SB Nation - DeAngelo Williams

Panthers Spike the Vikings 26-7

Jaxon — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:22:11 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

1 day ago: Minnesota Vikings' Brett Favre (4) is hit by Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers (90) in the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

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A day after being eliminated from the 2009 playoffs the Panthers turned in a spirited performance to beat the NFC North division-clinching Vikings. The Panthers scored 20 4^th quarter points to turn a 7-6 deficit into a comfortable and unlikely victory. The Panther heroes on the night were many but we have to start with QB Matt Moore. Moore outplayed the legend Brett Favre by throwing for 299 yards, 3 TDs with no INTs. He started with a shaky first half but then caught fire as Steve Smith ripped the Viking secondary for 157 yards on 9 receptions including 1 TD.

I nice as it was to see the offense finally break out of its funk I also enjoyed (maybe even more) seeing a dominant performance from the defense. They held the NFL's #6 offense to seven first half points and only 247 total yards. Better yet they held all-World RB Adrian Peterson to 35 yards on 12 carries. That's less than 3 yards per carry! It has become very obvious over the past couple weeks that the defense is finally grasping Ron Meeks Tampa 2 system and is now playing with confidence and emotion.

Given the Panthers are out of the playoffs and only stand at 6-8 I find myself cautious about proclaiming this a total victory so I'll let a Vikings fan from The Daily Norseman tell it like it is:

Some might call this a trap game, and some might say the Vikings got complacent after clinching an NFC North title earlier in the day. I'll call it something else: Getting crushed. Don't make excuses for this Vikings team, because they don't deserve it. I don't care that the field was in lousy condition, I don't care that the game was outdoors, and I don't care about what was happening around the division. The Vikings got killed out there.

I couldn't have said it any better. Let's honor the Panther heroes:

QB Matt Moore 21 for 33 299 yards, 3 passing TDs, No INTs
RB Jonathan Stewart put up 109 yards on 25 carries and a TD. He also caught 2 passes for 14 yards a TD. Stewart carried the load after DeAngelo Williams left in the first half with an ankle injury
WR Steve Smith had 9 receptions for 157 yards and a TD and just hurt the Vikings all game. From his post-game interview it looks like we can than #22 who apparently took it upon himself to talk trash to Smitty and ended up eating his trash.
DE Julius Peppers is showing only a single tackle and 1 sack in the NFL.com box score but he terrorized Favre all night. The announcers mentioned they think LT Bryant McKinnie got benched mid-game for repeatedly getting bulled over by Peppers. He earned his 7 figure game check tonight and I bet Brett Favre would agree.
LB James Anderson led the team with 9 tackles and two assists and a sack. Anderson played fast and helped shut down Adrian Peterson.
SS Chris Harris added an INT to his season total, one that ended the Vikings night
RB Terrell Sutton only got three touches on the night, 2 rushes and 1 pass but the UDFA converted a couple key third downs and was money picking up the Viking blitz. We have a diamond in the rough here my friends.

Worth mentioning is that by gaining over a 100 yards rushing the Panthers Stewart broke the Vikings 36 game streak of not allowing a 100 yard rusher. Stewart not only showed the power he is known for but also demonstrated the quickness and cutting ability on inside runs that left Vikings defenders diving at air.

In the end this game leaves the Panthers thinking they could finish the season on a winning note and who knows, maybe even level their record at 8-8. I for one am much more hopeful about the remainder of this season...and next.

How is everyone feeling about this one?

Poll

The Panthers game ball for the victory over the Vikings should go to:

All We Want for Christmas Is...

ericj69 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:58:40 -0000

She's been very naughty, but the Vikings have been nothing but nice this year.

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Dear Santa,

Sunday is Minnesota's last game before Christmas. Unfortunately, I don't have much time to write you this year; I have my holiday party for work tonight and a family Christmas tomorrow. I would have written to you last night, but I was too busy watching my fantasy playoff dreams getting crushed by Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark. So rather than give you a full analysis of the upcoming Vikings/Panthers game (I know you're an avid reader of the Daily Norseman now that the North Pole has Wi-Fi), I'll give you my wish list for the game and the rest of the Vikings' season:

I really wish that you could send some good medicine to Percy Harvin for those migraines he's been having. He really wants that Rookie of the Year trophy as a belated Christmas present, and he deserves it. It'd be a shame for him to miss out on his gift just because he missed games at the end of the year. And of course we need him down the stretch and in the playoffs!
I wish that Matt Moore plays just like Jake Delhomme and sends lots of gifts to our secondary on Sunday night.
I wish that the Vikings will capture the #1 spot in rushing defense yet again. It's becoming a holiday tradition! And if we can stop DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, it will go a long way towards getting the top rushing defense and winning the game on Sunday.
I wish that we don't have a game like the last time we were in Carolina in 2005. You remember that game, don't you Santa? Steve Smith went wild on us, Daunte Culpepper played his last game as a Viking thanks to blowing out approximately 17 ligaments in his knee, and Minnesota lost 38-13. Can we make some positive memories this time around?
I wish that I could see some good ol' fashioned calf roping on Sunday from Jared Allen. He's been a little quiet lately, and I'd like to see him make a late-season push for Defensive MVP. (Otherwise, Charles Woodson is probably going to win, and you know we don't want that to happen.) I just hope that Allen can outperform Julius Peppers and establish his dominance again.
I wish for a healthy Brett Favre down the stretch and throughout the playoffs. I know, I know--I spent 16 years wishing for the exact opposite thing to happen. You got me there. But you never came through on any of those wishes, so maybe this year you could take my wish into account. Just this once? I vividly remember watching Tarvaris Jackson in the Metrodome during the playoff game against the Eagles last year. There's a very real possibility of that matchup happening again this season, and I'd much prefer to have #4 behind center.
I wish that Chris Gamble will learn from covering Randy Moss and take most of the plays off this week. He should just let Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian roam free all day. Could you teach Chris that giving space is better than receiving any interceptions?

