Run the Damn Ball!!!!!!

[WCABBall]

Couldn't agree more with the jist of this post. Now everyone knows that we have to have a threat of the pass in order to run the ball, but we are a running team. The problem with the play calling in the past two games is that whenever we get down we panic and start to change our identity. Last years playoff game and the Eagles game were an exact replica. We run the ball right down the field in our first possession and score and then we have turnovers in the passing game that lead to quick scores and we panic and throw more.

Sunday we ran the ball I think 10 of the 13 plays on the first possession and that led to a TD. The next possession we start to even the plays up and turn the ball over 7-3. Next possession again call passing plays and fumble 7-10. Next possession imcomplete passes and punt return TD 17-7. That is only 10 points behind, but then we become pass happy.

I don't understand why we think that we have to even the play calling up to keep the d honest. The play ratio should be 2-1 and use some dump passes instead of always going long. Throw the out pass to Smitty and keep him viable. We need to hit the long ball every so often to keep them honest but the idea that we have to call 50-50 run to pass is crazy.

If we run the ball we limit turnovers and score enough to win. This also allows us to run the clock as well keeping our defense fresh. We must play to our strengths not the opponents.

[Highlandfire]

Line it up, pound the rock. We should have nearly a 2/1 run to pass ratio at the end of almost every game. We have a top 5 nfl back and two other backs that could start for most teams. We have a good run blocking o-line, and great backs this is our team. When we run the ball on 1st and 2nd and occasionally only pick up 2 or 3 yrds. , sure you will here a lot of boos but so what? Who cares? This is our only chance!!! THE RUNNING GAME........

Then, hit the big play to one of the best WR in the game #89.... go back to the simple stuff, let the run set up the pass, minimize QB turnovers no matter who it is. Do this for this year to give us a chance at a wild card, then get Fox, Delhomme, Hurney the hell out of here and start fresh but for this year this is what we have!

We cant. Teams know to load the box, double smith and make Jake throw. Until they have to respect our passing game again, we won't be running well.

[DaCityKats]

the screen was set up perfectly....the player who picked the pass off was about to be blocked by wharton

[WCABBall]

We cant. Teams know to load the box, double smith and make Jake throw. Until they have to respect our passing game again, we won't be running well.

Agree that running the ball is difficult with the passing game of the Panthers. As bad as Delhomme can be, the real problem with the passing game is the NFL draft bust Dewayne Jarrett. For some time now Smitty is the only playmaker at the wide out position. I love Moose but he is a possession type reciever now and other teams as you mentioned simply double Smitty and make it difficult on Jake to find other guys. The other playmaker that was drafted to take pressure off Smith was Jarrett. How much easier woud it be for Jake and Carolina if Smith lined up opposite of D. Jackson with Moose as our #3 guy. It is time for the Panthers to move on from Jarrett and find a true playmaker at WR or TE. Gonzalez was a huge pickup for Atlanta and a player of that type would open up lanes for the Panthers.

Having said all that, the passing game has no immediate fix and we are not capable of earning respect by coming out throwing the ball. We must stick with the run even if it turns into 3 yards and a cloud of dust. I know it is not exciting football but that is how the team is constructed. We will have to punt our share of the time but punt is better than turnovers and allows us to play ball control and field position football.

[unicar15]

I wish we would just limit the passes that Jake takes downfield. He isn't doing well with reading the long outs and the dig routes that Steve/Moose run. Steve is probably the best WR in the league at catching the ball 3 yards from the LOS and running with it. We just need to try and get it to our playmakers in space instead of trying to get it to them way down the field...that is when Jake gets in trouble.

[WCABBall]

agree with you here. When we do throw the ball it often is long. Why not swing passes to backs out of the backfield, slants to Smitty, play action and hit the TE or Moose for 5 across the middle. Passes that Jake could complete. If Davidson needs help with this just watch the Philly tape, they utilize the short passing game as their run.

[Eaglesfreak]

Line it up, pound the rock. We should have nearly a 2/1 run to pass ratio at the end of almost every game. We have a top 5 nfl back and two other backs that could start for most teams. We have a good run blocking o-line, and great backs this is our team. When we run the ball on 1st and 2nd and occasionally only pick up 2 or 3 yrds. , sure you will here a lot of boos but so what? Who cares? This is our only chance!!! THE RUNNING GAME........

