SB Nation - Charles Godfrey

Panthers vs. Patriots: Keys to the Game

Jaxon — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:00:23 -0000

by Steven Senne - AP

5 days ago: New England Patriots linebacker Tully Banta-Cain is surrounded by members of the media in front of his locker during an availability at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009. The Patriots are to play the Carolina Panthers in an NFL football game in Foxborough on Sunday, Dec. 13. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

View full size photo »

From the first time I viewed the Panthers 2009 schedule up until a couple weeks ago I had this game marked as a loss for the Panthers. Certainly even a strong Panther team would succumb to the Patriots machine in Foxboro. Yet as we approach the eve of this game I'm feeling about as optimistic as I could possibly be. Unfortunately it has little to do with the Panthers and their 5-7 record.

No, I think I feel optimistic because it appears the Patriots come into this game not feeling too good about themselves. Bill Billichik it feeling grumpy, so grumpy he felt the need to send a grade-school message to his team bout being punctual to team meetings. Regardless of how much of impact you may think Late-Gate has on this game (if any), we really won't know until Sunday.

There is the Patriots 7-5 record and two game losing streak.That certainly indicates they are vulnerable, until you look at their losses: Jets, Broncos, Colts, Saints and Dolphins. None have losing records.

Okay, I have no other reason to think the Patriots will play anything other than at a high level on Sunday...

Or do I? Here's my keys to the game (and a Panther win)

After twelve games a teams strengths and weaknesses become well known making this type of post an exercise in redundancy to a degree. But I'm going to give it my best shot in hopes that I hit on at least a couple points.

In no particular order:

Key #1: The Panthers O-line versus the Patriots D-line

We have seen that when the Panthers o-line doesn't execute with authority they can be pushed around. If the Panthers run the ball, it forces the Patriots to bring a safety up, it takes pressure off Matt Moore and ultimately allows him to throw down field. The Patriots had had trouble getting pressure on the QB so this is a good bell weather for the revamped line. If Moore stays clean and protects the ball the Panthers have a real shot to win this game.

Key #2: Randy Moss vs. the Panthers Secondary

Every team focuses on stopping WR Randy Moss. Many fail. The Panthers cannot give up many big plays to Moss and stay with the Patriots. FS Charles Godfrey returned from injury last week and played fairly well. He'll need to do better though as he will surely be targeted.

Key #3: Lt Matt Light vs. DE Julius Peppers

It's been a while since Peppers impacted the outcome of a game. Something tells me the Patriots concern for Peppers might be justified. If Peppers can get an early lick on Brady it might give the Panther defense some confidence and allow them to make some aggressive calls. It will also prevent deep throws if the Patriots feel they need to get rid of the ball quickly. Let's hope the Panthers front four can bring some early heat and set the tone for the afternoon.

Key #4: The weather

The Panthers don't practice in windy, near freezing conditions. Logic would say a greound based attack plays to the Panthers strengths. But if the wind and weather subtract from an alreadu anemic passing game then it could give that slight advantage to the Patriots run defense.

Key #5: Control Wes Welker on 3rd down

Honestly Wes Welker worries me more than Moss. When the Panthers have trouble covering the short middle they allow easy 3rd down conversions. Welker is a master at the drag play from the slot. If he runs wild in the middle of field the defense will have trouble getting off the field and it will be a long afternoon. If the Panthers can instead force the short underneath pass and avoid missed tackles they can limit the red zone opportunities.

So what do you think Panther fans? Another other golden keys to this game? Is my optimism unjustified?

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Carolina Panthers Pass Defense

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

More photos » by Greg Trot - AP

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

Questions about the Panthers vs Saints game.

Revshawn — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:56:29 -0000

With a few injuries in the Panthers fold, including a random destruction of the FB position and Charles Godfrey and Moose out because of injury, the Panthers go into the Saints with a lot of questions. Some of them good, and some bad.

1. Can Sherrod Martin duplicate his exceptional 2 INT performance against Drew Brees and the Saints?

This is one of the biggest questions we have to ask during this upcoming game. We're all cheering for Martin to be our new FS, and Sherrod Martin is probably going to get one more game as a starter before Charles Godfrey comes back from injury. If he can pull off another good game here against an explosive offense such as the Saints, John Fox will have no choice but to name him the starter over Charles Godfrey for the rest of the season. John Fox has always been a fan of veterans, so in order for Martin to fully secure his job he will have to completely blow Fox away during the Saints game in order to force his hand and grab himself a starting job. It will also help our team in such a way to where we could look into trading Godfrey away in the offseason, thus allowing us to regain some valuable draft picks we lost in acquiring our D-Line help.

