The Panther Prowler

The Elevator: Panthers Use 'Controlled Chaos' to Clip Falcons; Lose LT Gross

The Carolina Panthers may have finally found a formula for success in 2009: chaos.  Steve Smith called the Panthers' no-huddle offense they displayed on Sunday "controlled chaos," saying that the fast paced ever-changing game plan kept the Falcons' defenders guessing all afternoon.  Jake Delhomme handled the two minute-like offense masterfully, as he usually does, and completed his third straight game without a turnover. 

Speaking of Smith, the frustrated wideout caught his second and third touchdown passes of the year on Sunday, both four-yard hits from Delhomme.  Delhomme finished the day 15-of-24 for 195 yards and those two touchdowns, completing 62.5% of his passes and heading home with a quarterback rating of 115.8.  It was Delhomme's first game this season that saw him end up with a quarterback rating of over 100 after accomplishing the feat six times in 2008.

The Panthers got their usual healthy dose of Double Trouble, rushing for 185 yards on 34 carries complimented by a pair of Jonathan Stewart touchdowns.  Stewart finished the game with 82 yards on 11 carries while DeAngelo Williams recorded 92 yards on 19 carries.  It was Stewart's 45-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter that sealed the game for Carolina.

The win did not come easy for Carolina, as they dealt with a pesky Falcons offense all day.  Michael Turner had 111 yards on just nine carries before leaving with a high ankle sprain in the second quarter that could force him to miss multiple games.  Jason Snelling filled in nicely for Turner in the absence of Jerious Norwood, gaining 61 yards on 18 carries the rest of the way.  It was obvious that the Panthers' run defense missed Thomas Davis' production.

The Panthers were able to head to the locker room at halftime with a 21-10 lead thanks to an offense that was performing like a unit not seen in recent memory in Carolina.  That seemingly well-oiled machine petered out in the second half, as the Panthers would tally just seven points in the second half while staving off a Falcons' rally.

The Falcons' first three drives in the second half were all ten plays or more and took up a total of over 17 minutes, but yielded only 10 points.  Atlanta burst out of the gates, driving 74 yards to the Carolina six-yard line before being stopped in their tracks and being forced to settle for a field goal that made it 21-13.  The Panthers tried to return the favor on their next possession, but John Kasay had his second field goal of the year blocked on a 51-yard attempt.

That would start the Falcons off with good field position that they would capitalize on, embarking on an 11-play, 59-yard drive that ended with Matt Ryan's only touchdown pass of the day, a three-yard toss to tight end Justin Peelle just as the fourth quarter was getting underway that brought the Falcons to within two points at 21-19.  The ensuing two-point conversion was snuffed out by a solid tackle by Chris Gamble on a swing pass to Snelling.

The Panthers could not get much going on their next drive and were forced to punt it away.  Jason Baker made the first of two huge plays on the day when he pinned the Falcons at their own four to start a critical drive.  Ryan completed a third and 11 from his own three on his way to leading Atlanta down the field into field goal range.  Elam lined up for a 34-yard field goal but mistimed the play and pulled the ball badly to the left, allowing Carolina to maintain their two-point lead.

Still, the Panthers offense could not get off the ground, going three and out and being forced to punt once more.  Enter Baker once more, this time from a more defensive position as he represented the last man to beat for the Falcons' Eric Weems, who was on his way to the end zone following poor punt coverage when Baker shoved him and sent him flying into the sideline at the Panthers' 49-yard line with just under four minutes to go in the game.

The Falcons had yet another chance to take the lead, but Ryan would toss his second interception of the day on the first play of the drive.  Richard Marshall picked off the overthrown ball at the Panthers' 21 and carried it to the 49.  After two short runs by Williams, Stewart burst through a hole created by the young Mackenzy Bernadeau and sprinted to the endzone for the 45-yard game-clinching touchdown.

The victory did not come without a price for Carolina, as they lost left tackle Jordan Gross to a broken left ankle in the second quarter.  Travelle Wharton moved over to left tackle in his absence and Bernadeau took over at left guard.  Wharton was whistled for a holding penalty in his first play at left tackle and would get called for another later in the game.  The loss of Gross marks the second key cog the Panthers have lost in as many weeks after losing Thomas Davis in New Orleans a week ago.

Sherrod Martin recorded his team-leading third interception of the year in just his third career start Sunday, setting up a Panthers' touchdown late in the first half. 

Tyrell Sutton lined up for every Panthers' kickoff return, however Atlanta's Michael Koenen never gave him a chance to do anything with the ball, recording touchbacks each time he kicked off.  He also rendered the punt return game useless, as Captain Munnerlyn was unable to attempt a return on either of Koenen's two punts.

The Panthers' win, mixed in with a few other NFC losses, means that the playoff outlook for Carolina is starting to become a little less murky.  At 4-5, the Panthers are now just one game out of the final Wild Card spot.  If other top NFC contenders continue to falter while the Panthers continue to heat up, the outlook on the last month of the season could quickly turn from dull and gloomy to exciting and hopeful.  Carolina seems to have found lightning in a bottle with the no-huddle offense, and should stick with what works as they continue to try to make up for their poor play out of the gate.

Let's take a look at the positives and negatives from an uplifting Panthers victory.


Going Up...
/\  Jake Delhomme.  Jake has always been confident and relaxed in the two-minute drill.  It's now apparent that that confidence holds true when you extend the two-minute drill to the 60 minute drill.  Call me crazy, but at some times on Sunday Jake looked a lot like a fellow in the midwest who wears number 18 and sports a horseshoe on the side of his helmet...For three weeks in a row, now, Delhomme has been mostly effective and turnover free, leading to a level of play that goes way beyond what we saw the beginning of the year.  The quarterback is the leader of every team, and with Jake playing with a renewed sense of ability and confidence, the sky is the limit for Carolina.

/\  Muhsin Muhammed.  "Moose" made it known publicly earlier in the week that he would like the Panthers to become more agressive in the passing game, insisting that he and his fellow receivers, along with Jake, had the ability to turn their early production around.  He backed that statement up with an exclamation point on Sunday in his return from a knee injury that saw him miss two games, catching six passes for 91 yards to lead the team in both categories. 

