (which is fine) but Josh looked neutered and so did a good percent of other guys.  Josh isn't blameless but could have been seriously injured on that Beckham hit, so it would have been nice for Ron to come to Josh's defense a little more than he did.  A leopard can't change it's spots so dialing it back is tricky.  At the end of the day it's a learning experience and can't wait for Sunday.

Brown and Ginn have dropped first down balls before.  Ron didn't neuter them.

Protection on the right side of the OL has been spotty all year.  Atl abused it. 

Peanut wasn't subdued.  Peanut just can't run with folks 

I don't think we played well on O from an execution standpoint.   I think our DE pressure has sucked which is why we have been letting teams score of late.  That was a fair amount of pets allowed given how horrible Atl has been.

i think Norman dialed it back too much....I don't think anyone else did.   Atl took advantage of some issues we have been watching 

[Pox 08]

No doubt in my mind that Rivera doused whatever flame the panthers had.    Our defense was hard hitting,   fast flying,  and aggressive,  through 18 straight regular season games.        After Rivera essentially called out his players and shamed them for playing with attitude..   they come out the very next week and play against the Falcons extremely soft.                       

 

Norman played like he was afraid of getting yelled at by Rivera again.     Josh is normally so good against Julio because he is ultra physical with him right off the line.....and ties Julio up a little longer than he's used to.       This game,  the only time he really touched Julio was to pat him on the ass and tell him, "good catch". 

[CRA]

11 minutes ago, Pox 08 said:

No doubt in my mind that Rivera doused whatever flame the panthers had.    Our defense was hard hitting,   fast flying,  and aggressive,  through 18 straight regular season games.        After Rivera essentially called out his players and shamed them for playing with attitude..   they come out the very next week and play against the Falcons extremely soft.                       

 

Norman played like he was afraid of getting yelled at by Rivera again.     Josh is normally so good against Julio because he is ultra physical with him right off the line.....and ties Julio up a little longer than he's used to.       This game,  the only time he really touched Julio was to pat him on the ass and tell him, "good catch". 

Giants and Saints both did what they wanted to our D for chunks of those games...we actually haven't been playing that consistent football of late defensively. Secondary has shown some issues of late as has our pass rush. 

last 4 games...IMO we looked good on D in 1.  We got some tinkering to do IMO.  O putting up 30 + each game of the postseason is asking a bit much.

I don't think our issues Sun were as simple as Ron stomping on the swag.  May have been Josh's but not the teams.   We have some weaknesses.  Impossible to not ever let them cost you a game without one unit overachieving for the day. 

[csx]

Where is the evidence that Rivera tamed the team? His comments were just the exact opposite.

It's crazy that people believe the assumptions of online posters over direct quotes.

 

I refuse to believe that Norman needs to play like a jackass to be good.

[Mojo]

1 hour ago, CRA said:

Brown and Ginn have dropped first down balls before.  Ron didn't neuter them.

Protection on the right side of the OL has been spotty all year.  Atl abused it. 

Peanut wasn't subdued.  Peanut just can't run with folks 

I don't think we played well on O from an execution standpoint.   I think our DE pressure has sucked which is why we have been letting teams score of late.  That was a fair amount of pets allowed given how horrible Atl has been.

i think Norman dialed it back too much....I don't think anyone else did.   Atl took advantage of some issues we have been watching 

 

You're comparing apples to avocados by including Brown and Ginn regarding a discussion primarily referring to Norman.  I can't take that seriously.  They aren't really comparable besides the fact they're all black.

My main point was I felt like Rivera could have had Josh's back publicly a bit more.  The rest is really unnecessary to reiterate because all of it is obvious stuff, as I agree we were outplayed and some weaknesses exploited.  It was clearly a combination of things.

[CRA]

23 minutes ago, Mojo said:

 

You're comparing apples to avocados by including Brown and Ginn regarding a discussion primarily referring to Norman.  I can't take that seriously.  They aren't really comparable besides the fact they're all black.