2. Can our D-Line get pressure on Drew Brees?

The Panthers will need to play a complete game against the Saints on Sunday. The Saints have had an explosive offense for a long time now, but now that they actually have a defense for once they can do amazing things. When a team averages 39 points per game while giving up 22, it takes a true moron to not figure out why this team has gone undefeated. Julius Peppers and Everette Brown need to step up early and often and put Drew Brees to the turf. Force him to make mistakes so that you can get their offense back on the field and put us in good field position to take the ball back the other way.

3. Can our running game take over the game?

Last week, we rushed for 270 yards against the #1 rushing defense in the league. In the first half, we were dominant. We went into halftime with the score 28-7, and the Panthers had a sizeable lead. However, I think the most important thing to consider is that the Panthers didn't score a touchdown for the rest of the game. While having a 3 possession lead going into halftime was enough to beat the Cardinals, against such a high powered offense as the Saints we need to be able to play a complete offensive game for four quarters. Many points must be scored, and much time must be taken off the clock!

4. Can our running game be successful without a true fullback?

The injuries to Brad Hoover and Tony Fiametta really hurt us for this game. It wouldn't be a big deal if we had another RB that could take their place, but instead we're going to have to take Jeff King from his TE position and use him as our FB instead. That may prove to be a huge factor if the Panthers can't get their running game going. With Daunte Rosario out because of injury, if the Panthers choose Jeff King to be their fullback, that only leaves one true TE on our roster in Gary Barnidge. Can the Panthers find a way to replace these guys?

5. Can Julius Peppers maintain his play for the rest of the year?

It seems like ever since Jon Beason promised the fans he would call Peppers out the next chance he got, Peppers suddenly kicked his play up to another level. Peppers did something he does not usually do by coming out and telling his teammates that he was letting them down, that he was making excuses for himself, and that he was going to be different from now on. So far, in the last 4 games he has six sacks, 18 tackles, two forced fumbles and one huge pick six. If Peppers can continue to cause the pressure on the opposing QB like he has these last few weeks, he will be a terror for any QB to behold, let alone deal with.

6. Can Jake Delhomme manage the game?

We don't ask much of Jake Delhomme, in his last game we only asked him to throw the ball 14 times, and he completed half that with one touchdown and no pick sixes thrown. There has been many theories of why Jake Delhomme has declined this year. Starting from the question of whether his arm is fully recovered from his Tommy John Surgery, his increased strength is too much for him to control, or just his lack of confidence in general, the cold fact remains that Jake Delhomme leads the league in interceptions, and until proven otherwise the fans will shout obscenities every time he touches the football.

The best way to combat this is to not put Jake in a situation where he needs to make a long completion to get a first down. Get those first 5 or 6 yards so that Jake has a 3rd and 4th on his plate other than a 3rd and 12. Let your running game take over, and make it the majority of your playbook for the game. Shove the ball down their throat with our two running backs, and let Jake work short passes to Steve Smith and our running backs. A turnover with Jake Delhomme in a game like this will go a long way in determining on whether we have victory or we are defeated.

That's really all I have to say guys. I'm sure there is a lot more where that came from, we haven't even started on Dwayne Jarrett yet. But for now, let us have a moment of silence for Ron Meeks, whom will have the biggest task ever in preparing our defense to stop the #1 offense in the world.

Let us hope that he makes it through the week.

A Conversation with Sherrod Martin

Ryan Basen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:45:07 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Safety Sherrod Martin (23) returns an interception to set up a field goal in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals Sunday, (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin).

Browse more photos »

With starting free safety Charles Godfrey injured against one of the NFL's most potent passing attacks, the Panthers defense figured to struggle Sunday at Arizona. Instead the unit forced six turnovers, keying a 34-21 victory over the heavily favored Cardinals.

Rookie Sherrod Martin accounted for two of those turnovers filling in for Godfrey. Making his first NFL start, Martin cleanly picked off a Kurt Warner overthrow in the second quarter to stop one drive. He intercepted another Warner again in the fourth quarter when he caught a deflected pass caused by a Chris Gamble hit.

CSR spoke to Martin after practice Wednesday about his solid first start and how his rookie season is unfolding...

The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Troy graduate was the team's second-round draft pick in April. A native of rural Griffin, Ga., he played both corner and safety in college. The Panthers planned to play him at corner, but shifted him to safety late in the preseason. That's the position he played as a senior at Troy last season, when he intercepted three passes in one quarter.

