SB Nation - Dwayne Jarrett

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. Carolina Panthers Pass Offense

John B — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:02:32 -0000

More photos » by RUSTY KENNEDY - AP

There are a lot of similarities between the Jets and the Panthers. One of them is both teams have talented quarterbacks capable of taking over a game or losing it by constantly throwing it to the opposition. It's been more of the latter this year for Carolina. Jake Delhomme has only 8 touchdown passes against 14 interceptions on top of his all time horrific Playoff start last year against the Cardinals. His passer rating right now stands at 66.

Steve Smith will draw Darrelle Revis. Smith is one of the top deep threats in the game and owns great speed. He leads the Panthers with 45 receptions, 599 yards, and 4 touchdowns. With Donald Strickland and Dwight Lowery out, Lito Sheppard will rejoin the starting lineup. He'll spend much of his day covering Muhsin Muhammad. This seems like a decent matchup for Lito. Muhammad is not a deep threat. He does a lot of his work underneath, runs good routes, and battles. I like the matchup between the starters.

The Panthers are a better running team than passing team, but there are some areas they can try to exploit the Jets if they are willing to open up their playbook a bit. Then again, that requires putting it into Delhomme's hands instead of their excellent running backs. In any event, Drew Coleman will be the nickel. Coleman is coming off one of worst performances in NFL history against Wes Welker (and that is not hyperbole). In four years, Drew hasn't really developed any cover skills or shown he should be on the field in anything other than extreme passing subpackages. Carolina's third receiver, Jersey product Dwayne Jarrett, has only 10 receptions on the year, but the Panthers could look to exploit this matchup. We could also see them target tight ends Jeff King and Dante Rosario, who split time. They have combined for 31 catches.

The key will be bringing pressure and forcing Delhomme to make decisions quicker than he wants. This is how opponents approch New York's mistake prone quarterback. It's how the Jets should go after Carolina's. The Panthers are playing without Pro Bowl tackle Jordan Gross, who is on IR with an injured ankle. Travelle Wharton will start in his place. He had some struggles against the Dolphins last week. The overload blitzes this week could go primarily to his side.

Panthers Face New Set of Injuries in Addition to Cardinals

Jaxon — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:02:35 -0000

We haven't talked about it much this week but the Panthers walked away with more problems than just a 'L' from the Bills game. They absorbed a couple new injuries that present problems this week when they travel to Phoenix to play the Cardinals.Three of them to be exact but there is a silver lining. In all three cases we will instead get an extensive look at some younger players which might help us make some key off-season decisions.

Starting with what appears to be the most serious, FS Charles Godfrey is on crutches (ankle):

Free safety Charles Godfrey missed his second straight day of practice Thursday and was still on crutches in the locker room afterward. He declined to talk about the ankle injury that has him in a cast, but it seems clear they're going to have to look elsewhere for a replacement.

My first thought was S Quinton Teal would get the start but as it turns out rookie CB Sherrod Martin might instead get the call:

"It's one of those day-to-day things, and I'm preparing as if I'm going to be the guy's who's number is called," Martin said. "I'm excited in a way. No matter how big or small my role is, I just want to come in and be accountable."

So is the Martin experiment at CB over? He seems better suited at S than CB since he was beat out by 7th round pick Captain Munnerlyn for the nickel spot. I would prefer to see Martin start at FS rather than Teal just to see if this kid is better suited at S. Heck one INT and he would match Godfrey's career total. Godfrey has shown very little at FS in my view other than a propensity to arrive a step late.

The next injury is that to WR Musin Muhammad (knee). Darin Gantt still maintains Jarrett is a player just waiting for a chance. If not sure which will come first, Jarrett catching two passes in a game or the rapture. My money is on the rapture. I have neither the time or patience to continue another 'when is Dwayne Jarrett going to step up' rant. Hopefully he will play the entire game and if he does nothing then maybe we can finally ship him out with Delhomme in the off-season.

