SB Nation - Jon Beason

The NFL Draft says, "ACC > Big 10!"

BirdGT — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:00:17 -0000

A lot of the Big 10 talking heads have flooded our humble abode since the Orange Bowl announcement. They have denounced, degraded, and mocked the ACC's defensive state of affairs. One thing they fail to bring is facts. I like facts. I like facts that are numbers. Here are two numbers for Big 10 fans: 19 and 3. The ACC has had 19 defensive players taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since full expansion in the 2005 season. The Big 10 has had 11. The ACC has had 3 Pro Bowlers emerge from those 19 1st rounders (Beason, Mario, and Cromartie). The Big 10 has had 0. Those are some interesting facts for Big 10 fans to mull over. Here are 5 more interesting facts about ACC/Big 10 defensive players taken in the 2006-2009 NFL Drafts:

5. Georgia Tech has had 6 defensive draft picks since 2006. That's more than Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.

4. Duke hasn't had a player taken in the NFL Draft since 2005.

3. The Big 10's highest Draft Pick since 2006 was A.J. Hawk, the fifth overall pick. He was four picks after Mario Williams.

2. All four Drafts saw more ACC defensive players taken than Big 10 players.

1. The ACC has had 81 defensive players drafted since the 2006 NFL Draft, which is 6.75 players drafted per team. The Big 10 has only had 62, which is 5.63.

Really when you factor Ohio State and Penn State out of the Big 10, there's not much talent going to the NFL. It's the definition of a blue collar conference. Good defensive coaching is what keeps them afloat in major out of conference match ups. I kinda believe they play the isolationism game and simply avoid major OOC games until bowl season. The ACC and Big 10 have met only 9 times since full expansion. The ACC holds a 6-3 edge over the Big 10 in that time span.

What do you think about the Big 10 talent level? Do you think the Big 10 hides behind their conference schedule? Let me know your thoughts.

Breaking Down Panthers Red Zone Defense

Ryan Basen — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:25:23 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

Panthers safety Chris Harris intercepts a pass intended for Buccaneers receiver Maurice Stovall in the second half Sunday. Harris' pick in the end zone marked the sixth consecutive Bucs trip to the Carolina 20 in which the Panthers prevented a Tampa touchdown. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

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Tampa Bay moved the ball seemingly at will for much of Sunday's game at Carolina. The Bucs rolled up 469 yards of offense, including 315 passing, 22 first downs and 13 plays of 15 yards or more.

Yet Tampa scored only 6 points. That's because Carolina's defense was clutch and opportunistic. The Panthers picked off five Josh Freeman passes and stuffed 10 of 14 third-down attempts, as well as 1 of 2 fourth-down attempts. The Bucs had the ball at the Panthers 20 or closer six times. but the Panthers prevented Tampa touchdowns each time.

Here is an inside look at the key play that stalled each of those six drives, and allowed the Panthers to win despite scoring just 16 points:

Situation: Third-and-1, ball on the Carolina 3. The Panthers led 10-0 with 14:20 to play in the second quarter.

Formations: Tampa lined up with one tailback and a fullback right, a tight end left, an H-back left and a receiver wide right. Carolina used four linemen with five other defenders in the box and a corner playing 5 yards off the receiver.

What happened: The H-back went in motion right and set behind the right tackle. The fullback, Chris Pressley, took the handoff and ran up the middle for no gain.

How it happened: Defensive end Julius Peppers fought off a block and tackled Pressley at the line of scrimmage.

The result: Tampa faced a fourth down and opted for a field goal, drawing within 10-3.

Situation: First-and-10, Carolina 20. 10-3 Panthers. 11:20 to play in second.

Formations: Tampa lined up in the shotgun with four receivers, two on each side, and a tight end left. Carolina used four linemen with two other defenders in the box and four defenders each a few yards off the receivers.

What happened: Tampa was rolling. The Bucs had picked off a Matt Moore pass and set up their offense at the Carolina 44. Two plays later Freeman connected with receiver Antonio Bryant for 20 yards, setting up this play. Freeman threw complete to Bryant for 3 yards. But Bucs tackle Jeremiah Trueblood hit corner Chris Gamble in the back after the whistle, drawing a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty.

How it happened: Freeman pump faked left and threw a quick screen right towards Bryant, standing at the 20. Left defensive end Everette Brown read the play. As soon as Freeman threw to Bryant, Brown sprinted towards the receiver. He arrived in time to make a solo tackle on Bryant at the 17. Gamble had arrived to help with the tackle, but slowed up as the whistle sounded. Then Trueblood hit him from behind, knocking him onto the ground and drawing the flag.

The result: Tampa moved back to the 32, facing a second-and-22 after the penalty. The Bucs failed to pick up a first down and settled for another field goal, moving within 10-6.

Situation: First-and-10, Carolina 16. 10-6 Carolina. 4:12 to play in second.

Formations: Tampa lined up in I-formation with two receivers right and one receiver in the left slot. Carolina used a 4-3 with one corner in press coverage on the receiver in the left slot, and two other corners playing off the line.

What happened: Freeman had just moved the Bucs 64 yards in six plays to get back inside the red zone. But on this play Peppers and defensive end Tyler Brayton sacked Freeman for a 4-yard loss.

How it happened: Freeman dropped back and held the ball for a couple seconds. Peppers wore out the left tackle and hit Freeman, and Brayton finished him off at the 20 to complete the coverage sack.

The result: The Bucs faced a second-and-14. Cadillac Williams ran for 2 yards and Freeman missed an open Bryant in the end zone on third down, forcing Tampa to settle for another field goal attempt. This time Connor Barth missed, from 36 yards out.

Situation: First-and-goal, Carolina 4. 10-6 Carolina. 12:39 to play in third.

Formations: Tampa lined up in I-formation with two tight ends left and a receiver in the right slot. Carolina used six linemen with one corner in press coverage on the receiver and four other defenders in the box.

What happened: The Bucs had taken the second half kickoff and moved 68 yards in four plays, setting up this play. Linebacker Jon Beason intercepted a Freeman pass at the goal line and returned it 18 yards.

How it happened: Freeman faked a handoff to the tailback and had plenty of time to throw. Beason spied Freeman and hid behind the defensive line. Freeman threw over the middle for Bryant, who was double-covered in the end zone. Beason drifted backward and leaped to corral Freeman's pass at the goal line.

The result: The Bucs missed an opportunity to take the lead or at least attempt a chip shot field goal that would have draw them within 1 point.

Situation: First-and-10, Carolina 20. 13-6 Carolina. 4:25 to play in third.

Formations: Tampa lined up in shotgun with four receivers in the slots -- two on each side -- and one back. Carolina used a 4-3 with two corners in press coverage on the outside receivers.

What happened: Gamble had fumbled a Tampa punt, which the Bucs recovered to set up this play. Beason again picked off Freeman, this time returning the interception 18 yards to the Panthers 21.

How it happened: Freeman forced a deep slant for Bryant over the middle. Gamble had good coverage on Bryant and Beason was standing near the goal line in front of Bryant, in a deep zone. Yet Freeman threw the ball anyway and Beason picked it off.

The result: The Bucs blew another chance to chip into the Panthers lead.

Situation: Fourth-and-goal, Carolina 3. 13-6 Carolina. 10 minutes to play in fourth.