/\  The Jake-to-Smitty Connection.  One of, if not the all-time fan favorite quarterback-to-receiver connection in Panthers history seems to be back in sync after a rocky-at-best start to the season.  Jake found Smith twice in the end zone on Sunday in Jake's first multi-touchdown game of the year.  If this duo can get on the same page again and start producing the electrifying plays they have always been known for, this Panthers team could turn into a dark horse in December.

/\  Defense.  When the Panthers offense sputtered in the second half, the defense picked up the slack.  Although the Falcons were able to sustain drives on their first three possesions, they came away with only ten points and were twice halted on long drives and forced to attempt field goals.  Carolina also recorded two interceptions, both of which came on the first play of drives, and both of which set up Panther touchdowns.

/\  Chris Gamble.  Gamble was a busy man on Sunday afternoon, recording 25% of his season tackles with eight.  He also stuffed Jason Snelling on the two-point conversion that would have tied the game, which almost makes up for a pass interference call he received in the second quarter on a fourth down play that would eventually allow the Falcons' to score their first touchdown of the game.  After recording seven tackles during a four game stretch, Gamble has 14 in his last two games.

/\  Jonathan Stewart.  Stewie is back on the right side of The Elevator this week after his second two-touchdown performance in the last three weeks.  Including his 45-yard game winner, Stewart averaged over seven yards per carry on 11 attempts.  If you take that run away, he was still averaging almost four yards a clip. 

/\  DeAngelo Williams.  Another solid performance from the other half of Double Trouble as well, racking up just shy of 100 yards on 19 carries.  Williams has solidified himself as one of the top backs in the league in the last few weeks, returning to the form that produced his breakout season in 2008.  DeAngelo is currently tied for fourth in rushing yards in the NFL and ranks fifth in touchdowns.

/\  Sherrod Martin.  The rookie has three starts and three picks, need I say more?  Martin has brought a nose for the ball to the free safety position that Charles Godfrey just didn't seem to have, and may retain the starting job when Godfrey is healthy if he continues to play at a high level. 

/\  Coaching.  The coaching staff came up with another excellent game plan to expose the opponent's weakness, in this case: the Falcons pass defense.  They may have stumbled upon something in the no-huddle offense and should look to incorporate that scheme into future gameplans, especially against formidable defenses like the Patriots and the Jets.


Going Down...
\/  Injury bug.  The Panthers are catching fire at the right time, but it will be hard to maintain the flame if they lose too many more key pieces to injury.  After losing two potential Pro Bowl-ers in consecutive weeks, it is imperative that the remaining starters stay healthy.

\/  Special Teams.  Another woeful day for special teams was kept out of the limelight by Jason Baker's potentially game-saving tackle of Eric Weems on a punt return late in the game.  The Panthers allowed another field goal to be blocked, and also allowed another punt to be down inside the five when the returner could have made the fair catch outside of the ten.  With the Panthers entering do-or-die territory down the stretch, special teams can not be the weak link that leads to a game changing play.

\/  Putting games away.  Aside from the Arizona game, the Panthers have had to hold their breath until the end of every victory they have recorded this season.  A late bootleg from Delhomme let them exhale against Washington, a late touchdown in Tampa did the same, and now the clinching 45-yard Stewart dash has done the trick against Atlanta.  To re-enter the playoff conversation on a serious level, the Panthers need to take it to someone and be able to enjoy a victory in the fourth quarter rather than scramble to save it.  The Panthers are being outscored 49-14 in the second halves of games in the month of November.  Opponents are making adjustments at half time, but it doesn't seem like the Panthers are doing too much of that.

\/  Travelle Wharton.  I don't want to make too much of a big deal about Wharton's mistakes seeing as how he was moved out to tackle in an emergency situation after not practicing at that spot for some time.  However, with Jordan Gross gone for the year, Wharton will be the big man in charge of Delhomme's blind side.  Wharton was whistled for a holding call on the first play from scrimmage after Gross went out, and racked up another before the game was over.  For all intents and purposes, that's two holding calls in one half, meaning he'd average four per game.  There's no way the Panthers can absorb that and continue their improved offensive play.  Wharton will need to have a good, albeit short, week of practice and get accustomed to the tackle spot again inside a small window of time.


Up Next...
The Panthers will have a short week this week, playing Thursday night on NFL Network against the Miami Dolphins, who will visit Charlotte in the regular season for the first time since 1998.  The game is huge for both teams, as both are resting at 4-5 and looking to make a push towards the playoffs.  The Panthers will be looking to contain the Wildcat that has brought the Dolphins to prominence in the last couple of years.  Former Carolina offensive coordinator Dan Henning is the wizard behind the curtain for the Dolphins, and Henning will face his former team in the regular season for the first time since leaving after the 2006 season.   The Panthers have never beaten the Dolphins in the regular season, one of only two teams that hold that distinction (Houston is the other).

The Elevator: Panthers Lose Game, LB Davis in New Orleans

The Carolina Panthers aren't nearly the team they were for the first three weeks of the 2009 season.  They are far removed from the dreadful 0-3 start and the horrible play calling that doomed them to it.

With that being said, the Panthers are also a long way from being the team that went 12-4 and captured the NFC South title last season.

The Panthers traveled to New Orleans this weekend to take on one of the NFL's only two remaining undefeated teams in the Saints, a division rival they have had great success against recently—especially in the Superdome.  After racing to a lead that still sat at 17-6 heading into halftime, the Panthers succumbed to their nemesis that had been absent the last few weeks:  turnovers.  The Panthers fumbled five times Sunday, losing three of them.  The only difference was that this time, the turnovers came from unusual suspects.

DeAngelo Williams had a great day rushing the ball, and a great game overall...if you can look past his two critical errors.  Williams picked up 149 yards on 21 carries while scoring two touchdowns.  His first score came on the second play of the game as Williams raced 66 yards for the score, silencing the rowdy home crowd.  He would score again in the first quarter, this time from seven yards out to make it 14-0 in favor of the Panthers.  As a whole, Williams would pick up just over seven yards per carry on the day, and if you subtract the long touchdown run, he still averaged over four yards per carry.  Pretty impressive, right?