(More wishes and my Week 15 picks after the jump)

I wish I didn't have to think about the threat of a nude Pat Williams if we win the Super Bowl this year. Did he really say he'll "retire if the Vikings win the Super Bowl this season and will walk off the field wearing nothing but tights and socks"? Don't get me wrong, if seeing too much of Phat Pat ensures us victory I'm OK with it...but yeesh.
Speaking of the Super Bowl, I wish that this team wasn't compared to the 1998 Vikings so much. I see the similarities, but I still remember the t-shirt I had when I was a senior in high school. It read "All I Want For Christmas Is A Super Bowl". It pictured Randall Cunningham as you with our offensive line as the reindeer. Obviously that kind of blasphemy upset you. So I don't even want you to think that the two versions of the Vikings are the same, OK?
I wish that the Vikings will cruise to an easy win on Sunday to secure the 2009 NFC North title and all but lock up a first-round bye for the playoffs.

Thanks Santa! Merry Christmas everyone!

Prediction: Vikings 34, Panthers 13

Oh and one last thing: I wish that all of my Week 15 NFL picks will be right (home team in CAPS):

SAINTS over Cowboys: I wish the Saints would just go ahead and lose a couple games to give us a shot at the #1 seed. But the Cowboys winning in December is going to take much more than a Christmas miracle.

RAVENS over Bears: I wish that Jay Cutler will keep playing like this for years and years to come in Chicago. I never thought Favre's interception record would ever be in jeopardy, but maybe I was wrong...

Patriots over BILLS: I wish that I could turn on ESPN or sports radio and not have to listen to "what's wrong with the Patriots." It's a little drastic for a division-leading 8-5 team.

Cardinals over LIONS: I wish Arizona played like they did in San Francisco when we played them a couple weeks ago. I'd also wish that the Lions weren't such a train wreck, but I enjoy the two victories over Detroit each year.

CHIEFS over Browns: I wish that this game never even existed.

JETS over Falcons: I wish I knew for sure whether Matt Ryan and Michael Turner were playing at 100% this week, because that may sway my pick here.

EAGLES over 49ers: I wish there wasn't a real possibility of Eagles fans flooding Minneapolis for the third straight season. Hearing that "E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!" chant makes me want to repeatedly headbutt a pile of railroad ties.

Texans over RAMS: I wish the Texans wouldn't beat up on awful teams at the end of each season to finish 8-8 and be everyone's "sleeper team" the following year. I also wish Steven Jackson didn't have to waste the prime of an incredible career on a string of the aforementioned awful teams.

TITANS over Dolphins: I wish that both of these teams could make the playoffs, because they're a lot more fun to watch than the other AFC Wild Card options.

BRONCOS over Raiders: I wish the Broncos would win this game, because this is my Eliminator pick and I'm 14-0 so far this year. I also wish I could stop laughing at JaMarcus Russell because he can't even get the start over Charlie Frye this week.

CHARGERS over Bengals: I wish that Chris Henry was still with us, because the Bengals have already had enough to deal with this year after Mike Zimmer's wife passed away. I also wish that if I get one pick wrong this week it's this one. Cincinnati deserves some good news.

SEAHAWKS over Buccaneers: I wish this game took place two years ago when both teams were actually decent.

Packers over STEELERS: I wish the defending champions hadn't completely folded down the stretch so they would actually beat the Packers here.

Giants over REDSKINS: I wish the Giants would just make up their mind about whether they're actually good or not. I never know how to pick their games.

Last week: 11-5

Season so far: 144-65 (including correctly picking Indianapolis last night)

Carolina Panthers’ Hump Day Prognostication (Minnesota Vikings edition)

James The Aussie — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:01:01 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

9 days ago: Minnesota Vikings' Brett Favre (4) hugs Adrian Peterson (28) after Peterson's touchdown run during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 30-10. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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Good morning Panther faithful and happy hump day! Twelve lords a leapin'? Not quite. This is the current number of Carolina Panthers on injured reserve. It's been a horrible 2009 campaign for injuries, but it could be worse; both the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have 18 players on the IR. After the loss Jeff Otah yesterday the injury ravaged Carolina Panthers (5-8) host the dynamic Minnesota Vikings (11-2) in the last of the Panthers' nationally televised games on Sunday night.

Though not officially announced at the time of this article it appears Matt Moore will be making his third start in a row under center for the beleaguered Carolina Panthers offense. So what does this week hold for the Cats? Find out:

After the jump...

