SB Nation - Brad Hoover

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Carolina Panthers Run Offense

John B — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:15:40 -0000

by Patrick Semansky - AP

Like the Jets, the Panthers own one of the best rushing attacks in the league. Unlike the Jets, they lean on two different backs instead of one. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart might be the best tailback tandem in football. Williams has 982 yards, 7 touchdowns, and a 5.1 average. Had the Panthers not snatched him up in the 2006 Draft right before the Jets went on the clock, there's a chance the Jets may have grabbed him instead of Nick Mangold. Stewart has 509 yards, 6 touchdowns, and a 4.6 average. Williams is the complete package as a runner. Stewart only really lacks breakaway speed. Stewart has been battling an Achilles injury but participated in practice fully on Friday and should be ready to go.

The Panthers are a great run blocking team. Ryan Kalil fights with Nick Mangold and Miami's Jake Grove for the title of best run blocking center. Sione Pouha and Howard Green will have their hands full. David Harris and Bart Scott had better be comfortable working in traffic. The Jets have shown more four man fronts since the Kris Jenkins injury. I wouldn't be surprised to see that trend continue. Carolina will miss Jordan Gross on the left side. Travelle Wharton represents a major downgrade at left tackle. The rest of the Panthers line is full of solid blockers from Jeff Otah to Keydrick Vincent to MacKenzy Bernadeau.

Carolina also has an excellent lead blocking fullback, Brad Hoover, although they do like to run a lot of three receiver and double tight sets so Hoover, who is battling an ankle injury may not see much time. It's going to be really important for the secondary to assist in run support. Muhsin Muhammad in particular is an excellent blocking receiver. Lito Sheppard might be called on to get off a block and make a key tackle when the Panthers send Williams outside.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers: Injury Report

Hawkwind — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:55:38 -0000

While the Arizona Cardinals still have some players battling through some nagging injuries they are still in a much better situation than most teams in the league seven weeks into the season. The team had just three players who sat out of yesterday's practice, but Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was able to participate in the full practice. DRC, who estimated himself at about 85%, said that he was surprised at how well he felt after injuring his ankle against the Giants. The biggest name who missed practice was Antrel Rolle, who's dealing with a foot injury, but he is expected to play on Sunday. Kenny Iwebema (knee) also missed practice although it's not considered serious and Stephen Spach is still being held out as well. Steve Breaston (knee) and Anquan Boldin (ankle) were also limited and Reggie Wells is still listed on the injury report (broken thumb) but he participated fully.

Here's quick look at the Carolina Panthers report:

Landon Johnson (LB) - Shoulder - DNP
Jonathan Stewart (RB) - Achilles - DNP
Dante Rosario (TE) - Knee - DNP
Muhsin Muhammad (WR) - Knee - DNP
Charles Godfrey (S) - Ankle - DNP
Thomas Davis (LB) - Hamstring - LP
Rhys Lloyd (K) - Ankle - FP
Brad Hoover (FB) - Back - FP

Godfrey, Davis, Muhammad and Hoover are all starters and we all know that Jonathan Stewart is a big part of that offense as their backup running back. Godfrey, starting free safety, hurt his ankle last week and showed up at the team facilities on crutches and a cast although head coach Jon Fox said that there isn't anything broken. He would be a significant loss for this Panthers' defense is he can't go on Sunday. Muhammad is still a starting wide out but at 36 he's slowing down very quickly but he's one of only two wide receivers with over three receptions so far this season. Davis, an underrated linebacker who's leading the team in tackles, would be a significant loss but he's expected to play. Hoover has been dealing with back issues all season so his status could change at any time.

Panthers LB Davis Inactive for Bills Game

Jaxon — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:45:38 -0000

Leading Panthers tackler LB Thomas Davis leaves big shoes to fill for today's game against the Bills. From Darin Gantt:

#Panthers inactives: LB Thomas Davis, FB Hoover, 3rd QB Feeley, RB Sutton, OLs Williams and Robinson, DT Hayden, S Lewis.

I thought James Anderson would get the start, but I was wrong:

Landon Johnson's going to start for Thomas Davis. Like I said, nobody on the roster has Davis' kind of ability.

Its about time for Johnson to step up.Bills RB Fred Jackson presents a risk to Johnson as he better be sharp in tracking Jackson down from out of the backfield.

