OK, now it's time to discuss a couple of yesterday's problems. Let's talk "Evero."

[TD alt]

As good as the run defense has been, the pass defense is getting kind of sketchy. George Pickens pretty much had his way yesterday. That can't be allowed to go on.

Mike Jackson is obviously not a shutdown corner, and Pickens pretty much torched him yesterday, but Jackson has been giving up a few catches this year. 

"Entering Week 5, Jackson had only been targeted 18 times, but allowed the sixth-most yards with 210 (19.1 yards per reception).

"In Week 6, the Dallas Cowboys knew going after Jackson would be an advantage and kept putting their top weapon in George Pickens against him, who finished the game with 168 yards and one touchdown. Eventually, the Panthers figured things out and put Horn on Pickens late in the game."

https://atozsports.com/nfl/carolina-panthers-news/panthers-defense-has-improved-dramatically-run-game-derrick-brown-jaycee-horn/

Jaycee Horn actually took it upon himself to ask to cover Pickens during the Cowboys' final drive. Ejiro Evero needs to be more amenable to adjustments when the defense is actually not working in an area, and like Dean Jones of Cat Crave alluded to, Evero needs to be able to see and adjust things himself more expeditiously. Yeah, the team was able to escape yesterday, but we don't need those types of problems in the future. 

https://catcrave.com/jaycee-horn-just-proved-ejiro-evero-stubborn-plan-was-holding-panthers-back

Yeah, the team was able to escape yesterday, but we don't need those types of problems in the future. If Stephon Gilmore and all us fans can see it, then Evero should be able to see it. And, look, maybe Jackson was just having a bad day, as he has been relatively solid overall, but I think everyone knows that he's not exactly a shutdown corner. If your man is not getting it done on any given Sunday, you have to make adjustments, and you have to be able to do it on the fly.

https://x.com/BumpNrunGilm0re/status/1977434972236456129?t=d2sIA0nfcnk7_miBnIKW9A&s=19

 

Another thing that frustrated me yesterday was a paltry pass rush. Now, upon further examination, the Cowboys' O-line, though not perfect, has been pretty good, but some of this has to do with scheme and play calling to hide deficiencies. But, at best, the Panthers' pass rush was highly inconsistent yesterday. I don't know exactly what Everyone can do about that, but he needs to keep getting the rookies snaps and perhaps send a DB on occasion or perhaps an LB on a stunt. 

I feel very good to have won yesterday, and the interior D-line is showing its teeth, but I just don't know that allowing a QB and a receiver to have their way without much adjustment is sustainable against a better team with all of its weapons---thank goodness CeeDee Lamb wasn't on the field---and better coaching. 

 

[electro's horse]

Pretty sure they were rotating Horn onto Jake Ferguson a lot yesterday. 

 

[Mistuh Jones]

agreed to all of this. This is on Canales ultimately, he's going to have to force Evero to get with the times here or the other team's X is just going to feast on us religiously 

[Dave Gettleman's Shorts]

evero just runs cover 3 all game long

rarely ever blitz and doesn't give safety help defending the Pickens

[PanthersNCSU]

Dak didn't handle pressure well yesterday, and we can't get home with 4. But we rarely blitzed, letting him sit back and pick holes in the zone. The play with the ridiculous roughing call...perfect play to force a turnover with the airball he threw up.

If we want to take the next step, Evero has to trust the secondary to cover and bring the blitz if we're going to force any turnovers or get sacks. 

[Panthera onca]

Stubborn coaches who are resistant to change even when things are not working well really annoy me.

[Navy_football]

I don't know. It looked more like Dak evading pressure in big moments to me. Guys were there. They just couldn't quite get to him. Love the mix of players and where they're lining up across the d-line. 

That double A gap blitz with Roze and Wallace is a thing of beauty. Gotta give Evero some props on that.

Adjusting to the WR that's killing you is another story though. It may be as simple as Horn shadowing, but that could open gaps in other areas. Not sure, but can't keep doing the same thing that's not working. Jackson was reeling. You could see it. He lost confidence. He was outmatched and he knew it. It happens to a lot of DBs. The adjustment probably should have been a safety over top. But again, that opens up gaps in other areas. 

[jb2288]

1 hour ago, electro's horse said:

Pretty sure they were rotating Horn onto Jake Ferguson a lot yesterday. 

 

We were. The long TD we pulled him off 

[DeeJay]

Derek Brown got to smack Dakota

That looked good

[jtm]

There are only a handful of shutdown corners in the entire NFL and Horn is one of them and Jackson certainly is not.  The Panthers don't have much of a pass rush and our DBs are getting exposed because of this.  Nothing that can be done about this now other than hoping that our young pass rushers continue to improve.  

[L-TownCat]

1 hour ago, electro's horse said:

Pretty sure they were rotating Horn onto Jake Ferguson a lot yesterday. 

 

That’s a whole other issue.  The fact our LBs and S’s are so ass we have to put our cover corner on a TE just to stop from getting torched down the seams is ridiculous.

Horn’s #1 job should be covering the opposing teams #1.  Evero can’t be trusted to put Horn in that role.

And yet again we’re seeing reports of players having to request to be put in the proper position to succeed.  If it didn’t work that would be one thing.  But the players are right and that’s an indictment on the coaches.

[grimesgoat]

for perspective...

Dallas came in averaging 25 first downs, 134 yds. rushing, and 407 yards overall per game.  They left with 15 first downs, 31 yards rushing, and 292 yards overall.

I don't care what Pickens did, this was a bitch-slapping.  We made them completely one-dimensional.  Frankly if we don't turn the ball over on our side of the 50 and the refs don't give them a few drive-sustaining gifts, we win by 20.

Evero is finally showing something this year and we may get that 3rd round comp pick after all. 

[electro's horse]

8 minutes ago, grimesgoat said:

for perspective...

Dallas came in averaging 25 first downs, 134 yds. rushing, and 407 yards overall per game.  They left with 15 first downs, 31 yards rushing, and 292 yards overall.

I don't care what Pickens did, this was a bitch-slapping.  We made them completely one-dimensional.  Frankly if we don't turn the ball over on our side of the 50 and the refs don't give them a few drive-sustaining gifts, we win by 20.

 

they were without their best player on offense

[bigdog_10_2002]

7 minutes ago, grimesgoat said:

for perspective...

Dallas came in averaging 25 first downs, 134 yds. rushing, and 407 yards overall per game.  They left with 15 first downs, 31 yards rushing, and 292 yards overall.

I don't care what Pickens did, this was a bitch-slapping.  We made them completely one-dimensional.  Frankly if we don't turn the ball over on our side of the 50 and the refs don't give them a few drive-sustaining gifts, we win by 20.

Evero is finally showing something this year and we may get that 3rd round comp pick after all. 

I agree. 
 

If Wallace gets another yard of depth the Ferguson seam td doesn’t happen, and if Moehrig doesn’t take a horrendous angle, the Pickens slant td doesn’t go. 
 

I thought the defense did some really good things against one of the better offenses we will see all year. 
 

if this front four can start to generate some pressure, the turnovers are going to come in a hurry out of this cover three.