Formations: Tampa used shotgun, with two receivers on each side and one back. Carolina used four linemen with four other defenders in the box, two corners in press coverage on the outside receivers and a safety assigned to double-team the outside receiver to the left (Bryant).

What happened: Tampa had moved 80 yards in 14 plays, but the drive bogged down inside the 10. The Bucs passed up a field goal attempt and elected to go for the tie. But safety Chris Harris picked off Freeman in the end zone for a touchback.

How it happened: Bryant went in motion and set in the left slot. Two defenders followed him. The Panthers rushed four and one defender shadowed the back flaring left out of the backfield. Freeman had lots of time, but defensive tackle Damione Lewis eventually got up off the ground and pressured Freeman. That forced Freeman to throw the ball. He elected to throw for receiver Maurice Stovall, whom Harris was guarding, and Harris made the interception.

The result: For the sixth straight series in which Tampa had moved at least to the Carolina 20, the Bucs failed to score a touchdown. They still trailed by a touchdown. Carolina promptly drove inside the Bucs 20 and John Kasay kicked a field goal a few minutes later to give the Panthers a two-score lead.

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Carolina Panthers Run Defense

John B — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:13:24 -0000

More photos » by Alan Diaz - AP

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The Panthers do not stop the run particularly well. They give up 130.7 per game on the ground, 26th in the league. Opponents are picking up 4.7 yards per carry against them. Ricky Williams went for 119 against the Panthers last week. Nose tackle Hollis Thomas is the best run defender on Carolina's line. Tyler Brayton is solid. It is a struggle for everybody else. Under tackle Damione Lewis has been nursing a shoulder injury but had full participation in practice on Friday. It hasn't been great for Lewis or backups Tank Tyler and Nick Hayden this year. The same goes for ends Julius Peppers and Everette Brown. The pair rotates at right end. They are both very athletic and good pass rushers. That athleticism doesn't help them play the run well.

Jon Beason is very good in the middle for the Panthers at linebacker, but the situation outside is in flux. Carolina has three outside linebackers on injured reserve. That will leave a lot of inexperience at outside linebacker in Dan Connor and James Anderson. They could really use injured Thomas Davis in this one.

I think the Jets do what they do best, try and pound the power right side of the line, attacking Lewis and Connor, staying away from Thomas if possible. The Jets can very easily avoid asking Mark Sanchez to do too much. They have a big edge in this department. Defensive coordinator Ron Meeks does not have anybody in the secondary great in run support. He surely misses Bob Sanders.

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Carolina Panthers Pass Defense

John B — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:14:53 -0000

More photos » by Greg Trot - AP

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The Panthers enter this game with a top five pass defense, giving up only 185 yards per game under first year coordinator Ron Meeks. Meeks is a disciple of Tony Dungy and favors the Tampa 2 defense. This scheme depends a lot on the front four to generate a pass rush. There is very little blitzing. In fact, the Panthers only have 2 sacks all year from non linemen. It is primarily an execution based defense. You more or less know what is coming, but it is not all that easy to beat.

Julius Peppers is Carolina's best pass rusher. The 6'7" 283 pound end could probably fit on the line in either a 4-3 or a 3-4 system. He leads the team with 7 sacks on the year. He is being slowed by an undisclosed hand injury, which has limited his playing time recently. His play has been somewhat up and down this year. Tyler Branton also plays end for the Panthers. He has 2.5 sacks and 16 pressures. Rookie Everette Brown from Florida State will also see time at end. He spent a lot of time subbing for Peppers last week. Charles Johnson, a part of Carolina's nickle package on the pass rush, is battling a pectoral injury. His status is unclear. No Carolina tackle has a sack this year. Based on this, the key matchup will be Peppers against D'Brickashaw Ferguson. Peppers has 7 of his team's 18 sacks this year. If D'Brickashaw does his job, there's a good chance the Jets will keep Mark Sanchez clean.

Linebackers and secondary players in a system like this play a lot of zone coverage. The middle linebacker in particular must be very athletic and cover a lot of ground. The safeties are playing Cover 2 deep, which means everything in front of them in the middle of the field falls to him. Jon Beason mans this role for the Panthers. He's been good near the line, leading the team in tackles and been solid in coverage. Carolina is thinner at outside linebacker. Standout Thomas Davis, who was excellent this year in zone coverage, is on injured reserve. So in backup Landon Johnson. Another starting outside linebacker, Na'il Diggs, is banged up with injured ribs and quite possibly could be out Sunday. That could leave young players James Anderson and Dan Connor outside. They both have been adequate against the pass, but it could leave Dustin Keller opportunities to find seams.

Carolina will likely start Richard Marshall and Chris Gamble on the outside at corner. They comprise a solid tandem. Gamble had a rough game against the Dolphins last week, but he has good cover skills. Marshall has been a solid performer all year. At safety Charles Godfrey is battling an ankle injury for the Panthers. If he can't go, he'll be replaced by rookie Sherrod Martin. Martin has started the last 4 games and arguably played better than Godfrey, who has struggled. Chris Harris, the other safety, has also had some lapses. Still, this defense is a Cover 2 with an emphasis on safeties playing conservatively to prevent big plays. I'm not sure I'd count on Braylon Edwards or David Clowney as vertical threats. A good route runner like Jerricho Cotchery will probably be the primary target working to find holes in the zone.

Breaking Down the Key Plays in Panthers' Loss to Miami

Ryan Basen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:52:24 -0000

Thursday night's game against Miami was similar to Sunday's game against Atlanta. It was an even game, and it was decided on about a dozen key plays: Turnovers and third-down plays, especially in the red zone.

On Sunday the Panthers made the clutch plays, while their opponent did not. Thursday night, however, the reverse was true. Miami scored touchdowns on two of three jaunts inside the 20, while Carolina went 0-for-2. The Panthers committed the game's lone turnover -- a Delhomme interception -- and it occurred in the red zone. Miami, meanwhile, fumbled twice but recovered both fumbles.

The story of this game, though, was the third downs. Carolina converted only 3 of 13, failing on six consecutive third-down attempts stretching from early in the second quarter until early in the fourth. Miami converted 7 of 15, including four in a row in the second quarter. Those four conversions, along with consecutive stops on Carolina third downs, allowed Miami to turn a 3-0 deficit midway through the second quarter into a 14-3 lead at halftime. The Dolphins did not trail again.

Here is a look at those six key third-down plays:

Situation: Carolina ball, Third-and-7 at the Carolina 44. Carolina led 3-0. 9:40 to play in the second quarter.

Formations: The Panthers lined up in the shotgun with one back and four receivers (two on each side). Miami used three linemen with a linebacker showing blitz and three other defenders in the box.

What happened: A Delhomme pass for tight end Jeff King fell incomplete in Miami territory.

How it happened: King lined up in the right slot and ran a route left to the Miami 46. Delhomme rifled the ball to King in between three defenders. King caught it but could not hold on when the Dolphins' Yeremiah Bell and Reggie Torbor sandwiched him.

The result: The Panthers punted on the next play, ending a third straight drive that died near midfield.

Situation: Miami ball, Third-and-16, Carolina 33. 3-0 Panthers. 5:42 to play in second.

Formations: Miami lined up with one back, one tight end right and three receivers (two right). Carolina used four linemen and dropped several defenders back in zone coverage.