Martin, who turned 25 in October, has overcome several injuries to get to the NFL. He underwent two shoulder surgeries and broke multiple fingers in college, leading NFL Network host Rich Eisen to say during the Scouting Combine: "He looks like the guy from Operation." Martin then suffered a knee bruise that limited him in the preseason.

But Martin was in the lineup Sunday. Besides the interceptions, he has also tallied 8 tackles and 2 passes defended this season. Here are excerpts of what he had to say as he stood by his locker Wednesday:

--Strong safety Chris Harris played a big role in helping him succeed Sunday, Martin said. Harris talked to him on the field, especially harping about recognizing Arizona formations. (Both of Martin's interceptions came on plays when the Cardinals lined up in a shotgun and thew towards the sideline).

"Chris Harris is a guy I can learn a whole lot from," Martin says. He added that the Steelers' Troy Polamalu and the Ravens' Ed Reed were two safeties he admired when he was in college.

--Martin is unsure if he will start Sunday's game at New Orleans, nor does he know how much he will play. He is preparing for the game much the same way he prepared for other games this season, he says. (Godfrey did not practice Wednesday).

The strong first start boosts Martin's confidence, he says, but it has not helped him to relax. "I got something I can build off of. (But) there's a lot of things I can work on."

When asked for his take on his first start, he said: "I can't ask for another way."

--Martin won't allow the big game in Arizona to get to his head, he says. He celebrated by taking it easy when he got home (the Panthers' plane landed at 1:30 a.m. Monday and, fortunately for Panthers fans, it doesn't seem like Martin knows about the service-night parties that rage late into Charlotte Sunday evenings). The next day he went out with a few teammates to eat and watch "Monday Night Football."

Others were excited for Martin, though. Several family members and friends called, and when he turned his cellphone on after the game, he had 17 new text messages.

--Nothing about his rookie year has surprised Martin so far, he says. He was disappointed with the injury and the losses early on. "It started out not quite as I would have liked," he said.

Sunday's performance has not changed Martin's goals for his rookie season, he says. "It just helped out to be able to contribute," he says. So his objectives remain: "Finding my role on the team, being able to contribute and win games."

--Martin kept both footballs that he intercepted Sunday.

On the first pick, he started out deep in the middle of the field. Arizona was running a two-minute drill and the Panthers rushed five defenders, leaving Martin back as their last line of defense. Warner threw towards the left sideline for receiver Larry Fitzgerald, running a corner route. Martin took off for the sideline. "Once I seen (Warner's) hand come off the ball, I was out of there," he said. The ball was slightly overthrown and Martin caught it in stride, then tumbled out of bounds at the Carolina 43.

The second pick came when Gamble jarred the ball loose from tight end Jerheme Urban. Martin caught the carom at the Arizona 43 and returned it down the left sideline to the 20. "The second one was a great play by Gamble," Martin said. "It was just me being in the right place at the right time."

Of course, Martin was in the right place for the free safety to be on that play. "When you get there," he said, "things have a crazy way of happening."

--Martin is not fazed by facing so many good quarterbacks in consecutive weeks. (After playing Warner, the Panthers face All-Pro Drew Brees Sunday and last year's rookie sensation Matt Ryan Nov. 15). "It's the NFL," he said. "A quarterback is a quarterback."

--The injuries have actually helped make Martin a better player, he says. "Overall it just made my work ethic better. I always felt like I was behind." That sense of urgency "played a major part" in motivating Martin to get ready for Sunday's game and consequently snatch those two interceptions.

When asked how healthy he is now, Martin replied: "Nobody plays this game 100 percent, but I'm as good as I can be."

Panthers Fox Needs to Go with the Hot Hand at Free Safety

Jaxon — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:40:13 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

about 1 month ago: Carolina Panthers' Sherrod Martin (23) returns an interception in the fourth quarter in an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 34-21. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Browse more photos »

So John Fox is still mum on who will start at FS against the Saints this week if previous starter Charles Godfrey is recovered from his ankle injury.

"The guy played well," Fox said. "We're leaning on some young guys in a lot of different areas. (Cornerback) Captain Munnerlyn played 50 plays in the game, and he's a rookie. For Sherrod Martin to go in there against a very potent passing attack and manage the game as a safety, which you're very involved with as far as calls — situation calls, down-and-distance calls — I thought he ran around and played pretty well."

