I am not running for the hills on the Carolina Panthers, but I do know where my shoes are, just in case.
Sunday was a horrible day to be a Panther fan after about 1:45 in the afternoon. Even then, it was 3 plays that took this season opener from winnable, to completely out of reach. If the Panthers don't self destruct in a 4:59 span of the 2nd quarter, we might have a different outcome.
First play of the 2nd qtr, Jake Delhomme is sacked, and stripped of the ball, the Eagles cover it in the endzone for 6. 10-7 Philly.
After their next possession, DeSean Jackson runs back an 85 yard punt return (which, from my vantage point, should have been called back for a block in the back) for a touchdown. 17-7 Eagles.
Next Panthers possession, Delhomme is picked (a route nicely jumped by Sheldon Brown), he takes it back to the 9. Next play, 6 more, 24-7 Philly.
There is plenty of blame to go around on this one, so all the "Run Jake Outta Town" mob can zip it. Jake is to blame on the 2nd pick, and the 4th pick--those were two poor throws. The 1st INT is a deflection. If the pass is on the money, there is no guarantee Steve Smith makes the catch. That's a tough break. The 3rd pick, the Eagles forced that one. Should Jake have tucked it and taken the sack? Maybe. He was trying to make something happen. It didn't work.
People have lost sight of the fact that this was the same riverboat gambler, gun-slinging quarterback that came off the bench, and led Carolina to a come-from-behind win over Jacksonville in his first appearance as a Panther. That is the legend that was created. Jake said it himself after Sunday's loss to Philly, saying if he was worried about throwing another pick, he would be checking it down to the running back every time. That's who he is--he's gonna try and make the play.
Which way do you want it Panthers fans? Do you want a QB who plays it smart, safe, happily runs a run up the middle on 3rd and 9? Or do you want a guy that will go out, and play his guts out when all the breaks are going against him?
I'm not saying Jake is blame-less. far from it. I also don't have to [pile on, and say get rid of him. Those that are calling for him have likely never competed for anything in their lives. Knowing the sacrifices it takes to be as good as you can be prevents me from piling on.
Others to share the blame. The offensive line. Thought to be among the NFL's elite, they were below average against Philly. The looked lost. They looked unprepared. You can put the coaching staff in as ones who share the blame. The special teams were functional, except for the runback, but I still maintain there was a missed penalty there. Have to look at the game tape again to verify.
In spite of the 38 points given up, I am inclined to give the defense a pass. They allowed 24 of the points (7 from special teams, 7 from the Eagle defense), and the longest drive the Eagles had that resulted in points covered 74 yards. The Eagles total yardage covered in their 4 scoring drives? 90 yards. The defense came to play on Sunday.
All of the Panthers need to show up in Atlanta next Sunday. Without exception.
Mike Solarte
Monday, September 14, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Mike, and Mike, Break Down Panthers vs. Eagles
Panthers Mike has Carolina cruising past the Eagles in Week 1 but Philly Mike isn't so sure. The dueling sports directors battle it out while breaking down the key early-season NFC matchup.Watch the video on news14.com
Going to the weekend
Couple notes leading up to the Panthers-Eagles opener:
- Props to the Pro Football Writers Association for naming their "Good Guy" Award in honor of the late Tom Berry. Berry was a sportswriter for the High Point Enterprise who passed away recently. always a professional in how he conducted himself, and a well-liked member of the media, Berry's work is sorely missed. Read more on this by clicking here.
- I like the Panthers in week 1 over Philly. I don't know why. Maybe it was an extra sip of the kool-aid, I'm not sure, but there attitude with this team has changed 180 degrees since the pre-season. Other week 1 picks include:
Pittsburgh (had it last night)
Atlanta
Cincinnati
Minnesota
Indianapolis
New Orleans
Dallas
Baltimore
Houston
NY Giants
Arizona
Seattle
Chicago
San Diego
New England
- Busy Friday in high school football, so make sure you check out the Discount Tire Friday Night Final at 11pm tonight, or 11am on Saturday for the replay. Loads of great games including Butler @ Richmond County, West Charlotte @ Independence, Shelby @ Crest and more from across the state.
Mike Solarte
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Wednesday Panthers news
Quick hit after the first full day of prep work for the Panthers as they get ready for Philadephia:
- Jonathan Stewart practiced on Wednesday, his first workout in...heck, I really don't know...forever. Head Coach John Fox said afterwards that Stewart looked great. Players we spoke with said having Stewart back on the field is a nice lift, provided he can play Sunday. C Ryan Kalil and others said they enjoyed ribbing Stewart for missing the time, but in the end, having #28 on the field is better than the alternative. We'll wait and see if he goes this weekend.