The third injury is to TE Dante Rosario (knee). First let me say I was wrong about Rosario in the preseason. I thought he was a 3rd stringer and on his way out. Again, WRONG. Rosario has mad receiving skills and honestly I wouldn't mind seeing him line up like a WR. That said we will miss him this weekend if he can't go but I'm just as excited to see TE Gary Barnidge. He looks really good last week in his brief appearance (3 catches for 77 yds), in particular on that 52 yard catch down the right sideline. The big guy can move.

So as key as these three players are to the Panthers 1st team all three present opportunities for players-in-waiting to step up and earn their paychecks, and maybe future paychecks as well.

Panthers Receiving Tandem - Less than Good So Far

Ryan Basen — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:54:26 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

Panthers receivers Steve Smith, left, and Muhsin Muhammad, shown here in training camp in August, combined have caught only half the balls thrown to them this season. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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The Panthers and observers have blamed a lot of factors for the team's stagnant offense this season: The line is not playing well, Jake Delhomme is declining, Jonathan Stewart was injured. But another reason for the unit's struggles has been the lack of productivity from Carolina's starting wide receivers, Mushin Muhammad and Steve Smith.

In fact, when you look at how much the Panthers' passing game has depended on Smith and Muhammad, and how much they have produced, they rate as one of the least efficient wide receiver tandems in the NFL.

CSR examined the top two wide receivers on each NFL team -- studying how often they were targeted for passes, how many balls they caught, and for how many yards and scores. Adjustments were made to averages in some cases to account for the Panthers' bye week because not every NFL team had had its bye yet. Here is how Smith and Muhammad stack up:

Smith and Muhammad have been the targets of a combined 77 passes from Panthers quarterbacks, and have caught only 39 of those passes. That's roughly one-half. Neither has scored a touchdown in four games and they have accounted for a combined 433 yards, or 108.3 yards per game, even though they have been the targets for a staggering 57.9 percent of all Carolina passes. Here are their individual numbers:

Smith has caught 20 of the 42 passes thrown his way, for 255 yards. He has been the target for 31.6 percent of Carolina passes.

Muhammad has caught 19 of 35 passes for 178 yards. He has been the target 26.3 percent of the time.

You don't need to be Jeff Davidson to know that's not efficient. Compare their production to other top NFL receiving tandems, and the numbers look worse. Only one other duo has been the target for as many of its team's passes (57.9 percent) when they are healthy: Randy Moss and Wes Welker of the Patriots. But Welker and Moss have been far more productive.

Moss has caught 30 of 48 passes for 367 yards and a score -- albeit in five games, to four for the Panthers' tandem. Welker, however, is 26-of-41 for 227 yards and a score in only three games.

Between them they have played a combined eight games -- the same as Smith and Muhammad -- and accounted for many more yards (594-433) on only 12 more passes (89-77). They have also caught 63 percent of passes thrown their way, to 51 percent for Smith-Muhammad.

Some other figures to chew on:

Despite their limited production, Smith and Muhammad are both in the top 10 of all NFL receivers in percentage of their team's passes thrown to them. No other team has a pair of receivers in the top 10. This suggests that the Panthers are relying too much on Smith and Muhammad at the wide receiver position.

The other Steve Smith, of the Giants, by himself has accounted for more receiving yards (481-433) and touchdowns (4-0) than Smith-Muhammad despite being targeted far less often (49-77).

Smith 20-42 receptions-targeted ratio is the second-lowest among the 25 NFL receivers who are their teams' most popular targets. The only one who's worse: The Raiders' Louis Murphy (12-33). And he plays with Jamarcus "I miss the whole table when I play beerpong" Russell.

Despite playing opposite a veteran receiver, Smith has been far less productive than the NFL receiver he is most often compared to: Washington's Santana Moss. Moss is similar in stature, speed and experience to Smith. He plays in an offense worse than Carolina's, lining up opposite the unestablished Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly. Yet Moss is 21-of-35 for 337 yards and two scores.

