SB Nation - John Kasay

Inside Key Penalties -- and Plays -- in Panthers loss to New England

Ryan Basen — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:01:25 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith, here hauling in a touchdown pass in the first half, was flagged for two of nine Panthers penalties in Sunday's loss to New England. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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A Panthers team that had been one of the worst in the NFL in turnover differential (and the worst in giveaways) forced three Patriots turnovers without giving one back Sunday. Carolina also averaged 5.3 yards per rush and shut down Patriots star receiver Randy Moss.

Yet the Panthers lost, by 10, at New England. The main culprits, besides a stout New England running game: Nine Carolina penalties, including several at crucial times, and a couple key plays. Here is an inside look at the swing penalties and plays that cost the Panthers the game, and a chance to inch back into the NFC playoff race:

Situation: Second-and-10 Panthers, ball on Carolina 21. 7-0 Panthers lead. 14:47 to play in second quarter.

Formations: Carolina lined up with one back, a fullback right, a receiver wide left, a receiver in the right slot and a tight end wide right. New England used three linemen with two linebackers in the box, a defender showing blitz over left tackle and two corners in press coverage.

What happened: Tailback Jonathan Stewart ran up the middle for a loss of 1 yard. Receiver Steve Smith was called for holding and the Patriots accepted the penalty.

How it happened: The tight end, Jeff King, went in motion left and set in the right slot. Stewart took the handoff and had little running room, never making it back to the line of scrimmage. Smith was locked up on corner Leigh Bodden on the edge, away from the ball. He grabbed, held and tackled Bodden.

The result: The Panthers faced a second-and-20, a lot for their conservative offense to overcome. Two plays later they punted.

Situation: Third-and-3 Panthers, New England 35. 7-0 Panthers. 3:39 to play in second.

Formations: Carolina lined up with one back, a fullback left, two receivers in the right slot and a tight end left. New England used three linemen with two linebackers in the box, two linebackers showing blitz off the edge and two corners a few yards off the receivers.

What happened: Quarterback Matt Moore threw incomplete for the fullback, Brad Hoover.

How it happened: Smith, lined up in the slot, went in motion left and set in the left slot. A corner followed him. Moore faked a handoff to tailback DeAngelo Williams, who picked up a blitz from linebacker Tully Banta-Cain. But Banta-Cain got close to Moore, who threw low and behind Hoover in the left flat.

The result: Faced with a fourth-and-3 on the fringe of kicker John Kasay's range on a cold, wet day; Panthers coach John Fox could have attempted a 53-yard field goal, tried to pin New England on a punt or gone for the first down. The Panthers still had the lead. The Patriots offense had little life.

Fox called for the field goal, Kasay missed short and the Patriots took over at the Panthers 43. New England promptly scored the tying touchdown before halftime, in part because of the following play...

Situation: Second-and-4 Patriots, New England 48, 7-0 Panthers, 2:50 to play in second.

Formations: New England lined up with four receivers and one back. Carolina used four linemen, four defenders in press coverage on the receivers and one linebacker in the box.

What happened: Quarterback Tom Brady threw deep, incomplete for tight end Ben Watson. But Panthers linebacker James Anderson was called for pass interference, moving the Patriots 30 yards downfield.

How it happened: Watson lined up wide right and ran a streak down the right sideline. Anderson single-covered Watson and was in stride with him when the ball arrived. Both players dove and the ball fell incomplete. Television replays did not show if Anderson had interfered, but Fox's analysts did not agree with the call.

The result: New England had a first down at the Carolina 21. The Patriots scored on a Kevin Falk run five plays later.

Situation: Third-and-7 Panthers, New England 45, 7-7 tie, 10:08 to play in third quarter.

Formations: Carolina lined up with four receivers and one back. New England used four linemen with two linebackers in the box and five defensive backs off in zone coverage.

What happened: Moore connected with Smith for a 15-yard gain, but the Panthers were called for a 5-yard illegal shift penalty that negated the pass.

How it happened: Smith started wide right and went in motion towards the right slot. He settled behind the slot receiver but did not set before the snap.

The result: Instead of a first down at the 30 -- within Kasay's range -- the Panthers faced a third-and-12 at midfield. Following another illegal shift penalty and a third third-down play, the Panthers punted from the Patriots 42.

Situation: Second-and-1 New England, Carolina 36, 14-10 Patriots, 8:38 to play in fourth.

Formations: New England lined up with one back, and one receiver and one tight end on each side. Carolina used four linemen with three linebackers in the box and a corner in press coverage on receiver Wes Welker in the right slot.

What happened: Tailback Laurence Maroney ran right for 2 yards and a first down. The Panthers were also penalized 5 yards for illegal use of hands.

How it happened: Defensive tackle Nick Hayden got his hand in the face of a Patriots offensive lineman, drawing the penalty.

The result: New England had a first down at the Panthers 29, within field goal range. Four plays later the Patriots kicked a field goal to go ahead by 7.

Situation: Fourth-and-13 New England, Carolina 45, 17-10 Patriots, 4:30 to play in fourth.

Formations: Both teams lined up expecting a punt.

What happened: The Patriots punted the ball into the end zone for a touchback, but the Panthers were called for roughing the punter.

How it happened: Panthers defensive end Everette Brown rushed up the middle and attempted to block the punt. Brown missed the ball and rolled over the left leg of Patriots punter Chris Hanson.

The result: Instead of having the ball 80 yards away from the tying score, the Panthers had to send their defense back onto the field. To compound matters, New England was now in field goal range. Four plays later the Patriots kicked a field goal to go up by 10, with less than 4 minutes to play.

Panthers Pick Apart Bucs 16-6

Jaxon — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:35:15 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

16 days ago: Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Moore, right, is congratulated by teammates Travelle Wharton, left, and Mackenzy Bernadeau, center, in the closing seconds of their 16-6 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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The Panthers took care of business today beating a one win Bucs team that is still breaking in a new QB. The game featured two young QBs trying to rally their teams. The Panther defense made sure their new starter got off to a good start intercepting Bucs QB Josh Freeman 5 times on their way to their fifth victory.

