SB Nation - Kenneth Moore

Random Rumblings from a Panthers Fan

LittleKing — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:01:48 -0000

More photos » by Nell Redmond - AP

about 1 month ago: Carolina Panthers' Richard Marshall (31) reacts late in the second half after teammate Kenny Moore fumbled a punt against the Buffalo Bills in an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. Buffalo recovered the ball and ended any chance of a Panthers' comeback. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

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I knew the writing was on the wall after week one and by the end of week three pretty much new it was a guarantee, yet with three winnable game the next three week there was hope. Now after yesterday the rest of the season is like watching a bad movie for the second time and knowing how it's going to end, you can't help but watch and hope that this time it changes.

Mr Optimist (James the Aussie) did a great job in describing how I feel about Jake Delhomme, which makes it even harder to say he's should be done as the Panthers starting QB. It's time for John Fox to see were this team is headed and open the playing field for either A.J. Feeley or Matt Moore. Personally I would like to see what Moore can do on the field. Granted most of our perceptions of him are from the end of the 2007 season and I think it would be unfair to Moore to expect that type of play out of him. But the fact remains, I want to see someone other than Delhomme behind center. Beside the fact that he isn't getting the job done, I don't believe he can get the job done any more. It's time to let someone else have a turn.
Even though Dante Wesley's suspension is over and we are a week removed from that horrible play, I still feel bad for him. He doesn't get much attention and doesn't deserve to be known as the player that took a cheap shot. Fox did stand up for him last week and took some of the blame by saying that he (Fox) scolded Wesley for being faked out on an earlier punt return.
Speaking of players I feel bad for, I feel horrible for Kenneth Moore. During the preseason he showed so much potential on the field. He was put in on a punt return near the end of the game to hopefully spark a big play that didn't turn out so well. I'm glad Steve Smith talked to him after the play and I hope he can put it behind him. If only he could find some playing time as a receiver and redeem himself. But we don't use 3 WR sets very often which limits his chances. I would like to see the Panthers try some new things the rest of the season, besides changing QB, how about 3 WR sets with a TE and a singe RB. All of the TE can catch, some just better than others. Maybe because we haven't seen a decent paying game this season, but I am itching to see what all of our offensive weapons can do with a QB that can ~~find the open receiver~~ hit the open receiver.

If Fox keeps his job at the end of the year his first order of business must be to fire the special team coach. Their play has been nothing but horrendous most of the year. Allowing punt and kickoff returns, not finding the reliable PR/KR, and having to use two roster spots for two kickers just doesn't make since. I know Kasay has been with the team since the beginning and he's signed through 2012, but I think it's time to start over with special teams.
I wonder if losing QB coach McCoy was a bigger loss than we realized. Sure Delhomme had a meltdown in the Arizona game last year, but I wonder if the switch to Rip Scherer had anything to do with the lack of a Delhomme rebound. Sure Scherer coached Derek Anderson as a one year wonder but really what has he done. Just look at how well both Anderson and Brady Quinn are playing. Right now I can't say I would want either of them over Delhomme (although we do have a better supporting cast than Cleveland does).
Meeks system seem to work when we don't give the ball up in our own territory. I don't have the stats, but I think it might be interesting to see how many long drives the Panthers have given up.
With next season most likely absence of a salary cap, I wonder how freely Jerry Richardson will open his wallet. That could play a big role in how we rebuild for next year.

Breaking Down the Key Plays in the Panthers' First Win

Ryan Basen — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:31:37 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

Washington Redskins' Clinton Portis (26) is tackled by Carolina Panthers' Thomas Davis (58) and Julius Peppers (90) for a safety in the first half Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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This was ugly. The Panthers' first win of the 2009 season was so unsightly that ESPN did not air a single highlight from the game for the first THREE hours of SportsCenter Sunday night.

(Even the Browns-Bills game got a little ESPN love, although that may have been because that game was not just ugly but historically inept).

Sunday's win over Washington was a test of the Panthers' character, however, and probably one of their most fulfilling victories in the John Fox era. While the Redskins were self-destructing, Carolina's special teams and its beleaguered defense made a handful of big plays to secure the victory -- including four that spurred the second-half rally from a 15-point deficit. Here is an in-depth look at those key plays:

The situation: Washington ball, 2nd-and-8 at its own 3. 8:30 to play in the second quarter. 7-0 Washington.

Formations: Washington came out in an I-formation with a tight end on each side and a wideout split left. Carolina stacked nine players in the box, with a corner in press coverage.