Minnesota run offense vs. Carolina run defense

There's this guy who dons the purple every week. He's pretty good from what I hear... what is his name? Oh yeah, Adrian Peterson. If you aren't aware of Peterson's exploits you've been living under a rock for the last two NFL seasons. Peterson is easily one of the top 5 running backs in the NFL, and some want to anoint him as the next Walter Payton. I'm not willing to go quite that far, but Peterson is an outstanding running back.

Meanwhile, the Panthers' run defense is far from stellar allowing 137.3 yards on the ground each week (26^th in the NFL). If the Panthers want to make some plays in this area they will have to force Peterson to fumble, which isn't a wholly difficult prospect as he's put the ball on the turf 6 times thus far in 2009.

Edge: Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota pass offense vs. Carolina pass defense

In times of yore purple was reserved as a color for kings... so how fitting the Mississippi Methuselah wears the color for the season likely to be his swansong. Brett Favre has found the fountain of youth in Minnesota turning in a MVP caliber season. Thus far Favre has over 3,000 yards, 27 TDs, only 6 INTs while posting a QB rating of 106. A good reason for this resurgence is a veritable smorgasbord of effective wide receivers. Led by a product of the Carolina's- Sidney Rice, the Vikings also have rookie Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian rounding out their receiving corps. Couple this with Visanthe Shiancoe at TE and the Vikings are very deadly ranked 11^th in the NFL in passing.

Meanwhile the Carolina Panthers' 6^th ranked pass defense has been a bright spot in an otherwise dark season. We've seen the NFL's best and brightest and held the vast majority of passing defenses below their season averages. It would be nice to still have Thomas Davis to keep opposing tight ends honest, but all in all I think the pass D can step up again.

Edge: Carolina Panthers

KEY MATCHUP: Carolina run offense vs. Minnesota run defense

The Carolina Panthers' run offense is a wounded animal at this point. With injuries to both Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah, the normally calm edges do not provide safe harbor for Double Trouble. In the latter part of 2009 the Carolina Panthers' depth on the offensive line has been tested, and been found wanting for the most part. That being said, both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have big play potential every time they touch the ball. The Panthers still hold strong at 4^th in the NFL in rushing, despite slightly weakened performances the last two weeks.

Conversely, the Minnesota Vikings are boasting a very stout run defense. They have an extremely efficient group of LBs led by Chad Greenway who leads the team in tackles. Their run defense is currently ranked 4^th in the NFL and this battle of the number 4's proves to be the most intriguing aspect of Sunday night's game.

Edge: Push

Carolina pass offense vs. Minnesota pass defense

As we embark on week three of the Matt Moore experiment it's starting to look a little more like a 4^th grade science fair project than a Nobel Prize winner. Moore has been efficient, but not dynamic. After facing two fairly weak pass defenses in his first two outings he's up against a rough defense this week. If Moore and the Panthers' 28^th ranked pass offense hope to make any dents in the Vikings' armor he needs to get Steve Smith involved early, and often. Relying on the outlets again this week is not going to move the chains efficiently, especially when the run offense is in for a fight.

The Vikings' pass defense is ranked 11^th in the NFL for good reason. The Vikings don't have any true ball hawks in the secondary (only nabbing 6 interceptions this season) but while they lack in this area they more than make up for in coverage. It will be a rough week for Moore.

Edge: Minnesota Vikings

Special Teams

Special teams have been drastically improved since the early weeks of 2009, but they're far from a strong point. The Panthers only average 19.9 yards per kickoff to the Vikings' 24.4 and the Panthers are allowing almost 11 yards per punt return to the Vikings' 9.1.

Edge: Minnesota Vikings

Coaching

Each week this proves to be the hardest aspect to prognosticate. The Panthers' coaching has been so up and down in 2009 it's near impossible to guess what will happen on Sundays. We still need to run the ball more and be more inventive on the offensive end; conversely the defensive coaching has been outstanding. Ron Meeks was a real find for the defense.

The Vikings are getting it done on both sides of the ball. The Panthers are getting it done on one side of the ball. This alone makes it a clear choice.

Edge: Minnesota Vikings

Final Summary

The Panthers are playing for pride, and to dampen some of the boundless excitement in the camp of San Francisco 49ers fans who await our 2010 1^st round pick. Carolina is evaluating the talent and depth they have to better prepare them for a 2010 campaign. I know there is a convoluted scenario that shows how we can make the playoffs, but it would require a Christmas miracle of Charlie Brown proportions to make that a reality.

Meanwhile the Vikings are playing to retain the 1^st round bye. The Vikings are a very, very good football team, but most people who read this article on a regular basis know I just can't pick against my Panthers... so my heavily biased prediction is:

Carolina Panthers 27 - Minnesota Vikings 24

Carolina Panthers’ Hump Day Prognostication (New England Patriots edition)

James The Aussie — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:34:16 -0000

More photos » by Lynne Sladky - AP

16 days ago: New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss (81) speaks to quarterback Tom Brady (12) during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Miami, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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Good morning Panther faithful and happy hump day! This Sunday's game between the Carolina Panthers (5-7) and the New England Patriots (7-5) proves to be one of the biggest tests of the Panther's season. The Patriots may be 7-5, but most agree they're far more dangerous than their record shows, meanwhile, the Panthers are 5-7, but like the Patriots most agree that they have the potential to be far more dangerous than their 5 wins suggest.