Here's some quick hits with further analysis coming:

LB Jon Beason led the defense with two red zone INTs and 6 tackles
RB Jonathan Stewart got his first start of the season and responded with 120 yards and TD on 26 carries
QB Matt Moore was a pedestrian 14 of 20 for 161 yards with one INT but more importantly he limited his mistakes
WR Steve Smith was mostly silent (3 for 78 yds) outside of a big catch late in the game (66 yards)

CB Richard Marshall led the defense with 9 tackles but had trouble covering Bucs WR Antonio Bryant (5 for 116 yds)
K John Kasay was 3 for 3 on FGs
Back-up RB Terrel Sutton played well (6 for 38, 6.2 ypc) showing good moves on some inside runs
With PR Captain Munnerlyn sidelined from a concussion CB Chris Gamble muffed his only punt return catch giving the Bucs a short field
SS Chris Harris had 5 tackles and an INT and led the run support from the secondary. He also short circuited a pass by Freeman on a blitz where he hit the QBs arm as he was throwing
The Panthers were a paltry 3 for 11 (27%) on 3rd downs, an on-going trend in 2009

The biggest question from this game is did you see enough from Matt Moore to let him start next week even if Jake Delhommes finger is better? Should he start the remainder of the season?

Poll

The Panthers game ball in the win over the Bucs should go to:

LB Jon Beason

213 votes

QB Matt Moore

24 votes

RB Jonathan Stewart

27 votes

SS Chris Harris

2 votes

CB Chris Gamble

2 votes

CB Richard Marshall

0 votes

268 votes | Poll has closed

Falcons And Panthers Recap: When Everything Goes Wrong

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:38 -0000

by Mike McCarn - AP

Oh crap! You mean I'm the only healthy running back left on the roster? (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

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Man, there's something going on up here that ain't right... —Brother Ali

Normally I'd say something semi-inspiring or vaguely profound here, but I've found that I don't have the energy. I climbed a mountain of woe following this game, fighting off the forces of terrible football, and then I just fell off the other side of said mountain and into a pit of despair and beer. So forget that noise.

No, this was the kind of loss that you can't run from and can't make excuses for. It makes you truly doubt the strength of your beloved football team during a time when you'd hope your faith would be reinforced. It really, really sucks, is what I'm getting at. With a critical injury and poor play all the way around, a playoff spot seems more like a distant possibility than an immediate one, and now we've got the New York Giants coming off their bye week. It's not getting any easier, folks.

Buckle up and let's head over this waterfall.

HIGHLIGHTS

Michael Turner was having a stunning game indeed before the evil football gods struck him down. At the pace he was on, 200 yards was not out of the question, as was a more balanced attack which could have either led us to victory or kept us in the game until the bitter end. If he's really going to miss any significant time, we're probably boned.
That said, Jason Snelling did his able best to keep us in it. If Jerious Norwood can come back, an attack featuring Snelling and Norwood wouldn't be so terrible as to make me want to gnaw my arm off. As a matter of fact, it might provide the kind of balance that is so desperately needed in the absence of Turner and Matt Ryan's neutron star level of implosion.
This was actually a pretty great effort from both Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White, who piled up 150 yards between them on a day where Ryan was misfiring. Gonzalez in particular absolutely abused the Panthers cornerback who was unlucky enough to draw the short straw in coverage. If the passing attack is ever going to really get going, it's going to be on the backs of those two.
On a day where the defense was pretty lackluster, two players (and okay, one of them did his work on special teams) really stood out. First off, Erik Coleman earned his seven tackles by routinely getting in the way of the Panthers offense, particularly early in the second half, and deserves some kudos. Then there was Chauncey Davis, who leaped up and blocked a John Kasay field goal, keeping the Falcons in the game until they blew it again.
Michael Koenen can boot it. Glad to have that guy around.

LOWLIGHTS

Matt Ryan. If you look at his first few games, when he looked calm and collected and the occasional overthrow could still be laughed off, you would be hard pressed to believe he was the same quarterback now. I don't know what's going on here, frankly, and beyond increased pressure I wouldn't presume to guess what's going on in his head. All I know is that he was overthrowing receivers a lot yesterday and because of it he threw two crippling interceptions. He looks rattled and his feet are so happy I thought his cleats were smiling. I still believe fervently that Ryan will be a very, very good quarterback in this league for a very, very long time, but that time is not right now. If we're going to grab that elusive winning season, the coaching staff needs to figure out what the problem is as soon as humanly possible.
Michael Turner's injury. I know I said this once already, but have you thought about how much trouble we'd be in without him? In the early weeks when Ryan was firing bullets all over the field, we could've survived a couple of weeks without him. Now, it's going to take a phenomenal effort from the rest of the team to fill that hole. I really hope they can do it.
I know there was an issue with the snap, but my normally boundless patience is wearing thin when it comes to Jason Elam. If he was a young kicker who was struggling, like Steve Hauschka of the Baltimore Ravens, I'd implore the fan base to stick him. Those guys can and often do get better over time and can provide long-term value to a franchise. Where Elam's only a couple of season removed from the end of the line and the team is hanging on to its playoff chances by a thread, we can't really afford to have him miss any more key field goals. It's time to at least think about auditioning some other kickers.
While execution was the major issue Sunday, you do have to wonder about the coaching staff. Is it that there's not enough talent on the defensive side of the ball, or is that BVG can't put them in a position to succeed? Is the Falcons' uber-talented offense just not clicking, or is Mike Mularkey incapable of calling plays that maximize their talents? I don't really know, honestly, but those are questions which have to be raised.
Speaking of defense....well, never mind. I don't even want to get started on the defense.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: Suggest one in the comments. I'm leaning toward Michael Turner for his Herculean early game efforts, but I'm almost tempted to put the award on hiatus for one week.

Game Theme Song: This recap was gloomy enough that I can get away with a song titled The Funeral, right?

One Thing To Take Away: The remaining schedule is going to be difficult indeed.

Next Week: The struggling New York Giants, who are coming off a bye week and will have our total annihilation on their minds. Yippee! Be sure to check out Big Blue View.