What happened: Redskins tailback Cliinton Portis ran a stretch play right and was tackled in the end zone for a safety.

How it happened: Portis took the handoff and followed fullback Mike Sellers towards the edge. Defensive end Julius Peppers shed Washington tackle Stephon Heyer and closed in on Portis. Linebacker Thomas Davis lined up in the middle and shot a gap in the Washington line untouched, coming quickly behind Portis. Sellers continued to run wide, right past Peppers, likely expecting Heyer to block Peppers. Peppers appeared to miss Portis, but slowed him, and Davis cleaned him up.

Analysis: It's hard to understand why the Redskins ran wide this close to their goal line, especially with two backups on the offensive line. But give the Panthers credit for taking advantage and pulling within 7-2 just two plays after a deflating goal-line stand by Washington.

The situation: Washington kicking off from its own 30. 10 minutes left in the third quarter. 17-2 Washington.

Formations: Both teams lined up in ordinary kickoff formations.

What happened: Kenneth Moore returned the kickoff 55 yards to the Washington 40.

How it happened: Moore caught the kick in the right corner at his own 5, ran straight and then took steps to his left. When he got to the 14, he quickly veered right and sprinted through a hole near the sideline. Moore juked kicker Shaun Suisham at the 35 and sprinted down the sideline until Washington's Devin Thomas forced him to step out of bounds.

Analysis: A great play by Moore and two holds that were not called. When he got to the 14, Moore likely saw Sellers flying down the field unblocked to his left. He smartly veered to his right and flew through a hole that was created in part when a teammate tackled a Redskins at the 24. After Moore juked the kicker, another teammate appeared to hold Thomas for several yards as the Redskins receiver gave chase, allowing Moore to run for at least another 10 yards until Thomas knocked him out.

The old adage, of course, is you could call holding on every play in the NFL. So credit Moore and the Panthers for seizing the opportunity that jump started a comeback. Four plays later quarterback Jake Delhomme hit tight end Jeff King for a 17-yard touchdown. The extra point drew Carolina within 17-9 only 90 seconds after Porits had scored on a 1-yard run -- and maybe 89 seconds after thousands of Panthers fans had pondered heading for the exit (THIS time, I would not have blamed them).

As FOX analyst Brian Billick pointed out, "This (kickoff return) is what Carolina had to have."

The situation: 4th-and-3, Washington, at the Carolina 37. 2:30 to play in the third. 17-9 Washington.

Formations: Washington lined up with three receivers, including two on the right side and a tight end on the right. The Panthers stacked seven in the box, with the corners in press coverage.

What happened: Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell threw a slant pass for receiver Santana Moss, but a Panthers lineman knocked it down.

How it happened: After a quick dropback, Campbell fired to his left for Moss, who was split left and fired inside of the Panthers' corner. Center Casey Rabach blocked a Panthers tackle well, but the tackle (whom I could not identify from replays) jumped when Campbell threw and got a hand on the pass. The ball harmlessly fell incomplete.

Analysis: Davis got credit for batting this pass on the telecast, but the blitzing linebacker did not appear to touch it. Credit whichever Panther made this pay, because Moss was in good position to make the catch for the first down.

This play was huge, but just as their was a hero, there was also a goat -- or multiple goats. Washington had countered the King touchdown by moving 36 yards in seven plays for a first down at the Carolina 44. Then tight end Chris Cooley missed a block, leading to a 1-yard loss on a Ladell Betts run. Two players later Cambell hit receiver Antwaan Randle El for 12 yards on third-and-11, moving the ball to the Carolina 33. But the play was negated because left tackled D'Anthony Batiste lined up off the line of scrimmage.

A completion to tight end Fred Davis moved Washington to the 37, setting up the fourth-down play. With an 8-point lead, a defense playing well and a sputtering offense, Zorn could have tried to pin the Panthers deep on a punt. Instead he chose to go for it -- and then burned a timeout to call a play the Redskins had already used multiple times on the drive. You think the Panthers did not expect a slant pass? Check the replay. If Washington had called for Campbell to pump fake, Moss would likely have run wide open down the left sideline.

It's plays like these that make me think Zorn will get fired well before John Fox.

The situation: 4th-and-15, Carolina, at the Carolina 46. 10 minutes to play. 17-12 Washington.

Formations: The teams lined up in ordinary punt and punt return formations.

What happened: Panthers safety Quinton Teal pushed Washington's Byron Westbrook into punt returner Randle El, the ball struck Westbrook's foot and the Panthers recovered it at the Washington 13.