What happened: Lex Hilliard ran for 18 yards and a Miami first down.

How it happened: Hilliard lined up in the backfield and took the handoff, running in between left tackle and left guard. (This was no draw; it was a simple run play). A receiver on the left side blocked a corner, the center got downfield and blocked another defender at the 28, and another defender overpursued to the outside. Hilliard dodged that defensive back's tackle and broke an arm tackle attempt from defensive tackle Damione Lewis at the 28. He cut inside, used a block from a receiver on corner Richard Marshall at the 23 and collided with Marshall and safety Chris Harris at the 19. He then dragged them to the 15.

The result: Miami kept its drive going, avoiding a likely field goal attempt.

Situation: Miami ball, Third-and-9, Carolina 15, 3-0 Carolina, 4:07 to play in second.

Formations: Miami lined up in the shotgun with one back, three receivers (two right) and a tight end left. Carolina used four linemen with one linebacker showing blitz over left tackle and two other defenders in the box.

What happened: Quarterback Chad Henne connected with tailback Ricky Williams on a 15-yard touchdown pass.

How it happened: The Panthers blitzed a linebacker over right tackle, with the linebacker who had shown blitz dropping back into coverage on tight end Joey Haynos. Haynos ran a route towards the sideline, drawing the linebacker out of the play. William flared left out of the backfield uncovered, then cut up and in, settling at the 10. Henne threw low and behind Williams, who caught the ball and turned upfield. He broke a tackle by linebacker Nail Diggs at the 6 and fended off linebacker Jon Beason at the 1, scooting into the end zone.

The result: Despite committing two penalties on the drive, Miami completed an 81-yard march with a touchdown and took the lead for the first time.

Situation: Carolina ball, Third-and-9, Carolina 23. 7-3 Miami. 3:09 to play in second.

Formations: Carolina lined up with two backs, including a fullback left and tailback in I-formation. The Panthers also had a tight end left and a receiver on each side. Miami used four linemen and three other defenders in the box.

What happened: Miami linebacker Joey Porter sacked Delhomme for a 6-yard loss.

How it happened: Porter lined up at right defensive end and rushed wide of left tackle Travelle Wharton. Fullback Tony Fiametta accidentally picked Wharton and Porter ran free around him, nailing Delhomme.

The result: The Panthers' first three-and-out of the game forced them to punt from inside their own 20 with plenty of time for Miami to try for another score before the half. Jason Baker shanked the punt and Davone Bess returned it to the Carolina 29.

Situation: Miami ball, Third-and-6, Carolina 25. 7-3 Miami. 2:16 to play in second.

Formations: Miami lined up with one back, three receivers (two left) and a tight end left. Carolina used four linemen with two linebackers in the box and three corners in press coverage.

What happened: Henne completed an 8-yard pass to Bess for a first down.

How it happened: The tight end went in motion right, settling on the right side of the line. Henne took a five-step drop and fired towards the right sideline for Bess, who was well-covered by corner Chris Gamble. Bess ran a buttonhook and got in position to make the catch. He jumped and corralled the ball in front of Gamble.

The result: Miami again avoided a likely field goal attempt and continued a drive.

Situation: Miami ball, Third-and-goal, Carolina 2. 7-3 Miami. 1:04 to play in second.

Formations: Miami lined up in the wildcat, with Williams in the shotgun and a fullback right. Miami used eight linemen and a receiver left. Carolina had seven linemen.

What happened: Williams ran outside for the touchdown.

How it happened: The fullback buried a defensive back and Williams sprinted outside right. He hesitated briefly, leading Beason to stall too. Beason then chased Williams from the middle towards the sideline, but Williams dove ahead of him and hit the pylon with the ball.

The result: Miami led 14-3 after the extra point with 57 seconds to play in the half. Despite being dominated for much of the half, the Dolphins were in control at halftime.

Saints Offensive Player Grades vs. Panthers

saints-nation — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:00:49 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

about 1 month ago: New Orleans Saints receiver Robert Meachem (17) scores on a long touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of their NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. New Orleans won 30-20. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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Below are the offensive players grades against the Panthers. The letter grade represents the player's performance in the game and the GPA in parentheses represents their cumulative performance for the season.

Drew Brees: B- (3.09) Prior to the drive just before halftime, I was seriously considering whether or not Brees was worthy of the first "F" I've given out. He fumbled inside his own 20, threw an interception in the red zone, botched a snap that cost his team, and was settling for little passes underneath. But of course I knew he would turn it around and he was nearly flawless in the second half, so he saved his grade. He wasn't helped by a few Colston drops, including two in the end zone. Brees finished 24 of 35 for 330 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception and 1 lost fumble. He also converted a 3rd and 1 on a 5 yard sneak.

Reggie Bush: B+ (2.42) Bush did all the little things very well. He carried the ball twice, rushing for 9 and 7 yards respectively. On both carries he hit the hole and showed a nice burst. He was heavily involved in the passing game, finishing with 7 catches for 37 yards. He helped the Saints convert big 3rd downs when they needed it. He returned one punt for 4 yards, avoiding his backpedaling tendency. His best play of the game was chasing Chris Gamble downfield after an interception to save a touchdown return. Despite being blocked by a couple Panthers on that play he was able to catch Gamble, and as low as the Saints were at that point in the game he helped limit the damage already done.

Mike Bell: C+ (2.95) Bell converted twice on 3rd and short, so give him credit for powering through with his aggressive running style. Otherwise he just had 5 carries for 17 yards. Quiet day.

Devery Henderson: B+ (3.12) Henderson came up with a HUGE 63 yard reception on3rd down to set up the Pierre Thomas score. He finished with 3 catches for 93 yards. He also had another 3rd down conversion and made the most of his opportunities. He had no chance on an end around that went for a 3 yard loss as Thomas Davis read the play perfectly.

Marques Colston: D+ (2.92) Colston had at least 4 drops and had by far his worse game of the season. While a couple of those were gimmes, a couple of those were admittedly tough catches to make. None the less, we've come to expect Colston to make those spectacular catches and he just didn't show up. Poor performance for the Saints' star receiver who finished with just 1 catch for 45 yards. His one catch did set up the field goal before halftime, which was important for the Saints' momentum going into the locker room, but the bad overshadowed the good. He specifically had two drops in the end zone on plays I've seen him make countless times.

Robert Meachem: A- (2.83) Meachem was the most targeted and reliable Saints' receiver on the day. It was a nice surprise to see him so involved and performing well. He finished with 5 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown was a 54 strike from Brees where he was able to show off his terrific hands and speed, and it was crucial as it tied the game at 20.

Pierre Thomas: B+ (3.22) Thomas was off to a slow start, especially in the first half, but played a terrific second half when he got more touches. Finished with 50 yards on 13 carries, none bigger than the 10 yard touchdown run that pulled the Saints back within 4 to start the second half. As the game wore on he refused to go down and was seen shedding two to three tacklers before going down. He also had 5 catches for 31 yards.

Jeremy Shockey: C- (3.21) Shockey had his worse game of the season. He didn't block particularly well, and he wasn't looking on a pass in the end zone that Brees threw to him. A little embarrassing, considering Fox analyst Brian Billick spent the better part of a drive talking about how Shockey and Brees were finally on the same page. He was flagged for an offensive pass interference call that was suspect, and finished with 3 catches for 26 yards.