Final Word: Crap.

FANTASY WEEKEND REPORT by Craig T

Niko Houllis — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:20 -0000

Craig T's FFH (we lied about the year established. Stolen via Google search. How's that for honesty.

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Our good buddy Craig T has his internet down, let me guess, Brighthouse? Remember when Brighthouse tried to make everyone think the NFL Network was the bad guy? Now BH is the only one that Doesnt have it. Heck, I get NFL Network on a sprint phone for goodness sake!! " You carry 8 shopping channels, but no NFL Network!!!"

Anyways..This message brought to you by Verizon's Fios. JK, ....

Take it away Craig T...

Welcome, BucEm fans, to what will be our weekly look at some fantasy football help some of you might be musing over. With 8 weeks down and 5 to go, many of you are likely jockeying for playoff berths, so let's get down to it...

QBs TO START (excluding weekly automatic starts P. Manning, Brady, Roethlisberger, Brees, B. Favre, A. Rodgers, and K. Warner)

1. Tony Romo @ PHI. 8 TDs, 0 INTs in last 3 and seeing field as well as anyone.

2. Matt Hasselbeck vs DET. Weak SEA running game + weak DET defense = big bounceback game for Hasselbeck.

3. Donovan McNabb vs. DAL. Like Romo, also seeing field well in what should be a game filled w points.

4. Philip Rivers @ NYG. Clicking V-Jack lately and has passed for not less than 249 yds this season. NYG defense still not right.

5. Matt Schaub @ IND. First time he and Andre Johnson have been on the field together vs IND since 2007.

Sleeper: Jason Campbell @ ATL. Yes, ugh, I know, but WAS is coming off a bye and ATL can't stop anybody through the air. Look for a solid, if not great, game from Campbell Sunday.

QBs TO SIT

1. Eli Manning vs SD. He's just not trustworthy since injuring his heel.

2. Matt Ryan vs WAS. Roddy White is iffy for the game and WAS pass defense has been solid this season. If you have a 2nd option, consider it.

3. Jake Delhomme @ NO. If you were considering Jake as a bye-week replacement, dig deeper for an option, such as Alex Smith or Campbell. Delhomme vs a turnover-minded defense like NO is a nightmare.

4. Jay Cutler vs ARI. Has hit 3 PaTDs only once since week one.

5. Kyle Orton vs PIT. Steeler D boosted by return of Polamalu.

RBs TO START (excluding C. Johnson, Gore, MJ-D, Turner, LT, SJax, AP, Forte, Ronnie Brown, B. Jacobs)

1. Ryan Grant @ TB. Duh.

2. Joseph Addai vs. HOU. Comeback player of year candidate has scored in 4 straight.

3. Ray Rice @ CIN. Now the guy in BAL, should be key piece of offense in a close game.

4. Marion Barber @ PHI. With trio of RBs, no longer an auto start, but still gets majority of carries and goalline touches and should be started when DAL offense is clicking like it is.

5. Pierre Thomas vs. CAR. Still the main guy in the backfield of the most explosive offense in football.

Sleeper: Jamaal Charles @ JAX. Did you see what Johnson and Titans did to this run defense last week? Charles will get majority of carries and should have a good chance to score.

RBs TO SIT

1. LeSean McCoy vs DAL. Westbrook back and Cowboys have been strong against the run.

2. Laurence Maroney vs MIA. Sammy Morris' return clouds backfield picture and MIA also solid vs run.

3. Cadillac Williams vs GB. GB ranks near the top of the NFL in rushing YPGA. Certainly you've got a better option.

4. Rashard Mendenhall @ DEN.

Denver ranks 3rd against run and Willie Parker to get some work as well.

5. Beanie Wells @ CHI. Still splitting 50/50 w/Hightower, and appears not to be getting majority of goalline carries. Maybe a flex play, but not RB2 material.

WRs TO START (excluding R. Wayne, A. Johnson, L. Fitzgerald, M. Colston, R. Moss, W. Welker, Desean Jackson, R. White, Calvin Johnson, H. Ward, Vincent Jackson, D. Bowe, B. Marshall, Ochocinco)

1. Santana Moss @ ATL. Falcons giving up yards in droves to opposing number 1 WRs. Moss on Grimes' backup should be a mismatch.

2. Miles Austin @ PHI. Ride him til he bucks ya.

3. Nate Burleson vs DET. Hasselbeck's main target should cash in Sunday.

4. Donald Driver @ TB. Bucs' secondary will get a stiff test Sunday, and Driver has been Rodgers' go to guy. Jennings also a solid play.

5. Kevin Walter @ IND. Should have more one on one matchups than Johnson and targets should increase with loss of Owen Daniels.

Sleeper: Steve Breaston @ CHI. In line for solid number of targets with Boldin re-aggravating his ankle.

WRs TO SIT

1. Ted Ginn, Jr @ NE. Don't be fooled by his 2 KRTD performance against NYJ... He still hasn't earned his starting WR spot back yet from Hartline/Bess.

2. Roy E. Williams @ PHI. I don't care that he scored last week. He stinks and doesn't have trust of his QB.

3. Eddie Royal vs PIT. Only receiver worth trusting right now is B. Marshall. Gaffney stealing some of Royal's targets.

4. Lance Moore vs CAR. Gimpy, may be a GTD. With Meachem and Henderson likely to get targets, consider better alternatives over Moore if you can.

5. Mario Manningham vs. SD. Manning spreading around the targets and is having a tough time throwing an accurate deep ball, which hurts a big play WR like double M.

TEs TO START (excluding Witten, Gates, Clark, V. Davis, Shockey, T. Gonzalez)

1. Brent Celek vs DAL. Even though DAL has been great at holding down opposing TEs, he's too valuable to this offense lately to sit.

2. Kevin Boss vs SD. Great underneath option for Manning, who's struggling to step up and make deep throws.

3. Fred Davis @ ATL. TE is a big part of WAS passing game, and Davis has the athletic ability of a WR.

4. Donald Lee vs. TB. Rodgers looks at TE in red zone often and matchup problems exist for Buccaneers. Sub in Jermichael Finley here if he's cleared to play.

