I see too much hope pinned on Smith here.

[Baschski]

Ban the OP. Smith is still Freddy Krueger. He tore it up last year when Delhomme wasn't playing like a drunken chimp.

[MadHatter]

I am a little surprised how dominant the steve smith talk is around here. It seems there are plenty of good players on this team to be proud of besides smith.

Smith being on the field absolutely does open up the passing game for our other marginal receivers. He demands double coverage.

Stack 8 in the box and double cover Smitty....single coverage for the other WR's and they MIGHT be able to deliver.

[OneBadassCat]

I think the gloomy outlook on Smith right now is a little premature. He did great when Moore was playing. Also how many floaters did Jake throw to Smitty when he had guys like Revis and Asante Samuel beat deep? I remember a few. He escaped last season with no injury to his legs or anything like that and he's been untouched all off season so everything but his arm is in prime condition. I think it could very well be his best season, and they you may start to see a decline.

I've been going through highlight tapes and Smith now doesn't look all that different than before. Smith has never had the Hester or Chris Johnson type speed but he's always been a burner. I'd say in 05 he may have been the fastest player in the game but he trained like Rocky Balboa for that season. The thing that makes Smith dangerous is that he knows how to use his speed, he elusive and tough as nails. He knows the right angles to take, he has game speed. When he really wants it the dude gets faster. Remember how he finished when he raced in the probowl contests? You know damn well he plays faster than that in game.

Is he as fast as he was in 2003-05? Naturally I don't think so. However I don't think what he has lost in speed outweighs what he has gained in his progress as a WR. He's still as quick as he's ever been and his timing is damn near perfect. And keep in mind it wasn't his straight line speed that made all of those circus catches.

The concern, for me personally is not if Smith CAN still be the best, but will he push himself to be the best? Will he find it worth his while? I have no knowledge of how he's been training or anything like that. I just hope his new attitude he's been showing to the media is not an indication of his personal fire.

[panthers55]

We'll pass more if we get stuffed like the Titans game. They have got to be restricting the audibles some because they just ran right into blitzes and overloaded edges.

On blitzes and overloaded edges, you don't usually pass. In fact you often will change the play to a screen, draw or run the ball the other way. Even when you pass it is usually a hot read or rollout.

But you are right we did restrict the audibles as in we didn't gameplan much or even have a bunch of audibles to call. I expect us to open things up more especially since 2 of the 4 preseason teams we will play in the regular season.

[Wither]

What?! How could you doubt Smith?

Hell, he doesn't even need the rest of the team. They just put the other guys out there to make them feel like they are "helping." Smitty could just throw the ball to himself.

[PantherFanForLife]

What?! How could you doubt Smith?

Hell, he doesn't even need the rest of the team. They just put the other guys out there to make them feel like they are "helping." Smitty could just throw the ball to himself.

I think some of you guys are confusing doubting or "glooming" with simply being against "over-hyping."

I am not doubting Smith in the least. I just think it's probably best to have a more realistic expectation out of him at this point in his career.

I think he's the best we got but no longer the best in the NFL. It's just a fact of life a receiver can rarely perform at 31 the way he could at 27 even though I realize if anyone can play beyond his limitations, it is Smith.

But for me it's not "an expected" thing anymore. If he does do it again, then that's amazing, if he's output drops then THAT is "expected."

That's all I'm saying.

PS: There is a silver lining though. Smith can turn out to be better than ever if Matt ends up being a great quarterback. In that case Smith won't have to find himself in the positions Delhomme used to put him in and may be used even more effectively. The point is...now he needs some additional help whereas 4 years ago...a great run game, a good defense and Steve Smith was all you needed for a Superbowl contention...I think now you need a #2 guy or a hell of a quarterback to be in that position.