That's a freaking understatement. In his rookie season FS Charles Godfrey had 5 passes defensed and 1 INT in 16 starts. Maybe that is not bad for a rookie but at the same time it gave no indication that he had 'ball-hawk' type of instincts either. Through 6 games this season he has onE 1 pass defensed and no INT's. That just ain't getting it done.

more after the jump...

I still think Godfrey is a good athlete who can contribute to this team, the only question is where?

"You have to train guys at different spots; we just don't throw them out there," Fox said. "He's kind of a tweener guy. He was in college, both as a corner and as a safety. It's a good skill set to have, a little bit like Charles Godfrey when we took him a couple of years ago. He had training at both. The problem was he got set back due to injury."

Okay, so we have two guys with similar measurables and experience coming out of college. Yet one seems more suited for tackling and playing man coverage (Godfrey) and the other seems to take better angles on the ball and has great hands (Martin). Seems a little obvious that Martin is better suited for FS and Godfrey for SS or even CB.

Okay, it's only one game Jaxon I can hear you saying now. But what a game! And what a spark for the secondary!

So is this a tough decision Panther fans?

"Right now, he'll be day-to-day, and we'll make those decisions as we go," Fox replied when asked if Godfrey would keep his job. Asked what in the world that non-answer meant, Fox said: "It means I'm not going to answer that."

In true Fox style he is declining to answer a question at this point but I think just the fact he is declining says he is leaning towards keeping Martin as the starter.

So what say ye Panther fans?

Poll

If Charles Godfrey should be able to play this Sunday who should start at FS?

Charles Godfrey

27 votes

Sherrod Martin

447 votes

Quinton Teal (just because I love Coastal Carolina)

13 votes

487 votes | Poll has closed

Panthers Face New Set of Injuries in Addition to Cardinals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers: Injury Report

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

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

Here's quick look at the Carolina Panthers report:

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

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

Panther Paw Prints: Bye Week Edition

Jaxon — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:06:43 -0000

Alright Panther fans, back away from the edge. Yes we are 0-3 and things seem fairly bleak at this point but we do have three very winnable games in front of us after the bye week. I took yesterday off from the Panthers to clear my mind and start fresh. So in preparing for this edition of Paw Prints I ran across a post I enjoyed and thought I could use it to add a little humor to this edition to lift your spirits.

The title of the post caught my eye but it was the new word 'fanbole' I loved, which is a play on the word hyperbole and is defined below:

Eric Mangini might be worst NFL coaching hire ever - Joe Posnanski - SI.com
Fanbole: The definition is simply: A sweeping, exaggerated and often ludicrous sports statement that a fan makes when under the influence of an emotional sports event (and perhaps various substances).

Lord knows we've had our share of 'fanbole' on this site over the past couple weeks. So here's some more:

FS Charles Godfrey has got to be the worst FS in the history of the Panthers:

The Elevator: Panthers Stutter Into Bye Week After Loss To Cowboys | Bleacher Report
Charles Godfrey. Charles, your jockstrap is still on the field in Dallas.

Seriously, I've never seen the saying "Got his ankles broke" more defined than when Cowboy RB Felix Jones juked Godfrey.

Any other coach with John Fox's piss poor record would be on first bus out of town:

Darin Gantt's Panthers Blog | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC
Jeff Fisher: Career regular season record 128-105 (.549) John Fox: Career regular season record 63-52 (.548) Jeff Fisher: One AFC Championship (lost Super Bowl), career postseason record 5-6. John Fox: One NFC Championship (lost Super Bowl), career postseason record 5-3. Since 2002, when Fox took over here, the Panthers and Titans have identical 63-52 records.

John Fox has lost control of this team!

Mason's Minutes: Scrutiny high entering bye
"I promise you, there's one voice in that team meeting room that's in charge, and it's his," said Delhomme, who's experienced a season where the head coach lost his players -- although he declined to name the coach, team or season involved. "I'd rather not say when and where, but it was lost, and it was lost and everybody knew," said Delhomme, who spent five seasons with the New Orleans Saints before joining the Panthers in 2003. "You just knew it. It was evident ... There (was) no pilot. All there (was) were passengers. We still have a pilot. I don't know any other way to put it. That's not even remotely close."

DE Julius Peppers needs to stop making excuses and just perform!

Inside the Panthers: #Panthers' Peppers said #Cowboys "didn't do anything special" to defend him
"What they were doing to me?" he said. "Nothing special. I can't sit here and go over every play and how they blocked me, but I didn't see anything special they were doing."

The Panthers have the worst kick coverage unit in the history of the franchise.