David Thomas: D+ (1.89) Thomas played a decent amount of snaps at fullback, but didn't seem to throw great lead blocks. He did throw a couple good blocks on screen passes to the running backs, but he was never targeted in the passing game. His low grade is mostly due to the fact that I saw him beat by Thomas Davis and pushed around by Jon Beason.

Jermon Bushrod: A- (2.81) Brees got little pressure from Bushrod's edge all game, and when he did he was able to step up in the pocket. Bushrod did an admirable job in both pass protection and run blocking. While it seemed like he went out for a portion of the game with an injury, Julius Peppers had just 1 tackle and was almost non-existent in the game. Give Bushrod credit, Jammal Brown has never kept Peppers that quiet.

Jahri Evans: B- (3.29) Hard to forget about the most costly penalty of the game. On a screen pass to Thomas that converted a 3rd down inside the Panthers' 5, Evans was called for a hold, forcing the Saints to settle for a field goal and a 23-20 lead. The Saints were fortunate it didn't come back to haunt them, but Evans picked a crucial time to make a mistake. Otherwise, he was pretty solid but not as dominant as usual.

Jonathan Goodwin: B (3.04) Goodwin was back to pulling on screens and showing a nasty streak inside. He showed no ill effects from the knee injury that forced him to leave the game early last week. The shotgun snap that was dropped by Brees was not his fault.

Carl Nicks: B (3.00) Nicks was terrific run blocking, mauling ex Saint Hollis Thomas on a couple of occasions. Thomas is a load, so it was fun to see Nicks bullying the hefty veteran. I only remembered him get beat once on a passing play.

Jon Stinchcomb: C+ (2.88) Stinchcomb was responsible for the sack and strip in the 1st quarter. There was a lot of pressure coming from his edge, but Brees was able to step up in the pocket to avoid most of it. Stinchcomb did spring one of Bell's 3rd and 1 conversions, but he also did a bad job containing linebackers bringing backside pursuit.

Offensive Player of the Game: Robert Meachem

Arizona Cardinals vs Carolina Panthers: Who Has the Edge?

Andrew602 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:49:40 -0000

In last week's segment, the New York Giants held the edge, 7-5 and that was rightfully so. Not many Cardinal fans expected them to go to New York and play the way they did. That's where predicting outcomes becomes difficult. This week, predicting who has the edge shouldn't be a challenge, but the Cardinals also shouldn't get ahead of themselves. The Panthers can be a dangerous team, and DeAngelo Williams is always a threat to break a long run. Let's take a look at who will hold the edge.

Pos.	Edge	Analysis
QB		This one should be a no-brainer. Jake Delhomme has already thrown 13 interceptions while Kurt Warner has put together another solid season. This is the key to the game on Sunday.
RB		Although the Panthers have had their problems this season, the one bright spot would be the duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The combo could give the Cardinals problems on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are barely starting to put together a rushing attack
WR		The Cardinals passing attack hasn't been as explosive as it was in the past, but you can never underestimate Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. The Panthers have struggled getting the ball to Steve Smith, something they must do to be successful.
TE		Jeff King and Dante Rosario have more receptions, yards and touchdowns then any one of the Cardinals tight ends combined. Delhomme hasn't been good but he has found these two in the end zone.
OL		Jeff Otah is a young tackle that Cardinal fans wish we could swap with Levi Brown. The Cardinals offensive line has improved the last two ames, but Carolina's line can produce good rushing lanes for their running backs.

Pos.	Edge	Analysis
DL		The Cardinals continue to remain the best rushing defense in the league. Even with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, they didn't allow over 100 yards. The Panthers have faced injuries and inconsistency. Julius Peppers remains a force on defense, as he has 6 sacks on the year.
LB		The Panthers linebackers are one of the bright spots on the defense. Jon Beason and Thomas Davis lead the defense in tackles and interceptions(1). Although the Cardinals linebackers have blitzed more and have done better in coverage, they'll need to more consistent while doing so.
CB	---------------	The Panthers do have the top pass defense in the league(150 YPG), while the Cardinals are 29th(258 YPG). However, opponents have thrown the least amount of passes(151) in the league at the Panthers. They also allow a 6.6 YPA(13th), a 65.6% completion(27th), and a 91.3 QB rating(24th). The Cardinals have had 226 passes thrown at them(10th) with a 7.2 YPA avg(20th), a 57.5% completion(9th), and an 82.1 QB rating(13th). The Panthers 1st ranked pass defense can be misleading, and the Cardinals stats are skewed from the rough start. Split.
S		Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle proved last week that they are the best pair of safeties, at least in the NFC. They confused Eli Manning and were at the end of 3 turnovers. As stated earlier, the Panthers pass defense is good, but is not on the level of Wilson and Rolle.
ST		This one was close, but the Cardinals have the Panthers beat in almost every statistical category. They're also in top 5 for opponent return yards allowed. So far this year, the Panthers have done nothing that warrants them to have the edge over the Cardinals on special teams.
Coach		John Fox's commitment to Jake Delhomme proved to be disastrous for the Panthers '09 season. Meanwhile, Ken Whisenhunt has the Cardinals on a three game win streak and in 1st place in the West
Edge	Result	Analysis
	7-5	The Cardinals have the edge this week for obvious reasons. They're coming off a three game win streak and a huge win in New York. They'll also be at home, a place they haven't been in two weeks. The Panthers decided to start Delhomme again this week, something that may be costly after Sunday.

The Cardinals get to be on their home field this Sunday, another factor in the game. They hold the edge at most positions, but must have the edge in the mental game as well. Buying into their own hype or becoming too confident could cost the Cardinals the game. What are your thoughts? Are there any positions that you don't agree with?

Notes from the Bills' O-Line: Week 7 at Carolina

Ron From NM — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:30:30 -0000

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Like the announcers (Steve Tasker is one of my favorite color guys even if he does butcher names on occasion), I spent most of the game absolutely certain that the Carolina Panthers would run all over the Buffalo Bills in the fourth quarter. The time of possession at times favored the Panthers 3-1, and there were times in the games where the Panthers had four times the yardage of Buffalo.

It all spelled doom, but then a funny thing happened: Ryan Fitzpatrick made a pair of clutch throws, including an astounding rocket pass to Evans for a touchdown. Like many of you, I thought Fitzpatrick would lead the team to a 2-5 record, and, like many of you, I suspected the offensive line wouldn't exactly help matters. It turns out that I was only half right: Fitzpatrick was just barely good enough to win, while the line continued to kill plays with frightening regularity.

Before diving into the heavy stuff (which is all after the jump), here's a brief reminder: based purely on grades and ease of mind, Jonathan Scott is absolutely the best man for the right tackle job at this juncture. A review of Jamon Meredith's second performance is after the jump, along with everything Week 7-related that you need to know about Demetrius Bell, Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner and Eric Wood.

Drive 1
For reasons that are unclear, the Bills game didn't start up on DirecTV until the end of the first series. Other guys who have DirecTV on Rumblings seemed to be getting the feed, but I do live in the sticks. I gave everyone a mark of decent for Run 1 (Marshawn Lynch, 1 yard), Pass 1 (Terrell Owens drop of a 20ish yard gain), and Pass 2 (Fitzpatrick scramble for 5 yards), as it would be peevish to penalize guys without the facts.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive killer: T.O.'s drop

Drive 2
Pass 3: Incomplete to Lee Evans
Derek Fine pushed 96 inside and Bell kept him there. 92 pushed Levitre back, cut inside of him and hit Fitzpatrick as he threw - causing the wounded duck. Hangartner stopped 75, while Wood and Meredith doubled Julius Peppers.