- Defensively, LB Jon Beason and S Charles Godfrey also practiced, Beason wearing a brace, Godfrey experimenting with a cast to cover his surgically repaired hand. Beason called himself "bionic," but Godfrey reminded everyone that he has the metal plate in his hand, thus making him more bionic than his teammate. Godfrey also mentioned that he hasn't felt any pain in the time he's been recovering from the surgery, so he's virtually at 100%.
- Having all the defensive starters on the field was a new look for Kalil, considering the starters haven't all been on the field at the same time since the opening week. Questions remain about the strength of the defensive tackles, but Damione Lewis sounded very confident about the abilities of Louis Leonard and Nick Hayden.
- Panthers 2009 captains are: QB Jake Delhomme, LT Jordan Gross, LB Beason, DE Julius Peppers, and K John Kasay.
Mike Solarte
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Panthers-Eagles preps
Carolina Panthers fans are worried.
True.
They are worried that their team, the one that went 12-4 last season, and return 20 of 22 starters from that team (it would have been 21 had DT Maake Kemoeatu not gone done on the first day of training camp).
Hate to say it, but there might be cause for concern.
The reasons are this: The Panthers defense didn't have the kind of bite it has had under John Fox down the stretch in 2008. They gave up lots of points, and loads of rushing yards. Those rush yard totals ballooned when Kemoeatu and DT Damione Lewis were slowed by injuries. Only half of that tandem returns to start 2009, and the guys playing alongside Lewis aren't the wide bodies that Kemo is. That is not to say anything of their ability--we've only seen those guys minimally in the pre-season, and even then, they were also under fire without LB Jon Beason on the field, and LB Thomas Davis was slowed by injury in the exhibitions as well. Getting those guys back (whether it be week 1, or beyond), will help the defense immensely. How well the DT's plug the gaps in the middle will go a long way in determining how good the defense can be. I am less concerned about the linebackers and secondary, than I am about the front 4. In this case, time will tell.
As for the offense, they, too, were shorthanded in the pre-season. WR Steve Smith only played sparingly, RB Jonathan Stewart has been on the shelf much of 2009 with the achilles injury. Having Smith back at full strength adds the Panthers kind of kick to the receiving corps. Muhsin Muhammad will continue to be a reliable pass-catcher, and an even better run blocker. Dwayne Jarrett needs to show more, but as it stands now, he's a number 3 receiver. I applauded Jarrett last season for making big catches on 3rd down--something many fans seem to forget--and he could become a touchdown catching receiver, but he has to earn the chance to be on the field. Kenny Moore has earned his spot on this roster, thanks to a very solid camp, and pre-season. How many chances he gets on game days (in the offense), remains to be seen. He capitalized on those chances in the exhibitions, though. Perhaps he'll get some tosses when the games count.
The special teams have just 1 x-factor, and that is newcomer J.J. Jansen as the long snapper. He replaces Jason Kyle, who signed as a free agent with New Orleans. If you didn't know who the Panthers long snapper was before, that's a good thing. It means Kyle did his job well, which he did for virtually his entire time with the Panthers. John Kasay will continue to be a solid placekicker, Rhys Lloyd will continue to boom kicks deep, and Jason Baker's arsenal of punts will continue to make him a threat. Kick coverage may need to improve as well, after giving up a punt return for TD against Pittsburgh. That first team coverage unit, I suspect, will be better, with all of its working parts on the field.
Summing up this quickie preview, the Panthers have players in place that they can be a contender to win their division. Other teams have improved, which makes the road tougher. Carolina's opener against a traditionally good Philly team will provide a nice test for this team.
One other factor about Sunday, which is a nice bonus for the coaching staff--they do not have to prepare for the Eagles with Michael Vick in uniform. Vick will miss the first 2 games of the season, as part of his reinstatement by Commissioner Roger Goodell. The intake of aspirin will be down for the coaches, thanks to that ruling, and it removes at least a Vick-run "wildcat" offense from Philly's game plan.
We'll talk to the Panthers on Wednesday, and have their take on the season opener for you on Sports Night at 10.
Mike Solarte
True.