Besides Welker-Moss and Smith-Muhammad, six other healthy tandems of NFL receivers have been targeted for at least 43 percent of their team's passes: The Giants' Smith-Mario Manningham (55), Seattle's T.J. Houshmandzadeh-Nate Burleson (48), Pittsburgh's Hines Ward-Santonio Holmes (47), Jacksonville's Torry Holt-Mike Sims-Walker (45), Denver's Brandon Marshall-Eddie Royal (45) and Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald-Anquan Boldin (43).

All six tandems, like Welker-Moss, have been more efficient and productive than Smith-Muhammad.

Smith and Muhammad are well off their pace of last season. In the 2008 regular season combined they were targeted for an even higher percentage of Panther passes (62.3) than thus far in 2009. But they corralled 60.3 percent of the 237 passes thrown their way, accounted for an average of 146.3 yards per game and caught 11 touchdown passes.

This report is not meant as a referendum against Smith and Muhammad. A passing game depends of course on the quarterback, linemen and offensive coordinator, as well. They are all responsible for the lack of production from the wide receiver position; the numbers don't tell us how many times Smith got open but Delhomme was sacked or misread the play, for example. I'm not a coach or a scout; I have no idea how much of a factor Smith and Muhammad alone have been in their lack of production.

But here's what the numbers do tell us: The Panthers vertical passing game has been anemic through four games. Until something changes -- Delhomme's play, the development of Kenny Moore or Dwayne Jarrett, more playing time for Dante Rosario, whatever -- defenses will likely continue to stack the box and attack the running game. They will dare the Panthers' passing game to move the ball and score, because so far it has not done much of either efficiently.

Panthers Fall to Steelers 21-10 in Preseason Finale

Jaxon — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:13:30 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

3 months ago: Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Reilly (13) is brought down by Carolina Panthers players Charles Johnson (95), Everette Brown (91), and Nick Hayden, left, during a preseason NFL football game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

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Going 0-4 in the preseason isn't exactly the preferred way to prepare for a season but the Panthers will start season just like that none the less. Preseason game 4 mean absolutely nothing so I will spare the doom and gloom because in the end I think our 1^st team offense would put up more points if they played the entire game. Instead here are my capsules from the game which as I look it over it looks like a repeat from the previous two preseason games.

The Good:

When talking about the Good there is no better place to start than rookie RB Mike Goodson. He again looked brilliant running (15 for 79 yds, 5.3 TPC) and catching the ball (2 for 13 yds) but still made some rookie mistakes. He got run over trying to block DE James Harrison which led to a sack and fumble and then had a costly fumble in the red zone. I know the coaching staff wants to get this kid on the field but the turnovers have to be a concern.
I feel like a broken record in my praise of WR Kenny Moore (6 for 59 yds) but he again delivered big time. After watching Moose stone hand a pass I started to think Moore could be the #2 on this team by the end of the season. That off-season work with Steve Smith has paid off big time. I even loved his post game interview in that he wasn't happy with his performance (he had an illegal motion penalty). This guy is a keeper.
WR Dwayne Jarrett finally showed something getting 4 catches for 44 yards. With a long of 11 yards though I wonder why the Panthers don't try to use his height downfield.
DE Charles Johnson recorded 1.5 sacks as he showed nice speed coming off the edge. He should see increased PT in 2009.

DT Nick Hayden had his best game as a Panther. He had 3 tackles, half a sack, a QB hurry and a nice tackle for a loss. But was it enough to stay with the team? Probably but more help at DT is needed.
New Panther DT Louis Leonard got significant action and he appeared to play well ringing up a tackle for a loss.
Rookie RG Duke Robinson had some nice blocks when pulling to support outside runs