This 2009 Pats team is not the same as previous iterations. While still dangerous in every phase of the game they're not nearly the juggernaut in every phase that we've seen during their dynasty run. This leaves the door slightly open for Matt Moore and the Carolina Panthers to press the advantage. So, how do we match up against the Pats? Find out:

After the jump...

New England run offense vs. Carolina run defense

The Patriots run offense isn't quite an afterthought, but it's not a focal point of their offense. The Pats have only run the ball 337 compared to 473 passing attempts. This bodes well for a Carolina Panther defense which has struggled against the run, especially against strong North-South runners. New England have a strong back in Lawrence Maroney, but he's never really reached his full potential. They also feature Kevin Faulk, a NE institution who is as reliable as the day is long.

The Pats are 16^th in the NFL running the ball, and the Panthers' run defense is 23^rd in the league, despite this disparity I think it'll be pretty evenly matched on Sunday as New England won't run the ball very much.

Edge: Push

KEY MATCHUP: New England pass offense vs. Carolina pass defense

This is the area the Patriots scare me. They're 2^nd in the NFL in passing, and their pass offense is a bonafide monster. This is week 13 and not only to the Pats have two 1,000 yard receivers in Randy Moss and Wes Welker; they're also no.1 and no.2 in the league respectively. Brady might not have all the physical tools you want in a QB, but he has every single intangible and then some. Brady is completing over 65% of his passes, and he won't make the mistakes Josh Freeman made last week. If our corners struggle with Antonio Bryant, there's no telling how they will deal with Moss and Welker. I don't see the pass defense hanging with New England's attack this week.

Edge: New England

Carolina run offense vs. New England run defense

The Carolina Panthers should have DeAngelo Williams back this week and he and Stewart should give the Pats a little dose of Double Trouble. Stewart proved last week that he can carry the load when needed, and I have no doubt he would have had a better day with an effective offensive line. The Panthers' rushing attack hinges on the ability of the offense line to get some push and open some holes, which they haven't been doing effectively enough lately. Despite all this the Panthers are 3^rd in the NFL in rushing, the Pats are 16^th in run defense and I think Carolina will dominate the ground in this area.

Edge: Carolina

Carolina pass offense vs. New England pass defense

The Matt Moore era has officially begun. While Moore was an effective game manager against the Buccaneers, he certainly didn't set the world on fire. While the Patriots are a statistically worse pass defense than Tampa Bay's (13^th compared to 11^th) they do have all their players healthy whereas TB was without their no.1 corner. The Bucs had 11 interceptions on the season, the Pats have 14. This will be a much greater test for Moore on every level. Steve Smith has the talent to take over his opposite number, but ultimately I'm not sure a young QB in Moore will be able to handle the Patriots secondary.

The Patriots also feature a defense that pressures the quarterback from a lot of different angles. They have 8 different players who have recorded sacks, and 6 players who have recorded multiple sacks. They will throw a lot of different looks at the Panthers offense and likely show a lot of exotic blitz packages. I don't know if our piecemeal offense line can hang.

Edge: New England

Special Teams

We're improving, but we're still terrible. The Panthers are allowing almost 30 yards per KR and 13.1 per PR. The Pats have Wes Welker returning punts, and that's a dangerous prospect.

Edge: New England

Coaching

Love him, or hate him- Bill Belichick is one of the best coaches in the history of the NFL. Despite losing an unheard of amount of assistants and coordinators over the years to other teams he still manages to make the Pats compete each and every week. His game plans are also second to none. The Panthers' coaching may be getting better, but it's still a far cry from the Patriots' staff.

Edge: New England

Final Summary

This is another one of those ‘intangible' games. On paper, the Pats will tear us apart. However, like we proved against the Saints these Carolina Panthers will rise to the occasion. It's easy to be intimidated by Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker; but this is a Panther team not easily intimidated. I think it's going to be a very, very hard fought game with the Panthers showing more fight than people previously thought.

This game has all the makings of an upset shocker, especially with DeAngelo Williams back in the offense. If Matt Moore can provide some offense and the red zone defense show what they're made of I think this is a winnable game.

Carolina Panthers 13 - New England Patriots 10

Poll

Who do you think will win Sunday's game?

Mike McCarthy's Monday Press Conference

Brandon — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:00:14 -0000

by Jim Prisching - AP

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The players don't report back until Tuesday morning, so not much news about the Green Bay Packers on Monday. It's nice that the team has an 11 day break between the Lions and Ravens games, following a tough 3 game stretch that began against the Cowboys (11/15) and ending on Thanksgiving (11/26).

Some players, like LB Nick Barnett, used the time off to spend Sunday in Middleton, WI. (Really?) While RB Ryan Grant retweeted Ravens RB Ray Rice.

Meanwhile, Mike McCarthy had a press conference. The following is some excerpts from it:

(Do you anticipate anybody else missing practice time this week?)

I think Chad [Clifton] is really my only concern. I think Jordy Nelson is going to be OK. Allen Barbre, Ahman Green and Brandon Underwood all worked out, so I think they definitely have a chance. These decisions will be made tomorrow, but those are the five guys that have a chance to possibly miss practice.