Run 2: Lynch 8 yards through the right B gap
Bell took 96 on a wide circle upfield. Levitre hit 52 at the second level and didn't sustain his block. He did keep him out of the play. Hangartner got no real push on 75, but 75 couldn't chase the play because of a pile up created by Wood and Meredith. They had blown 92 off the line and to the inside and into 75. Peppers got off of Fine's block to get in on the tackle.

Pass 4: Incomplete
Bell stopped 96. Levitre kept 92 away from Fitzpatrick, though 92 spun late and did get around him. Hangartner waited for a blitzer and then helped Wood stuff 95. Meredith beat 90 to the corner and reacted quickly when Peppers tried to jump back to the inside.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive killer: Fitzpatrick's pass to no one

Drive 3
Run 3: Lynch no gain through the left B gap
Bell went to the second level and pushed 30 to the outside to open a run lane. Unfortunately, 92 got inside of Levitre's block to make the tackle and kill the play. Oh, and it looked like Levitre was holding. Hangartner blocked 75 down the line and tripped over some random feet. Wood went to the second level but there was no one to block. Peppers sliced inside of Meredith's block to almost get a tackle for loss (TFL). Fine did an okay job on 96.

Run 4: Lynch 7 yard TD through the left C gap
Bell forced 96 inside to seal the edge and drove him 4 yards. Levitre and Hangartner had an initial double team on 75. Levitre kept driving 75 inside and Hangartner picked up a filling 59. Wood drove 92 3 yards down the line and back one more. Meredith popped Peppers hard enough to rock him back on his heels. Fine helped Meredith with Peppers. I'm not sure what happened to the Panthers defense on the play. It looked like they sold out on a run to the right so no one was home when Lynch took it off left tackle.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: N/A

Drive 4
Pass 5: Josh Reed drop
The entire line blocked like it was a run to the right and the quick pass went out to the left. It looked like Fitzpatrick was supposed to hand off but threw it out to Reed when he saw that the coverage was playing off. It was a nice theory...

Pass 6: Incomplete to T.O. (underthrown) against a blitz
Bell took 59 around the corner. Levitre stopped 96. Hangartner and Wood doubled 93. 92 spun away from Meredith and decked Fitzpatrick. Fine picked up 95. Had Fitzpatrick gotten the ball away on time, it was a likely completion, as T.O. had beaten his man. Instead, Fitzpatrick waited a beat too long and got whacked for it.

Pass 7: Evans 6 yards
91 spun inside away from Bell's block to hit Fitzpatrick. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 96. Wood got in 95's way. Peppers got under Meredith's shoulder at the corner and got a hit on Fitzpatrick.

Blitzes: 1
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Fitzpatrick's underthrown ball to T.O.

Drive 5
Run 5: Fred Jackson -2 yards for a safety through the right B gap
96 shot inside of Bell and got in on the tackle. 75 got the safety when he knocked Levitre back and then lurched down the line to hit Jackson. Wood and Hangartner doubled 93. Wood drove 93 3 yards down the line after Hangartner left to pick up Jon Beason. Meredith locked up a linebacker at the second level. Fine was pushed back into the Jackson/75/96 pile by 95. I'm not sure why the handoff took as long as it did. It wasn't a draw and you'd figure the offense would want the ball out of the paint as quickly as possible...

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Levitre's pathetic attempt to block 75

Drive 6
Run 6: Lynch -1 yard through the A gap
Bell danced around 33. Levitre and Hangartner had an initial double team on 75. Levitre got under 75's shoulder and drove him 2 yards. Hangartner tried to peel and pick up 52, but was too slow. Beason got the TFL. Wood pancaked 92, exactly how he had flattened a guy last week though this time he wasn't pelted with a yellow hanky. Meredith and Fine doubled Peppers and kept him out of the play.

Run 7: Lynch no gain through the A gap
Bell kept 96 on the edge of the line of scrimmage (LOS). Levitre took 92 on an arc well upfield. Hangartner got no push at all and Lynch ran right to him and the waiting arms of the defensive tackle. Wood never locked up 90, whose effectively unblocked presence forced Lynch to take it back inside. Meredith went to the second level and whiffed on 59. Fine stumbled and was too late to catch Beason.

Pass 8: T.O. 18 yards
Bell pushed 91 past Fitz after losing the race to the corner. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 94. Wood stopped 96 and Meredith stuffed Peppers with help from Jackson. It was a nice reception, the kind T.O. was brought in to make and all too often seems to drop.

Pass 9: Sack -9 yards
Bell and Levitre let 59 and 96 rush while they got out of the screen. The problem was that they didn't even try to slow them down, even a little. 96 got the sack. Hangartner turned 75 away from the screen. Wood and Meredith doubled 92. Fitzpatrick seems to hold onto the ball a beat too long again, though it's questionable whether he could have gotten it past 96.

Pass 10: Reed 6 yards
Bell and Levitre kept 96 and 75 on the LOS. Hangartner and Wood doubled 92 and put him down. Meredith got help with Peppers and even then Peppers almost got past the block.

Pass 11: Incomplete to Jonathan Stupar
Bell beat 91 to the corner. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 95. Levitre left 95 to pick up 91 when he tried to get inside of Bell. Wood had no one to block. Meredith pushed Peppers around the corner and past Fitzpatrick, who threw the ball behind Stupar. Had the pass been on target, Stupar would have had a first down. If Stupar had dropped it then he would have killed the play, but as it happened the fault was Fitzpatrick's.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Fitzpatrick's inaccurate pass to Stupar
Halftime

Drive 7
Pass 12: Fitzpatrick scramble 4 yards
Bell danced with 96. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 75. Wood and Meredith doubled 96. When 75 tried to twist away from Hangartner and Levitre, Wood picked him up. Fine did a great job blocking Peppers.

Run 8: Lynch 8 yards through the left B gap
Bell hit 52 at the second level and drove him 5 yards, but he was still in on the tackle. Levitre turned 75 inside to open the run lane. Hangartner helped with 75 and then picked up a linebacker. Wood got good push on 92. Meredith sealed 53 inside of the pile. Fine was rolled up on while ably blocking Peppers and left the game with an injury. Talk about being snake bit at a position!

Pass 13: T.O. drop
Bell really didn't need help from Lynch to stop 92. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 75. Wood and Meredith doubled Peppers. T.O. had first down yardage.

Pass 14: Incomplete long pass to T.O. against a 6 man blitz
Bell was driven back by 92. Levitre pushed the DT down the line and into the pile. Hangartner picked up a blitzing Beason. Wood stopped 95 and threw him onto the pile. Meredith took 59 to the corner. Stupar had a non-block on 96 who hit Fitzpatrick, possibly contributing to the bad bass.

Pass 15: Fitzpatrick scramble for no gain
Bell picked up 91 after he got past Stupar. Levitre stopped 95. When the DT lost his balance and fell Hangartner flopped down on him and laid there. Wood picked up Peppers when he got past Meredith to save the sack. Meredith's poor block on Peppers caused the scramble.