Right.  Now comes the cloud cover.  The Panthers had embarked on an epic drive to answer the Saints' four-play, eighty-yard drive to start the third quarter.  A botched first down exchange near the goal line between quarterback Jake Delhomme and Jonathan Stewart resulted in a six-yard loss for Carolina, who would eventually find themselves facing third-and-goal from the six.  Delhomme dropped back to pass and, after going through all of his reads, checked down to Williams who had come free just inside the endzone.  Delhomme fired a pass to Williams, but the pass bounced off his chest, falling incomplete and forcing the Panthers to settle for three points instead of a touchdown.  That play turned out to be huge, as it would allow New Orleans to stay within one score at 20-13.

Fast forward to the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.  The Saints are ahead by a field goal and the Panthers have just forced a three-and-out to get the ball back with two minutes to go.  Captain Munnerlyn makes an iffy call to let the ball bounce at around the 13-yard line rather than fielding a fair catch, allowing Saints' rookie Malcom Jenkins to save the ball from going into the endzone and force Carolina to start from the shadow of their own goal posts.

With their backs against the wall, the Panthers choose to hand the ball off to Williams to get some breathing room.  That's when disaster strikes.  Williams was virtually stuffed at the line of scrimmage and the flailing arm of the Saints' Anthony Hargrove jarred the ball loose from his grip then scooped it up and took a step into the endzone to put New Orleans up by ten and all but seal the game.

The lost fumble was Williams' third of the season after going more than 500 carries without one, and it couldn't have come at a worse time.  Stewart also lost a fumble on the day and had one of the more disappointing outings of his short career, gaining just 24 yards on 13 carries.

Delhomme did not throw an interception for the second consecutive week, but did not have a touchdown pass either.  He was charged with the other lost fumble on the day for Carolina, but it will go down as a meaningless stat since it was fourth down and he fumbled the ball while being sacked, meaning the Saints would have received the ball at that spot anyways.  Delhomme completed 17 of 30 passes for 201 yards.

His counterpart, Drew Brees, was more deadly as he completed 24 of 35 for 330 yards, one touchdown and an interception to Chris Gamble that halted an early Saints drive that seemed destined for at least three points.

It was a tale of two halves for Brees and the Panthers' defense.  After allowing only six points on two John Carney field goals in the first half, Carolina's ability to keep the Saints' receivers in check faltered.  Brees found Devery Henderson on the third play of the third quarter, on a third down nonetheless, for a 63-yard gain, setting up Pierre Thomas' 10-yard touchdown run on the next play.  After the Panthers' long drive that ended with just three points, the Saints tied it up with another long third down play, this time a 54-yard touchdown pass from Brees to Robert Meachem.

From that point, the Saints played like the undefeated team they were and still are, coming up with an answer to everything the Panthers tried to throw at them while turning in a performance that could be considered a textbook example of a "bend-but-don't-break defense."  Twice in the fourth quarter the Panthers were forced to give the ball back to the Saints after crossing midfield.

After the fumble recovery for a touchdown with just under two minutes to go, the Panthers got the ball back and marched down the field, with Delhomme at one point completing four straight passes, including two in a row to Dwayne Jarrett.  The Panthers moved all the way to the Saints' eight yard line then elected to run the ball with 41 seconds remaining and no timeouts.  Williams reached the two and the Panthers spiked the ball with 26 seconds remaining.  Delhomme's next two passes fell incomplete, however, and the Panthers turned the ball over to New Orleans on downs, allowing Brees to take a knee and celebrate the Saints' first 8-0 start in franchise history.

Another bit of bad news for the Panthers was Thomas Davis' knee injury.  It didn't look good when he was lying on the ground clutching the injured limb, it didn't look good when he looked visibly shaken after the game and declined to talk to reporters, and it didn't look good Monday when an MRI revealed that he had torn his ACL, meaning Carolina will be without their most productive defensive player for the rest of the season.  Landon Johnson replaced him Sunday and will likely replace him in the starting lineup.

For all intents and purposes, the Panthers should be somewhat satisfied with a performance that gave the best team in the NFC a bonafide run for it's money.  The game was closer than the ten-point separation that showed on the Superdome scoreboard at its conclusion, and the Panthers showed that their number one pass defense could turn in a decent performance against one of the more explosive quarterbacks in the league.  On the other hand, the loss goes down as the fifth of the year for Carolina, already more than they had all of last season.  With the wild card teams currently resting at 5-3, the Panthers find themselves in an unfavorable position as they prepare to enter a less-than-friendly second half schedule that includes two trips to the Meadowlands, one to Foxboro, and primetime matchups against the gritty Dolphins and the Vikings.  That's not to mention the return legs of the Falcons' and Saints' season series.

Nothing is impossible in this league, as has been evidenced several times before, but the view of the postseason is becoming foggier each week for the Panthers.  Let's take a look at the positives and negatives from Sunday's tough loss.


Going Up...

/\  Tyrell Sutton.  The mystery of who would start at fullback for the Panthers was answered on the first play of the game, as Sutton tallied a slew of firsts.  He was active for his first career NFL game, made his first NFL start, got his first NFL carry and picked up his first nine NFL yards all on the first play of the game.  Sutton filled in nicely at fullback for the Panthers, blocking the way for DeAngelo to amass 149 yards on the ground while running for 15 yards on three carries and catching a pass for eleven more.  The rookie out of Northwestern didn't look much like a guy playing in his first NFL game, and with the way the return game is going, I'd be okay with letting him return some kicks once one or both of our fullbacks are back healthy.

/\  Jon Beason.  Beason led the Panthers will 11 solo tackles on Sunday, and also had a fumble recovery and a pass deflection.  With Thomas Davis now out for the year, Beason will have to step up to an even higher level to keep the Carolina linebacking corps as one of the best in the game.  Based on what we've seen from him so far in his career, he will have no problem taking on the challenge.

/\  Offensive line.  Jake was sacked only twice and seemed to have ample time to throw the ball for most of the day.  DeAngelo tallied another big running day and, for the second straight week, a 65+ yard run.  The line looked a little shaky at the beginning of the season, but is starting to return to form from last year.