5. Heath Miller @ DEN. With Denver's defense so tough against the run and in the red zone, Big Ben's go to guy in the red zone should get some scoring looks.

Sleeper: Ben Watson vs MIA. Scored in 2 of last 3 games.

TEs TO SIT

1. Brandon Pettigrew @ SEA. If you're looking for a bye-week filler, look elsewhere. Without Stafford healthy, Pettigrew is a forgotten part of the offense.

2. Kellen Winslow vs TB. Yea yea, Freeman's gotta throw it to somebody, but who can really tell who he'll connect with? If you've got another solid option, consider it until we see how he connects with K2.

3. Bo Scaife @ SF. Niners 3-4 defense matches up their athletic LBs very well with opposing TEs.

4. Todd Heap @ CIN. Good for 3 catches, 40-50 yds, and that is all.

5. Tony Scheffler vs PIT. Except for his big game against SD a few weeks ago, has done nothing this year.

5 KICKERS TO START:

1. Shaun Suisham @ ATL

2. David Akers @ DAL

3. Nate Kaeding @ NYG

4. Kris Brown @ IND

5. Shayne Graham vs BAL

5 KICKERS TO SIT:

1. Dan Carpenter @ NE

2. Jason Elam vs WAS

3. Olindo Mare vs DET

4. Robbie Gould vs ARI

5. John Kasay @ NO

5 DEFENSES WITH GOOD MATCHUPS:

1. PIT @ DEN

2. SEA vs DET

3. NO vs CAR

4. JAX vs KC

5. SF vs TEN

5 DEFENSES WITH TOUGH MATCHUPS:

1. DAL @ PHI

2. NYG vs SD

3. PHI vs DAL

4. MIA @ NE

5. ATL vs WAS

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints: Game Preview

Saintsational — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:15:15 -0000

CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-4) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-0)

Series

	PANTHERS	SAINTS
SERIES LEADER	16-12
STREAKS	6 of past 7
COACHES VS. OPP.	Fox: 10-4	Payton: 1-5
LAST WEEK	W 34-21 at Cardinals	W 35-27 vs. Falcons
LAST GAME	12/28/08: Panthers 33 at Saints 31. Carolina K John Kasay kicks game-winning 42-yard FG with 1 second left to give Panthers most wins in franchise history (12).
LAST GAME AT SITE	12/28/08
BROADCAST	FOX (3:05 PM CT): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick. Westwood One Radio: Howard David, Dan Reeves. SIRIUS: 91 (Car.), 121 (NO). XM: 107 (NO).

Stats

PASSING	Delhomme: 113-191-1,262-5-13-59.3	Brees: 157-230-2,006 (1C)-16 (T1L)-6-107.6 (3L)
RUSHING	D. Williams: 128-619 (3C)-4.8-5 (T3C)	P. Thomas: 70-405-5.8-4
RECEIVING	S. Smith: 30-414-13.8-1	Colston: 36-551-15.3-6 (T2L)
OFFENSE	318.6	428.7 (1L)
TAKE/GIVE	-8	+7 (3C)
DEFENSE	288.1	326.0
SACKS	Peppers: 7 (2C)	Smith: 4.5
INTs	3 tied: 2	Sharper: 7 (T1L)
PUNTING	Baker: 46.8	Morstead (R): 44.2
KICKING	Kasay: 32 (14/14 PAT; 6/9 FG)	Carney: 57 (33/35 PAT; 8/11 FG)

Notes

PANTHERS: QB JAKE DELHOMME is 8-2 vs. NO. Aims for 5th in row vs. NO with 100+ rating. Has 120.3 rating in past 4 meetings. In career as starter (incl. playoffs), when Delhomme has 110+ rating, team is 17-1 (.944)...RB DE ANGELO WILLIAMS rushed for 178 yards in last meeting. Has rushed for 696 yards (139.2 per game) & 6 TDs in past 5 vs. division. Has rushed for 591 yards (118.2 per game) & 8 TDs in past 5 in Nov. Has 23 rush TDs in past 19. Team is 10-0 when he rushes for 110+ yards. RB JONATHAN STEWART aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with TD run. Has 4 TDs in past 4 vs. division & averages 6.0 yards per carry. Rushed for 2 TDs last week...WR STEVE SMITH has 11 catches for 256 yards (128 per game) & TD in past 2 meetings. Since 2005, averages 84.3 rec. yards per game, 2nd most in NFL (min. 50 games). Has 100+ yards in 6 of past 7 vs. NFC South...DE JULIUS PEPPERS had 13-yard INT-TD, sack & FF last week. Has 21.5 sacks in past 21, incl. 6 in past 4. Aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with sack. Rookie S SHERROD MARTIN had 1st 2 INTs of career last week...

SAINTS: Average 39 points per game, most in NFL. Have scored 273 points in 1st 7 games, 4th best in NFL history...QB DREW BREES passed for 386 yards & 4 TDs in last meeting. Since joining NO in 2006, leads NFL with 15,916 pass yards. Has 2+ TD passes in 10 of past 11 vs. division (25 TDs). Has 2,083 yards (347.2 per game), 21 TDs, 4 INTs & 126 rating in past 6 vs. NFC...RB-PR REGGIE BUSH has 28 TDs (16 rush, 8 rec, 4 PR) & is only Saint to score via rush, rec. & PR. Aims for 4th in row with TD. RB PIERRE THOMAS had rush & rec. TD last week. Has 534 scrimmage yards (106.8 per game) & 7 TDs (5 rush, 2 rec.) in past 5 at home...WR MARQUES COLSTON has 10 TDs in past 10 & aims for 4th in row with TD. Has 14 catches for 216 yards (108 per game) in past 2 starts vs. Car. TE JEREMY SHOCKEY has 452 receptions since 2002, 3rd most in NFL among TEs. WR LANCE MOORE had 8 catches for 91 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting...S DARREN SHARPER leads NFL with 317 INT yards & 3 INT-TDs. CB JABARI GREER had 48-yard INT-TD last week. DE WILL SMITH had 2 sacks vs. Atl.

