Diagnosing Moore

[Mr. Scot]

So why the big difference between last year's Moore and this year's? Everybody's looking for "the answer" to why the guy we saw last year isn't the guy we're seeing this year. What is it? What is that one thing that's causing Moore to fail now where he succeeded before?

Here's a look at some of the possibilities...

CONFIDENCE: This is the one that I think a lot of folks will latch on to, but I'm not convinced. When I watch Moore on the field, he doesn't have the "deer in the headlights" stare, and his body language doesn't look like a guy who's afraid. He's still not scared to stand in the pocket and take a hit, and he's still willing to make risky throws (ala Delhomme). So yeah, it could be that, but I'm not seeing it.

POOR BLOCKING: Make no mistake, this is a problem, and it can render even the best quarterbacks ineffective. It isn't just the poor pass blocking either. The inability to field a consistenly effective rushing threat hurts too. But with that said, I have a tough time putting all, or even a majority of the blame, on this. Not every mistake Moore has made has come on a play where he was pressured. Granted, having to run for your life can make you skittish, but I have a hard time believing the cause is completely external.

POOR RECEIVING: See above. Yes, the receiving corps isn't anything to write home about, and even Steve Smith hasn't been as dominant as in past years (defense keying on him a lot hurts, but he's dropped some easy passes too). Still, while there have been some drops of catchable balls, there have been bad passes too, so no that isn't the whole answer.

KNOWLEDGE: There were claims in previous years that Moore didn't know the playbook. Those were never really validated, mind you, but regardless of what you think of those past rumors, there's been no such word this year. And it's not like Moore looks as if he doesn't know what play he's supposed to be running on the field. So again, I can't buy this as a main cause.

OUTSIDE SCOUTING: With every QB that bursts on the scene, there's always someone who says "just wait until there's some game film on him." Sometimes it's true, but if that were always true then nobody would ever succeed beyond their first few starts. Has Moore been scouted? Yeah, but we're still only in week two, and opponents game plans say as much about how they've scouted team weaknesses as they have Moore's. Again, it's just not that simple.

TIMING: Even when you have a great receiving corps, it's tough to get the timing and chemistry down when the lineup keeps shifting. It also doesn't help when your prime guy had to miss the entire preseason. This is something that's definitely an issue. The issue? Don't know, but look at it this way. When you have a cold, is sneezing the problem, or a symptom of the problem?

TEAM YOUTH: As has been mentioned many times, the Panthers are the youngest team in the league. As such, it's a foregone conclusion that issues will arise. But again, while Moore is young, he's no rookie. For that matter, does the youth surrounding him help explain Dwayne Jarrett's issues? Not really. So again, hard to pin too much on this.

COACHING: this one, I'll admit, has me thinking. While I've generally had positive feelings about Rip Scherer, he has the odd distinction that his primary pupils at the pro level (Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn) played better as backups than they did as starters. Can a reason for that be pinpointed? Without knowing all the ins and outs of Scherer's coaching, not really. Still, you can't deny that it's a trend, and a bad one (especially with another backup ready to take the reins).

Lots of factors. Lots of options.

So what's the answer? Which of those things is "the" thing?

Well...realistically, it's all of those things.

Fans tend to want a single answer, a solo solution, but sometimes there isn't one. At times, everything comes together to make a perfect storm. You can play the blame game all you want, but the real truth generally isn't as simplistic as people want it to be.

I think the one that will get the most play is the confidence thing, but this is the one that right now, I'm putting the least stock in. Contrary to what Tony Robbins and all the positive thinking gurus out there would tell you, just because you believe you can do something doesn't mean that you actually can. Even today, Moore still talks like a competitor. And while that's good, it isn't enough.