Inside the Panthers: Postgame #Panthers observations
The punt-coverage team again struggled, especially in the second half. The Cowboys' Patrick Crayton had four returns for a 14.5-yard average, but his two late in the game were for 27 and 17 yards. Both returns set up Cowboys scores.

This season is over, finished, Kaput! and the players could care less!

Inside the Panthers: #Panthers fall to 0-3 as Gross bluntly says "it stinks"
"We’ve got a lot of football left and we’re only through a quarter of the season," he said. "We’ve been on three-loss skids before. We really need to stick together."

There is absolutely nothing positive to take away from the Panthers loss to the Cowboys.

Panthers defense sees positives | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC
“The way we played today, holding them out of the end zone was more important than 200 yards rushing,” veteran defensive tackle Damione Lewis said. “We gave up 13 points today against a really good offense. I'd trade that, I'll let them have 200 yards rushing for that. Holding them to field goals in the red zone, I thought we did a good job.”

I hope you enjoyed my little twist on this edition of Paw Prints. I do have a question for you though. There is one of my 'fanbole' statements above that I think is less fanbole and more just the honest truth. Can you guess which one?

Oh, and I know what you must be thinking after reading this post: This is the WORST post I've ever read!

5 questions with a Carolina Panthers blogger

JasonB — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:17:47 -0000

by RICK HAVNER - AP

I'm going to ask you a bunch of questions, and I want to have them answered immediately! (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

View full size photo »

The Eagles begin their 2009 season on the road against the Carolina Panthers, and so we start this year's 5 questions series in the same place. This week I exchanged questions with Jaxon, who blogs about the Carolina Panthers over on Cat Scratch Reader.

You should find my answers to his questions over there sometime today.

First, let's start with injuries. Both the Eagles and Panthers got hit with a slew of injuries this summer. How bad have the injuries in Carolina been? What guys will be back, who won't be back, and which guys may not be at 100%?

We’ve been mainly worried about the status of MLB Jon Beason (MCL strain) and RB Jonathan Stewart (Achilles) but we just got word on Wednesday that both practiced so it appears both will play. SS Chris Harris is sitting out practice with a leg bruise and FS Charles Godfrey is playing with a wrap on a broken hand surgically repaired last week. We’ve already lost two DT’s to IR for the season in Maake Kemoeatu and rookie Corvey Irvin but otherwise it looks like the Panthers will enter the game fairly healthy.

Frankly I was surprised to learn that the Eagles are 2 point favorites this weekend. Is that simply Vegas buying into Eagles hype, or do you they're down on Carolina?

Everyone is down on the Panthers except the diehard faithful. The divisional match-up with the NFC East and AFC East plus the #1 divisional seed have reaped the 2^nd hardest schedule in the league. Combine that with the Delhomme playoff meltdown and I can understand the skeptics. Plus the Eagles bring a strong squad fresh off a playoff run to the NFC Title game. We welcome the underdog role.

When I talk to people about Carolina's chances this year, their level of confidence in the team is tied directly to their level of confidence in Jake Delhomme. Do you agree that he's the key to this season and what is your outlook on Delhomme?

He’s the primary key to the offense but the run defense was also a major liability down the stretch. Many vocal ‘Jake Haters’ as we call them want to run him out of town but it’s clear his team mates feel just the opposite. Jake still commands the huddle and has many 4^th quarter comebacks on his resume to prove he has the mettle to guide another stellar season. A poll I ran over the offseason showed 75% of fans still trust Jake to guide this team.

This is probably not something you want to remember... but that loss at home to the Cardinals last year seems like one of those losses that sticks with you and can hang over a team. Have the Panthers seemed to have forgotten than loss, will they use it as motivation, or might it actually still bother them?

That loss has not been forgotten at all and is being used as a source of motivation. Jake has taken full responsibility for his play and has emerged re-energized in the preseason. He has in turn looked fairly sharp in his throws and appears to have more confidence in his additional weapons available. If there is any issue lingering from that loss to the Cardinals it is only mentioned as a reason to focus on the goals for 2009.

This is my standard question that people love to hear opponents answer... If you could steal one Eagle and add him to your roster who would it be?

Good question. After kicking around a few names in my head I have to say CB Asante Samuel. Finding playmakers in the secondary is hard to do and Samuel is one of the best. Putting Samuel across from Chris Gamble would be fun to watch for Panther fans.

Bonus question.... What Panther that we've never heard of is going to surprise us with a big game this Sunday?