/\  Gary Barnidge.  Next time you get a chance, check out Gary's hands.  They are absolutely huge, which helped him reel in two very tough catches on Sunday.  He finished with three receptions for 46 yards, and will fit in nicely for this team for years to come.

/\  Jake Delhomme.  For the second week in a row, Jake played mistake free football.  As I said above, he will be charged with a lost fumble on one of his two sacks but it wouldn't have made any difference whether he held onto the ball or not since it was a fourth down play.  Delhomme seemed to go through his reads with more patience and wasn't afraid to throw check downs when he needed to.  His deep ball has apparently lost most of its touch, however.  Sunday was the first time all season that the Saints had not recorded an interception.

/\  Dwayne Jarrett.  Dwayne set a career high for receptions with four, and gained 30 yards Sunday.  He was also a target on two straight plays in the Panthers' last minute desperation attempt at a comeback.  On top of all that, Jarrett turned in a solid blocking performance and even broke a tackle to gain a couple of extra yards.  He still has lots of room for improvement, especially with being able to out-muscle defensive backs who are much smaller than him.  He's got a Randy Moss-style body and showed great hands in college, his game just needs to hurry up and translate to the pros before its too late.

/\  DeAngelo Williams.  For the majority of the game Sunday, Williams was a monster.  He finished with 149 yards and two touchdowns, including a 66-yard scamper on the second play of the game.  While that is all well and good...


Going Down...

\/  DeAngelo Williams.  ...he was also the culprit on two plays that directly affected the outcome of the game.  He dropped a third-and-goal pass on the goal line that would have put the Panthers up by 11 instead of seven, and fumbled the ball on his own one yard line on the first play of the Panthers' final attempt at a comeback late in the fourth quarter.  From hero to zero in the blink of an eye...

\/  Jonathan Stewart.  J-Stew was unusually ineffective Sunday, averaging less than two yards per carry in his 13 attempts.  He had a ten yard carry in the mix, meaning that in his other 12 attempts he gained just 14 yards.  To make matters worse, Stewart also lost a fumble, another uncharacteristic move for the second-year back.

\/  Julius Peppers.  As good as he is when he's on, he's as bad when he's not.  When you're making $1 million per game, you had better play like it or you are going to be the target of a lot of criticism.  Just goes to show you how quick good can be erased when you open up a can of worms like Julius did in the offseason.  That's two games now where you'd think he'd be playing lights out—in Dallas in front of the world on Monday Night Football, and in New Orleans against the best team in the NFC—but he's ended up disappearing.  Peppers finished with one tackle and one quarterback pressure after having six sacks in the last month.  How many owners, GM's, coaches, and fans are going to be happy paying $1 million per tackle?  I can count them on one hand and have five fingers left over...

\/  Turnovers.  One way or the other, the turnovers just seem to be the elephant in the room for this team this year.  We seem to have gotten our quarterback to understand what color jerseys we are wearing, but now our usually rock-solid running backs have gotten a case of fumbilitis.  You can't win games in the NFL when you turn the ball over three times, and you certainly can't expect to beat a team like the Saints while doing it.

\/  Kick/Punt Returning.  Whether it's Kenny Moore, Captain Munnerlyn, or Mike Goodson, somebody is going to have to eventually step up and do something when it comes to returning the ball.  Every now and then it sure would be nice to be able to start from somewhere outside of our own 20-25 yard line.  I'm not asking for a Devin Hester, I'd just like to have even a Mark Jones back.  Somebody who at least poses a slight threat.  Munnerlyn was scared to try to haul in the fair catch at the Panthers 13-yard line late in Sunday's game, allowing the Saints to down the ball at the two yard line, which led to the DW disaster.  It seems like the confidence level for these guys is awfully low, and that's probably because we don't have 'A' kick returner.  One time its Captain, then its Kenny, then its Mike...Name one guy the kick and punt returner and let him get all the reps.  Or why not let Sutton get a couple of opportunities doing it?  Can't get any worse...

\/  Blown lead.  This one applies to just about everyone who had something to do with Sunday's game.  Yes, the Saints are a highly explosive team that can put up points in a hurry, but it just doesn't bode well when you find yourself closing out a game that you led 17-3 at one point in a ten-point hole at 30-20.  That means the Saints outscored the Panthers 27-3 from that point on, including 24-3 in the second half.  That's the type of loss that demoralizes a team.


Up Next...

The Panthers will return to Charlotte for a pair of home games, their last two-game stretch at Bank of America Stadium all year.  The Atlanta Falcons will be in town next Sunday for a 1:00PM EST kickoff.  That game will go a long way towards straightening out the picture in the NFC South.  If the Panthers were to win that game and the Saints, who already hold a three game lead and the tiebreaker against the Falcons, beat the lowly Rams, New Orleans would hold a four-game lead in the division with seven to play.  The way the Saints have played thus far in 2009, that should be more than enough to bring them a division title.

Michael Turner will come to Charlotte fresh off of back to back monster weeks running the football; a tall order for a Panthers defense who has been suspect against the run throughout the season.

Saints Could Be In Double Trouble Against Visiting Panthers

The Carolina Panthers seem to have re-established their identity as a run-heavy team.  Twice in the last three weeks, the Panthers have eclipsed the 265 yard mark on the ground, racking up 267 in Tampa Bay and 270 last week in Arizona. 

Sandwiched in the middle of those great performance is a game that can be summed up with a single character: ?

The Panthers threw the ball 44 times at home against the league's worst rush defense and wound up losing painfully to the Bills, 20-9.  After that game, it was unclear whether Jake Delhomme would remain the team's starting quarterback, or if this squad had anything left in the tank for the once-promising 2009 season.

After the performance that was put on in Arizona, the question of whether or not this team has the ability to make something of this season has been answered.  Carolina played just like the 2008 team that was supposed to carry them to a Super Bowl before being crashed and burned by the Cardinals.  Delhomme wasn't forced to make a lot of throws, but made the ones that counted when he needed to.  He spent most of the afternoon turning around and handing the ball to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, who carried the Panthers to their third win of the season.