The Bad

Neither QB Matt Moore (49 rating, pick 6 INT) or Josh McCown (11 for 15, fumble) distinguished themselves from the other in my view. McCown had a decent rating of 86 but he missed a wide open Jeff King for an easy TD. Overall it's a toss up in my view meaning for the #2 McCown holds his spot.
The PR coverage was horrid in giving up a 80 return for a TD for Stefan Logan.
RG Keydrick Vincent got run over by LB Kenyaron Fox for a sack. He's got 80 lbs on the guy but went down like a domino.
The back-up offensive line got pushed around a lot, gave up too much penetration and didn't inspire anything but doubt. It will be interesting to see who sticks.
Sideline reporter Pete Yannity called WR Kenny Moore a UDFA during the broadcast when he's actually a 5^th round pick in 2008 of the Lions. He then repeated his error during his post game interview with Moore. Moore coolly corrected Yannity in his response and then conveyed his dismay with his own performance right after Yannity praised his game. So he's cool and mature too. What's not to love about him?

The Bubble Watch

RB Jamal Lee finally got significant playing time and he responded fairly (11 for 37 yds). You can tell he has some potential with his size and speed though he does still run a little upright. Look for Lee to make the practice squad.
RB Decori Birmingham and T Patrick Brown didn't get on the field and it cannot be good for their chances. Time for them to cut bait.
S Joe Fields missed a couple tackles so I'm bearish on him. Look for Quinton Teal to be the back-up SS.

Poll

Do you think the Panthers still need to add another veteran defensive tackle?

Yes

169 votes

No

33 votes

202 votes | Poll has closed

Steelers vs. Panthers Preseason Game Preview

Jaxon — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:57:23 -0000

This Thursday night schedule has me all out of whack as all of us, contributors to the site that is, have been busy this week making a detailed preview difficult. The truth is we all know the starters will play very little tonight and so it will be battle of the bubble players for probably 3rd quarters. That puts a damper on some of the drama unless you like seeing sloppy play and guys getting all amped up for making a simple tackle.Regardless I'm going to take a schwag at what to expect tonight in this final preseason game match-up.

Panthers Offense vs. Steelers Defense

The Steelers bring one of the best defenses to Charlotte yet we don't really know how many starters will actually take the field. I realize this is cheating a bit but I jumped over to SBN Steeler site Behind the Steel Curtain to see what the Steelers might be focusing on. It seems former GT alum LB Kenyaron Fox (woot!) will start for Lawrence Timmons:

Mr. Fox: Keyaron Fox got to join the highlight reel of Steelers linebackers making audibly violent hits against Buffalo, when he crushed return man Leodis McKelvin. He continued to thump his way toward recognition, and with the ankle injury to Lawrence Timmons, he'll start at the mack linebacker spot against Carolina. It's up in the air whether Timmons will be able to play in the season-opener.

Fox is one of the best LB's to come out GT so don't think he represents a let down. Also, count the Steeler fans among those that have taken notice of RB Mike Goodson:

In a game that typically only has the allure of watching the 51-55 ranked players on teams fight for special teams spots, it'll be interesting to see how Goodson can handle facing the starting units of two of the best defenses in the game. He's been impressive so far, let's see if he can continue it.

At WR we are still waiting for the explosion from Dwayne Jarrett. Something tells me we might still be waiting come Friday. WR Kenny Moore on the other hand has made a case for the #3 wideout slot. I don't see any other WR making the team except for maybe speedy UDFA Larry Beavers. Beavers at this point has to show enough simply to earn a spot on the practice squad.

The back-up positions along the offensive line appear to be lining up. The release of Gerald Cadogan earlier in the week suggests Geoff Schwartz has earned the back-up RT position. I would assume C/G MacKenzie Bernadeau and rookie G Duke Robinson will lock up two more. That leaves G/T Jonathan Palmer, C/G Justin Geisinger and LT Garry Williams battling for the last spot. My guess is Williams wins the ninth and final spot.

Panther Defense vs. Steeler Offense

I think the Panther 1st team defense might play the entire first half simply to get in more work and evaluate some tough choices. Has high-string B Jeremy Leman done enough on special teams to earn a spot? Now that S Nate Salley has been put on IR does that automatically give Joe Fields a roster spot or could Quinton Teal play SS it in a pinch?

