Sherrod and Charles

[Argus Plexus]

What happened to Martin and Godfrey? They were so fast and athletic in 2009, going after the ball on almost every play. Now, they just look sluggish and unmotivated.

What happened? They look scared to tackle, they get run over often, they get burned on a regular basis, and the number of picks has dropped significantly.

You cannot blame this completely on bad line/linebacker/corner play. Nope. That can only absorb part of the blame. What it comes down to is this:

What happened to our Safeties? Why do they appear so sluggish and unmotivated, and what can be done to fix them? And if they cannot be fixed, then who should replace them, be it someone on the team/draftee/free agent?

Discuss.

[therealmjl]

More concerned with Sherrod personally

[Argus Plexus]

More concerned with Sherrod personally

They both look slow and unmotivated out there to me.

[LinvilleGorge]

To be honest, I've never been impressed with Godfrey. He's always made too many mistakes and been too inconsistent. I did some pretty serious face palming when we signed him to that big money deal. I don't think he's necessarily a bad safety, I just think you can find that type of guy on the FA market year in and year out. He's nothing special. We're paying him like he's Troy Polamalu or Ed Reed. He ain't.

Martin is a guy who flashed a lot of ability. I thought he was going to be the first true, ball hawking, sideline to sideline FS that we've had in a looooooong time. He has regressed. He was a better safety when he first saw the field.

Let's just say that I won't shed a tear if Meeks is no longer on the staff next year. I thought he was average as a DC and sure enough, now that he's the secondary coach, outside of Gamble, we can't cover my grandmother on her walker.

[Argus Plexus]

He looked like the son of Jebus in the AZ game in 2009. That whole year he was a f**king beast. Now? He's a nonfactor. In fact, he's a liability.

[Munch4455]

First: Godfrey didnt play today.

Second: Sherrod martin had a pretty solid game.

Why did you decide to make this thread after this game of all games.

I think Godrey has had a pretty good year. I think he is 2nd on the team in tackles and has been solid in pass coverage.

Martin has had an up and down year, and seeing as Pugh has been pretty bad all year, I could see the panthers trying to strengthen the FS position in the offseason.

[Dontbanmebro]

Don't ban me bro.

[ncguy2184]

New defence maybe idk?

[LinvilleGorge]

First: Godfrey didnt play today.

Second: Sherrod martin had a pretty solid game.

Why did you decide to make this thread after this game of all games.

I think Godrey has had a pretty good year. I think he is 2nd on the team in tackles and has been solid in pass coverage.

Martin has had an up and down year, and seeing as Pugh has been pretty bad all year, I could see the panthers trying to strengthen the FS position in the offseason.

It's not about this game, it's about the season. Our safeties have been a liability all year long.

The problem as I see it is that Martin and Pugh were as good as they've ever been in a Panthers uniform when they first hit the field. Since then, they've regressed. We need to look into bringing in a real secondary coach. Our secondary outside of Gamble is pure garbage. No clue why we gave Godfrey all that money. He has ability, but he's never shown the type of consistency that warrants that type of deal. With Godfrey, Martin, and Pugh we have talent at the position, but that talent isn't producing. Before we start dumping a bunch of resources into "fixing" the position, I'd try another coach first.

[Argus Plexus]

First: Godfrey didnt play today.

Second: Sherrod martin had a pretty solid game.

Why did you decide to make this thread after this game of all games.

I think Godrey has had a pretty good year. I think he is 2nd on the team in tackles and has been solid in pass coverage.

Martin has had an up and down year, and seeing as Pugh has been pretty bad all year, I could see the panthers trying to strengthen the FS position in the offseason.

I made this thread because I was curious as to the opinions of other huddlers on this subject.

[nickzz]

godfrey hasn't been as bad as some of you seem to think

[(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻]

New coaching staff

Lockout

Starting DT, 2 of 3 starting LBS placed on IR early in the season

All of the reasons that people don't want to acknowledge. Both have been blown up before, but they've both blown up plays.

Gantt made an observation about Martin looking hesitant because of all of the fines he had received last season. I don't think that has a crippling effect on him, but it might have an effect.

There are way too many other positions to be concerned about imo. I would like to see some depth taken mid to late in the Draft though.

[LinvilleGorge]

godfrey hasn't been as bad as some of you seem to think

He hasn't been as good as his contract would dictate either. You give that contract to a true game changer. An Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu type safety. The type of safety that the opposing QB makes sure he accounts for in every presnap read and knows exactly where that guy is before he takes the snap. The type of safety who is the QB's first read in his drop back. Where is that guy? I ain't throwing his way.

Godfrey isn't that type of safety. That's not his fault. Very, very few are. I have no clue why we gave him that deal.

[Munch4455]

godfrey hasn't been as bad as some of you seem to think

Yeh I know. As a strong safety, you typically aren't in coverage as much as the FS. He has 78 tackles, and will have missed 2 games this season(3 if he doesnt play next week). Currently there is only 1 safety over 100 tackles in the nfl, and one with 98 tackles. If he plays both games he missed, he is very likely over at least 90 tackles with one game left. Call me crazy, but if I have a SS, with almost 100 tackles, a couple of picks, 8-10 pass breakups, all the while not being a liability in pass coverage, I would take him on my team every day.

The only game I can remember where he really was outplayed by his matchup in coverage was the saints game where Jimmy Graham played quite well against him. But...Jimmy Graham has done that all year to pretty much everyone he played so its not like you can single godfrey out for being especially bad.