FB Brad Hoover being out again puts rookie Tony Fiammetta in the cross hairs.

#Panthers FB Brad Hoover's back problem is about to become a long-term worry. Kind of an old man's problem, bothering him more than he knew.

Back problems are never good for over 30 NFL players. This may be Hoover's Swan song season.

The State of the Carolina Panthers

Revshawn — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:03:30 -0000

In one of the hardest schedules in the history of our team, the Panthers have started 0-3. In the preseason we were regarded as one of the top teams to get to the Super Bowl, and the favorites to win the NFC division. Thought not spoken of in many NFL circles, we were slowly gaining respect around the league as a force worthy of being reckoned with and a team able to dig deep into the playoffs.

Why? Because our offense was unstoppable.

Last year we featured a powerful running game led by DeAngelo Williams, whom received 70 fewer carries than other top backs but still finished for 3rd most rushing yards in the NFL. When you combined him with Jonathan Stewart, we ran for over 2,000 yards for the first time in our franchise history. We have one of the strongest receivers in the game in Steve Smith, a decent veteran receiver/blocker in Moose, and one of the best game managers in the NFL in Jake Delhomme, whom has a tendency to make late game-winning drives in the 4th quarter to win games we usually wouldn't win in the first place. It was a powerful combination that drove us to a record of 12-4, and won us the NFC South title.

In spite of retaining all of these players, this year we are 0-3. We have lost our first three games in some of the most horrible ways that the human imagination can imagine. What happened?

Let me take you back to 2003, the year that the Panthers almost won the Super Bowl. It was the season that defined the definition of Foxball: A dominant defense that put pressure on the QB and an offense that featured a strong O-line and a good dose of a smash-mouth rushing attack.

We had a offense similar to the offense we have now. Instead of DeAngelo Williams we had Stephen Davis, and instead of Jonathan Stewart we had DeShaun Foster. We had a O-Line that could compete with the strongest in the league, and our fullback Brad Hoover was still hanging around, always taking care of a linebacker in the second level. We were a team built to run, and we won many games by doing it effectively.

Let's go over the games that took the Panthers to the Super Bowl, and see who got the ball the most.

Against the Cowboys in the Wildcard matchup, the Panthers ran the ball 26 times with Davis and gave the ball to Jake 29 times.

Against the Rams in the 1st round of the playoffs, the Panthers ran the ball 27 times with both Foster and Davis and gave the ball to Delhomme 26 times.

Against the Eagles in the conference championship, they gave the ball to Davis and Foster 34 times and Delhomme only got 14 attempts.

This is Foxball. This is the type of play that will get a team like us to the Super Bowl, and win it. This is the type of play that historically allow the Panthers to play the best football that they can play. To play in any other manner would not allow us to have the same success.

Now let's go more recent. Let's take a look at the two big drives that the Panthers had right before their teams imploded in games against the Cardinals and the Eagles.

Against the Cardinals the Panthers ran the ball 3 times for 41 yards, and Jake Delhomme passed once for 9 yards on the Panthers first drive of the game.

Against the Eagles on the first drive, we had 9 rushing plays for 61 yards, and 4 passing plays for 15 yards.

All of this success has one simple thing in common: The Panthers ran the ball more. Success in the running game allowed Jake Delhomme to take a chance deep downfield after the defense had stacked up in the middle of the field, and more often than not we were able to come down with a big gain. Remember all of those deep balls to Steve Smith last year? That wasn't by accident. The running game helped to free him up to make those catches.

The Panthers are not winning today. Somewhere along the line they got away from this simple little formula and started to pretend that Jake Delhomme is Peytan Manning. That is not the formula for success for this team. When given countless opportunities, the Panthers only ran the ball 13 times against the Cowboys, keeping the ball from one of our biggest playmakers in DeAngelo Williams. For comparison, that is only four plays more than the Panthers ran the ball on the Eagles two weeks ago ON THEIR OPENING DRIVE.

The greatest problem that the Panthers are facing right now is not that Jake Delhomme is playing a bad game. It's not that Julius Peppers isn't playing for his 1 million a game. It isn't because Steve Smith is screwing up routes or the offensive line aren't holding their blocks.