Does the trade for DT Louis Leonard mean UDFA Marlon Favorite is practice squad bound? The biggest focus for me is the performance of the DT against the Steeler running game. RB Rashard Mendenhall is making noise and will look to put up big runs against the Panthers. The Panther secondary will also look to rebound from a dismal performance against the Ravens.

Special Teams:

I've already mentioned the Panthers coverage teams have been suspect so I'm sure Steeler PR Stefan Logan is looking to burn them:

His lack of ability to make the squad solely as an offensive player aside, he's turned enough heads as the first explosive return man the Steelers have had since Antwaan Randle-El. Len Pasquarelli of ESPN writes that the Steelers have had 16 kick returners and 10 punt returners since Randle-El.

Logan, the diminutive pinball from small Division II University of South Dakota, has done enough with returns alone to merit a roster spot.

He sounds like our version of Larry Beavers yet Beavers has yet to do anything notable in live action, except for muffing a catch that is. Let's see if the Panthers can contain Logan or if they give up another lengthy return. On our side I want to see more of Captain Munnerlyn returning punts. He seems to have a nose for the open hole and isn;t scared to take a hit.

Let me hear from you!

Five More Questions Regarding the Panthers

Jaxon — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:19:00 -0000

More photos » by Alan Diaz - AP

3 months ago: Carolina Panthers running back Mike Goodson, center, is taken down by Miami Dolphins players in the second quarter of a preseason NFL football game in Miami, Fla., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009. The Dolphins defeated the Panthers 27-17. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz).

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The News & Observer writer Charles Chandler poses five questions regarding the Panthers 2009 prospects following two preseason losses. The five are good questions that I'm going to add five more to:

Question 6: Who in the world is going to start at LDT in the season opener?

Panther rookie Marlon Favorite and Corvey Irvin show promise and should get in the rotation at least periodically. Neither player though has shown enough consistency or skill to be the season long solution. So if it's obvious the Panthers will need to bring in a veteran just exactly when will they do that? Will the Panthers give up a draft pick and/or player for a decent player or will they simply sign another teams' cast off? There is potential for the Panthers to overpay given the entire league knows they are in dire need.

Question 7: Who is the #3 wide receiver?

The word from camp is Dwayne Jarrett is finally showing his potential but in the first two games Kenneth Moore has outplayed him. Moore seems better suited for the slot than Jarrett while Jarrett still seems to be a year away (I'm being kind).

Question #8: Who is the #2 QB?

QB coach Rip Scherer said Matt Moore would get his opportunity and he played pretty good this past week. His stat was less than impressive but he stood in the pocket, showed some awareness and made a couple nice throws. It would appear at the moment though the competition with Josh McCown is still wide open.

Question #9: Is it time to get worried about RB Jonathan Stewart?

If he's going to be available for the season opener he needs to get into practice soon. Darin Gantt reported this morning that Stewart was still being held out. If he can't start participating in full practices by the end of the week you might want to prepare mentally for Mike Goodson to back up DeAngelo Williams in the season opener.

Question #10: Who will be the starting nickel cornerback?

CJ Wilson appeared to have the inside track but rookie Sherrod Martin is a 2^nd round pick and 7^th round rookie Captain Munnerlyn has impressed in man coverage. There was talk over the off-season Richard Marshall would move from the outside to the nickel and Wilson would play the outside but we haven't seen much of that so far. None of the above separated themselves from the pack as of yet.

After the next preseason game at home against the Ravens some of the answers to these questions might surface. Don't be surprised though if we don't get all the answers until the opener against the Eagles.

Ten Players to watch during the Pre-Season

Revshawn — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:17 -0000

Through the Pre-Season, there are ten players I am going to be keeping an eye on. Five on offense, and five on defense. I thought that today I would share them with you, so that you can keep an eye on them too.

Matt Moore

Until the Panthers decide otherwise via the NFL Draft, Matt Moore is the future of this franchise. He has shown at times that he can get the job done, especially during the latter half of the 2007 season when he started three games for us, winning two of them. He followed that up with a horrible 2008 Pre-Season showing, but he will get another chance in 2009 to show us that we can depend on him to lead this franchise. He has the arm strength, but can he be accurate?

