Panthers

[Shell]

Man, what a great game for the Panthers.. Delhomme stepped in big.. I love a ball game that goes all the way to the last second.. I know all you Panthers fans must be thrilled!

[Jeff O Rocks]

Maybe the Panthers are for real this year...we can only hope!! :spin:

[JaroFan]

Woo-hoo! They so needed this win. I was on the edge of my seat the entire 2nd half! I hope we now have a permanent new starter! :spin:

[guinevere]

Wow... why in heavens name didn't Fox put Delhomme in earlier. Its not like Peete had a stellar pre- season...

I need to punch something... I need to grill steak...http://www.smilies.org/basesmilies3/1058286530.gif

[Jeff O Rocks]

I need to punch something... http://www.smilies.org/basesmilies3/1058286530.gif

Throws Shanahan in Jen's backyard........HERE YOU GO!! :D ;)

Enjoy your steak! ;)

oh and to stay on topic.......GO PANTHERS! :spin:

[cmw00]

Man what a great game! There are rivalries all on levels with Jacksonville I'm glad we got the best of it this time!

Our Defense looked good most of the time but did give up a few big plays. But face it when a veteran QB like brunell is on there isn't much you can do to stop him.

Once we benched that bum peete, our offense looked great as well! Davis had a good game aswell!

Its a tough choice for player of the game. It either has to be Delhome or Rod "He Hate Me" Smart! They both had great performance in their roles!

1 down 15 more to go!

[Turbulence]

Great game....I actually only saw the first few minutes (went skating this afternoon...) but I'm glad to hear that they benched Peete. He is not the best option that we have. Delhomme showed that he deserves to start over Peete. I certainly hope John Fox feels the same way. Peete wasn't effective, just like he wasn't effective in the preseason. Delhomme should be #1 from now on.

And I'm certainly glad to hear that we were able to comeback. That shows the strength of this team. Like you said, only 15 more to go. :spin:

And my Vikings won today! w00t~!

[Jeff O Rocks]

And my Vikings won today! w00t~!

One of my best friends grew up in Wisconsin and of course loves the Packers...I am sure he ain't in the best of moods today!! ;)

[guinevere]

Just think ... only about half the teams in the NHL are unbeaten...and the Panthers are one of them. :D

[Stormbringer]

Just think ... only about half the teams in the NHL are unbeaten...and the Panthers are one of them. :D

Meow... :spin:

[moonstomper]

very exciting game.....kinda scary at the end with the two picks, but very happy the good guys came out on top!

[tommy]

Tremendous, tremendous game. Well, at least the second half. Fox finally realized that "boring football" isn't necessarily always good football. Delhomme deserved to play, and it paid off. Twenty bucks says, though, that Fox won't start him next Sunday.

Davis looked good, gaining some nice yards on key plays in the second half. And Rickey Proehl, he's one of those guys who its always great to see step up and make a big catch like that last one.

The only thing that ruined my day was my fantasy team. I started Favre (4 Interceptions), and benched Harrington (4 TDs). You better believe Favre isn't playing for me for a while.

[JaroFan]

Tremendous, tremendous game. Well, at least the second half. Fox finally realized that "boring football" isn't necessarily always good football. Delhomme deserved to play, and it paid off. Twenty bucks says, though, that Fox won't start him next Sunday.

Davis looked good, gaining some nice yards on key plays in the second half. And Rickey Proehl, he's one of those guys who its always great to see step up and make a big catch like that last one.

The only thing that ruined my day was my fantasy team. I started Favre (4 Interceptions), and benched Harrington (4 TDs). You better believe Favre isn't playing for me for a while.

Delhomme is starting next week. Yeah!

[cmw00]

Delhomme is starting next week. Yeah!

Where'd you hear that at? I was expecting Fox to come right back and start Peete again.....

[cmw00]

Oh never mind just seen it on the news that he will be the starter!

I'm glad I think he earned the chance to start!

[canefan2k1]

According to ESPN and the Panthers main website, Delhomme will be the starter. Why shouldn't he? :crazy:

[tommy]

OH WHAT A GAME!!!!!

That was FANTASTIC!!!! Delhomme wasn't the savior he was last week, but that's the point! He doesn't have to be the hero!!! Amazing, two blocked field goals and a blocked PAT at the end of the game! What an amazing defensive battle.