The dynamic duo of Williams and Stewart, known as Double Trouble, is among the top running back combinations in the league.  Williams is sixth in the league in rushing yardage with 619 yards, while Stewart is averaging just under five yards a carry in a not-so-backup role.  The Panthers have moved past the easiest part of their schedule and will play a second consecutive road game Sunday against one of the last two remaining undefeated teams, the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints and Panthers have been division rivals since the re-alignment in 2002 that created the NFC South.  There have been several memorable games between them and this Sunday's game has the potential to rank among the best given the statistical fodder in play. 

Drew Brees and the Saints are known league-wide for their explosive passing game, with Brees toting a quarterback rating of 107.6 and having thrown for a league-high sixteen touchdowns.  New Orleans has also picked up some of the slack on defense, which was the only phase of the game holding them back from being a playoff team a year ago.  The one area of the defense still slacking is the run defense.

The Panthers' rushing attack seems to be back in the forefront of the coaches' gameplan, while their passing defense is ranked number one in the league.

That equation could potentially set the stage for a thrilling strength-vs.-strength matchup.  No defense in the league, regardless of ranking, can go into a game against New Orleans expecting to hold Brees in check for an entire game.  The key is to figure out how to counter attack them when you have the ball, rest your defense, and take care of the ball so as not to give that well-oiled machine a short field.

What better prescription than a heavy dose of the running game?

The Saints, seemingly unstoppable for the first few weeks of the season, have shown weakness in the last couple of games and have made it known that they are, indeed, beatable.

In the last two weeks, the Dolphins and the Falcons have had enormous success running the ball.  The Dolphins came closer to beating the Saints than any other team has this year, forcing a late rally by Brees and company that kept their undefeated record in tact.

Ronnie Brown carried the ball 16 times for only 48 yards and one touchdown, but Ricky Williams ran nine times for 80 yards and three touchdowns.  All together, the Dolphins racked up 137 yards and four touchdowns on 30 carries, good for a little over four-and-a-half yards per carry.

The Falcons followed that performance with more of a one-man battering ram approach, with Michael Turner racking up 151 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.  That is over seven-and-a-half yards per touch, and in total the Falcons averaged just under seven yards a carry as a team on 24 attempts.

With numbers like that, it's hard to think that Double Trouble won't cause a problem for the Saints defense on Sunday. 

Cardinals defenders said after the Panthers victory that they "knew what was coming, and still couldn't stop it."  This means that Carolina's offensive line, touted as one of the best last year and having returned all five starters, is back in top form. 

The Panthers will likely run the ball 40+ times again for the third time in the last four games, meaning the Saints' defense will have to be ready for a long, physically draining game.  Both backup defensive tackles, Sedrick Ellis and Kendrick Clancy, have missed practice time this week due to injuries, which could mean increased reps for the starters that will lead to additional fatigue. 

The Saints aren't the only ones with injury problems, as the Panthers are missing both of their fullbacks this week in practice.  Dante Rosario, a second string tight end, could fill in at the fullback role but he, too, has missed the practice week so far.  That leaves the Panthers with limited options and could force them to sign a fullback to blaze the trail for Double Trouble this week.  The only other course of action could be placing Jeff King at fullback or perhaps going with formations that put Williams and Stewart in the game at the same time.

Look for the Panthers to continue to split the carries between Williams and Stewart similarly to the way they always have.  Williams will start the game and have at least a handful more carries than Stewart, while Stewart will be in on most short yardage and goal line situations. 

If the Panthers can continue to expose the Saints' rushing defense and can live up to their ranking of number one pass defense, then the result Sunday in New Orleans could be much different than you may have thought a couple of weeks ago. 

Panthers' Defense Must Allow Double Trouble To Punish Dallas

The Carolina Panthers' season has not started quite the way they envisioned it would. 

Last year's NFC South division champion and the recipient of a first round playoff bye has opened up 2009 in far from impressive fashion.  Back to back losses, albeit to playoff teams from 2008, has fans in Charlotte up in arms and calling for heads across the board. 

Regardless of which name you choose to drag through the mud, be it Jake Delhomme, Julius Peppers, John Fox, Marty Hurney, or even Jerry Richardson, chances are there are valid points out there to backup your case.

That's what this team has been reduced to.  Instead of showing up on Sundays to pull for the home team, or flocking to the local bars in droves to outnumber opposing fans for away games, this fan base has morphed into a pessimistic group of head hunters. 

The Panthers made strides between their season opener and their loss last week in Atlanta, but that fact was overshadowed by the fact that Julius Peppers, making roughly $1 million per game, didn't have a sack and only recorded two tackles. 

A victory in Dallas has the potential to completely turn the tables in Charlotte and across Panther Nation. 

Wade Phillips, Tony Romo, and the rest of "America's Team" have their own questions swirling around them.  Much like the Panthers, their first two games have been riddled with a poor pass rush and shaky quarterback play.  The only glaring difference is that the Cowboys were graced with Tampa Bay in Week One and were able to notch a victory.

The Panthers defense will be the key on Sunday night but not necessarily because of their production.  The defense will be instrumental in making sure the Panthers' most effective weapon can reach its maximum potential.

That weapon, of course, is none other than the double-edged sword that has been dubbed "Double Trouble."  The running back combo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart burst onto the scene last year and is widely regarded as one of the top duos in the game.  The two combined for over 2,300 yards last year while punching in 28 touchdowns.

The two have picked up where they left off last year but have not had the chance to shine because the Panthers have been playing from behind for most of the year.

Williams has two touchdowns in two games while averaging 3.9 yards per carry, while Stewart is averaging about 5.0 yards per carry but hasn't reached the promised land yet.

The Panthers' best chance to come away from Dallas with a tally in the win column lies in the hands (or legs) of this tandem.  The only way they will get the chance to lead the team to victory is if the defense can keep Romo and friends from jumping out to an early lead. 

Though the Panthers put forth a better offensive effort last Sunday in Atlanta, the team was forced to call 41 pass plays compared to just 25 run plays due to the balance of the scoreboard being tipped in the Falcons' direction.  Williams averaged 4.9 yards per carry and Stewart averaged over seven, but the flow of the game wouldn't allow the running backs to be featured like the Panthers would have preferred.