Dwayne Jarrett

All eyes are going to be on Jarrett throughout the whole game. His confidence has been reported to be rising during training camp, and his play along with it. Can Dwayne Jarrett push Moose to start at flanker? A good showing would help him, especially if he stops dropping those easy passes. We don't need a Braylon Edwards on this team, we need an Andre Johnson. Jarrett has two strong veterans in Moose and Smith to train him into the player we know he can be, but he needs to step up in Pre-Season and show us that he has potential.

Jason Carter

Another wideout that you will need to keep an eye on. For those that don't already know, Jason Carter is one of the kings of training camp. He showed tremendous potential during the 2008 training camp, but we lost him for the season due to injury. This year he seeks not only to make the roster as a 4th or 5th receiver, but to secure a position at slot receiver once Moose retires and Dwayne takes over at flanker. We'll see how far he has come.

Ryne Robinson

3rd receiver in a row I know, but we need to see how Ryne is doing in his kickoff return duties. He has been inconsistant in previous years, and in 2008 due to Ryne's injury in Pre-Season the Panthers were forced to bring in Mark Jones whom performed pretty well. He averaged 24 yards a kick return, and every now and again he would break off a big return to start the Panthers off in their opponents territory. Had the Panthers not had the Julius Peppers situation, they may have opted to resign Jones and cut Ryne altogether. But because of it, Ryne has another opportunity to step up and take the job. He will not get it without a fight, he faces competition in newly signed Jason Chery, and Larry Beavers, as well as our 3rd RB Mike Goodson.

Tony Fiammetta

Hoover finally has some competition, and he's only the best fullback in the 09 draft. The Panthers could save some money by cutting the Hoov, but it's a shame considering how long he has been with our team. I suppose times change, and people grow older. It's rare for a team to carry two fullbacks, so if Tony performs well expect for Double Trouble to have a new guy clearing up the running lanes in front of them.

Corvey Irvin

With Kemo out for the season, Corvey is going to be pushed into a much bigger role than he would be before. Never mind Nick Hayden, I still don't believe that he'll start over him. At worst, Irvin may slowly take the role bit by bit as the regular season progresses as John Fox slowly works him into the role. He'll need to improve quickly if we're going to make up for the loss of Kemo.

Dan Connor

With a strong need at DT and our LB core loaded, Dan Connor may end up as trade bait if he performs exceptionally well in the Pre-Season. Even if he isn't traded, if he manages to overcome Na'il Diggs and take over at OLB we may have the best crew of linebackers in the league. Jon Beason is an absolute beast, Thomas Davis is the best player at our team at blitzing the QB, and Dan Connor reading the mind of the QB to pick off his passes. If it happens, it's going to stink of awesome.

Richard Marshall

With Ken Lucas being signed by the Seahawks, Marshall is going to have a big target on his back. Gamble on the other side is being portrayed as a shutdown corner, so expect Marshall to be tested early and often. He needs to prove that he is able to stand his own as well, or else you'll see QB's pick on him in the regular season.

Sherrod Martin

Expects to convert to corner and serve the same kind of nickel DB role that Marshall served in the previous seasons. How good will he be, and how fast is he going to develop? He's been a rather quiet and unwatched player during training camp, and his play remains to be seen by many fans.

Charles Johnson

In his limited play last year, Charles Johnson did something that Tyler Brayton failed to do the entire season even though he was the starter: Get to the QB. Despite Tyler starting all 16 games, Charles still beat him in the sack category by 1.5 sacks. I read a little more into this than most people. Charles Johnson will compete against Tyler Brayton for the starting DE spot beside Julius Peppers, with Everette Brown the rookie thrown into the fray as a wildcard.

Those are the players I will be keeping an eye on when the Pre-Season kicks off this Monday Night at 8PM. You should keep an eye on them too.