Breaking Down Panthers' Turnovers in Loss to Bills

Ryan Basen — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:00:54 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd returns his second-half interception inside the Carolina 30 on Sunday. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

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The Panthers dominated play on offense and defense Sunday, outgaining Buffalo 425-167 and posting 20 first downs, to just 9 for the Bills. Yet the Panthers lost 20-9, stopping a two-game winning streak with a home loss to a mediocre team.

How did they lose, then? If you have been following the Panthers for a while and you missed the game, you could probably answer that question. That's right, more turnovers -- mostly by Jake Delhomme. The quarterback threw three more picks Sunday, giving him 13 on the season. The Panthers also muffed a punt and failed to convert a fourth-and-short play. Essentially they turned the ball over to Buffalo five times; the Bills did not turn it over at all.

Make no mistake. This was not all Delhomme's fault. The entire team self-destructed. John Kasay, who has made more than 80 percent of his field goal attempts dating to the start of the 2006 season, missed 43- and 39-yard attempts in perfect conditions when the Panthers trailed only 7-2. And while the Buffalo defense stuffed the Panthers on their first red-zone trip, the Carolina defense allowed Buffalo to score touchdowns on its first two red-zone opportunities. That put Carolina behind 14-2 in the fourth quarter.

But the biggest difference were the change-of-possession plays. Here's a look at the four turnovers and fourth-down failure:

Situation: First-and-10, Carolina 13. 5:30 to play in the first quarter. 0-0 score.

Formations: The Panthers lined up in I-formation with two tight ends. The Bills were in a 4-3 with a corner playing press coverage on the Panthers' wide receiver.

What happened: A tight end went in motion right, drawing a Bills defensive back across the field. Delhomme faked a handoff to tailback DeAngelo Williams and threw deep down the middle of the field for tight end Gary Barnidge. Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd picked off the pass at the Carolina 45 and returned it to the Panthers 7.

How it happened: Buffalo rushed four linemen and Delhomme had all day to throw. But he threw high, failing to step into the throw. Instead he threw off his back foot, using mostly his arm. Barnidge ran right by two Bills and came open across the middle. Byrd was late to arrive in coverage, but the ball sailed over Barnidge and landed right in Byrd's hands. He then had plenty of room to run on the return.

The result: First-and-goal for Buffalo. Two plays later Marshawn Lynch scored on a run to put Buffalo ahead -- to stay.

Situation: Fourth-and-1, Buffalo 13. 6:10 to play in the third quarter. 7-2 Buffalo.

Formations: The Panthers used the I with an extra tight end lined up right and a receiver split left. The Bills lined up with nine players in the box, one deep safety and a corner in press coverage.

What happened: Tailback Jonathan Stewart took the handoff, ran left and was stuffed for a 2-yard loss. Linebackers Chris Draft and Paul Posluszny made the initial hit, then Byrd flew in and finished Stewart off.

How it happened: In the second quarter, trailing 7-0, Panthers coach John Fox attempted a field goal on fourth-and-short. Kasay missed a 43-yard attempt and later in the second he missed the 39-yard attempt. Fox chose to go for the first down this time, even though this kick would have been a chip shot -- 30 yards -- and would have cut Buffalo's lead to 7-5 with more than 20 minutes still to play and the Bills offense nearly hopeless.

As Stewart took the handoff, the offensive linemen went low and took out the Bills' linemen. But the Carolina fullback went low on Draft and missed him. Left tackle Jordan Gross blocked a defensive end, then flailed at Posluszny. Nobody else attempted to block Posluszny. He and Draft stuffed Stewart's momentum and as the back continued to fight, Byrd zipped up from free safety and wrestled him to the ground.

The result: The Panthers wound up without any points after moving 73 yards in five plays to the Buffalo 13. They still trailed by five points.

Situation: Second-and-6, Carolina 39. 1:20 to play in the third. 7-2 Buffalo.

Formations: The Panthers went three-wide with two backs. Buffalo was in a 4-3 with a linebacker showing blitz over right tackle and corners in press coverage. One safety was deep, and the other six yards off the line of scrimmage over right tackle.

What happened: Delhommed faked a handoff to Stewart and threw over the middle for receiver Steve Smith at the Buffalo 44. The ball was high, Smith leaped and tipped it, and Byrd intercepted the carom. Byrd returned the pick to the Carolina 27.

How it happened: The Bills rushed four linemen and Delhomme had plenty of time to throw. He spotted Smith, who beat Drayton Florence on a simple drag route across the middle. Delhomme again failed to step into the throw, using mostly his arm. The ball sailed high. Byrd was again late in coverage, standing four yards behind Smith as the ball arrived. But the tip went right to him.

The result: The Bills had a first down inside the Carolina 30. Buffalo's most effective drive of the day, six plays and 27 yards, then yielded a touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Lee Evans. (An egregious roughing the passer penalty inside the 10 may have cost Carolina four points). The Bills now led by two scores.

Situation: Buffalo ball, fourth-and1, at the Buffalo 45. 5:30 to play in the fourth quarter. 17-9 Bills.

Formations: Both teams lined up expecting a Buffalo punt. The Panthers set up a return for Kenneth Moore.

What happened: Brian Moorman hit a line-drive punt that traveled 40 yards. Moore settled under it at the Carolina 15, but muffed it. He dove on the ball but it squirted free. The Bills recovered at the 20 and advanced it three yards.

How it happened: Because of the punt's short hang time, Moore had a lot of space up the middle on a potential return. The ball hit his hands, then bounced off his shoulder pads and fell to the ground. Moore's head was pointed straight ahead as he attempted to catch the ball. Perhaps he took his eyes off the ball when he saw all that running room.

The result: Buffalo took over at the Carolina 17. The Bills then got one first down, forced the Panthers to use their final timeout and kicked a 20-yard field goal on the first play after the two-minute warning to go up again by two scores.

Situation: Second-and-14 at the Buffalo 49. 1:39 to play in the fourth. 20-9 Buffalo.

Formations: The Panthers lined up in the shotgun with three receivers and one back. Buffalo was in a prevent defense with four linemen and one linebacker. Three corners were in press coverage.