There are somewhere in the range of a hundred guys playing quarterback in the NFL right now, with varying degrees of success. Pro coaches and scouts will tell you that quarterback is the hardest position in football to evaluate. Sometimes you look at a Doug Johnson, a Scott Mitchell or a Jon Kitna and say "they're ready for the next level" and for reasons nobody can quite fathom, they just aren't. And it's not like they changed everything they are from one season to the next. In cases like this, the scouting was just wrong.

Could that be the case with Moore? Two games isn't a great sample by which to make that decision. Make no mistake. The coaches were justified in elevating Moore to the starting spot. His performance in late 2009 did indeed merit that decision.

But like the aforementioned Johnsons and Mitchells of the world, his performance this season isn't cutting it.

Bottom Line: You can spend all the time in the world trying to find the one single thing that's the problem. I'm sure the coaches would love to find it, because if it were just one thing, maybe it could be corrected.

Sad reality though, is that it isn't "just one thing".

Some guys just make better first officers than captains. Much as I hate it, because he seems to be a nice, high character person, Moore might just be one of those guys.

[Dpantherman]

i wont get on mr scot bc i knew his status early on.

[Brooklyn Bully]

I still say it's pressure. Last season he had none. We sucked and had little to no shot at the Playoffs. This year we were 0-0. We could've gone anywhere. And he had Clausen biting at his heels. All the pressure in the world was on Matt's shoulders and I don't think he can handle it. YOu have to have the right personality to handle it. You have to have that "it" factor. Moore doesn't seem to.

[Kurb]

Rip Scheerrrerere should be fired yesterday.

[Fox007]

Rip Scheerrrerere should be fired yesterday.

Agreed, but who keeps him on.....

[beastson]

I think the absence of a veteran QB will hurt all 3, I think Jake being there on the sideline or just on the team period helped Moore. I think having Moose helped Moore

But the main problem I see is lack of short passing from him. I dont see many passing plays designed to just pick up 5 yards (screens doesnt count) vs. plays designed to pick up 15-20 yards. He hold the ball longer than he should have waiting for something to open up

It's interesting comparing last week to this week. How many times we put Matt back there spread it out and just had him throw it around vs. today's game

[Future of the Funchise]

I'm sorry Scot, but I can't take you seriously with that avatar.

[Guild]

I think you left out decision making, field vision, and defensive play recognition. Those are the main problems I have with Moore.

[Panthers128]

The team sucks and Matt Moore isn't a QB who's gonna win for a bad team.

Steelers are 2-0 playing their 3rd and 4th string QBs. You build a team to make things easier for the QB. You don't get a line that doesn't block and receivers that can't catch and expect the QB to bring it all together.

Also I think having your head coach, starting QB and starting RB on 1 year deals is just plain stupid.

[mav1234]

I honestly believe the majority of the problem with the o-line are less personnel and more scheme. Maybe things will improve vastly when Otah returns...

[Mr. Scot]

I think you left out decision making, field vision, and defensive play recognition. Those are the main problems I have with Moore.

Those are effects. I'm looking at cause.

[pstall]

The book is out on Moore. The Panthers again have no threat as a # 2. For those that forgot what that means. See Panthers Super Bowl. 2 guys who could get open and go long in the SAME game.

So Def's pin their ears back and rush and rush and rush and rush.

All the flaws were obvious months ago and now some are awakening to their homer induced slumber to realize this.

[Guild]

Those are effects. I'm looking at cause.

I'm not sure that you can simply label them effects. They are causes in and of themselves that are making us lose games.

But to address your initial post again:

I think knowledge may well be the biggest factor hurting Moore that he could theoretically control himself. He doesn't seem like he plays with the greatest awareness of what's going on out there or what is going to happen. What really bothers me about it is that it isn't like the teams we've faced are doing anything revolutionary defensively. He should have been seeing these same plays and looks for years.

Also who controls blocking assignment designation on our team? Whoever it is isn't doing that well it would seem. That LB stunt that plastered Moore into the turf should have been picked up.

[KillerKat]

Scott, please hire a hitman to take out Gantt so that you can replace him.