Clifton, Nelson, and Underwood were the only players hurt on Thanksgiving that did not return to the game. Barbre and Green have missed the past 2 games. No surprises on the injury front.

Keep reading after the jump.

(Did you watch the game [Steelers at Ravens] last night with two teams you play in the next few weeks?)
I watched it last night. I watched it into the fourth quarter, and then I was actually watching Pittsburgh's offense versus Baltimore's defense before I came in here today.

(Did anything stand out to you watching them?)
It's always interesting to watch teams in the same division. It's something that you have to put a lot of credence in as far as game-planning, because both those teams know each other very well. They played each other three times last year, and this was obviously a big game in their division last night. There's definitely a lot you can take away from the game.

Good point.

(Has Jones showed enough to stay in that role?)
Yes. I thought Brad did a nice job. I thought he played well. But I also liked the fact that Brady and Jeremy were able to get 10-15 reps in there also. I really like the mix we had there at the outside linebacker position, because obviously that's a big void with Aaron Kampman out.

The 3 player rotation, led by rookie LB Brad Jones, is still in effect to replace Kampman.

(The special teams coverage units rank near the bottom. Why so many struggles and can that get turned around?)
The coverage units are something that have played at a very high level, and it's the one or two that break out a game, and that obviously shows up in the statistics. If you look at the last three games, and that's kind of where it gives your team a truer sense of where you are, I thought the Dallas game we played extremely well. I thought San Francisco we played very well, except for the one that came out. Then we did some things in the Detroit game that you cannot do. We'll correct that, but we have the people here to do it. I'm very confident in our scheme and how we approach it, and our special teams will be a big factor going down the stretch here.

It's not exactly a grilling, but it's the most he's said about coverage in a while. The game against the Cowboys was the best special teams game of the season, but that was a low bar to clear. "Very well" against the 49ers? The 49ers haven't gotten anything from their return game this season, but WR Josh Morgan had a 76 yard return against them in the 4th quarter, which was a big part of their comeback. The special teams was a festival of penalties in the 1st quarter against the Lions. Playing at a "very high level" except for the 1 or 2 per game that kill you? McCarthy may be confident in their scheme, but I won't say anything good about their kick coverage until they play well in consecutive games.

(These next four games you could call the winter part of the schedule. Is there anything that tells you how effective you might be in the conditions?)
Well, running the football and stopping the run, practicing outside definitely helps. This is Green Bay Packer football. It's playing in December. We feel we're talented on the perimeter but it starts up front. This is the time of the year where people have to run the football and stop the run and be productive with all of the aspects of the game that come off of stopping the run and running the football, so that will be our focus.

He might slip after a poor game against the awful Lions run defense, but RB Ryan Grant had moved up to No. 4 overall according to Football Outsiders, behind only RB Steven Jackson, RB Chris Johnson, and RB DeAngelo Williams. With the exception of week 2, when RB Cedric Benson had a very good game against them, the run defense has fantastic. The running game, on both side of the ball, should be a big advantage for them down the stretch.

Jets 17 Panthers 6: Finally Back on Track

John B — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:30:15 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

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The Jets scored a win today, 17-6 over Carolina at the Meadowlands. New York is now 5-6. You had to like the fight this team showed after absorbing a butt kicking at New England last week. Is it too late to save the season? Perhaps, but the Jets at the very least can build some momentum and feel good about themselves heading into the offseason with a strong finish. This was a great start.

More after the jump.

The Good:

Darrelle Revis: I'm not really sure you can say much more about this guy. Steve Smith has incredible talent. He had 2 catches for 2 yards because Revis was covering him most of the day. It's just a given at this point that the Jets can take your top receiver completely away from you. Revis showed good awareness when the ball took a lucky hop to him on the first interception and found the endzone on the return. The second interception showed his elite catch up speed an ball skills. It all depends on whether the voters are paying attention, but I could see a Defensive Player of the Year Award for Mr. Revis in the not too distant future.

Kerry Rhodes: Let's give the coaching staff some credit on this one. Rhodes had been disappointing this year before this game. He looked like a new man out there as if a fire had been lit under him. He had a pair of interceptions. He drew an offensive interference call. He did well as a blitzer. We all expected to see him make a major jump this year. It didn't happen until now. Maybe this will be a turning point in a disappointing year like Dustin Keller's game against the Dolphins before the bye.

Eric Smith: You'd have to imagine he goes back to a reserve role next week after the game Rhodes played, but Smith was good in coverage and registered 8 tackles to lead the team with Jim Leonhard.

Jim Leonhard: Once again, 8 tackles. The safeties played big role in holding Carolina's dynamic running duo, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to a combined 75 yards on 25 carries.

David Harris: He was good against the run. He was good in coverage. He was good as a blitzer. What more can you ask from a starting linebacker? He had 7 tackles and a sack.

Mark Sanchez: Bad throw on the interception, but otherwise you had to like what you saw out of Mark. He made smart decisions, protecting the ball. He didn't try to do too much. It seems like he realized he's got a great defense and doesn't need to try and force impossible plays to win games. I know a lot of you wanted to see more progress out of Sanchez. I think we got that today. He was very efficient, and I can't think of a play he left on the field.

Defensive Line: Nobody really stood out, but these guys held their own in their matchups against a really good run blocking team. It's impressive the way this defense stepped up.