The greatest problem the Panthers face right now is that they have forgotten who they are: A team based on defending and stopping the run. For the first half of the game last night, we played like the Carolina Panthers. We ran the ball 9 times for 44 yards, and passed it 16 times for 94 yards and a TD. We made up for our lack of a defensive line by blitzing often, putting pressure on Tony Romo and holding the Cowboys to only 3 points.

For the second half of the game, we changed our strategy. We suddenly stopped blitzing on defense and dropped our linebackers in pass coverage, giving Romo all day to complete a pass and breathing new life into their running game. We started giving the ball to Jake Delhomme in spite of the double teams on Steve Smith and our depleted WR corps. The Panthers stopped being the Panthers we know and they tried to be something else. It was a game plan we neither had the need to perform, nor the personnel.

That is why we lost the game on Monday night.

We have to change. In spite of being 0-3, we still have a chance to turn this season around. We can win with Jake Delhomme as our QB, but we need to return to being the dominant running team we know we are. We have to give DeAngelo Williams the ball, and ride on his back to the Playoffs. That is the only way we will succeed.

Once our coaches realize that, we'll be just fine.

What they're saying - Eagles win over Panthers

JasonB — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:59:03 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

3 months ago: Carolina Panthers' Jake Delhomme, bottom, is sacked by Philadelphia Eagles' Mike Patterson (98) and Omar Gaither (96) in the third quarter during an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

Browse more photos »

Panther's QB Jake Delhomme on the pressure brought by the Eagles' defense

"That's what they (the Eagles) do," Delhomme said. "We knew they were going to bring pressure ... We need to respond to that. If you think there was a lot of pressure this week and we didn't do too well with it, we are going to see a lot of it next week."

Fullback Brad Hoover on the same

"They're a pressure defense, so it's not that we weren't expecting it. They just hit us on some things to which we weren't able to adjust," said fullback Brad Hoover. "They got us and bit us."

Might one of things they weren't expecting be Trent Cole rushing up the middle? Chris Gocong says "I told you so" about the surprises on defense.

"I've been telling you guys for a while now, but you wouldn't listen," said a chuckling Chris Gocong about the potential of the defense. "It's still Jim (Johnson)'s defense, but it's streamlined. It's real aggressive, very aggressive. We've known it for a while. We haven't shown too much of our blitzes in the preseason, and we know what we had going in, so we were kind of expecting things. But that was a great first performance for us, I'm really proud of the defense."

Much more after the jump

Omar Gaither attributed the success of the D to McDermott's playcalling

"A few of the things that (coach McDermott) did came up big for us," said middle linebacker Omar Gaither, "A lot of those big plays were things that he's changed. And obviously with our personnel ... it worked out well for us."

Victor Abiamiri on scoring the first TD of his career and the first of the Eagles' season.

"Trent made one heckuva play. I was just there to scoop and score. The ball was just sitting there, right there, I just picked it up," said Abiamiri, who made his second-career start. "It was a great start to my season. I'm hoping to build on it. I hope it's just one of many."

Omar Gaither talked about how the Eagles shut down one of the NFL's best rushing attacks.

"That first drive he was bouncing a lot. We know he likes to bounce outside, but we didn't know how much he wanted to get out there," Gaither said. "We came back and regrouped for the second drive and we were able to get him stopped."

Macho Harris on starting his first NFL game

"When I walked out there I was a little emotional because it was my first start in a professional league," Harris said. "I dreamed of playing this game on Sundays, so it was emotional for me in the beginning of the game, but other than that, it was great."

Desean Jackson on his 85 yard punt return for a TD.

"The punt-return team did a great job of setting me up," Jackson said. "I got a good crease and I hit the crease, and from there I saw the punter and I just made him miss."

Desean also talked about his future in the wildcat offense.

"The Wildcat is not going to go anywhere," Jackson said. "I'll be back there with Mike and without him."

Finally, Panthers' WR Steve Smith probably summed up his team's performance the best.

"Offensively, we just sucked. Let’s be honest," receiver Steve Smith said.