What happened: Delhomme pumped, then threw deep down the middle for Barnidge. George Wilson intercepted the overthrown pass inside the Buffalo 10.

How it happened: Delhomme again had no pressure, but again he failed to step into the throw. Throwing off his back foot, he overthrew Barnidge by several yards. Barnidge was well-covered and Wilson was playing centerfield. He easily picked it off.

The result: Game over.

Bills Fantasy Friday: Week 7 Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

Kurupt — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:30:14 -0000

Welcome back once again to Fantasy Friday here at Buffalo Rumblings. This week's opponent is the Carolina Panthers and their formidable running game. The Bills are coming off a hard fought, mistake filled overtime victory over the even more mistake prone New York Jets. It was an ugly game no matter how you slice it, unless penalties, turnovers, injuries, punts, missed field goals and poor quarterback plays suits your fancy. This week's game looks like it could have many of the same factors as the Bills head down to Charlotte to face the 2-3 Panthers and their mistake-lovin' quarterback.

We're in the heart of the fantasy season where each week could make or break a team's playoff hopes. If your team has struggled so far this season, there's a good chance you need to win this week to stay in contention. There will be some individual fantasy players of note in this week's game, so head on in after the jump to take a look at my recommendations for Bills vs Panthers:

Quarterbacks
Ryan Fitzpatrick - Ick, I feel dirty even writing about him in this space, but such is life. Fitzpatrick played a very uneven game in relief of the concussed Trent Edwards last week, finishing an abysmal 10 of 25 for 116 yards, one touchdown and one poorly thrown interception in overtime. The touchdown was a good throw to Lee Evans and tied up the game late in the third quarter. Other than that throw, Fitzpatrick left a lot of plays on the field and would have had a JaMarcus Russell type final line. Imagine if that TD had been a 37 yard touchdown rush instead? Fitzpatrick would have put up a painful looking 79 yards and 3.3 yards per attempts. As it was, he finished with a very bad 4.6 ypa. With a full week of practice and snaps with the first team offense, he should be a little more comfortable this week, but don't expect a huge uptick in production. The Panthers have done a good job defending the pass so far this season, allowing just 156.8 yards per game, good for 2nd in the NFL. There is a glimmer of hope as they're allowing a quarterback rating of 92.8. I don't think Fitzpatrick will be nearly as bad as he was last week, but I also don't think he'll be all that good either. I'm sure the team will be happy if he has an average performance. I know I will be. Just don't consider him a fantasy option. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Jake Delhomme - Delhomme is still reeling from his six turnover fiasco in last season's divisional playoffs against the Cardinals. It's carried over to this season as Delhomme has again struggled with turnovers (10 INT's, 2 fumbles lost) and inconsistent play. He's thrown just four touchdowns, is averaging less than 170 yards per game and 6.4 yards per attempt, and has been sacked 11 times. If Carolina had a good backup option (and less money invested in old Jake), he'd probably be on the bench right now. The Bills pass defense has really clamped down of late. They're down to 170.7 yards per game allowed after a rough start, have been on the receiving end of 10 interceptions (3rd in the NFL), and are allowing a QB rating of just 58.5 (2nd in the NFL). The 5.5 yards per attempt they've allowed is tops in the NFL. Don't expect Carolina to rely on Delhomme much this week. The reasons are pretty outlined above. Verdict: Sit'Em

Running Backs
Marshawn Lynch - This is going to be a game that is won or lost on the ground. Going into this game, the Panthers are allowing 149.2 rushing yards per game (4th worst in the NFL), and a whopping 5.0 yards per carry (2nd worst). Expect the Bills to take the ball out of Fitzpatrick's hands and really rely on their running game. Lynch will have plenty of opportunities and should be in good position to have a productive game. If the Bills can finally get inside the 10 yard line again, he may even get to visit the end zone for the first time this season. Look for him to get another 15-20 touches and approach 100 total yards. Because of the timeshare situation, it's hard to recommend Lynch as a RB2, but this week looks like a good week for that, especially with six teams on bye. I'll go ahead and say he's worth a start in all format unless you have two obvious options ahead of him. Verdict: Start 'Em

Fred Jackson - Jackson contines to see a bulk of the carries (28 to Lynch's 36 the past two weeks) and remains a valuable flex option. I wouldn't be surprised to see the screen pass brought back this week to help Fitzpatrick out and get the most out of our running backs. With Jackson likely to handle all kick and punt returns, as well, he looks like he'll be a very good flex play this week. When all is said and done, he should see about 20 touches. I like his potential for this week. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex

DeAngelo Williams - The Bills are dead last in the NFL, allowing a cringe inducing 181.8 rushing yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry. Williams is coming off a game in which he ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns against the Buccaneers. The Bills are coming off a game in which they allowed over 300 yards on the ground. For fantasy purposes, this is a match-up made in heaven. Unfortunately, the real life aspect of it is painful to imagine. Williams is probably the number one RB option this week, so unless you are crazy, you need to roll with him even if it is against our beloved Bills. Verdict: Start 'Em

Jonathan Stewart - Stewart is also coming off a very good game, running for 110 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay. Expect him to have similar success against the Bills' sieve of a defense. The yardage total might not be as high, but he has another great shot at reaching paydirt. He'll probably get another 12-15 carries for in the neighborhood of 80-90 yards. It's hard to suggest starting him as a RB2 since he is the Panthers' #2 after all, but he's a great flex play this week. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex

Wide Receivers
Lee Evans - Evans was the only beneficiary of Fitzpatrick's last week, catching a 37-yard touchdown. However, he had just two total catches after Edwards went down, so it's not like his success jumped up as a result. I expect another downer of a game from him, though he'll probably finish as the Bills top receiver again this week. With Fitzpatrick at QB, it's hard to recommend anybody in the Bills' passing game. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Terrell Owens - Owens continues to be a non-factor for the Bills. He was targeted 8 times against the Jets, but finished with a paltry 3 receptions for 13 yards. With his proclivity for dropping passes in full effect, Owens should remain planted on your bench until he proves he is capable of doing something in this offense. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Steve Smith - Smith's production and fantasy performance has really dipped this season, mostly due to the issues Jake Delhomme is having. He's still one of the better receivers in the NFL, but the Panthers just can't get him the ball. As frustrated as Evans and Owens probably are, Smith might be even more frustrated playing for the same offense and with the same quarterback in which he's had major success before. He's always a threat to turn a shorter gainer into a huge play, but this week's match-up really doesn't favor him. Expect the Panthers to keep the ball on the ground, thus, Smith should remain on your bench if possible. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Muhsin Muhammed - Muhammed actually leads the Panthers in receptions with 22, but has produced just 205 yards and no touchdowns. Don't bother. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Tight Ends
Derek Fine - Fine has just 2 receptions for 13 yards since his five reception performance against New Orleans in week 3. Move along. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Shawn Nelson - Nelson flashed his potential last week making a gorgeous adjustment on a perfectly executed underthrow from Fitzpatrick. He's starting to get Bills' fans hope up (again), but he is also facing the prospects of missing this week due to injury (again). He joined Trent Edwards in the concussion club against the Jets and is questionable for this week. As always, don't bother considering him as an option, but keep an eye on him for the future. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Jeff King/Dante Rosario - They've combined for the only four touchdowns the Panthers have scored through the air this season. They've also combined for just 17 receptions. If it was King Rosario, which would be a sweet name by the way, instead of King/Rosario, this might be a good option. Instead, they should remain right where they are: on your league's waiver wire. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Kickers
Rian Lindell - Lindell had 3 field goals against the Jets last week, including the game winner. I think the Bills will be able to move the ball on the ground this week, while struggling to move it through the air, which leads me to believe we'll see a bunch of field goal attempts again. I'll go ahead and get crazy....Verdict: Start 'Em

John Kasay - I'm sure this is a well-known fact, but did you know that John Kasay has been in the NFL since 1991 and is the only remaining "original Panther"? He's been a steady presence on the Panthers and in fantasy football for a long time now. The Panthers haven't given him too many opportunities thus far this season, but expect that to change this week. Expect Carolina to move it on the ground all afternoon, but struggle through the air (just like the Bills!). Kasay makes for a good option this week, as well. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Defense/Special Teams
Bills D/ST - Coming off an excellent six interception, two sack performance, the Bills D/ST look to continue their fantasy "success". It's tough to imagine a similar result, however. They are going to struggle to shut down the Panthers' running game, and it's unlikely Delhomme will be given much leeway. I expect them to play well against the pass again, but I don't believe they'll have much fantasy production this week. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Panthers D/ST - They must be licking their chops going against Ryan Fitzpatrick this week. If they can force Fitzpatrick to make plays, the Panthers defense may be in line for a solid fantasy day. They had four sacks and forced two turnovers last week. They could see a similar result this week. This unit hasn't been very productive for the season, however, so I would keep them on the waiver wire. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Sleepers
Since both teams are likely to go with a run-heavy gameplan, it's hard to envision any true sleepers this week. Because of that, I would say both D/ST's have a good chance to surprise us all. If either defense can force the opposing offense into 2nd and 3rd and longs, the likelihood of quarterback mistakes skyrockets. I wouldn't be surprised by a pick six by either unit this week, so prepare yourselves!

*****

Expect this to be a somewhat lower scoring battle of running games. If you have a running back from either team, you should feel pretty good about their chances for success this week. If you plan to start anyone else from this game, have fun with that! As always, good luck and enjoy the games!

Panthers Training Camp Day 4 & 5 Report

Jaxon — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:53:23 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

4 months ago: Carolina Panthers' DeAngelo Williams (34) is shown during the team's NFL football training camp in Spartanburg, S.C., Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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The following is a summary of the key happenings from day 4 and 5 of Panthers TC. Since we can't get a way from injury news lets start with that and then discuss the positive developments.

cpanthers#JohnFox also said WR #Dwayne Jarrett banged his wrist in practice. Jarrett returned to the field after being hurt.about 17 hours ago from web.

Jarret is back in action on Day 5. These three remain out:

cpantherscpanthersDid not practice: OL C.J. Davis (ankle), LB #ThomasDavis (knee) and LB #JonBeason (knee).

When asked about the effect of injuries Panthers GM Marty Hurney had this response:

Camp Confidential: Panthers eye next step - NFC South - ESPN
"It starts with having enough depth to sustain," Hurney said. "Different things happened in different seasons in the past. But drafting well and having a young base is really important as far as staying ahead of the game and not having to go out in free agency and bring in guys a lot. If you draft well and bring those guys up, you have a continuity in there that should keep you competitive. Continuity is a result of bringing in the right guys from the start."

Come on Marty, you know if you had the cap space you'd have a couple FA's in here right now competing for back-up spots on both lines.

Here's a key development in the return game:

-- We're starting to figure some things out in the return game. They were working on punts Thursday, and the sad reality is that RB Mike Goodson can't really catch them.

Special teams coach Danny Crossman was putting them through drills before practice, asking them to catch a pass, then field punts one-armed.

At several junctures, Goodson looked like a juggler in a circus. It's weird, for a guy with good hands in the passing game, this seems to stump him.

He might return kicks, but punts aren't in his future.

If this holds then Ryne Robinson has one fewer guy to beat out. From the same link:

-- It's way early, but LS J.J. Jansen looks to my untrained eye to snap a tighter ball than Nick Sundberg.

P Jason Baker saved both of them yesterday during field goal drills, picking balls up to place them.

I said it months ago, if there's one decision this offseason they'd regret, it's letting Jason Kyle go. Maybe they can go sign Kevin Houser later, but only if he leaves his stock tips at home.

This is cause for concern in my view. Here's some positive plays from practice:

The one-on-one duels were highlighted by a deep reception by Kenneth Moore and an interception by Richard Marshall. Moore's catch saw him work past rookie cornerback Sherrod Martin up the left sideline, allowing him space to reach out and lunge for a sliding touchdown grab. Two plays later, Marshall picked off quarterback Matt Moore, tipping a pass that was intended for wide receiver Kevin McMahan and coming down with it before heading upfield ...