My money is on WR Kenny Moore, a 5^th round pick by the Lions last season who the Panthers stole off their practice squad. The Panthers have struggled to find a #3 WR ever since Ricky Proehl retired but Moore has impressed in the preseason. I think he will make a few key 3^rd down catches to keep drives going and confound your pass defense.

Eagles vs Panthers coverage

Panthers Top 5 Concerns Entering the Season Opener

Jaxon — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:44:46 -0000

by Nell Redmond - AP

3 months ago: Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox reacts in the third quarter of their 21-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers during a preseason NFL football game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

View full size photo »

Little King provided the perfect set-up for my Top 5 Concerns post with his positive spin on the Panthers upcoming season. Though I agree with his analysis for the most part the Panthers are not without their issues. Last season I had the need for our offensive line to gel as the top concern and the Panthers responded with the NFL's #3 rushing offense. I'm sure its no surprise to Panther fans most of my concerns this season reside on the defensive side of the ball. Let's count them down now:

#5: Heal the Walking Wounded

Every team struggles with injuries and the Panthers have had their fill this preseason. We've now lost two defensive lineman (Maake Kemoeatu and Corvey Irvin) and a safety (Nate Salley) for the season. More importantly we need to get the less seriously injured back on the field soon. Consider this list of key starters who's status is uncertain for the season opener: LB's Jon Beason & Thomas Davis, S Charles Godfrey and RB Jonathan Stewart. WR Steve Smith has been dinged as well. Each of these guys are starters or provide key roles that are not easily replaced. Getting them healthy and functioning at a high level is obviously key to early season success. If their season start is delayed the Panthers could find themselves in an early hole for the division crown.

#4 - Competent Back-ups on the Offensive Line

Though the Panthers defense went 14 games without injury last season the offensive line was missing starters through a good portion of the season. Yet the Panthers running game rarely missed a beat as they plugged in experienced back-ups in most cases. That luxury is gone this season as other teams pillaged the Panthers reserves over the offseason. We instead find a number of untested players who may show promise but have yet to prove out when it counts. This is where coaches earn their keep, getting these untested players ready to step in a moments notice.

#3 - Reliable Kick Returns

There is no phase of the Panthers game that was down right ugly during the preseason then the inability of kick returners to hold onto the ball. The Panthers improved in this area in 2008 but the preseason has brought back flashbacks from 2006 & 2007. The potential re-signing of Mark Jones brings some comfort but instead I'd prefer a home run threat that can at least reliably catch the ball. It looks like rookies Mike Goodson and Captain Munnerlyn might get the call in spite of the early slippery finger syndrome. I expect HC John Fox will have them on a short leash if they get a shot. My hope is that generate enough excitement (of the good variety) and little bad stuff (which I won't mention) that it offsets the preseason concerns.

#2 - Generating a Pass Rush

The Panthers improved the pass rush last season to a respectable ninth with 37 sacks. So why do I have it as the #2 concern. Its simply; because our defensive scheme relies on it so heavily. It's obvious the Panthers are not going to blitz much or whip out any complex schemes to confuse our opponents offense. They will instead rely on the speed rushes from the edge to put pressure on the QB and help out the secondary. New DC Ron Meeks will also try to get some inside pressure on 3rd down by using three and four DE's across the defensive line to get pressure up the middle. Regardless of where the pressure comes from it had better come our we have seen how our soft zone secondary can get picked apart.

# 1 - Clogging the Middle of the Run Defense

Our need at defensive tackle has been well discussed on this site so I'm not going to go into a lot of detail. The Panthers have essentially a number of young players they will rotate in and out in hopes of clogging up the middle and forcing the plays outside where our speedy LB's can make a play. We've saw late last season what can happen when the middle guys get pushed around so hopefully the emphasis on big, strong (and fat) guys to clog the middle will at least perform marginally and not be a huge liability. My hope lies in the Panthers to perform some 'line magic' this season on defense just as they did last season on offense. Do that and the tough schedule will play out much better than expected.

So that's my Top 5 Concerns Panther fans. If you are a regular reader then not much of this will surprise you. Looking back at my similar post last season I don't think I was too far off. For those of you who think QB Jake Delhomme should be on this list I have to humbly disagree for now.

In spite of the negative tone of this post I truly am optimistic the Panthers will be in the hunt for a playoff spot come week 17. If they mitigate these Top 5 concerns then I can guarantee it.

On another note I know many of you are chomping at the bit to discuss the Panthers season opener against the Eagles in detail. We've got some things in the works to come out later on Wednesday with full on coverage by Thursday so keep checking back.