Blitzes: 1
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: T.O.'s drop of a pass for first down yardage.

Drive 8
Run 9: Lynch 4 yards through the A gap
Bell went to the second level and tapped 59. Levitre got under 75's shoulder but he was still in on the tackle. Hangartner shoved 92 and then hit Beason at the second level but he was still in on the tackle. Wood kept 96 locked up as they turned in circles. Meredith kept 95 on the edge of the LOS.

Run 10: Jackson 1 yard through the A gap
Bell kept 96 on the edge of the LOS and semi-cut him at the end of the play. 92 got inside of Levitre to make the tackle. Hangartner got a small piece of 59 at the second level. Wood got no push on 75 at all. Meredith hit a linebacker at the second level but he spun away.

Pass 16: Incomplete
Bell stopped 92. Levitre waited for a blitzer and Hangartner stuffed 96. Wood had no one to block. He could have given Meredith a hand as 95 blew past him to hit Fitzpatrick. Jackson and Lynch tag teamed Peppers. It looked like a miscommunication between Fitzpatrick and Evans.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Fitzpatrick and Evans miscommunication

Drive 9
Run 11: Lynch 5 yards through the left B gap
Bell turned 59 and kept him there, creating the run lane. Levitre had a 3 yard drive on 96. Hangartner blocked 75 down the line and shielded him from the play. Wood got inside of 92 and kept him out of the play. Meredith cut off 53's backside pursuit. Fine was back in the game and jumped inside of 90 then kept him on the edge of the LOS.

Pass 17: T.O. 4 yards against 5 man blitz
Bell and Levitre doubled 96 while Wood and Hangartner doubled 75. Meredith pushed 92 inside and away from the throwing lane.

Run 12: QB sneak 1 yard through the A gap
The line got a general 1 yard push, which is pretty impressive just considering how rotund 75 is.

Run 13: Lynch 2 yards through the A gap
Bell went to the second level and pushed one linebacker into another, causing one to trip. Levitre backed up like he was blocking for a pass. Hangartner stood up 75. Wood turned 93 out to open the run lane but didn't sustain his block. Meredith let 90 go upfield and kept him there. Fine blocked 20 then took a gratuitous shot at 30's knees.

Pass 18: Fitzpatrick scramble for 2 yards
Everyone blocked like it was a run to the left. Meanwhile, 59 was all over Fitzpatrick as he wasn't fooled by the bootleg in the least - just like no one else has been fooled by the bootleg for the past three games. Fitzpatrick's receiver, Corey McIntyre, was blanketed so Fitzpatrick tucked it and ran. AVP NEEDS TO RIP THIS PLAY OUT OF THE PLAYBOOK!

Pass 19: Incomplete overthrow to Evans
91 zipped past Bell to hit Fitzpatrick while he was throwing, leading to the high pass. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 92. Wood and Meredith doubled 95. Lynch and Fine doubled Peppers. Had Bell made his block the Bills had a shot at a first down. Instead we were treated to a graphic which showed that Buffalo had more punts than first downs in the game.

Blitzes: 1
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Bell's non-block on 91

Drive 10
Pass 20: Incomplete (thrown away)
Bell took 96 around the corner. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 85. Wood kept 92 near the LOS. 95 eventually got inside of Meredith but Fitzpatrick had already decided to throw the ball away.

Pass 21: Evans 14 yards against a 6 man blitz
Bell pushed 92 inside and then picked up a blitzing Beason. Levitre stopped 75. Hangartner helped Wood with Peppers until 92, shoved inside by Bell, tried to stunt through the middle. Hangartner then stopped 92. Meredith took 59 to the corner.

Pass 22: Evans 3 yards
The pass was gone so fast there wasn't time for anyone to get out of their stance. It appeared to be another of those quick hitters thrown when a DB was playing well off the LOS.

Pass 23: T.O. 6 yards against a 5 man blitz
Bell stuffed 59 at the corner. Levitre let 96 blow right past him to deck Fitzpatrick. Hangartner stopped 93. Wood did an okay job on 92's bull rush. Meredith picked up a blitzing LB. Jackson, in the backfield to pick up blitzers completely missed 96 after he ran past Levitre.

Run 14: Jackson no gain through the right B gap against an 8 man front
Bell shoved a couple of guys but never really engaged. Levitre turned 92 out and circled him away from the play. Hangartner and Wood doubled 93. Hangartner was too slow to pick up a filling Beason while Wood pushed 93 into the end zone. Meredith cut 90.

Pass 24: Evans 3 yard TD
It looked like another sight adjustment by Fitzpatrick. The ball was gone almost as soon as he had it in his hands so everyone barely had time to get out of their stance. It was, quite simply, an amazing pass by Fitzpatrick. He rocketed it between two defenders, each of whom was turned towards the ball

Blitzes: 2
Stacked box: 1
Drive killed by: no one

Drive 11
Pass 25: Evans 50 yards against an 8 man blitz
Bell stuffed 92's spin move. Levitre put 75 down when he tried to spin. Hangartner picked up a blitzing LB. Wood stuffed Peppers and Meredith took a LB around the corner. McIntyre and Jackson each picked up a blitzing LB. The Panthers sold out on the blitz and got burned badly.

Run 15: Lynch 1 yard through the A gap
Bell got under 92's shoulder. When 92 tried to spin Bell got on his back and stayed there, which isn't blocking in the back since Bell didn't start the block that way. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 75 and drove him 4 yards. Peppers knifed inside of Wood and almost had a TFL. Meredith got away with a hold on 59. Fine did an okay job on 96.

Run 16: Lynch -3 yards through the left B gap
Bell pulled wide and cut 59 in space. Levitre kept under 96's right shoulder. Hangartner went to the second level and slowed 53. Wood got under 75's shoulder and kept him turned. Meredith cut 92. McIntyre helped Levitre instead of picking up a filling Beason. Had McIntyre gotten Beason the run would have been for no gain at the worst. The negative play pretty much doomed the drive.

Pass 26: Lynch 6 yards
Bell beat 91 to the corner. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 95 while Wood and Meredith doubled 90.

Blitzes: 1
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: McIntyre's non-block on Beason

Drive 12
Run 17: Jackson 1 yard through the left B gap
Bell kept 96 turned out of the run lane. Levitre tried to turn 92 inside and couldn't. It looked like he held when 92 got around him. Hangartner stood up 75. Wood chucked 75 then hit 43 at the second level. Meredith turned Peppers out and kept him there. Fine hit a guy in the secondary. Lynch acted like a lead blocker. Unfortunately, he specifically emulated Darien Barnes so he didn't actually hit anyone.

Run 18: Jackson 2 yards through the left C gap
Bell and Levitre drove 92 inside and away from the run lane. Bell kept on 92 and Levitre caught 59 in the wash. Hangartner stood up 75 and moved laterally to the right. Wood kept popping Beason but never locked him up. Meredith kept Peppers on the edge of the LOS.

Run 19: T.O. 1 yard reverse through the right C gap
Bell blocked like it was a pass. Levitre turned 96 away from the play. Hangartner turned 92 away from the play and let him go into the backfield after T.O. was past. Wood turned Peppers inside and away from the play. Meredith pushed Peppers and then hit 59. Lynch whiffed on 91 in the backfield. 91 sent the play deeper than it should have gone and cost Owens first down yardage.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Lynch's non-block on 91.