This is what makes the Panther Franchise Unique: The Big Cat

Jaxon — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:02:26 -0000

I know it sounds cliché to say a franchise is representative of its owner. From Wellington Mara to Art Rooney many owners have been praised for their impact on the game and the teams they employ. The Panthers as well can make this same claim but there is more. Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson (Big Cat) is not only a successful businessman but also a former NFL player having played from 1958 to 1961 for the Baltimore Colts. The Panthers are the only franchise with that distinction and before you think "What does it really matter" consider the statements from these current players:

"Whatever he's saying is important," says fullback Brad Hoover. "He's an inspiration."

"He's very close to a lot of players, extremely close," says quarterback Jake Delhomme.

"He was just his usual funny self," linebacker Jon Beason says. "To see him out there supporting us truly is the example of a great leader."

On any other team when the owner comes ... players turn the other way or try to hide," says Delhomme. "But guys (here) flock to him and go to him. To me, that says it all right there."

Panthers owner Jerry Richardson garners the respect of the players not just because he signs the paychecks but more so because he is one of them. Richardson knows what's important for team harmony, for team identify and for team moral. Richardson knows that to get the most from his players he needs to treat them with respect; he lets them know he hasn't forgotten what its like to play in the trenches. Though he only played two seasons and caught a whopping 15 passes he did make one of them very memorable:

His most notable reception was in the 1959 NFL Championship Game win against the New York Giants, in which he caught the winning touchdown pass from Johnny Unitas.

I'm sure he is very proud of that one. The most impressive part of the Big Cat though is his rise up in the business world from humble beginnings:

Using his $3,500 check from the playoff games, Richardson partnered with Charles J. Bradshaw to form Spartan Foods, a food-service company which became the second--and ultimately the largest--franchisee of Hardee's restaurants. Spartan Foods later founded Quincy's Family Steakhouse and Dooley's Seafood Emporium. Spartan Foods was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1976. Through merger activities, Richardson became CEO of TW Services (later Flagstar) which operated Denny's and El Pollo Loco franchises in the Carolinas. Richardson put the earnings towards his lifelong goal of purchasing an NFL franchise.

From another post written back when the Panthers were being founded:

By 1976, Richardson and Bradshaw operated 169 Hardee's franchises, and their company, Spartan Food Systems, Inc., had $56 million in sales and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Three years later, with their Hardee's franchises numbering 221, Bradshaw and Richardson sold Spartan food to Trans World Corp., then the parent company of Trans World Airlines, for $80 million. Both men continued to run Spartan Food until 1984, when Bradshaw became president and COO of Trans World Corp. On Dec. 30, 1986, Trans World was liquidated and the remaining food service subsidiaries, including Spartan, were merged into TW Services Inc., which went public as an independent company. Richardson became president of TW Services nine months later. Then, in '89, Richardson endured the leveraged buyout of TW Services by a group of New York corporate raiders, emerging as president and CEO of a company reeling under a $2.4 billion debt. Still, he owns about 4% of TW stock-4.1 million shares that have a value of more than $14 million-and his overall net worth, built on investments and his payoff in the various corporate takeovers, is believed to be in the neighborhood of $100 million.

Not bad for a 13 round pick with only 15 catches huh? Now to the human side of JR:

Richardson is maddeningly self-effacing, especially when it comes time to explain this success story. He is surrounded by good people, he tells you. When that doesn't satisfy the question, he offers up luck. "We're as lucky as a dog with two.... Shut that tape recorder off for a minute." This shtick about his being lucky is a running joke among family, friends and business associates.

How can you not like a guy like that? Rarely takes credit for all that he has done. It's for this reason you will never see the Panthers go after the high-profile personalities such as Terrell Owens, they will never pursue the players of questionable character like Michael Vick. So when you see pictures of players greeting the owner during training camp its not just a courtesy acknowledgement due to his recent heart transplant, its much more than that. Richardson gives them hope that anyone can take the opportunity of playing in the NFL and turn it into a lifetime of success. If I met him tomorrow I too would greet him enthusiastically and hopefully a little of that ‘lick' would rub off on me!

Panthers Projected 2009 Depth Chart: TE

LittleKing — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:07:42 -0000

via www.panthers.com

The first responsibility of a TE under HC John Fox is run blocking ability. Since Fox became head coach in 2002, he has always carried at least three TEs and in three years there were four TEs credited to the roster (2002, 2003, 2006). However while I won't predict it, I can see a scenario this year where Fox decides to keep only two TE on the 53 man roster. The scenario would take into account the two FB currently on the roster, Brad Hoover and rookie Tony Fiammetta. If they keep both it could make one of the TE positions expendable.