Can you believe how awesome Stephen Davis is? That guy can run! I am so happy with his play, the defense's play, and special teams, as well!

What an incredible game to watch! 2 and 0 baby! 2-0!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

It simply must be the end of the world.....the Panthers won another game! :eek2:

It was a great game (except for the officiating which rivaled the worst officiated NHL game I've ever seen :roll: )! Another cliff-hanger. I'd feel a lot more comfortable if the Panthers would do something about their secondary though. It is absolutely pathetic!! But I'll take the wins any way we can get them! :spin:

[puckin_A]

I agree....the officiating really took away from the game. There seemed to
be a flag on every play. But what a game. THREE field goal blocks by the
Panthers!! that is unheard of!! Jenkins (with two) is da MAN!!



GO PANTHERS!!!

[puckin_A]

ok....two blocked field goals and a blocked PAT............whatever....it was
great....

[Turbulence]

Hellluva game by the D and Special Teams...and the O wasn't that bad. And iwe beat the defending world champions....how sweet is that?

I predict good things for this team...

[cmw00]

Yeah what a great win by the panthers! Jake wasn't the best, but he did good enough, so what much else could we ask for?

Our Secondary, does need some work. But the secondary didn't give up hardly any yards after the catch. I mean we held the Bucs to only one touchdown so they must have done somthing right.

The special teams are just Phenomenal. Our returners and and obviously our defensive special teams are great! 3 blocked kicks of any kind in one game is unheard of!

[folgersnyourcup]

That was an unbelievable finish to a game that for the most part lacked any consistent rythym due to an almost laughable number of penalties...

I was on the verge of turning off my set as the Bucs were lining up to quickly end this game with the extra point attempt but I had the thought in the back of my mind of "Hey, they've done it twice today already, what if?" I never imagined they would actually do it though. I'd say that block was about as timely as they come....unbelievable. And then to take advantage of that and win in OT. This is a different Panthers squad. If these were last years' Panthers they would be 0-2. They found ways to lose. These guys find ways to win. Today's win also seemed to open people's eyes about the Panthers, they were getting a lot of positive press afterwards. Finally some respect....

Now as they long as they keep this play up this should be one heck of an interesting season.

Quick question though....how long do they play Delhomme? This was against the Bucs, the number one defensive team in the league which can smother virtually any offense but still...., it was the Panther's defense that won this game. Two blocked field goals and a blocked extra point attempt WTF..... :spin: Delhomme looked a bit lost at times though to me. No doubt about it though, he was THE reason the Panthers won their opener, he provided the spark, but how long do they ride him? Perhaps Rodney Peete was just having an off-game? Even worse, if they do switch off, is there the possibility of this becoming an Irbe/Weekes problem? I'm assuming quarterbacks feel the same way goalies do, as in they feel there's only room for one?

Just some thoughts.... I can't wait for the next game!

[cmw00]

Quick question though....how long do they play Delhomme?

Well hopefully as long as they are staying in games, scoring points, and moving the ball they'll let him play. I think Peete with more experience may have done better today but its really hard to say. If jake doesn't get into some of the tough sitations that he did today how does he learn and develop? He seems to overcome his mistakes well so far also. If we are going to rely on Davis alot (and why not? he ran all over the "number 1" defense) the QB isn't as big of an issue. But Jake seems to be handling himself pretty good, he didn't pass alot against the Buc, again why should he have tried to pass much more? He did throw 2 interceptions, but our defense kept them from hurting us real bad, so I'd say its somewhat exceptable in developing him given our defensive situation.

He's young and in relatively inexperienced so like I said earlier as long as we are staying in games let Jake play! We're not gonna win them all (atleast the odds are agains us), but as of right now this team should make the playoffs and be a serious threat.

I would have liked to see a little more passing from jake today, but when your running back is doing well agains a great defense I think you have to stik with the rn game more. Jake did step up and complete some big passes when we really absolutely needed them! He also completed one big pass that was ruled incomplete but the replays showed it was complete and should have been challenged.

Unless he just falls apart, I hope we make him our QB for the season!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I think that the Panthers have one huge thing going for them that would keep them from ever developing an Irbe/Weekes type situation and that is Rodney Peete. He knows he's been a back-up most of his career and I think he knows how to handle that role and how to be suportive of the other guy. I don't think he'll *****. And Delhomme hasn't been around long enough to ***** if he gets taken out for a few games!