This Camp Report video I found disappointing. It is focused around an interview with UDFA Patrick Brown and his match-up with Julius Peppers. I say disappointing because it didn't show footage of the match-up in the question.
You can catch Darin Gantt's podcasts here. If I was to recap his Day 4 podcast: He's really high on Larry Beavers as KR with his elite speed. He also compares Mike Goodson with Kevin Faulk in the way he might be used. Finally, he thinks TE Gary Barnidge has the chance to be an all-around TE, a downfield threat who can also be a good blocker.
So will CB Chris Gamble get the opportunity to be a 'shutdown corner'?

Asked Thursday if he'd consider such a move in the future with Gamble, he hedged as is his custom.

"We've done both," Fox said. "Each game takes on its own personality. Sometimes matching up is an option; sometimes it's left and right. But you mix that up. Everybody in the league does that; we've done both."

Typical Fox answer. Definitely something to watch come the Eagles game.

Top 10 Most Valuable Panthers - Current Team

Jaxon — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:00:22 -0000

We seem to be on a run of Top 10 'this' and 'that' recently so I thought I would keep it going with a post I found on MVN. This one is by Greg Trippiedi who appears to actually be a 'Skins fan so I will cut him a break for being so wrong! Greg has listed the Top 10 most valuable Panthers on the current roster. Now he doesn't clarify most valuable in what regard? Such as most valuable fantasy-wise? To winning in 2009? To the team in general or even on the free agent market. So I'm going to critique the list based on who is most important to winning in 2009:

#1: Steve Smith (MVN has at #5)

This is overall a tough decision to make and I know you could argue that we won two games without him last season. But would we really want to try and win without him over 16 games? Without Smith the Panther deep option dries up and teams could stack the box against the run. Smith is also a key playmaker that has pulled Panther wins out of the fire in the past. Without him I would not be so optimistic about 2009.

#2 LT Jordan Gross (MVN has at #1)

With the loss of some kep back-ups on the o-line I have to agree having Gross protect Jake's blind side is key. You could argue that Wharton is a very capable, experienced back-up but I think the pass protection would suffer which is something we do not want to have to worry about.

#3: RB DeAngelo Williams (MVN has at #2)

The only reason Williams is not #1 is because we have a very strong back-up in Jonathan Stewart. I actually wouldn't mind seeing Stewart start a game or two just to see what he can do.Yet in the end the best situation is having both of these guys available with Williams leading it off.

#4: QB Jake Delhomme (MVN did not have in Top 10)

We saw how a season can go without Delhomme in 2007 and it wasn't pretty. You could argue we have a more capable back-up in Josh McCown or Matt Moore but would we really want to find that out? My apologies to the Jake-haters but he is easily my #4 if not higher.

#5 LB Jon Beason (MVN has at #3)

I can agree with the argument that Beason is the heart and soul of the defense and without him we would be a very dead, uninspired bunch. My hope is that Ron Meeks can provide some of that lift as well and given our depth at LB missing Beason might not be so dramatic. Let me clarify though, I certainly don't want to play 2009 without the guy who very soon might be my favorite Panther.

#6: DE Julius Peppers (MVN has at #6)

I'm pretty sure the Panthers were prepared to play in 2009 without Pep but I am glad we won't try. For all the talk about his lack of desire and motivation I still like the idea of every OC on our schedule having to game plan for the 'at times' dominant DE. Without him our pass rush could be questionable at best depending on how the young players develop.

#7: CB Chris Gamble (MVN has at #6)

Gamble is our shut down corner and without him our secondary suddenly becomes very suspect (maybe it already is). With newly promoted starter Richard Marshall on the other side the Panthers need a steady starter against the high-powered passing games the Panthers will face this season.

#8: RT Jeff Otah (MVN did not have in top 10)

Otah is a key to the Panthers stout rushing attack that I expect to be dominant again in 2009. It was apparent our rushing attack suffered to a degree when the big guy was injured those few games as the rookie made a big impression. I'm predicting Otah's value to sky-rocket in 2009 as he mauls his way to future PB consideration.

#9: RB Jonathan Stewart (MVN has at #8)

For the same reasons Williams is on the list the Panther running game will be key to the 2009 season. As good as Williams is the fact Stewart is such a stud himself makes the Panther offense something every defense should worry about in 2009. I imagine a similar list in 2010 would have Stewart much higher after what I am expecting to be a break out season.

#10: K John Kasay (MVN did not have on list)

I know he missed the kick against the Giants but more often than not Kasay will hit those game winning kicks. I would hate to suddenly have to worry about the kicking game in 2009 should Kasay suddenly become unavailable. Finding a clutch kicker is hard to find on the waiver wire so I think Kasay will be key to several wins in 2009 with his steady leg. We might even look back and wonder why he wasn't higher up this list.

There you have it Panther fans. In case you care not to link over to the original post the three players MVN has on the list that I don't are C Ryan Kalil, LB Thomas Davis and CB Richard Marshall. These are all improtant guys but I'm thinking they just missed the list due to depth at the position should they become unavailable.

Recommended

Panther Paw Prints Around the Web

Jaxon — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:10:26 -0000

More photos » by RICK HAVNER - AP

7 months ago: Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme speaks to the media during football minicamp on Friday, May 1, 2009 in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

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Here's links to some of the more interesting Panther posts from the past week:

Here's a top 10 all-time best Panthers ever. I could argue with the order but not the players on the list.

The BR must have just rolled out a new slide show feature because here's another one, this time the Top 5 plays opposing defenses must stop. I would like to see more of #1, 2 & 5 and less of #4.

If you guessed this Bleacher Report contributor scored an interview with Jake Delhomme you would be wrong. This should be illegal.

An Editor at Fox Sports checks in with his Panther depth chart and fantasy analysis. I was thinking it was a good post until it this obvious roster error.

Best Off-season Addition: QB Brett Basanez?

Huh? Did I miss something?

Here's a touching piece on Panthers place kicker John Kasay and the coach he credits with his success to this day.