How it happened: Randle El had signalled for a fair catch, meaning no Panther could get too close to him. But the rulebook allows for the punt team to push opponents into the return man, as long as the opponent is engaged in a block. Westbrook and Teal were engaged when Teal shoved him into RandleEl, knocking both Redskins onto the ground. The ball struck Westbrook's heel and caromed towards the end zone, where Carolina recovered it.

Analysis: A great play by Teal and an alert play by his teammates who chased the loose ball. Two plays later the Panthers took the lead on a Jonathan Stewart run and added a 2-point conversion.

On the other side, Zorn burned a second timeout challenging the call because he thought what Teal did was against the rules. He did not challenge the the fumble, because it was clear the ball hit Westbrook.

The situation: Third-and-7, Washington, on the Washington 47. 6 minutes to play. 20-17 Carolina.

Formations: Washington lined up in the shotgun with three receivers (two to the right side), one back and a tight end on the left. The Panthers were in a 4-3 with their corners a couple yards off and safeties deep.

What happened: Campbell scrambled up the middle, but was tackled by defensive ends Tyler Brayton and Everette Brown for a 1-yard gain. Washington then punted.

How it happened: A Panthers tackle beat Washington guard Mike Williams with a quick rush up the middle, flushing Campbell up in the pocket. As Campbell ran, the tackle dove and got just enough of Campbell to make him stagger. Brayton and Brown were able to converge on Campbell and tackle him at the Washington 48.

Analysis: A great play by the tackle, whose identity was skewed by the lack of a good FOX replay. Campbell had a lot of space. Had the tackle not hit him, he likely would have scrambled for the first down and more.

The Panthers also caught a break when the Redskins made another mistake two players earlier. Thomas got open deep and Campbell hit him in stride with a bomb inside the Panthers 20. But Thomas dropped the ball for an incompletion. Even earlier in the drive, Washington burned its last timeout when Campbell could not engineer an audible and beat the play clock.

The Redskins punted after the Campbell scramble and the Panthers burned the final five-plus minutes of the game. They earned the victory. It was ugly, but give them credit. While the Redskins blew several chances in the second half, the Panthers were smart and opportunistic.

Five More Questions Regarding the Panthers

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

More photos » by Alan Diaz - AP

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

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

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

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

Question 7: Who is the #3 wide receiver?

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

Question #8: Who is the #2 QB?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Panther Paw Prints - Week 1 TC Wrap-up Edition

Jaxon — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 12:08:51 -0000

Lots to choose from now. Let's start with Andrew Mason's report that includes lots of juicy stuff:

Beavers had the longest gain of the team scrimmage period, grabbing a 16-yard pass from Hunter Cantwell on the last play of the practice.

If Beavers can show he can handle both the PR and KR duties his stock goes up.

Dan Connor continued working with the first team at middle linebacker and had some solid stops, including one where the force of his hit sent Jamall Lee's helmet flying ...

Conner is going to be a special teams beast!

... The most acrobatic catch of the day belonged to Kenneth Moore, who hung on to a pass from Delhomme during seven-on-seven work in spite of being hit by cornerback C.J. Wilson. Moore, however, was out of bounds, nullifying the acrobatic catch.

Who cares if it was out of bounds if it's a scrimmage? They still count in the reviews. Moore has an outside chance of sticking.

Inside the Panthers: Observations from Fan Fest
- New long-snapper J.J. Jansen looked good snapping the ball on John Kasay's 42-yard field goal, the only scoring of the day.

The more confidence builders the better.

Fox at Fanfest:

Foxhole: Fan Fest
On what the players get out of Fan Fest: It's a first little taste. It's a little sliver of what it's going to really be like. It's a good way to ease into it. They get to come into a stadium with fans here and kind of see what it's like - the pressure of a real game, partially. So from that standpoint it's more game-like.

A guy from Bleacher report went to Panthers TC and offers this assessment of the WR competition:

Notes From Carolina Panthers Training Camp | Bleacher Report
# I don't think it'll be hard for Fox to pick which receivers to release. Kenneth Moore, Marcus Monk, Kevin McMahan, Jason Cherry, and Larry Beavers will all be released. They had some flashes, but nothing great. # Ryan Robinson and Jason Carter are looking great, at both kick returning and receiving. But will Fox keep both of them on the team? I hope so, because they both have huge potential.

I want to see this Beavers kid in action before agreeing with that.

Mason's Minutes: 'D' dominant at Fan Fest
With Williams and Stewart watching, rookie Mike Goodson carried the load, picking up 14 yards on three carries, including a seven-yard, second-and-7 pickup that moved the offense onto the defense's side of the field for the first time in the period.