Drive 13
Run 20: Lynch for -1 yard through the right C gap against an 8 man front
Bell missed a cut on Peppers. Levitre and Hangartner each missed cutting 75. Wood turned 93 inside and away from the play. Meredith went to the second level but didn't really block anyone. Fine took a DB 10 yards downfield and Stupar blocked a DB in the secondary.

Run 21: Lynch 4 yards through the left C gap against an 8 man front
Bell went to the second level but not fast enough to lock up a linebacker. He did slow one down a bit. Levitre jumped inside 93 and shielded him from the play. Hangartner blocked 75 down the line and was eventually tripped up. Wood cut 92 and Meredith had no one to block. Fine kept Peppers from turning to chase the play. Stupar locked up 26 at the second level.

Pass 27: Reed 8 yards against a 5 man blitz
Bell, Levitre and Hangartner easily handled Peppers and 93. Wood was pushed back to Fitzpatrick by 92 but stopped him. Meredith beat 95 to the corner. This was a clutch throw and catch by a pair of much-maligned Bills. It really was the backbreaker.

Run 22: Lynch 4 yards through the left C gap
Bell buried 95 when Lynch cut back. Levitre got 02 turned and drove him into the pile. Hangartner picked up Beason in the wash. Wood got great drive on 93, pushing him all the way to the sideline. Meredith turned 26 into the pile to seal the edge. Fine wrestled Peppers to the ground at the edge of the LOS.

Run 23: Lynch no gain through the A gap against an 8 man front
96 got inside of Bell. Levitre helped with 75 and then got a pice of Beason at the second level. Hangartner got no push on 75 while Wood moved 92 back 2 yards. Meredith kept 90 on the edge of the LOS. Fine crossed the formation to pop 59 hard enough to put him off balance.

Run 24: Lynch 1 yard through the A gap against an 8 man front
Bell went to the second level and popped 26. Levitre turned 92 out and Hangartner turned 75 to the left to open the hole. Wood pitched into 75 as well and Meredith missed the cut on 90. Fine gave 91 a minor shoulder and then went to the second level. Meanwhile 91 chased the play down from behind.

Blitzes: 1
Stacked box: 4
Drive killed by: play calling

Drive 14
3 kneel downs

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: end of game

A couple of people on the game thread were unhappy with the play calling at the end of the game. The last drive was clearly managed to kill the clock. I give Dick Jauron credit for milking as much time off as possible and setting up a high percentage field goal. It put the Bills up by 11 with just under 2 minutes to go. Meanwhile, the Panthers had burned all of their time outs. I understand the apprehension of Buffalo fans given the Bills' penchant for improbably blowing wins in the last two minutes, but Jauron played the odds and it worked out. Now if the Panthers had blocked the field goal, tied the game and won it in overtime, then Jauron would be lambasted for his conservative play calling at the end of the game. But that didn't happen. So there.

For the second straight week, the Bills have field position to thank for the win. Even with the drive that started at the Buffalo 4 factored into the mix, the average starting field position was the Buffalo 38. Three of the four scoring drives began in Panthers' territory. (The other was the 50 yard pass to Evans.) The defense - primarily Jairus Byrd - did a tremendous job of setting up the offense in prime field position. While the offense can't seem to move the ball more than about 30 yards, the defense, and to a lesser degree the special teams unit, made sure the offense didn't have to.

The Panthers didn't bring any sort of pressure against the Bills' offense. They loaded the box on 4 of 24 runs and blitzed on 6 of 27 pass plays. If you trudged through my play by play, however, you see that they generated hits on Fitzpatrick with just their front four. They were also able to limit the run game with as few as 6 guys in the box. Yikes. Look for Houston to employ a similar overall defensive strategy. After all, the Texans aren't saddled with Jake Delhomme.

Also, look for the Texans to get a turnover when Buffalo inevitably trots out that god-awful bootleg none-yard pass to the TE play. They've got some defenders who are fast enough to hit Fitzpatrick before he can even turn around to see that his TE is thoroughly covered.

The run yards were few and far between in the Panthers game. As you can see, the Bills really didn't have stellar YPA anywhere along the line and some places were downright abysmal. Keep in mind that the Panthers weren't loading the box until the end of the game. A quick glance at the linemen grades helps explain the ugly run numbers.

Gap	Att-Yds	YPA
Left C	3 - 13	4.3
Left B	6 - 19	3.2
A	10 - 10	1.0
Right B	2 - -2	-1.0
Right C	3 - 4	1.3

No one on the line covered himself with glory in Carolina. Levitre and Hangartner were well below their season averages. To make matters worse, the Bills' linemen killed 5 run plays and 3 pass plays. Those 8 plays (Buffalo averages 7.8 killed plays by linemen per game) - 5 run, 3 pass - amounted to just under 16 percent of the offensive snaps. The killed plays included the safety, which really could have been a momentum changer if the Panthers had a real QB. While the penalties abated - hopefully for good - the killed plays haven't. For the year, the Bills' linemen have 19 killed run plays and 36 killed pass plays. The line can't continue to kill an average of 8 plays per game via mistakes and penalties. Well, actually, it can, I guess, though Buffalo won't win many more games if it continues.

Player	Run Grade	Pass Grade
Demetrius Bell	75.0	73.5
Andy Levitre	72.5	73.5
Geoff Hangartner	72.5	75.0
Eric Wood	75.8	75.0
Jamon Meredith	73.3	72.0

A little chat with Cat Scratch Reader- Buc'em style!

Niko Houllis — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:00:24 -0000

carolina

View full size photo »

We're gonna blow up this interview Buc'Em style! We talked to the guys over at Cat Scratch Reader and asked them some questions about their team. Curious to see what they wanted to know about us? Well you should head over to the Cat Scratch Reader and check it out!

BUCWILD: DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart aren't the dynamic duo they were last year. What has changed and will they get it back on track?

It’s our unprofessional opinion that the offensive line is not performing to the lofty standards that were heaped upon it last season. The left side and the middle of the line is getting beat in pass protection and the right side isn’t opening the holes for the running game. We are not to the point of wanting to bench anybody yet but if something doesn’t improve soon who knows?

UNFNOLE: Statistically speaking, the only quarterback worse than Jake Delhomme is JaMarcus Russell (out of players with 30 plus passes he is 36th out of 37 players. Is Matt Moore (the backup) that bad or does the coaching staff believe Jake Delhomme doesn't deserve the majority of the blame?

(Our Convo is continued after the jump...)

Delhomme is only ranked 36^th because the number doesn’t include 4^th quarter comebacks and leadership ability. His intangibles were on full display on the naked bootleg he ran to seal the victory over the Redskins. It has nothing to do with Matt Moore. We ignore the stats when it comes to Delhomme and simply look at Wins and Losses.

BUCWILD: Outside of Jon Beason, what defensive players should we be on the look out for?

That’s an easy question. In Ron Meeks Cover 2 defense the WLB is the play maker and Thomas Davis (#58) hasn’t disappointed. The guy is easily leading the team in tackles and is our most effective blitzer. In the matter of importance to the defense it was nice to get SS Chris Harris back after he missed the first three games with injury. He shut down Chris Cooley so he will be important in containing Winslow. We also seem to have found a replacement for DT Maake Kemoeatu in recently signed Hollis Thomas. He’s the wide body we’ve needed up front since game one.