Dustin Keller Minus the Fumble: 4 catches for 68 yards. He was getting open over the middle a lot. It really feels like he's turning the corner.

The Bad:

Lack of Correcting Offensive Mistakes: The only thing I'm really going to complain about today seems to have occurred in preparation. There seems to be a lack of fundamentals from the offensive skill players. Against the Jaguars, Braylon Edwards had a killer fumble. That's the kind of thing the staff needs to catch on film and correct. Today when he ran in open field, he palmed the ball, leaving it exposed. Mark Sanchez has been leading head first into defenders since training camp. He did it against the Titans on a touchdown. Today he did it again (and this doesn't even touch on the play he didn't slide when he got hurt). Shonn Greene fumbled for the second time in four games after not fumbling at all in college. Dustin Keller cost the Jets an easy touchdown by not protecting the ball. I know it's speculative. I know the blame ultimately falls on the players. Maybe the staff has tried to correct these things. I'm still perturbed by the lack of fundamentals.

The Jets should celebrate. For the first time in a while, they have something to feel good about. They just can't celebrate too long. A short week, a trip to a foreign country, and an opponent coming off a big win today await.

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Carolina Panthers Run Offense

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

by Patrick Semansky - AP

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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.

Panther Paw Prints - Dolphins Loss Edition

Jaxon — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:12:43 -0000

by Chuck Burton - AP

about 1 month ago: Miami Dolphins' Tyrone Culver (29) knocks down a desperation pass in the end zone as Carolina Panthers' Dwayne Jarrett (80) reaches in vain at the end of the Dolphins' 24-17 win in an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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This edition of Paw Prints has the sour taste of a loss all over it. Let's take our medicine Panther fans.

Key Moments - CharlotteObserver.com
Facing third-and-goal from the Miami 7, the Panthers fail to convert a third consecutive pass play, leading to a field goal. Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter beats left tackle Travelle Wharton to sack Jake Delhomme, who's previous two passes from the 7 were incomplete.

This is the series causing all the heat on OC Jeff Davison. 1st and goal and we attempt to throw the ball three times? He will be hearing abouth this one for a while. My second biggest concern from this loss was the continued poort play from our kick coverage, which gets an unearned 'C' grade from the Observor.

Panthers Report Card - CharlotteObserver.com
SPECIAL TEAMS Grade: C Comment: Miami's superb kickoff returner Ted Ginn Jr. had a big day against a Carolina kickoff unit that has struggled much of the season. Ginn had returns of 37 and 48 yards. Panthers punt returner Captain Munnerlyn let a punt go without a fair catch that wound up costing the Panthers quite a few yards. Punter Jason Baker appeared to shank a low punt near the end of the first half. It went only 34 yards and resulted in a 22-yard return. Baker bounced back and later had a punt downed at the 7. Carolina rookie Tyrell Sutton looked sharp as a kickoff returner. He had returns of 31 andd 29 yards.

Munnerlyn has let too many balls hit the ground this year resulting lost yardage; another issue I blame on coaching.

The players lost to injury is being felt too.

Dolphins outplay both Panthers' lines - CharlotteObserver.com
On Porter's second sack, Wharton appeared to be interfered with by fullback Tony Fiammetta. Wharton angrily stalked off the field after the play. "Early on, we were a bit of a new offensive line in there," said Panthers coach John Fox. "Once, we got picked off by our running back, our left tackle (Wharton) did. "But we settled down and our protection got a little better as the game wore on. Unfortunately, we came up a little short."

From the land of the obvious here's another one:

Delhomme, Smith not the same duo - CharlotteObserver.com
Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith were once one of the NFL's telepathic quarterback-wide receiver duos, seemingly able to read each others' minds on the fly. That ability comes and goes nowadays, like a cell phone call with inconsistent reception.

Inconsistent reception? More like the call was never completed period... Scott found five things from this loss he didn't like...only five?

Scott Says ...: 5 things I didn't like in loss to Miami
. Defensive pressure and tackling. The Panthers’ defense gave up three touchdowns to Ricky Williams, who is a good back, yes. But he’s also 32 years old and wasn’t good enough to start in Miami until Ronnie Brown got hurt. Yet Williams was nearly unstoppable and broke off a 46-yard run that was the play of the game with 3:55 left in the fourth quarter. Plus, Carolina never sacked Chad Henne.

Fox speaks:

Playoff hopes dashed for Carolina Panthers? - CharlotteObserver.com
"I think there's a lot of fight in that room," he said, speaking of his players in the locker room. "There's still a lot of football left to be played and we're in no way or stretch out of it." But there's no doubt this one hurt the Panthers deeply. "Those guys fought hard," said Fox. "I'm disappointed for them."

Mathmatically we are still in it sure, but just like going 0-4 int he preseason, 4-6 doesn't give us much confidence they can pull it off.

Tom Talks: Marriage proposal at BofA Stadium? - CharlotteObserver.com
Third-and-1 from the Carolina 41 and the Panthers go deep to Steve Smith? What are they thinking? They're thinking that Smith will get single coverage from rookie cornerback Sean Smith. Both Smiths played at Utah. Jake Delhomme throws a nice pass and Steve Smith reaches for the ball and gets his fingers on it and - the ball falls incomplete. Sometimes a good call fails. It fails here.