Nice to see the D take care of business.

Last season the running game was very impressive but looking at this list of accomplishments now seems surreal to a degree. I need to see some more.

Panthers returning the perfect rushing combination | GoUpstate.com | Spartanburg Herald-Journal | Spartanburg SC
The duo helped lead the way to a franchise record for rushing yards in a season, accounting for 2,351 of Carolina’s 2,437 yards, besting the former high, set in 2003, by 346 yards. The Panthers also tallied 30 rushing touchdowns, 13 more than the record, set in 2005.

Williams established individual highs for season rushing yards (1,515), single game rushing yards (186), 100-yard rushing games (eight), average per rush (5.56 yards), rushing touchdowns (18), total touchdowns (20) and consecutive games scoring a touchdown (eight), including a record four in one game.

Stewart set new rookie standards with 836 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns (the third highest overall total in team history).

Here's a guy with a lot to prove this season:

Panthers CB Marshall ready for increased role
"Oh man, his intensity level has picked up," safety Chris Harris said. "Richard, I think he's going to be a great starting corner for us. I always felt we had three starting corners on our team last year and the year before. But now he gets his time to shine."

He better be ready to get picked on.

Linkdump 6/3

MRickman84 — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:10:40 -0000

Moore making most of shot with Panthers | CharlotteObserver.com
Kenny Moore is trying to prove that he belongs. Last year, Moore attended every workout, practice, and team meeting. He prepared for the games just like every other Panther, but he never got his shot on the field.

Ballin' is a Habit: NBA Draft Prospects: Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
This blog thinks Jeff Teague could be a Monta Ellis pre-injury.

The Hoops Report | 2009 NBA Draft Combine: Stock Up, Stock Down
Jeff Teague and James Johnson's stocks are down.

The King holds court - The Denver Post
Arnold Palmer has sage advice for the young Palmer Cup competitors

Joel Francisco: Harrison Barnes and Travis McKie were among the prospects who impressed at the Pangos All-American Camp - ESPN
Travis McKie (6-6, 180, SG/SF) 2010, Richmond, Va./ Marshall With the exception of the all-star game, McKie, a Luol Deng clone, dominated the camp -- including his match up with Harrison Barnes. This willowy wing-type can affect the game on many different levels. He plays with maximum energy at both ends and loves taking on the other team's best player. He has the innate ability to rebound, lead the fast break and deliver a nice assist. Due to his lanky frame, quickness, and above average ball skills, he is deadly slashing to the basket. At the hoop, he can finish with either hand. In addition, he hit a quite a few 3s during the camp and his release looked solid. McKie, who is a Wake Forest commit, will need to get stronger to take the pounding at the next level, but his talent is immense.

Quincy Miller (6-8, 205, PG) 2011, Raleigh, N.C./Quality Education Academy Miller wowed opponents and talent evaluators-alike in Long Beach during the Pangos All-America Camp, with his play over three days forcing anyone in attendance to lump him together with the very best that the national Class of 2011 has to offer. His quickness -- straight ahead, laterally and off of his feet -- borders on the startling. He easily outsprints opponents of his size in transition, and just as readily beat foes to the glass or iron, either while crashing the boards or facing up and attacking an opponent off the dribble. With continued refinement of handling and passing skills, it wouldn't be surprising to see him spend a lot of time as a wing on the college level.

JT Terrell, a 6-3 junior out of Burlington, N.C./ Cummings, put on a shooting display in the all-star game when he dropped in six 3s. He is a tremendous scorer with very long arms.

Melvin Tabb, a 6-8 member of the class of 2010 from Raleigh, NC/ Enloe, had a solid weekend dominating the interior at the camp. He has a strong physique, is an excellent rebounder

Demon Deacons in the NFL

RPhilpott — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:52:26 -0000

Taking a brief respite from the ongoing basketball season, I began thinking about the upcoming NFL Draft and how far Wake Forest football has come in these past few years. The Demon Deacons are sending a staggering 5 players to the NFL Combine which equals the ensemble sent by FSU, Miami, and VT combined.

Before we get into the current Wake Forest prospects (which we will definitely be covering in the upcoming weeks), Wake fans can take a look back at the most recent Deacs to enter the NFL. Last year's draft saw three Wake players get selected: Jeremy Thompson, Kenny Moore, and Steve Justice in successive rounds.

Let's have a quick look at how they are doing after their rookie season in the NFL...