UNFNOLE: Who would you guys consider the most underrated player on your team that Bucs fans (and NFL fans alike) should know about?

Probably the aforementioned Thomas Davis but we have another to mention. TE Dante Rosario has absolute mad receiving skills. If he could improve his blocking he would be a Pro Bowl TE but as it stands he is mainly a red zone receiving target. He leads the team in TD receptions with two (low I know), has great hands and is good at running the seem routes down the middle of the field. I recently heard a national pundit say the Panthers still lack a TE that can stretch the middle of the field. Sorry but he’s on the roster and his name is Dante Rosario.

NIKO: If you could, who on the Bucs would you take for your team?

I’m not sure how many other fans would agree with me but from the offense I would grab WR Antonio Bryant and on defense it would be DT Chris Hovan. Both are excellent players that would fill positions of need for the Panthers.

Panthers' Monday Morning Optimist 10/12/09

James The Aussie — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:37:32 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

2 months ago: Washington Redskins' Clinton Portis (26) is tackled by Carolina Panthers' Thomas Davis (58) and Julius Peppers (90) for a safety in the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Browse more photos »

In last week's optimist I wrote that I sincerely hoped I would be writing my article on a Monday after a win, and the football gods smiled upon us.

Was our win pretty? No, but when was the last time the Panthers had a pretty win?

Is there room for improvement? Absolutely, it's not time to rest on our laurels.

However, despite this the Carolina Panthers prevailed, and there is a distinct change in the air. Just as the heat of summer is finally being whisked away from the Carolinas it is being replaced with fresh air that leads to cooler heads, less virulent condemnation and dare I say, an air of confidence and optimism.

Getting the first win was vital to the Panthers 2009 hopes, and yesterday's game in Charlotte was a legitimate must win; a must win for the team, for the coaches and for the near future of the franchise. We can't escape that we played very, very poorly. Traditional areas of strength were weakness against Washington; conversely, areas of the team that have been mediocre thus far stepped up and made big plays. I don't know whether the bye week helped get the team in gear. None of us will know what was said behind those closed doors. What I do know, however, is yesterday's team played with more fire, more intensity than previous week's iteration. Sometimes that fire was a detriment to the team and players tried to make plays they should have given up on (see DeAngelo Williams' dancing into a fumble) but at least the players out there were giving it their all.

This is going to be a fairly optimistic Monday morning, but there are still some concerns for the team. Breakdown after the jump.

Optimistic

Thomas Davis- Extremely Optimistic: In 2009 is there anything Davis can't do? Jon Beason has ‘Beast' as his nickname, but we don't have a good one for Davis. If there is any player who deserves more love from the fan base it's this guy. Yesterday's performance was another example of how great he has been; 6 tackles, 2 for a loss, 1 sack, 1 safety and the key pass defended on the Redskins' last drive. Davis is loving life in Meeks' defense and it shows. He could be the best OLB in the NFL right now... he's playing that good.

Jon Beason- Extremely Optimistic: Beast promised he was going to have a big game on Sunday, and boy did he ever. 10 tackles, 1 sack. The anchor in the middle was everywhere in the game. Playing Hollis Thomas in the middle definitely helps Beason make plays on the ball carrier. Beason looks fired up as a leader also; on the safety play he was yelling, pleading to the end zone fans to make it loud and difficult for Washington. They obliged and we got the safety, great call from our leader.

Everette Brown- Extremely Optimistic: When the kid is on the field he flat our makes plays. I know people love to doubt trading the draft pick to get Brown, but there's no denying that when he's on the field our pass rush is an entirely different animal. Though his stats only show 1 tackle, 1 sack and 1 FF he was constantly in the backfield pressuring Jason Campbell when he was in the game. Why he's not starting opposite Peppers is beyond comprehesion.

Chris Harris- Extremely Optimistic: 7 tackles, but he does so much more. Harris raised the play of all of our secondary. Tackles were getting finished; he provided great pressure on blitzes. Harris did everything our secondary has been lacking in his absence. Great to have him back.

Ron Meeks- Extremely Optimistic: Yes, you read that right. How can we slight Meeks' defense at this point? The game plan has worked, but in the past players didn't finish plays. The defense choked the Redskins' offense with 5 sacks, countless QB pressures and forcing them to punt five times. We held Washington to under 200 yards total offense when they have averaged 345 yards in their first 3 games. It might not be pretty, but Meeks' system is letting players flourish, and when coupled with good pass rush it seems to have dominant potential.

Julius Peppers- Somewhat Optimistic: From his play yesterday alone Julius deserves to be in the extremely optimistic category... however, I can't ignore previous weeks so I remain cautiously optimistic. Amazing game by Pep yesterday, he had 2 sacks, 4 tackles and really should be credited with the safety. Peppers was a major factor yesterday, and it's so welcome to see him be a factor.

Pessimistic

Jeff Davidson- Extremely Pessimistic: It doesn't take an elite NFL analyst to see that the Redskins have one major dominant force on defense, Albert Haynesworth. So, explain to me why running it at Haynesworth all day makes sense, especially when he has been shutting down opposing running backs in the middle? Yes, the offense line played poorly and DeAngelo Williams had a bad day, but the common thread in all this is Davidson. O-line alignments were messed up, Jake didn't get his plays fast enough and the offense looked lost for much of the game. When the best plays your offense is making are coming from audibles Jake called himself then you need to question the ability of your OC.

Tackles- Somewhat Pessimistic: Both Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah played like garbage yesterday. They'll get a break for now as I'm willing to shift some of the blame on Davidson... but there is no excuse for the tackles to play so poorly, especially when they have the ability of these two. The guards did what they could against Haynesworth and when J-Stew had success it was running off-guard. So, that's the only reason the entire o-line escape my ire, for now.

Overall Assessment

In the immortal words of Dr. Victor Frankenstein: "It's alive!" Yes folks, we're still kicking and still in this. It is most definitely an uphill battle but with games against Tampa, Buffalo and Arizona coming up we could definitely be 4-3 when we face New Orleans. Week 1,2 and 3 our special teams, d-line, secondary and QB let us down the most. In week 5 our o-line, RBs and play calling let us down. We have the potential to be a very scary, very dangerous team if all phases play up to their potential, and since each area has played to their potential at least once, there's no reason to believe we can't pull it all together. I think we're about to go on a tear folks and it's going to start with a dominating, choking performance against the anemic Buccaneers next week.

GO PANTHERS!

85% optimistic heading down to Tampa

Poll

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356 votes | Poll has closed

SB Nation - Jon Beason

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New York Jets Run Offense vs. Carolina Panthers Run Defense

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Carolina Panthers Pass Defense

Breaking Down the Key Plays in Panthers' Loss to Miami

Saints Offensive Player Grades vs. Panthers

Arizona Cardinals vs Carolina Panthers: Who Has the Edge?

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Analysis

QB

RB

WR

TE

OL

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Analysis

DL

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S

ST

7-5

Notes from the Bills' O-Line: Week 7 at Carolina

A little chat with Cat Scratch Reader- Buc'em style!

Panthers' Monday Morning Optimist 10/12/09

How are you feeling about the Carolina Panthers?

Extremely Optimistic

Somewhat Optimistic

Somewhat Pessimistic

Extremely Pessimistic