The Cowboys' defense is giving up an average of 135.5 rushing yards per game in 2009, and is giving up 4.7 yards per carry.  Tampa Bay ran wild on Dallas, and although they were able to keep Brandon Jacobs pretty much in tact, the Giants were still able to control the ground game.

If the Panthers can score first for the third straight week, then put together a couple of solid defensive possessions to keep the Cowboys from responding right away, then Double Trouble should be able to hunker down and put in a solid body of work.  Establishing the running game would take unneeded pressure off of Delhomme and would allow the play action pass to be a viable option as the game grinds on.

It is also important that the Panthers' coaching staff play into their strengths on Monday.  The lights will be bright and the building will be packed, but nerves cannot interfere with the gameplan.  A three and out on the opening drive does not mean that Delhomme needs to come out slingin' on the second. 

For this team, the running game is the bread, the butter, and the knife that spreads it.  Delhomme isn't the kind of guy who can take the offense under his wing and win games week in and week out. 

John Fox and his play-calling cronies have been notorious for abandoning the running game early on in recent memory.  Keeping the ball on the ground is the main key to winning this game for Carolina, and to get away from that too early will spell doom and could lead to another Delhomme meltdown if we're not careful.

The Panthers' defense has been unimpressive  to say the least this year, but playing with a lead would be a welcome change of scenery for those guys.  Perhaps this scheme will click and the light bulb will come on if they have a chance to go out on the field with something to protect rather than trying to keep the situation from getting worse.

Whichever way you slice it, the Panthers need to establish the ground game to be successful not only in Dallas, but every week.

Panthers' DT Leonard Headed to IR; Team Signs Antwon Burton

The Carolina Panthers have designated defensive tackle Louis Leonard to the injured reserve, ending his season.

The Panthers acquired Leonard from the Cleveland Browns near the end of the preseason for a late-round 2010 draft pick.

Leonard was having a solid game on Sunday before he went down on the Panthers last defensive snap of the game, fracturing his ankle.  Team doctors have said it is a clean break, but that Leonard will require surgery and a six month recovery period.

To fill the roster spot vacated by Leonard, the Panthers signed free agent Antwon Burton.  Burton was cut by the St. Louis Rams as they made their final cuts to trim their roster down to 53 players.

The six-foot-two, 325 pound Burton's only NFL experience came in the 2007-08 season with the Denver Broncos.  Burton recorded four tackles and a pass deflection in six games.

Burton may be in line to start on Monday night in Dallas if the injured Nick Hayden cannot recover from a toe injury that sidelined him against Atlanta.

The Elevator: Panthers Defense Allows Ryan, Falcons to Flourish

The Carolina Panthers suffered their second consecutive loss to open the 2009 season on Sunday, but did so in a manner that was far less depressing than their Week 1 debacle.  The Atlanta Falcons, donning throwback uniforms from the 1966 season, beat the Panthers 28-10 in the Georgia Dome.

The main issue for the Panthers on Sunday was their defense.  Falcons' quarterback Matt Ryan could likely get away with not washing his uniform after he was relatively unaffected by the Panthers' fruitless pass rush.  Ryan finished the day with 220 yards on 21-of-27 passing with three touchdowns and an interception.

The Falcons were also able to move the ball on the ground, as they gained a team total of 151 yards--105 of which were picked up by Michael Turner. 

The Panthers main problem on the day was, as is apparent by the above two paragraphs, the defense.  Again, for the sixth consecutive game including the preseason, the opposing team was able to catch the ball, turn, and move up the field before ever encountering a Panthers defender.

When the opposing quarterback only has six incomplete passes for the game, one of which being an interception, you know that something is wrong in the pass defense.  Coupled with a pass rush that simply could not put any pressure on Ryan, the cards are stacked against any team with those circumstances.

The good news for the Panthers is that it doesn't appear that there are any hangover effects from the Week 1 performance that had Panthers fans edging closer to various ledges throughout the city. 

Jake Delhomme rebounded nicely with 308 yards while completing 25-of-41 pass attempts with a touchdown and an interception that was basically irrelevant in the outcome of the game.  The touchdown pass to Dante Rosario gave the Panthers a fighting chance at the end of the game to come back and tie.

Double Trouble put together an impressive performance, combining for 144 yards on 25 carries.  DeAngelo Williams had the lone touchdown, a three yard run early in the second quarter.

Jonathan Stewart averaged 7.2 yards in his nine carries and notched the game's long run of the day with a 28-yard pick up off of a draw play.

Let's take a ride on the elevator to see what positives the Panthers can take from this loss, and what needs to be addressed in the long week leading up to the Panthers' Monday Night Football affair in Dallas.

Going Up...

/\  Jake Delhomme.  Jake's performance on Sunday provided Panthers fans with a bit of a collective sigh of relief.  While most probably thought again that "there's no way that can happen again," I'm sure they were more skeptical of that phrase after seeing last week's performance.  Jake didn't force the ball too much, and if you take away one very boneheaded play away where instead of throwing the ball away, throwing the ball lazily into the air where only Falcons' defenders could reach it.  Luckily, no Falcons defender was able to make a play and the ball fell harmlessly to the turf.  Jake led the offense to a touchdown when he had to and took the team down the field and set up an opportunity for a chance to tie at the end of the game.  A solid performance is just what the doctor ordered for Jake and the Panthers' offense.

/\  Dante Rosario.  Rosario caught three of the four balls that were thrown his way on Sunday including the lone touchdown pass from Delhomme.  He averaged over ten yards per catch.

/\  Steve Smith.  Smitty returned to his usual form on Sunday, catching eight balls for 131 yards.  He made two great sideline catches and was Jake's number one target, as usual.  He was able to gain separation from the Falcons defense and was able to catch the ball in-stride to pick up yards after the catch.

/\  Thomas Davis.  Davis has been on a tear since this season began.  He notched his second straight 10+ tackle game to start the season, finishing with 12. 

/\  Quinton Teal.  Teal has filled in nicely for Chris Harris in the first two games of the season, and recovered a fumble on Sunday after a long drive on the Falcons' first possession of the second half and added three tackles. 