Jeremy Thompson - Unfortunately for Jeremy he suffered from a groin injury in his rookie season. Prior to that he was able to get a few starts for the Packers due to other injuries along the defensive front. After missing a few games, he was unable to get the starting spot back, but still picked up playing time as the season wore on. Brandon from http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/ on SB Nation said that JT:

"was only playing on early downs and they would bring in a LB to pass rush on 3rd downs."

Looking forward to next year Brandon noted,

"He was drafted as a defensive end in a 4-3, but now the Packers are switching to a 3-4. He's listed at 270 lbs. which sounds too heavy for an outside linebacker, but too small as a 3-4 end... I expect they'll think about bulking him up, or slimming him down for LB, but nothing has been said yet. In four drafts run by GM Ted Thompson, he's traded down a bunch of times, but the only player he's ever traded up for is JT, so I don't expect they'll give up on him easily."

I can't wait to see how he adjusts next year and who knows, maybe he'll make a transition from college lineman to NFL OLB like another player we all should remember.

Kenny Moore - Kenny got drafted by the Lions in the 5^th round last year and we all have seen how the Lions like to draft WRs. When I asked Sean Yuille of http://www.prideofdetroit.com/ if he knew exactly why Moore was let go during the season he said that,

"He was released simply because there wasn't room on the roster for him at receiver. His main skill is returning, and the Lions had someone that could return and receive."

But the way Kenny Moore put the Wake team on his back the two years prior it was clear he would be given a chance somewhere. That somewhere happened to be right down the road in Charlotte. With the Carolina Panthers he will have the opportunity to learn from one of the best undersized wide receivers in the league in Steve Smith. Kenny knows that it will take a lot of effort to make it as he said in an interview during the season with the Winston-Salem Journal (Home Cooking),

"My main thing right now is to show them I can contribute down the line," he said. "It's all still real new to me with a new offense, new team. I have to show them that I can pick up the offense and I can step in there and contribute. You've just got to come in ready to work each day and ready to show the coaches that your focus is 100 percent here."

Steve Justice - Justice was the leader of an offensive line that gave Riley Skinner enough time to become one of the most accurate passers in the country. Because of this he was taken in the 6^th round by the Indianapolis Colts. Justice ended up appearing in eight games throughout the season and picked up one start. Steve shifted over to guard in the NFL even though he had an early shot to get some starts at center with Jeff Saturday injured to start the year. Brad (aka BigBlueShoe) from http://www.stampedeblue.com/ said that Justice

"was also passed over for a guy drafted later than him: Jamey Richard. Richard was a lineman drafted in the 7th round out of Buffalo. In training camp, he passed Steve as the back-up center."

Brad said that if he wants to see his playing time increase, Steve will have to put in extra effort in the off-season. Justice is learning what it is like to be in a winning NFL environment and Deacon fans know he has the intelligence to play at a very high level. Once he gets the work in, he will be ready. Colts.com interviewed Steve leading up to the playoffs.

"Justice said a rookie who thinks of the NFL postseason as something similar to a college bowl game quickly learns the difference.

"You look at it like, ‘This is kind of like a bowl,' but it's totally different," he said. "It's not anything like a bowl. With a bowl, you're kind of having fun. Not that we're not having fun, but it (a bowl) is kind of like a vacation with a game. This is business and if you lose you're done. The season's over.

"You worked so hard to get to this point and to make it here, you don't want to make it so that you mess up and lose your opportunity."

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=article7&news_id=a0a5499f-8701-4d26-8623-c2df10bf2099

With the hard work, Justice will eventually get his opportunity to play alongside the veterans in the playoffs.

In the Jeremy Thompson snippet I referenced a former Deacon lineman who became a LB in the pros.

Jyles Tucker- second year player for the San Diego Charges. Brian (aka DaBolts) from http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/ described his impact way better than I would be able to, so here is the review:

"As an unsigned free agent, Tucker has done better than anyone expected. A bit too small to play the line in a 3-4 he was nicely positioned to bring pressure from the outside linebacker position. Certainly AJ Smith liked what he saw when he gave him the big contract in the off season last year. Tucker has done very well, but he got put in a tough spot this season. In 2007 he played out of his mind every time he had an opportunity. He had an amazing game against the Raiders where he had three sacks, a strip and a TD, he also had another forced fumble that season with very limited playing time. This year when Shawne Merriman went down with knee surgery, Tucker was his replacement, folks expected him to keep up that pace. Merriman is one of the premier Outside Linebackers in the NFL so those were huge shoes to fill.