Let's jump in and review who is currently on the roster.

Jeff King (4th year, Virgina Tech) 6'3" 260, Age 26: King was drafted in 2006 but didn't see much playing time until his second year. For having only two years of starting experience he fits nicely with the Panthers offensive game plan. While you can't put a stat on blocking, he was definitely a key cog in the Panthers successful running game last year. While he doesn't have the best hands in the league, he's more than adequate for the teams needs and is capable of finding an open spot when needed. He's a proven player that should continue to find a spot on the Panthers roster for several years.

100% chance of making the team and being the starter

Dante Rosario (3rd year, Oreg

on) 6'4" 250, Age 24: It appeared after the first game, 7 receptions for 96 yards, in 2008 that Rosario might have a breakout year. Yet his disappearing act the rest of the season has baffled everyone, when he went 11 receptions for 113 yards. However, much can be debated if the lack of involvement was by his own doing, the lack of involvement of the TE in the passing game, or Delhomme's inability to get them more involved. Then, in an odd decision, instead of having surgery immediately following the close of the season, he decided to wait until the first of May. While it was noted he should return in time for training camp, the timing is very questionable. With the possibility of carrying two FB this season, the decision may force the Panthers to only keep two TE as well. Because of this and the late surgery it give me pause in predicting his chances of being a Panthers.

85% chance of making the roster

Gary Barnidge (2nd year, Louisville) 6'5" 247, Age 23: Not since Wesley Walls have the Panthers had a consistent receiving threat but Barnidge has the hands to possibly become that threat. Between his college scouting reports and his impressive showing during last months OTA, Barnidge is setting himself up to possibly become a major factor on the Panther offense. However he will need to work on his blocking ability. He added weight this off-season which will help; to remain on the Panthers roster this is a must have skill for a TE. If his blocking catches up with his catching ability, he could become the starter in another year or two.

100% chance of making the roster

Kevin Brock (Rookie, Rutgers) 6'5" 255, Age 23: Brock worked hard to make the Rutgers team as a walk on player. He started as a WR but transitioned to a TE after adding 60 lbs. Since Rosario is out of commission Brock was able to get valuable field time and attention during OTA. But while he is no stranger to hard work and the face time on the field was important, his chances of making the roster is very slim. With three capable TE still on the roster from last year, breaking onto the roster would be difficult if not impossible. If the Panthers keep three active TE then even the need for a practice squad TE is slim. However, again if they only keep two, then Brock might get a PS spot.

5% chance of making roster if Rosario isn't ready, 15% chance of PS

Andrew Davie (Rookie, Arkansas) 6'6" 275, Age 26: Davie was picked off waives last week after he was released from the NY Jets, who had picked him up as a UDFA. He was known for his blocking in college, blocking for Darren McFaddenand Felix Jones. He's most likely a training camp body and not much more. Although similar to Brock his best chance will be if Rosario for some reason doesn't make the roster.

5% chance of making roster if Rosario isn't ready, 10% chance of PS

Overall the TE position is pretty set and while I did mention Rosario's surgery several times, from all indications he should return for training camp. If so there is very little doubt as to the position breakdown. The biggest question is if Rosario or Barnidge is the first backup. What's your take does Rosario keep his backup role or does Barnidge edge him out in training camp?

Poll

Who will win the backup TE position?

Dante Rosario

93 votes

Gary Barnidge

158 votes

251 votes | Poll has closed

Top 5 starters in danger of losing their job next season

Revshawn — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:03:14 -0000

1. Brad Hoover FB

Don't get me wrong, in spite of his mistakes during the season Brad Hoover had this job locked up. Then in round 4 of the NFL Draft the Panthers picked up Tony Fiammetta, whom most scouts had declared the best fullback in the draft. He's a solid player with strong blocking, rushing, and pass catching abilities. I believe that if he impresses in camp that the Panthers will go for the younger, cheaper talent. Brad Hoover will be 33 in November, and by cutting him the Panthers will save 540k against the salary cap.