Then, hit the big play to one of the best WR in the game #89.... go back to the simple stuff, let the run set up the pass, minimize QB turnovers no matter who it is. Do this for this year to give us a chance at a wild card, then get Fox, Delhomme, Hurney the hell out of here and start fresh but for this year this is what we have!

you guys did try to run the ball on sunday. but you got stuffed by the Eagles run D.

[nationsford]

running the ball all the time makes you 1 dimensional, and one dimensional teams do not succeed consistently... ex. Minnesota vikings has the best RB and still went and got a proven PASSER because they know they can't be one dimesional... because a team will eventually stop you...

[SloppyJoe]

The problem I had with them running the ball is that they came out, would run on first down, then pass on 2nd and 3rd. Not a good job of mixing it up. Remember a couple years back in the Philly game, 06 I think, when Deangelo hurt them by catching the ball out of the backfield? That was one of the first moments with Deangelo where I went, "whoa, this guy is special" watching him take that screen to the house.

We really do need to get more creative with our playcalling. Run on 2nd and 3rd sometimes, even if its longer yardage to the first down. Mix in some swing passes out of the backfield, get the ball to our talented RB's more. Yes 3rd and long draw plays suck, but you know what? They actually worked pretty often for us in the past. John Fox even said in the post game interview that he wished we "ran more of our patented draw plays" on 3rd and long. Especially against an agressive defense that is coming full speed like the Eagles were.

I'd like to see more quick hits to Smitty too, just get the ball to him as quick as possible, and let him do the rest. I agree we need to use some shorter routes, especially with the defense blitzing as much as it was. How do you beat the blitz? Hot routes, slants, swing passes...that sort of thing. Not a very good job of adjusting by our coaches.

[bleys]

I think Davidson forget this sometimes, and I don't understand that one bit. Running sets up the pass, that's the way the team has been built. Throwing the ball deep to Moose is just stupid. Was Jarrett never open one time? I understand Jake barely had time to get set in the pocket most of the time, but damn, how many receivers and TEs do we have?

just wanted to point out the first play of the game really opened up our running game, which was the smoke route to Smitty...

Teams are expecting us to run.. I really thought Davidson had a great gameplan set up at the beginning of the game. We saw a lot of different formations from him.. quite a few looked very intriguing.

I think one thing we are waiting to see from Davidson is the opportunity to open up the playbook.. '07 kept it basic due to consistent changes at QB, '08 was our 1st real year but still couldn't expand like they can with all starters coming back this year... now '09 is here and I enjoyed the 1st QTR.. Was rather strategic in the beginning.

But with QB issues again (whether Delhomme can stay on the field or not without getting booed or a backup QB), I feel we may regress yet again..

The good thing is our OLine, as long as they stay in tact, may still be able to ground the offense's change at QB... I don't know, I guess that's up to Delhomme play or the backups ability to know the plays/system...

And when Jake threw the pass to Moose... I found that to be a good play actually. Not because it was over thrown (more so than a bad play call, IIRC).. It had more to do with loosening up the defense. This was also before we imploded on offense, so to take that chance and lose a down could have been made up for on the next play... now we didn't, but the fear of "we need every down we can get because we have imploded" wasn't in the forefront of my mind like it is/was later in that game.

you guys did try to run the ball on sunday. but you got stuffed by the Eagles run D.

Not sure that tells the whole story...

Both our offense and defense struggled... once we fell apart later in the game. Until then, we were beating you on both sides of the ball in the beginning...

[Carolina Crazy V2]

line it up, pound the rock. We should have nearly a 2/1 run to pass ratio at the end of almost every game. We have a top 5 nfl back and two other backs that could start for most teams. We have a good run blocking o-line, and great backs this is our team. When we run the ball on 1st and 2nd and occasionally only pick up 2 or 3 yrds. , sure you will here a lot of boos but so what? Who cares? This is our only chance!!! The running game........

Then, hit the big play to one of the best wr in the game #89.... Go back to the simple stuff, let the run set up the pass, minimize qb turnovers no matter who it is. Do this for this year to give us a chance at a wild card, then get fox, delhomme, hurney the hell out of here and start fresh but for this year this is what we have!

Yes!

[StartMattMoore]

I would love to see Matt Moore handing the ball off to DeAngelo and Stewart!

START MATT MOORE!

[beastson]

not simple or predictable...we have the talent to produce some nice YAC and need to get create with short passes and screens not having Jake trying to look downfield as much any more. Also, need to run, run, run, punt more some. Give time for the opponent to make some mental errors also.

Yea sounds like a L

You cant throw effectively, you can't win at all