They are worried that their team, the one that went 12-4 last season, and return 20 of 22 starters from that team (it would have been 21 had DT Maake Kemoeatu not gone done on the first day of training camp).
Hate to say it, but there might be cause for concern.
The reasons are this: The Panthers defense didn't have the kind of bite it has had under John Fox down the stretch in 2008. They gave up lots of points, and loads of rushing yards. Those rush yard totals ballooned when Kemoeatu and DT Damione Lewis were slowed by injuries. Only half of that tandem returns to start 2009, and the guys playing alongside Lewis aren't the wide bodies that Kemo is. That is not to say anything of their ability--we've only seen those guys minimally in the pre-season, and even then, they were also under fire without LB Jon Beason on the field, and LB Thomas Davis was slowed by injury in the exhibitions as well. Getting those guys back (whether it be week 1, or beyond), will help the defense immensely. How well the DT's plug the gaps in the middle will go a long way in determining how good the defense can be. I am less concerned about the linebackers and secondary, than I am about the front 4. In this case, time will tell.
As for the offense, they, too, were shorthanded in the pre-season. WR Steve Smith only played sparingly, RB Jonathan Stewart has been on the shelf much of 2009 with the achilles injury. Having Smith back at full strength adds the Panthers kind of kick to the receiving corps. Muhsin Muhammad will continue to be a reliable pass-catcher, and an even better run blocker. Dwayne Jarrett needs to show more, but as it stands now, he's a number 3 receiver. I applauded Jarrett last season for making big catches on 3rd down--something many fans seem to forget--and he could become a touchdown catching receiver, but he has to earn the chance to be on the field. Kenny Moore has earned his spot on this roster, thanks to a very solid camp, and pre-season. How many chances he gets on game days (in the offense), remains to be seen. He capitalized on those chances in the exhibitions, though. Perhaps he'll get some tosses when the games count.
The special teams have just 1 x-factor, and that is newcomer J.J. Jansen as the long snapper. He replaces Jason Kyle, who signed as a free agent with New Orleans. If you didn't know who the Panthers long snapper was before, that's a good thing. It means Kyle did his job well, which he did for virtually his entire time with the Panthers. John Kasay will continue to be a solid placekicker, Rhys Lloyd will continue to boom kicks deep, and Jason Baker's arsenal of punts will continue to make him a threat. Kick coverage may need to improve as well, after giving up a punt return for TD against Pittsburgh. That first team coverage unit, I suspect, will be better, with all of its working parts on the field.
Summing up this quickie preview, the Panthers have players in place that they can be a contender to win their division. Other teams have improved, which makes the road tougher. Carolina's opener against a traditionally good Philly team will provide a nice test for this team.
One other factor about Sunday, which is a nice bonus for the coaching staff--they do not have to prepare for the Eagles with Michael Vick in uniform. Vick will miss the first 2 games of the season, as part of his reinstatement by Commissioner Roger Goodell. The intake of aspirin will be down for the coaches, thanks to that ruling, and it removes at least a Vick-run "wildcat" offense from Philly's game plan.
We'll talk to the Panthers on Wednesday, and have their take on the season opener for you on Sports Night at 10.
Mike Solarte
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Reviewing the Roster, at 51 as I head to bed.
These were the men released by the Panthers on Saturday. 23 in all, plus DT Corvey Irvin placed on IR due to an injured knee suffered against Pittsburgh on Thursday night (copied from the Panthers release):
TERMINATED VESTED VETERANS:
Justin Geisinger, OL Vanderbilt
Kevin Kaesviharn, S Augustana
WAIVER REQUESTS:
Larry Beavers, WR Wesley College
DeCori Birmingham, RB Arkansas (Injured)
Casper Brinkley, DL South Carolina
Patrick Brown, OL Central Florida
Hunter Cantwell, QB Louisville
Jason Chery, WR Louisiana-Lafayette
Paul Chiara, S Syracuse
DJ Clark, DB Idaho State
Andrew Davie, TE Arkansas
Marlon Favorite, DT LSU
Joe Fields, DB Syracuse
Keith Gray, OL Connecticut
Anthony Heygood, LB Purdue
George Hypolite, DT Colorado
Mortty Ivy, LB West Virginia
Jamall Lee, RB Bishop’s University
Jeremy Leman, LB Illinois
Kevin McMahan, WR Maine
Marcus Monk, WR Arkansas
Jonathan Palmer, OL Auburn
Kelvin Smith, LB Syracuse
RESERVE / INJURED:
Corvey Irvin, DT Georgia
Based on my previous post, Hilee Taylor made the roster, while Marlon Favorite, Casper Brinkley and Jeremy Leman did not.