2. Tyler Brayton DE

With Everette Brown being taken in the 2nd round as a result of a trade, Tyler Brayton is going to have to put his rear in gear in order to keep his spot. Unless he pulls off a miracle in training camp and turns himself into a modern day Rocky, the Panthers are going to go with the smaller rookie in an effort to turn him into another Dwight Freeney.

3. Richard Marshall CB

Richard Marshall will start Week 1 with Ken Lucas gone, but other teams are not going to be impressed with him right off. Until he proves himself, he's going to be a guy with a big x on his back. Teams will throw to his side of the field early and often, and I wouldn't be suprised if the team yanks him in favor a bigger corner like Sherrod Martin if he struggles on a consistant basis. We might even see the two corners splitting time on the field, who knows?

4. Na'il Diggs OLB

Here's where things start to get a bit iffy, but irregardless this is a Top 5 article. We have arguably 5 starting caliber linebackers. Jon Beason and Thomas Davis are two young locks right off the bat, and Na'il Diggs is your old, experienced veteran. The two wildcard players that could be starters are 2nd year player Dan Connor, and Landon Johnson. Dan Connor has a chance to rise up and prove to everyone that he is the next Dan Morgan (minus the injuries). If he can do that, he just might take down Na'il Diggs and secure his spot. He might have done so last year, but he was injured for the season in Week 3 so we never got a chance to see if he could do it late in the year.

Dan Conner is pretty much the successor of Na'il Diggs in the future, but it's a matter of time. Diggs is still a tremendous player and he still produces, it's only a question of whether he can maintain it or not over a 16 game schedule. If he cannot, then Connor might sneak in there late in the year and get some playing time.

5. Dante Rosario TE or Muhsin Muhammad

Arguments can be made on both sides. Moose is getting old and Dwayne Jarrett is in his 3rd breakout year, so he might rise and take control. On the other hand TE Gary Barnidge was known as a great pass-catcher coming out of college, and if his skills have matured in the next level we might have another target on the field for Jake Delhomme. I'm going to open this one up for a poll. Your thoughts please!

Poll

Which player has the better chance of being replaced?

TE Dante Rosario

715 votes

WR Muhsin Muhammad

187 votes

902 votes | Poll has closed

The Rebuttal to My Post: Some Panthers Post-Draft Analysis Are Complete BS

Jaxon — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:15:10 -0000

Update: The Rebuttal

I got an email earlier today from Mr. Stevens who is none too happy with the post below. You will see he offers some explanation for his original comments which I've posted below the jump. I'll let you be the judge of his arguments. In some cases though I had to insert my comments which I have put in bold.

I do regret picking this fight only from the standpoint that the last thing I really wanted was to get into a pissing contest but...here we are. Those of you that have been reading this blog for a while know this is not my normal method of operation and I assure you I don't intend to waste your time with future petty bickering. With that I also felt it would not be fair to at least let Mr. Stevens offer a rebuttal (but of course he could have simply signed up and posted his response).

==========

It's one thing when I guy like Mel Kiper gives you a "C" on your draft report card; the guy has been in the scouting business a long time and has earned the right to make such evaluations whether you agree with him or not. It's a whole other thing when some kid named Andrew Stevens from the Goldsboro News-Argus (~~somewhere near Greensboro, NC~~ Eastern, NC) calls your draft picks "questionable" and then lays out a completely BS argument in his piece titled Opinion -- Carolina makes questionable picks in 2009 NFL Draft.

It's been a while since I've taken apart a journalist so I'm going to try and be professional here but my blood pressure is up! So where to start? How about the second sentence:

Carolina's offseason blunders began by not signing a single player in free agency to address needs at wide receiver, defensive back and both the offensive and defensive line.

Umm...that would be because the Panthers didn't have enough cap space to buy a used Lexus. Where have you been Andrew? There's that little issue with the franchise tag on Julius Peppers that swallowed a ton of cap space. Sure, maybe they should have re-signed Delhomme sooner but you failed to mention that at all.

He continues on the Delhomme rant but seems to argue both sides:

Delhomme threw for over 250 yards just four times last season and had one or fewer touchdown passes in 13 different games... Carolina is 54-33 in the regular season and the playoffs over the past six seasons when Delhomme starts.