2nd and 1 sure, give it a shot. 3rd and 1 on your own 40 run the ball and get the 1st down. Dumb....So even the players most optimistic outlook is 8-8?

Third-downs fin-ish off Panthers in 24-17 loss
"This is the fourth time we could have been .500 and we didn't execute enough to get there," said Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams. "I think we play well under pressure, but we can't continue to do this. Eight and eight doesn't sound like it will get us into the playoffs." "Playoff talk is something that is not even brought up," added quarterback Jake Delhomme.

Where is he getting 4 more wins I wonder?

We got another week to shake off this funk and get up to NY to shoot down the Jets!

St. Louis Rams fantasy report, week 11, Rams vs. Arizona

VanRam — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:20:49 -0000

by Michael Conroy - AP

Can Donnie Avery give fantasy owners something to dance about?

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One win and a near upset of the undefeated New Orleans Saints and all of the sudden the St. Louis Rams aren't so easy for fantasy players to ignore. The team still lacks reliable, every week fantasy players outside of RB Steven Jackson. At this point, guys like Donnie Avery, Brandon Gibson and Daniel Fells offer respectable, sneaky bye week options. This week's game against the Arizona Cardinals will go a long way toward answering whether or not those players could move beyond bye week fill-ins to guys worthy of keeping on your roster. The first question we need to ask is whether or not we are seeing real progress from the Rams offense? Three things indicate that the answer is yes.

The offensive line is playing well. Signing C Jason Brown and drafting Jason Smith represented a major investment for the team and provided the basis for the rebuilding project as Spagnuolo builds from the foundation up. Smith is anchoring the right side of the line, overcoming any preseason questions about his adjustment to the three-point stance. The Rams favor the middle and right side for their running game, and Jackson continues to rack up more and more yards thanks to the entire offensive line functioning well as a unit.
Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is finally opening the play book. Besides a stellar job in run blocking, the OL is giving Marc Bulger time in the pocket, and the passing game is now throwing the ball downfield to Donnie Avery, forcing defenses to respect his speed and ability to get behind safeties.
The WR situation may be resolved. Maybe. Last week, Bradon Gibson, acquired from Philly in the Will Witherspoon trade, made a real impression, pressed into service for the injured Keenan Burton. One week wonder or not? It's hard to say, but against the Saints Gibson showed great hands and the athleticism to get yards after the catch, exactly what the Rams have been missing from the wide receivers this season. If he's the real deal, the Rams might have an effective enough passing game to score some points.

Obviously, Steven Jackson is a must start this week or any week. The Cardinals gave up 123 yards to Justin Forsett against the Seahawks last week. In week 8, DeAngelo Williams picked up 158 yards.

Donnie Avery looks like a good player to start this week too. The Cardinals allow 253.4 yards passing on average, and have allowed the fourth most, 32, passing plays of 20 yards or more.

Brandon Gibson is a risky start because he's still relatively unknown. If he has another good week, definitely grab him off the waiver wire.

Ricky Williams leads the way as Dolphins defeat Panthers

Matty I — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:06:00 -0000

It sure did get nerve-racking a few times on Thursday night. But when all was said and done, the Dolphins went up to Charlotte and officially dug themselves out of the 0-3 hole they put themselves in to start the season by knocking off the Panthers 24-17.

Ricky steps up in Ronnie's absence to lead the way
There was a lot of panic amongst Dolphin fans over the past few days as we all awaited word on how serious Ronnie Brown's injury was. We then learned yesterday that Brown would be done for the season with a Lisfranc fracture to his right foot (he'll have surgery Friday, by the way). That's when we all began to wonder whether Ricky Williams could step into the role of workhorse and lead this offense. We all learned on Thursday night that - at least for now - Ricky's still got it.

In an outstanding performance, Williams carried the ball 22 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns - adding a receiving touchdown as well. This, by the way, was Ricky's third career three touchdown game and the first time in his career that he scored a touchdown both running and receiving. Not bad for a 32 year old back.

Don't let the numbers fool you, though. It was an up and down game for Williams. Nine of Ricky's 22 carries went for two yards or less - including four runs for negative yardage. Of course, it's not all Ricky's fault - sometimes he just got no blocking help from his line. But what impressed me most was how explosive Ricky was on some of those other carries. He looked very spry on that 3rd & 1 toss left to get down to the one yard line on Miami's second touchdown drive. And then, of course, there's the 46 yard scamper by Ricky in which he showed good burst and long speed on his way to the endzone - on carry number 22 on the night, by the way.

We said this week that without Ronnie and on a short week with little preparation time, the Dolphins would get back to the basics and play "conventional" football. They did just that - and it worked thanks to Ricky Williams. Now can Ricky keep it up for the rest of the season?

Henne and the receivers make some critical plays
For all the talk about how the Dolphins badly need a receiver - and they do - it's worth noting how well Chad Henne and his current group of receivers played on Thursday night. The stats aren't special by any means. And Henne was still a bit too inconsistent with his accuracy for my taste. But when they absolutely had to make a play, this passing offense got it done - against a pass defense that was ranked fourth in the NFL heading into this game.