As it is now, the Panthers have issues at DT, as they kept just 3, while holding onto 5 DE. There are also some concerns about the return game, as Mike Goodson, Kenny Moore and Captain Munnerlyn all had moments that had the coaches a little nervous handling those duties during the regular season. Tennessee cut former Panther PR Mark Jones on Friday. It wouldn't surprise me if he ended up back in Charlotte this week. If memory serves, though, Jones had hamstring issues during the Titans camp.
I won't pretend to know who the team might have their eyes on, nor will I think for one second that all 51 of the players that currently reside on this version of the roster will be on the team once prep week for Philly commences on Tuesday. There are 2 available roster spots to fill, and with all of the league's teams trimming down to 53, there are guys out there that the Panthers could employ.
Sunday, the Panthers will set their practice squad. I would think that most, if not all, of their PS guys will come from the list seen above.
The roster as it stands:
OFFENSE - 24
QB (3) -Jake Delhomme, Josh McCown, Matt Moore
RB (3) -DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson
FB (2) -Brad Hoover, Tony Fiametta
WR (4) -Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Kenny Moore, Dwayne Jarrett
TE (3) - Jeff King, Gary Barnidge, Dante Rosario
OL (9) - Jordan Gross, Travelle Wharton, Ryan Kalil, Keydrick Vincent, Jeff Otah, Mackenzy Bernardeau, Geoff Schwartz, Duke Robinson, Garry Williams
DEFENSE - 23
DL (8) - Julius Peppers, Tyler Brayton, Damione Lewis, Louis Leonard, Nick Hayden, Hilee Taylor, Everette Brown, Charles Johnson
LB (6) - Jon Beason, Na'il Diggs, Thomas Davis, Dan Connor, James Anderson, Landon Johnson
DB (9) - Chris Gamble, Richard Marshall, Charles Godfrey, Chris Harris, Sherrod Martin, Captain Munnerlyn, Dante Wesley, C.J. Wilson, Quinton Teal
SPECIAL TEAMS - 4
P-Jason Baker
PK - John Kasay
KO- Rhys Lloyd
LS - J.J. Jansen
Stay tuned, moves will be coming in the days ahead.
Mike Solarte
TERMINATED VESTED VETERANS:
Justin Geisinger, OL Vanderbilt
Kevin Kaesviharn, S Augustana
WAIVER REQUESTS:
Larry Beavers, WR Wesley College
DeCori Birmingham, RB Arkansas (Injured)
Casper Brinkley, DL South Carolina
Patrick Brown, OL Central Florida
Hunter Cantwell, QB Louisville
Jason Chery, WR Louisiana-Lafayette
Paul Chiara, S Syracuse
DJ Clark, DB Idaho State
Andrew Davie, TE Arkansas
Marlon Favorite, DT LSU
Joe Fields, DB Syracuse
Keith Gray, OL Connecticut
Anthony Heygood, LB Purdue
George Hypolite, DT Colorado
Mortty Ivy, LB West Virginia
Jamall Lee, RB Bishop’s University
Jeremy Leman, LB Illinois
Kevin McMahan, WR Maine
Marcus Monk, WR Arkansas
Jonathan Palmer, OL Auburn
Kelvin Smith, LB Syracuse
RESERVE / INJURED:
Corvey Irvin, DT Georgia
Based on my previous post, Hilee Taylor made the roster, while Marlon Favorite, Casper Brinkley and Jeremy Leman did not.
As it is now, the Panthers have issues at DT, as they kept just 3, while holding onto 5 DE. There are also some concerns about the return game, as Mike Goodson, Kenny Moore and Captain Munnerlyn all had moments that had the coaches a little nervous handling those duties during the regular season. Tennessee cut former Panther PR Mark Jones on Friday. It wouldn't surprise me if he ended up back in Charlotte this week. If memory serves, though, Jones had hamstring issues during the Titans camp.
I won't pretend to know who the team might have their eyes on, nor will I think for one second that all 51 of the players that currently reside on this version of the roster will be on the team once prep week for Philly commences on Tuesday. There are 2 available roster spots to fill, and with all of the league's teams trimming down to 53, there are guys out there that the Panthers could employ.
Sunday, the Panthers will set their practice squad. I would think that most, if not all, of their PS guys will come from the list seen above.
