Steve Reed: Game ReCap

[Kurb]

lLINKYTOCLICKY

2. Surprising defensive performance. Considering the Panthers were without six potential starters on defense -- ends Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy, linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis and cornerbacks Chris Gamble and Captain Munnerlyn -- the Panthers played an incredible game, allowing just three points.

Carolina didn’t get as much pressure as defensive coordinator Sean McDermott might have liked (two sacks), but limited Giants starting quarterback El Manning to 36 yards on 4 of 9 passing.

Led by DTs Sione Fua and Corvey Irvin, the Panthers were particularly tough against the run, holding the Giants to just 81 yards on 25 carries, a 3.2-yard average. Take out two 16-yard runs and the Giants averaged slightly more than 2 yards per carry.

The Panthers did blitz more than in past seasons, which is not surprising. I’d expect to see even more in the next couple of weeks when the starters return.

“The thing that coach McDermott and his staff have been preaching and one of the things that we all believe in is up tempo and getting off on the ball,” Rivera said. “I know you guys hear us yelling it everyday: ‘Practice fast. Practice tempo. Let’s move and get after it.’ That’s what they did.”

Rivera said McDermott called a terrific game.

“I was listening in and a couple times I interjected,” Rivera said. “We talked about it but I thought he handled it very well. I was really pleased with that. I was pleased with the tempo our defensive line played with. I thought they got off and made some plays. We got handled a couple of times. They caught us one time on a pressure.”

:cornut:

[The_Cannon]

I know McDermott and Chud were both in the booth. Is that going to be the norm?

[Highlandfire]

lLINKYTOCLICKY

:cornut:

This D is gonna be damn scary when we get the real starters in there. I think I need to go make a fantasy Defense addition to my team :D

[pantherfan81]

Our defense is going to be amazing. I hope we get to see most of our starters back on Friday. CJ and Beason are going to flourish :)

[The_Cannon]

This D is gonna be damn scary when we get the real starters in there. I think I need to go make a fantasy Defense addition to my team :D

The Panther's D is going to be the fantasy steal of the season, like people who drafted Mike Vick last year.

[monstercat]

They did a great job, but let's not get too carried away after 1 preseason game.

[w280sax]

I was particularly pleased with Fua and Irvin at DT. They seemed to be getting a good push. They looked much better than I expected.

[Snake]

I think McDermott will do well under Rivera. He will learn a lot from him.

[Pimpdaddy]

I really, really, really like this group of coaches. To bad for Pep, Rivera would have made him great....

[DeeJay]

New Coach, New Defense Coach this team will be awesome Just get rid of Lafell Then go out and draft all Hawaii guys they are just bad ass mofos

[monstercat]

I still don't get all the LaFell hate. He didn't look like Steve Smith out there, but he wasn't nearly as bad as some people are claiming either. People are acting as if he dropped 4-5 perfect passes with no defenders around him, which is not even close to the truth.

[Seamonk]

I like Steve Reed and all, but he really needs to pay someone to make that site look better.

[Majestic87]

I still don't get all the LaFell hate. He didn't look like Steve Smith out there, but he wasn't nearly as bad as some people are claiming either. People are acting as if he dropped 4-5 perfect passes with no defenders around him, which is not even close to the truth.

True the only WR's that showed something last night was LaFell...Martin and Edwards...and Pilares(can't spell it) with that good TD....but LaFell didn't do bad to be the number one WR...With everybody out their I think he will flourish even more

[MHS831]

We are going to run the WR spot by committee. Edwards, Lafell, Martin, Pilares, Naanee, and Smitty.