The Panthers still went 12-4 on a run-oriented team in spite of Delhomme' apparently ‘woeful' performances and he's won 21 more than he lost. He then cements his ineptitude on recent events with this one:

Carolina chose to pass on Jay Cutler when the former Denver quarterback was on the trading block ...

Did you not see what the Bears gave up to get Cutler? The Panthers didn't ‘pass' on Cutler, they didn't even have the ante to get in the game, which was a 1st round pick in this years draft. They didn't pass on crap.

Moving on to the next topic:

Carolina made a pair of puzzling picks in the fourth round, selecting tailback Mike Goodson from Texas A&M and fullback Tony Fiammetta of Syracuse....Running the football clearly isn't an area of concern for Carolina, which makes the selections of Goodson and Fiammetta somewhat questionable.

Again Andrew, did you do any research before publishing this shallow analysis? The Panthers quickly pointed out that Goodson will try his hand in the slot and returning kicks as well as provide depth as a 3rd RB. Fiammetta will be groomed to replace the aging Brad Hoover at FB. Believe it or not but the FB is sort of a key cog in the Panther running game, which you correctly pointed out ranked 3rd in the NFL last year.

He then jumps on the ‘Panthers Needed a WR' bandwagon:

There were nine wide receivers taken in the first two rounds of last weekend's draft and 35 were selected overall. Passing on the opportunity to give an aging and streaky quarterback another deep threat could come back to haunt Carolina.

Seven of the nine he mentions were already gone by #43 and the other two were Pat White and UGA's Mohamed Massaquoi. Neither was worth where they were drafted in my view nor were they worth the #59 pick. You could argue with picking a true WR instead of the Goodson pick but any rookie WR drafted in the 4th round will struggle to crack the 3rd string on this team, but again that argument wasn't made.

So let's get to the grand finale of Steven's 'opinion':

There's a reason why franchises such as New England, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis have proven draft track records that correlate to on-field success.

As long as the Panthers continue to play it close to the vest off the field, the organization and its fans will continue to reap what it sows.

So what is the reason Andrew? What's the correlation? That the winning teams pick good players in the draft? Holy smokes you might be on to something there! You have to be freaking kidding me right? And so the Panthers better stop playing it ‘close to the vest' or they will ‘reap what they sow'? They reaped a 12-4 record and a NFC South division crown in 2008. Damn, they must be doing something wrong. Maybe they should gamble a little and let's say...trade a future first round pick for a potential impact player? Now that would be doing something.

I've had some fun with Andrew and trying to figure out what his opinion actually was. After reading his bio it does explain some of his naivety, he's young and apparently has only written for lets say some 'local' rags:

Andrew Stevens graduated in Dec. of 2005 from Liberty University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Before arriving at Liberty, Stevens spent two years at Milligan College in Johnson City, TN. In the summer of 2005, Stevens worked as a sports intern at the Burlington Times News in Burlington, N.C. Stevens served as Assistant Sports Editor for Liberty's student newspaper The Champion in the fall of 2005. After graduating from Liberty, Stevens spent a year and a half as a sports writer with the Martinsville Bulletin in Martinsville, Virginia, before coming to the News-Argus. Stevens is from Eden, N.C.

I guess when you have a distribution of about 500 in rural NC you're not used to people expecting you to actually do research. If Andrew should read this I apologize, I've been a bit harsh but it was just damn fun and way too easy. Okay, I'll stop now...or I'll never stop laughing long enough to go to bed tonight!

==========

Mr. Stevens Rebuttal: [my comments in brackets]