/\  Louis Leonard.  Leonard started in place of the injured Nick Hayden at defensive tackle on Sunday, and was relatively effective in stopping the run until a fractured ankle knocked him out of the game.  Its unclear at this point how much time he is going to miss.

Going Down...

\/  Defense.  I could use a different section to blast each defensive unit, but I'll give them their lashing as a team.  When you're only making a play on six out of 27 balls thrown, something is clearly wrong.  No opposing receiver has had to do any more than run to a soft spot in the zone and sit and wait to get the ball.  Where is the defense that the organization was so excited about in the offseason?  Where are the players collapsing towards the ball?  Where are the strips and the gang tackles?  I haven't seen too much of any of that.  The defense got their second interception in as many games, and also recovered a fumble, but that doesn't count for anything if you allow the opposition to run and pass all over you for the rest of the game.  For the second week in a row, the defense started the game off with a three-and-out and then disappeared.  I'm sure Drew Brees has the two Panthers games circled on his calendar at home.

\/  Punt team.  In the season opener, this unit had a punt returned for a touchdown against them.  In the second game of the year, they had one blocked.  Yes, Jason Baker took too long to get the ball off but from what I saw, the snap wasn't on point either.  When a punter receives a snap it should be a tight spiral that the punter can catch on a level angle so that he can rotate the ball to put the laces up and drop it directly onto his foot.  The snap looked like it was at an awkward angle, which threw Baker off of his rhythm, causing a snowball effect.  The bigger problem is the missed block that allowed the Falcons defense to be in the face of Baker.  The protection guys made a half-hearted attempt to get in the way of who was coming, but didn't sustain the block long enough for him to have gotten the kick off if the snap was perfect.  I don't care what anybody says, but games can be won and lost with the punt unit, and we certainly haven't helped our case for the former in the first two weeks.

\/  Rhys Lloyd.  I like Rhys, but he got embarrased by Michael Koenen in the kickoff department yesterday.  The Panthers did not get the opporunity to return a single kickoff on Sunday.  Lloyd had five kick off attempts, of which only two were touchbacks.  That is a relatively good day for the normal kicker, but when you are consuming a roster spot for the sole purpose of kicking the ball off kicking it deep enough to prevent the other team from having a chance to return it--you have to do better.  The problem is magnifyed when the coverage allows the opposition to return it for an average of 34 yards each time as they did on Sunday.

\/  Injuries.  The team lost Brad Hoover, Na'il Diggs, and Louis Leonard on Sunday to injuries.  Hoover's absence meant that rookie Tony Fiammetta had to step in and he dropped the only pass that came his way.  With the lack of depth on the defensive line, the loss of Leonard will hurt for weeks to come.  For a team that obviously hasn't grasped their new scheme on defense, they need their starters in there as much as possible.

\/  John Fox.  Fox has major work to do if he wants to make another trip to Spartanburg as Panthers head coach.  If this team continues to lose, he will find his seat quickly heating up--especially because there are so many reputable coaches out there right now.  Terry Bradshaw brought up the Bill Cowher conversation on Sunday during the pregame show, and that is a realistic option if Fox gets the boot.  His sidestepping of questions in press conferences, his shady information on injuries and team news, and his relative inability to show some passion win or lose has frustrated fans in Carolina for a long time, and it's starting to reach a boiling point.

The Panthers performed better on Sunday than they did the week prior, but 0-2 is no way to start a season.  Next week's game doesn't get any easier, as the Panthers will travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys in their brand new billion-dollar stadium in its first ever Monday Night Football contest.  The defense will have to step up and keep Tony Romo from picking them apart the way Matt Ryan did.  If that doesn't happen, regardless of how the offense plays, we could be staring 0-3 right in the face.

Panthers Sign QB A.J. Feeley, McCown Headed to IR

ESPN.com is reporting that the Carolina Panthers have come to terms with free agent quarterback A.J. Feeley and have placed Josh McCown on injured reserve, ending his season.

The Panthers reiterated Monday that Jake Delhomme was the team's starting quarterback despite his atrocious performance on Sunday afternoon.  Delhomme threw four interceptions and lost a fumble that was recovered for a touchdown in the Panthers' 38-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

McCown was hurt while playing for Delhomme, who was pulled in the third quarter.  His official injury is a sprained left knee and foot, but he was in a boot on Monday and was walking with the assistance of a crutch.  He was placed on IR later in the day.

The signing of A.J. Feeley gives the Panthers their best option at backup quarterback in recent memory.  The signing of David Carr before the 2007 season was supposed to provide the team with a solid option to challenge Delhomme, but he ended up being a major bust when he was thrust into action following Delhomme's season ending Tommy John surgery.

Matt Moore and Josh McCown were heading into their second season as the Panthers' backup quarterback tandem, a duo that has been criticized for not pushing Delhomme to get better.

Despite reports from Panthers training camp that Delhomme had improved his footwork and accuracy, but nothing of the sort showed up on Sunday.

Feeley's last regular season action was in 2007.  He played in three games and threw for 681 yards and five touchdowns to go along with eight interceptions.  In  his career, he's thrown for 4,070 yards, 27 touchdowns and 29 interceptions in 23 games.

It is likely that Feeley will be the number two quarterback, and Moore will remain the team's third and emergency quarterback.

The Elevator: Panthers Turn Season Opener Over To Eagles

The Carolina Panthers kicked off the 2009 season with a performance that rivaled their season-ending performance of a year ago. 

That's not a good thing.

Jake Delhomme forced Panthers fans to relive the nightmare that was their playoff exit in the last meaningful game played at Bank of America Stadium.  Delhomme threw four interceptions and lost a fumble before being benched in the third quarter as the Panthers fell to the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 38-10.

Seventeen of Philadelphia's 38 points can be traced back to Delhomme turnovers, and the Panthers ground game had to be abandoned before it was established--a recipe for disaster in Carolina.

The defense wasn't able to stop the Eagles attack, but were faced with several short-field situations.  There was a noted increase in defensive intensity in the second half, but the outcome of the game was pretty much decided at that point. 