They switched Shaun Phillips over from weak side to strong side and had Tucker play weak side. Tucker had hamstring problems intermittently throughout the season which limited his production. He was much better in straight passing downs when he was blitzing, but had a tendency to overpursue against the run, struggled some with open field tackles and was totally lacking in coverage. Tucker put together a solid season, if he had another year to develop behind Phillips and Merriman it would have been much better. When Ron Rivera moved Tucker to the strong side and had Phillips on the weak side, both seemed to pick up their play. Jyles came up huge in the Chargers one playoff win against the Colts; he made a number of stops but also forced Manning to move around in the pocket. Next season Merriman should be back and Tucker can work on some of his weak spots. Right now he is a solid backup and potential starter. As far as fans go, Tucker suffered from unreasonably high expectations, still he is well respected by all the regulars on Bolts from the Blue."

It's hard to say anything on top of that. Because of his hard work switching from college defensive tackle to NFL linebacker Tucker was rewarded by the Chargers with a five year $14.65 million contract.

Congratulations to all the Deacons enjoying life in the NFL and thanks to all the bloggers the helped me out. Check out their stuff.

Thursday Notes: Kitna Gets an MRI, Misses Practice

Sean Yuille — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 05:47:40 -0000

Jon Kitna had an MRI on Wednesday and is questionable for Sunday's game against the Vikings. He missed practice due to his back injury and may not be healthy enough to play this weekend. Dan Orlovsky and Drew Stanton split the reps in practice to fill in for Kitna. Orlovsky is still suffering from the effects of a couple different injuries, but in all likelihood he will be ready for Sunday.
No, Roy Williams, the Lions will not go 12-4, 11-5, or 10-6. In fact, they will be lucky to win more than a few games, so I would just worry about that right now.
The Panthers signed fifth-round draft pick and wide receiver Kenneth Moore from the Lions practice squad.
Shaun Cody, Travis Fisher, Jon Kitna, Edwin Mulitalo, Casey FitzSimmons, Dan Orlovsky, Stephen Peterman, and Roy Williams are all on the Lions' initial injury report for this week.
Erin Henderson, Bernard Berrian, Vinny Ciurciu, Ray Edwards, Jim Kleinsasser, Sidney Rice, Benny Sapp, John Sullivan, and Madieu Williams are on Minnesota's injury report right now.
Contrary to a report in the Dayton Daily News, the 49ers do not have interest in trading for Roy Williams.
It has only been four games, but Leigh Bodden definitely has not lived up to the hype. Even worse, the Lions gave him a big contract in the offseason before he did anything on the field for them.
Mike Furrey doesn't understand what keeps going wrong for the Lions on game day.
Steve Mariucci thinks the Lions can win if they bring in the right personnel. He's correct in a "Captain Obvious" sort of way, but he does raise a good point that the Lions need someone that can bring in the right personnel. Matt Millen didn't bring in any of the right players or coaches, and even Rod Marinelli has brought in players that don't seem to be all that good.

If Detroit can hire a GM that in turn hires the right coach and signs and drafts the right players, then yes, the Lions can become winners. However, it would take an awful lot for all of those things to go correctly, and based on the past, it seems unlikely that Detroit will become a winner anytime soon.
The Red Wings begin their season tonight and will raise a banner honoring last season's Stanley Cup-winning team before the game. For more on the Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown.
No thanks to the Lions, the Sporting News ranked Detroit as the second best sports city behind Boston.

Lions Release 20, Place 2 on IR to Trim Roster to 53 Players

Sean Yuille — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:39:01 -0000

The Lions announced their 53-man roster today after releasing 20 players and placing 2 on the injured reserve. The two players placed on the IR were running backs Brian Calhoun and Aveion Cason. With both Calhoun and Cason done for the year, you would have thought that Artose Pinner would make the team, but he didn't. That means the Lions will carry only two running backs going into the regular season.

Here is the full list of the players released today by Detroit:

QB Drew Henson
RB Artose Pinner
WR Ron Bellamy
WR Devale Ellis
WR Brandon Middleton
WR Kenneth Moore
WR John Standeford
TE Clark Harris
OT Jonathan Scott
OG Frank Davis
OG Corey Hulsey
DE Victor DeGrate
DE Rudolph Hardie
LB Darnell Bing
LB Buster Davis
LB Leon Joe
CB Dovonte Edwards
CB Kiwaukee Thomas
S Greg Blue
S LaMarcus Hicks

I'll post a full analysis of what all of this means tomorrow.