The roster as it stands:
OFFENSE - 24
QB (3) -Jake Delhomme, Josh McCown, Matt Moore
RB (3) -DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson
FB (2) -Brad Hoover, Tony Fiametta
WR (4) -Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Kenny Moore, Dwayne Jarrett
TE (3) - Jeff King, Gary Barnidge, Dante Rosario
OL (9) - Jordan Gross, Travelle Wharton, Ryan Kalil, Keydrick Vincent, Jeff Otah, Mackenzy Bernardeau, Geoff Schwartz, Duke Robinson, Garry Williams
DEFENSE - 23
DL (8) - Julius Peppers, Tyler Brayton, Damione Lewis, Louis Leonard, Nick Hayden, Hilee Taylor, Everette Brown, Charles Johnson
LB (6) - Jon Beason, Na'il Diggs, Thomas Davis, Dan Connor, James Anderson, Landon Johnson
DB (9) - Chris Gamble, Richard Marshall, Charles Godfrey, Chris Harris, Sherrod Martin, Captain Munnerlyn, Dante Wesley, C.J. Wilson, Quinton Teal
SPECIAL TEAMS - 4
P-Jason Baker
PK - John Kasay
KO- Rhys Lloyd
LS - J.J. Jansen
Stay tuned, moves will be coming in the days ahead.
Mike Solarte
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Panthers Cut day
Carolina Panthers cuts are coming this afternoon--perhaps they have already come down, just not released yet. In any event, my 53 man roster looks like this (based on who was in camp, barring any late acquisitions):
OFFENSE
QB (3) -Jake Delhomme, Josh McCown, Matt Moore
RB (3) -DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson
FB (2) -Brad Hoover, Tony Fiametta
WR (4) -Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Kenny Moore, Dwayne Jarrett
TE (3) - Jeff King, Gary Barnidge, Dante Rosario
OL (9) - Jordan Gross, Travelle Wharton, Ryan Kalil, Keydrick Vincent, Jeff Otah, Mackenzy Bernardeau, Geoff Schwartz, Duke Robinson, and either Gary Williams or Justin Geisinger (I'm not sure on the 9th man)
DEFENSE
DL (9) - Julius Peppers, Tyler Brayton, Damione Lewis, Louis Leonard, Nick Hayden, Marlon Favorite, Corvey Irvin, Everette Brown, Charles Johnson
LB (7) - Jon Beason, Na'il Diggs, Thomas Davis, Dan Connor, James Anderson, Landon Johnson, Jeremy (J) Leman
DB (9) - Chris Gamble, Richard Marshall, Charles Godfrey, Chris Harris, Sherrod Martin, Captain Munnerlyn, Dante Wesley, C.J. Wilson, Quinton Teal
SPECIAL TEAMS
P-Jason Baker
PK - John Kasay
KO- Rhys Lloyd
LS - J.J. Jansen
We'll see how close we are on this once the final cuts come down, as they are expected around 6 p.m.
Mike Solarte
OFFENSE
QB (3) -Jake Delhomme, Josh McCown, Matt Moore
RB (3) -DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson
FB (2) -Brad Hoover, Tony Fiametta
WR (4) -Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Kenny Moore, Dwayne Jarrett
TE (3) - Jeff King, Gary Barnidge, Dante Rosario
OL (9) - Jordan Gross, Travelle Wharton, Ryan Kalil, Keydrick Vincent, Jeff Otah, Mackenzy Bernardeau, Geoff Schwartz, Duke Robinson, and either Gary Williams or Justin Geisinger (I'm not sure on the 9th man)
DEFENSE
DL (9) - Julius Peppers, Tyler Brayton, Damione Lewis, Louis Leonard, Nick Hayden, Marlon Favorite, Corvey Irvin, Everette Brown, Charles Johnson
LB (7) - Jon Beason, Na'il Diggs, Thomas Davis, Dan Connor, James Anderson, Landon Johnson, Jeremy (J) Leman
DB (9) - Chris Gamble, Richard Marshall, Charles Godfrey, Chris Harris, Sherrod Martin, Captain Munnerlyn, Dante Wesley, C.J. Wilson, Quinton Teal
SPECIAL TEAMS
P-Jason Baker
PK - John Kasay
KO- Rhys Lloyd
LS - J.J. Jansen
We'll see how close we are on this once the final cuts come down, as they are expected around 6 p.m.
Mike Solarte
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