Here's a stat I like a lot. When asked to pass on third down, Chad Henne started the game 0 for 3. But he then converted 5 of their next 7 3rd down passing situations - which included some of the biggest plays of the game.

It all started on Henne's completion to Ricky Williams out of the backfield on a 3rd & 9 inside the red zone. Ricky was running a Texas route out of the backfield (a zig zag where he runs towards the sideline out of the backfield and then cuts it inside like a slant once he hits the line of scrimmage) and Henne did a nice job of being patient and finding the open man.

On their next scoring drive, Henne converted a big 3rd & 6 by throwing a strike to Davone Bess, who made a remarkable lunging catch for the first down. Five plays later, Williams got into the endzone.

And then there was the biggest play of the game - which we'll get to in a moment.

All in all, you have to really like what you continue to see out of Henne. He didn't make any mistakes. He didn't take any sacks - a credit to both the offensive line and to Henne for getting rid of the ball when necessary. I'd like to see more consistency with his accuracy, of course. But it's not like he has an accuracy problem. Some of his throws are absolutely perfect in where they are placed (a couple throws to Bess, the throw to Brian Hartline, and the throw to Ted Ginn along the sideline). It's a consistency issue with him - especially when he needs to put some touch on the ball.

Henne's getting better, though. And I think his future is pretty bright.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
Some might say the turning point of the game was the 46 yard touchdown run by Ricky Williams. But that play never happens if not for the play that Chad Henne and Davone Bess made one play earlier.

Momentum was beginning to shift in Carolina's favor. The Dolphins were leading by only three late in the fourth quarter, staring down a 3rd & 12 and very close to a potentially costly three and out. The crowd was loud and the Panther defense was fired up. So what does a young, first year starting quarterback do? He takes the snap, rolls right, waits, waits, and waits some more. Then he shuffles left a little bit and throws a strike to Davone Bess - who was running right to left away from Henne, but also away from the coverage. Chad Henne showed outstanding poise and vision while Bess showed terrific awareness.

If the Dolphins don't make that play, who knows how this game plays out.

QUICK HITS
Many more quick thoughts on the game:

Some many performances deserve to be mentioned. But I'll start with Joey Porter. A team-high 8 tackles and 2 sacks? That's the "Peezy" I know and love. Welcome back! Put back-to-back games like this and I'll officially apologize to him.
Lousaka Polite is a monster. He's officially one of my five favorite current Dolphins. All he does is pick up short yardage first downs and knock heads. Even Joey Porter, speaking on NFLN after the game, talked about Polite's play tonight - and he wasn't even asked. It's easy to see why his coaches and teammates love this guy.
Jake Long simply owned Julius Peppers on Thursday night. Great job, Jake!
Speaking of the offensive line, how about that depth? Players kept going down left and right and it just didn't matter. Henne was never sacked and they opened up enough holes for Ricky. Huge shout-out to Nate Garner, by the way. The man played left guard, right tackle, and center at different times in this game. That's manning up.
Lex Hilliard - welcome to the NFL, kid. After back-to-back penalties by Jake Grove, Hilliard powered his way on a 3rd & 16 draw play - picking up 18 and a first down. Tacklers were just bouncing off of Hilliard on the run. He's not a bad fourth running back, huh? Again, props to the front office for the solid depth at running back as well.
Davone Bess - wow. How about those hands, folks? He had a few hiccups along the way this season. But it looks like our favorite undrafted wide receiver is back to his consistent form. That highlight lunging catch he made on a critical third down was the kind of catch that superstars make.
We have to give a shout-out to Ted Ginn. He didn't have any drops, made a couple of tough catches, and averaged 42 yards per kickoff return. He came into the game third in the league in kick returning. He now has a very real shot of leading the league in yards per kick return this season. At least that's something - and maybe will help build his confidence again.
Nice job by the defense getting pressure - at critical times, too. All four of Miami's sacks came on third down. Two of them were red zone sacks, too, forcing Carolina to punt. I think we need to dial up those safety blitzes a little bit more often - especially on third downs - moving forward. They seem to work and free up others to make a play.
Randy Starks is having a hell of a season. Starks was one of the two guys who made the initial stop on that 3rd & 1 run by the Panthers midway through the third quarter to stuff Carolina and force them to punt. He then sacked Jake Delhomme early in the fourth quarter on a 3rd & goal play to force the Panthers to settle for a field goal.
Nathan Jones is one of this team's unheralded key role players. He's made a number of big plays this season - including an interception to end a Carolina drive and a big pass break-up with under two minutes to go. He's becoming a terrific nickel corner.
Why not kick a field goal with 44 seconds left? It would have only been a 45 or 46 yarder for Dan Carpenter and would have sealed the game. A very bad decision by Tony Sparano here. Luckily, it didn't come back to bite him in the ass. But let's not have that happen again, alright?
Joey Haynos with two bad drops. Do I hear more calls for Kory Sperry?
Let's hope Jason Ferguson isn't hurt badly. Without him, this defense looks drastically different.
Just how important was it to get out in front of the Panthers 14-3 and take Carolina out of their game plan? Very. DeAngelo Williams was averaging nearly 10 yards per carry against the Dolphins. But he only got 13 carries thanks to a combination of poor play calling by Carolina and having to play catch-up late in the game. This game could have been ugly if Miami didn't get in front before the half.