Jack,
First, let me start by saying I appreciate you taking the time to read my column. The fact that you're willing to rip me on the internet is an honor. I appreciate the publicity [your welcome]. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and it's pretty clear you have your opinion as well.
However, I feel my opinions are valid and yes I am a Panthers fan as well. I realize that you're the moderator of a Panthers fan board so when anyone writes anything negative about the Panthers it gets you all upset [not really]. Which makes me wonder if you actually work in journalism or if you're just a fan boy [Actually the correct term is 'Blogger'] that runs a message board?
I'm baffled by your allegiance to Jake Delhomme. The guy throws five interceptions in the most important game of the season last year, and if you think the guy is franchise quarterback material you're kidding yourself.
Also, if you think Carolina doesn't need a legitimate receiver to go along with Smith and Muhsin Muhammad you apparently haven't been watching the same team. Muhammad was the only Panthers receiver to catch a pass of 60 yards or longer last season while Smith had six of Carolina's 15 touchdown catches a year ago. This is one reason later in the season Delhomme was trying to force passes to Smith that weren't there, thus the 12 interceptions he threw last season. You say in YOUR opinion that Pat White nor Mohamed Massaquoi were worth where they were drafted. Sure, Carolina may not have had a need for a player like Pat White, but I completely disagree that the Panthers couldn't have used Massaquoi. I'm not buying the fact that Muhsin Muhammad, D.J. Hackett, Jeff King, Dwayne Jarrett or Dante Rosario give Carolina a viable deep threat capable of stretching the field the way Smith does [Massaquoi a deep threat? He ran a 4.6 at the combine, the same as Jarrett]. Sure, you can win games in the NFL with a solid running attack and one legitimate receiver but you can't win championships. Look at the elite teams in the NFL right, Indianapolis, New England [didn't make the playoffs in 2008] and Pittsburgh for example, they have at least one real deep threat [which the Panthers do] and multiple other receivers that keep defenses honest. Carolina doesn't have that and that's one major area where they dropped the ball in free agency and the draft.
As far as my final point in the column, yes the Steelers, Colts and Patriots typically draft well and make picks that translate into success on the field. They draft smart [examples?], not safe, and at times they're willing to take risks. As long as Carolina continues to avoid rolling the dice once in a while and being overly loyal to players past their prime they'll always come up short in their quest for a championship.
The last thing I want to say is I don't have a problem with you attacking my opinions of the Panthers draft picks. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion [I never disagreed with your right to an opinion, just that as a paid sports writer that you identify what you are basing your derogatory opinions on].
However, when you start to attack my career, where I've worked in the past and the circulaton of those papers you show me what type of person you really are. Maybe if you spent more time researching your precious Panthers or better yet, doing something PRODUCTIVE and not looking up who I am, where I'm from and where I went to school [it took all of two clicks] you would be better off. Stay classy and enjoy watching the Panthers be mediocre again in 2009 [mediocre again? and you call yourself a fan?].

Andrew Stevens

END REBUTTAL

So there is his explanation my fellow Panther fans. I still can't help but chuckle at some of his comments, like 'fan boy', when I know I'm old enough to be his daddy. I could go on and on but I really have no interest in carrying this on. Since I'm sure Andrew will be reading this at some, all I have to say is "Look me up at Panthers Training Camp" and I'll buy you a beer and hopefully we can laugh about this. Only then when you see the QB drills will you know why I still think Delhomme presents the Panthers best chance to win in '09.

Go Panthers!

Panthers Quotes & Notes: Weekend Edition

Jaxon — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:11:43 -0000

So is anybody going to watch the games tomorrow? I probably will though I find them less entertaining with the Panthers eliminated. Here’s the better articles I’ve found though out the week. As you will see most of them center on the Jake Delhomme question. I think it’s safe to say that will be the hot topic the entire off-season. Kind of ironic isn’t it? Last off-season we couldn’t wait to see if Jake would return and now we’re not sure we want him to.

Count Brad Hoover as thinking we should have run the ball more.

Our plan was to try to run the ball on them. That's what we've hung our hat on all year, being successful in the running game, and I still think we could have done it," Hoover said. "Not to question things but, when you start putting yourself in a hole, and we did pretty fast, it's hard to just run the ball when you've put yourself in pass situations.

It was the passing game that screwed up and put us in the hole we were in and forced the Panthers to pass the ball even more.

Here’s a very thorough team report. CSR will be hitting all these issues in depth over the off-season.

Here’s a nicely done counter argument to the Jake Delhomme discussion.

This is a little off-topic but it is by far the scariest thing I’ve read about the NFL in a while.

He’s more Good Jake – Bad Jake analysis that focuses on the stats.

Here’s a pretty good Panther QB analysis, again centered on Jake.

Enjoy!

Poll

Now that the Panthers are eliminated from the playoffs:

I won't be watching anymore NFL football

1 votes

I'll watch the SB but that is it

6 votes

I might watch the remaining games if I have nothing else to do

21 votes

I'll watch all the games, I love NFL playoff football regardless of who is playing

19 votes

47 votes | Poll has closed