My main point was I felt like Rivera could have had Josh's back publicly a bit more.  The rest is really unnecessary to reiterate because all of it is obvious stuff, as I agree we were outplayed and some weaknesses exploited.  It was clearly a combination of things.

 

23 minutes ago, Mojo said:

 

You're comparing apples to avocados by including Brown and Ginn regarding a discussion primarily referring to Norman.  I can't take that seriously.  They aren't really comparable besides the fact they're all black.

My main point was I felt like Rivera could have had Josh's back publicly a bit more.  The rest is really unnecessary to reiterate because all of it is obvious stuff, as I agree we were outplayed and some weaknesses exploited.  It was clearly a combination of things.

 

I don't think Rivera "didn't have Norman's back".  Norman is still a very young and emotional guy.  Issues with him often IMO will start and end with him.   I think too much was made of a post game sound bite of him apologizing to Coughlin...I bet Rivera was shocked a desperate Coughlin remained one.  That simply isn't even Tom Coughlin at this stage.  I bet Ron expected him to do the same.

I agree on the combo things though 

 

[Pox 08]

1 hour ago, CRA said:

Giants and Saints both did what they wanted to our D for chunks of those games...we actually haven't been playing that consistent football of late defensively. Secondary has shown some issues of late as has our pass rush. 

last 4 games...IMO we looked good on D in 1.  We got some tinkering to do IMO.  O putting up 30 + each game of the postseason is asking a bit much.

I don't think our issues Sun were as simple as Ron stomping on the swag.  May have been Josh's but not the teams.   We have some weaknesses.  Impossible to not ever let them cost you a game without one unit overachieving for the day. 

Colts,  Packers,  Saints 1st game and 2nd game,  all did what they wanted to our defense toward the end of the game.    The difference was,   Norman was playing like his normal physical,  confident self....and qbs had to think a bit longer and toss it away from him.  

 

This game against the Falcons.. .. Josh wasn't his physical self  he played like he was more worried about Rivera selling him out again in the off chance that things go bad.               Ryan didn't have to worry about Norman because Norman's neutered play took himself out of the game.          Our other secondary players are brutal,   so if ya  make it so Norman is no longer a factor,  our entire secondary becomes poo. 

 

 

 

[Pox 08]

1 hour ago, csx said:

Where is the evidence that Rivera tamed the team? His comments were just the exact opposite.

It's crazy that people believe the assumptions of online posters over direct quotes.

 

I refuse to believe that Norman needs to play like a jackals to be good.

Dbs gotta be physical and aggressive to be truly successful.   Look around the league at some of the better defenses.       If you have a DB second guessing himself and worrying to death about flags and letting his coach down,  then they won't be covering poo.     Especially not an elite WR like Julio...    to limit Julio,  it requires a DB being extra physical with him off the line.

[J.Cage]

7 hours ago, panthers55 said:

I don't know that trash talking and losing your cool are necessary to get your swag back. He can tone down the rhetoric and still bring a physical intensity during the game. We have lots of players like Kuechly, Davis and Tillman who can serve as role models. 

 

You know Luke and TD are two of the biggest trash talkers on the team, right?

[panthers55]

5 hours ago, PanthersUnited said:

The bye will be terrible.. This team will be so mentally checked out after this taxing season, I'm dreading it

I don't agree at all. The bye will give guys time to heal up and enough time to really prepare for our next opponent. We have dispelled the old "we can't win after the bye" crap already this year.

[panthers55]

10 minutes ago, J.Cage said:

You know Luke and TD are two of the biggest trash talkers on the team, right?

TD talks some trash like most players but I haven't heard people say Luke does unless he is provoked. So no I don't know that. How do you?

[panthers55]

1 hour ago, Pox 08 said:

Dbs gotta be physical and aggressive to be truly successful.   Look around the league at some of the better defenses.       If you have a DB second guessing himself and worrying to death about flags and letting his coach down,  then they won't be covering poo.     Especially not an elite WR like Julio...    to limit Julio,  it requires a DB being extra physical with him off the line.

You can be aggressive and physical without trash talking and taking cheap shots.