Eagles' quarterback Donovan McNabb left the game in the third quarter after scampering for a touchdown, and early indications are that he suffered a fractured rib.  Kevin Kolb replaced McNabb.

The Eagles added a punt return for touchdown to their scoring resume on Sunday, with DeSean Jackson returning the first Panthers punt of the year 85 yards for the score. 

Let's take a look at the positives (we'll have to look hard) and negatives from Sunday's disappointing performance.

Going Up...

/\  The Opening Drive.  The Panthers looked great besides a couple of untimely false starts in their opening drive.  They marched 70 yards in 13 plays and capped it off with an 11-yard DeAngelo Williams touchdown run.

/\  Thomas Davis.  Davis had a huge game, tallying 16 tackles.  It wasn't often that you saw a play being made for the Panthers run defense that didn't have number 58 involved.  A good sign considering Davis' knee injury during the preseason. 

/\  Second half defensive line play.  Julius Peppers and Louis Leonard both tallied second half sacks, and the unit played much better than it did in the first half.  The Eagles only scored once in the second half.

/\  Jason Baker.  His 55.8 yards-per-punt average is impressive, but will be overshadowed by DeSean Jackson's 85-yard return for a touchdown on his first attempt.

/\  Final drive.  The Panthers made a valiant march down the field on their last possession.  The drive would eventually end as the Panthers ran out downs, but it was good to see Matt Moore be able to lead the team down the field. 

Going Down...

\/  Jake Delhomme.  Hate to state the obvious, but Jake picked a bad day to have a bad day...again.  Five turnovers in this one brings his grand total for 11 in the Panthers' last two meaningful games. 

\/  Zone defensive scheme.  There is clearly a flaw in the Panthers' defensive scheme.  It seemed as though nine times out of ten, the Eagles receivers had the opportunity to catch the ball, turn, and make a move before encountering any resistance from Panthers defenders.

\/  Punt coverage.  Captain Munnerlyn was guilty of over-pursuing DeSean Jackson on his 85-yard return for touchdown, and the rest of the unit is guilty of not coming close to bringing Jackson down.

\/  Offensive line.  Looked good early, but Delhomme was on the run all day and got hit several times.  Josh McCown suffered a knee injury after being hit as well.

\/  Play calling.  Just like the playoff loss last year, the Panthers abandoned the run way too soon.  They forced Delhomme into some questionable situations, ultimately leading to the meltdown.

\/  Mike Goodson's butterfingers.  Goodson fumbled in some of his first live NFL action...not a good sign seeing as how he had trouble holding onto the ball in the preseason as well.

Up Next...

The Panthers don't get a break in the action, as they head to Atlanta for a rivalry matchup against the Falcons.  The Falcons beat the Miami Dolphins 19-7 on Sunday.

Opening Day Sparks Quarterback Controversy in Carolina

The Carolina Panthers season could not have opened on a more disappointing note Sunday, as they were manhandled by the Philadelphia Eagles and saw the scoreboard read 38-10 at the end of the day.

The Eagles' victory can be attributed mainly to the play of Jake Delhomme.  For the second straight meaningful game, Delhomme was painfully bad, throwing four interceptions and losing a fumble.

Delhomme started out crisp on the team's first drive, but things quickly turned sour.  The first interception of the afternoon came on the Panthers' next drive and was followed by a Delhomme fumble that was recovered for a touchdown.

The first drive was quickly overshadowed, and Delhomme threw another interception before the first half came to a close, which led to another Eagles touchdown.

After halftime, Delhomme's downward spiral sped up, as he threw interceptions on the Panthers' first two drives. 

Then, a moment that some Panthers fans have been waiting for for a long time happened.  Jake Delhomme was benched by John Fox.

Josh McCown came into the game and was very unimpressive.  McCown finished 1-6 for two yards and took a sack.   To make things worse, McCown left the game after taking a hard hit in his left knee.  That meant that the Panthers would have to go to Matt Moore, the emergency quarterback.

Moore was perhaps the brightest spot of the day for the Panthers' quarterbacking crew.  His numbers aren't overwhelming but, considering the other options available, they are the most enticing.

Moore finished 6-11 for 63 yards and an interception while taking a sack as well.  The positives come from the last Panthers drive of the game, where Moore was 5-8 for 58 yards and had four consecutive completions at one point. 

The Panthers now have the one thing they were adamant about not having in training camp, a quarterback controversy.  Whether the coaches choose to believe it or not, it is upon them. 

Delhomme desperately needed at least a decent game on Sunday afternoon to rid the bad taste of January's playoff debacle once and for all.  He did not get that, and his performance was nearly as deflating as it was in that game.

There has been a smattering of Panthers fans who have continued to call for Delhomme's head all postseason but it is hard to believe that anybody envisioned a day quite like today to open the season.

Expect John Fox to stick with Delhomme for the time being and to downgrade the importance of his benching.  The thing is, it is a huge deal for this team, as Delhomme has never been benched in all the poor performances he's suffered through in his time as a Panther.

The bigger problem for the Panthers is that there is not another established quarterback on the roster.  McCown and Moore are both shaky at best when it comes to talking about starters. 

It is likely that we will see Delhomme start in Atlanta next Sunday, but you have to think his leash will be pretty short.  Hopefully its just another one of Jake's classic breakdowns, but the fact that it happened on opening day is a startling idea.

Panthers Team, Stadium Presidents Resign

The Carolina Panthers made public today the resignations of team president Mark Richardson and stadium president Jon Richardson, two guys who have been instrumental in the team's operation since its inception.

The news comes as a shock to the Panther nation, but not to the front office.  Jon informed his father of his intentions about a month ago.  Jon was instrumental in the construction of Bank of America Stadium, widely regarded as one of the top stadiums in the NFL.

Mark has served as team president since Mike McCormack retired in 1998.  

News of the resignations raised questions around town about the possibility of the team being up for sale.  These rumors can be put to rest after Johnny Harris of the Panther Partnership Group came out and told the media that there were absolutely no intentions of selling or moving the team.

It is unclear who will assume the positions the Richardson brothers have vacated, but there are several viable candidates already inside the organization including Scott Paul, who has been tabbed as the potential successor to the team president role.