Panthers vs. Giants 2009 Preseason Game Preview

Jaxon — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:00:10 -0000

Finally, the Panthers get to hit someone from another team rather than each other. It's about time. Also, be sure to chime in on Open Game Thread Monday Night at 7pm.

Panthers Offense:

We can expect the Panther first team offense to play at least two series but not maybe much more. Josh McCown will be the first off the bench and expect to see RB Mike Good son early and often. Matt Moore will get a chance to atone for a horid 2008 peseason that ruined his momentum. An early measure of this offense will be how well the 1st team o-line manages to run the ball against the Giants first team d-line. Here's the state of the Giants d-line from the Bleacher Report:

I have no idea how the defensive line will shake out. There are at least eight guys that could be starting on many teams (Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Mathias Kiwanuka, Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, and Jay Alford).

Some of these guys are coming off injuries. Might the Panthers make a bid for one of these cast-offs? Other players to watch on offense include WR Dwayne Jarrett, FB Tony Fiammetta and WR Jason Carter. I will also key on how well the Panther srun the ball late in the game when the back-up o-linemen are in the game.

Since these two teams meet later this season don't expect too much trickery. The scheme should be fairly vanilla from both offenses as they focus on execution of the basics.

Panthers Defense:

I'm excited about seeing this new, more aggressive defense we've heard so much about. Expect a lot of rotation across the front line and hopefully they can keep the Giant running game in check. LB Dan Conner should get in the game early as our second team LB's will get plenty of action. Rookie DE Everette Brown should replace Peppers on the right side early as well. Let's see if the kid is the real thing and gets pressure on whatever Giant QB is out there. Another battle to watch is DE Charles Johnson trying to outperform Tyler Brayton, a hybrid DE/DT who could become a 3^rd down specialist.

The secondary should get plenty of work as the Giants try to figure out what they have at WR. The Giants Steve Smith won't be playing either so the Panther secondary can expect opportunities to make plays on the ball in the red zone. Without Plaxico Burress the Giants have no established red zone receiving threat. This should give S Quinton Teal an opportunity to continue his good work and who knows, maybe an INT in a live game.

Once we get in the 4^th quarter let's see if there is a drop off in intensity. A couple UDFA's are making a bid for the practice squad, including LB Jon Leman and DT Marlon Favorite. Also 7^th round pick Captain Munnerlyn will probably play a lot and hopefully show how to play the bump and run. I will be curious to see how much man-to-man the Panthers will show the Giants just to give them something to think about when they meet again when it counts.

Special Teams:

Both the kick return and punt return competitions are wide open. Expect to see some rotation as Goodson, WR Larry Beavers and WR Jason Carter take turns. On punts it will be WR Ryne Robinson, Beavers and Munnerlyn getting looks. It should be an adventure.

On kick coverage many of the Panthers second team will be trying to show the added value of good special teams play. I'm predicting Conner, Munnerlyn and Sherrod Martin excel against the Giants.

Panthers Training Camp Stock Watch: Week 2

Jaxon — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:52:09 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

4 months ago: Carolina Panthers' Tony Fiammetta, center, tries to separate Dan Connor, right, and Duke Robinson, left, during the team's NFL football training camp in Spartanburg, S.C., Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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As we complete week two of Panthers Training Camp we give a hat tip to those players who appear to be doing the things they need to do. We also have players who have to know time is running out.

Stock is Rising:

CB Captain Munnerlyn - The rookie who expected to be drafted long before the 7^th round is making believers with his tough bump and run coverage and his athleticism. If the Panthers determine he can handle punt returns then he might save them a roster spot by filling the 4^th CB slot as well.

S Quinton Teal - The guy must have 20 INT's in training camp so far playing free safety. A strong preseason might give him more than a roster spot but include playing time. Could Teal play the nickel? Can Godfrey go back to CB? The Panthers need a playmaker in the secondary.

FB Tony Fiammetta - It seems the most common adjective for a Fiammetta block is ‘crunching'. If Fiammetta proves competent should the Panthers cut the Hoov to spend that money on a DT? Hell he gets my vote just for jumping in the middle of skermish between OG Duke Robinson and LB Dan Conner (pictured). Robinson is huge and I'm sure he's not used to taking crap from anybody.

WR Dwayne Jarrett - His teammates appear convinced but nothing too encouraging from the coaching staff. Jarrett does seem to have matured and plays with more confidence on the field. I imagine we will see plenty of Jarrett during the Giants game.

RB Mike Goodson - Goodson's speed and open field agility were somewhat expected. He proved this week that wasn't expected is the ability to run between the tackles as he scored in goal line drills. Goodson is also getting a serious look at returning kick offs too. Look for Goodson to get a lot of different looks in the Giants game as the Panthers evaluate just how to use this kid.

LB Morty Ivy – Ivy has been making plays and has now worked himself into contention for a practice squad spot. I did just suffer a groin pull so let’s hope he recovers quickly.

OG Duke Robinson - When the big guy locks on to a guy he is a bulldozer. He seems committed to getting in shape and could be a future star.

Stock is taking a hit:

RB Jonathan Stewart - In Stewart's case I'm referring to his fantasy stock because obviously he going to make the roster and get is share of carries. But Darin Gantt seems concerned by Stewarts inability to practice and wonders if this might be a sign of things to come. I could care less if Stewart sees a snap in the preseason and he better not play against the Giants. Yet I do want him to practice and get in game shape obviously.

C/G CJ Davis - Sure you can't blame a player for getting hurt but the end result is the Panthers have nothing to base the decision on, which then dictate the decision.

RB Jamal Lee - His penchant for fumbling has to be a concern for the Panthers.

Panther Paw Prints - Week 2 TC Edition

Jaxon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:00:13 -0000

What started as a very depressing camp with a rash of injuries might now be switching gears to a more positive energy in week 2. Give the credit to a defense that appears to be more aggressive, quicker and 'ball-hawkish' this camp. John Fox declared todays practice the best yet. None too soon with the Giants game approaching. Can you believe we are less than a week away from our first preseason game?

But I digress. Here's my preferred print so far in week 2 starting with the 'best practice yet' link:

Darin Gantt's Panthers Blog | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC
Panthers coach John Fox declared it the best practice of camp, after a spirited two-hour session which included three near-fights and lots of trash talk and some solid play by the defense. You can tell the Panthers defenders are enjoying the swarm-to-the-ball style of new coordinator Ron Meeks, as their side is doing most of the laughing. The offense seems to be getting a little tired of being tugged upon, as the defense works intently on creating turnovers.

Is Dwayne Jarrett ready to step up or not? Maybe we will see Monday night.

Panthers adjust as Smith begins healing
"What he's done this year in camp is a big jump," Delhomme said. "I think Dwayne's the one. They're all doing well, but I see a big jump in Dwayne."

"This is an opportunity for me," Jarrett added. "I just have to seize it at its moment, go out there, do what I'm capable of doing and just keep working hard."

RB Mike Goodson talks about making the jump to the Pro's:

Running like a pro
"You get in a hole and everybody's swiping at it; everybody's pulling," Goodson said. "When you hit the holes here, there's a big emphasis on ripping the ball out. Just like that," he said, snapping his fingers, "they can take the ball out. So you've really got to wrap it up when you get inside the holes. When you break out, you can go ahead and loosen it up, but when you're inside the holes, you've really got to wrap it up."

The Big Cat is a "Players Owner"

Mason's Minutes: Inspiring words
"When an owner walks through the locker room at any other place, guys turn the other way or try to hide. Guys flock to him and go to him. That's the honest-to-goodness truth," quarterback Jake Delhomme said. "There's a certain respect players have for guys who played the game, and we have the only owner who ever played the game. That's very big."

This rookie is a quick study:

Mason's Minutes: Smith X-rays negative
8:10 P.M. EDT: Ron Meeks preaches for players to keep pursuing. Corvey Irvin does just that, catching up to Mike Goodson downfield after a grab.