As well as they have looked these past two games this is by and large still Dom Capers football~~great defense and extremely, painfully conservative offense. More often than not they run it straight up the middle on the 1st and 2nd down putting themselves in bad situations and leaving no element of surprise at all. The big difference now is that they have phenomenal special teams that (for the last two games anyway) are doing stuff that no other special teams in the league are doing. I'd still like to see them play a little riskier offense and I'd like to see them letting Jake pass more. Sure, he threw two interceptions....and the 1st game he threw two interceptions....but he also threw two touchdown passes! Let him throw more and if he can maintain a ratio even close to that we're set!

As far as the secondary, yes they did hold TB to only one touchdown...which was due to the secodary forgetting that they needed to cover that guy in the enzone. And if you remember, they almost scored earlier in the game too but a completely wide-open K. Johnson, untouched and ignored by our secondary who were standing around him in the end zone picking their noses, bumbled the catch. If not for that the secondary would have lost that game for us. They've always had a horrible secondary and I think it may be the worst in the league right now. If they can continue to not allow that to affect games so much that's great. But that's a long shot, IMO.

[tommy]

I think that Delhomme said it best: "I don't have to be a hero."

He made a few nice throws, and sure, he got picked off twice, but I think he was just off. He is a better QB than that. As long as Davis is carrying the football like he did, and the defense plays like that, we don't have to pray for a 250-passing-yards ballgame. Keep it simple like that, and we'll come out on top.

So, with that being said, I would play Delhomme until they lose a big one. They have a bye next week, so they have an extra week to work with Jake and his recievers, and I think that will be ample time to hammer out the difficulties they faced last week. But, that was the best D in the NFL yesterday, so you can't expect too much.

[tommy]

Panthers do it again! 3-0, baby!

Excellent day for Stephen Davis... 190 total yards, and Delhomme looked good, no interceptions today, which is awesome!

Atlanta is lookin' like a team headed nowhere without Vick...

Great game overall!

[JaroFan]

Atlanta is lookin' like a team headed nowhere without Vick...

Great game overall![/quote]

He's going to have quite a hole to dig that team out of. I feel bad for the fans b/c I heard they had a huge percent increase of season ticket holders, largely based on Vick and most were there to watch him break his leg!!



What a game though! My Moose dissapointed but Stephen Davis is IT!!

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Told you guys all the Panthers had to do was improve the secondary. They picked up a safty and look how well they dominated today! ;) ;)

Did anyone tape today's game? I was out of town and Mr SHC programed the VCR wrong so we didn't get the game. :sad: :sad: PM me if you have it and could maybe let me borrow it or help me get a copy or something. Thanks!!

[tommy]

4-0, baby!

Stephen Davis is the MAN! 159 yards today... 1st Panther EVER to have 4 straight 100-yard rushing games. Amazing.

Got a little worried at the end, but the defense was tight again. I love the fact that we can have a 4-man pass rush and still dominate, and get so much pressure on opposing QB's.

Delhomme is improving every game... he had some nice passes, and is keeping the interception count down.

Ricky Proehl is definitely a guy who gets overlooked by a lot of people. He's amazing; he gets a lot of catches when we really need them the most.

4-0 for the first time in history! Watch out Indianapolis! You're next!

[cmw00]

The panthers did ok today. Awesome special teams play again and always from "He Hate Me" Rod Smart.

Jake is looking better every week. Alittle dissapointed that Muhamad has dropped 2 or 3 wide open long passes, especially he flea flicker on the opening play of the game for the panthers today. Proehl did well today!

I hope we go 5 and 0, but thats a tall task to ask, we shoudl be able to beat the colts, but 5 and 0 is alot to ask for I think.

[Turbulence]

Looking stronger and stronger this year...
We didn't dominate like I thought we would, but a win is a win. On to next week, and 5-0! Indy isn't a pushover by any means (look at Peyton last week!) but our D should be able to contain them...and the Offense should be able to hold up it's end.

In other news, how about them Vikings? 5-0 , with 2 wins with backup Gus Frerotte starting at QB! Woot~!

So the undefeated teams in the NFL are now: Minnesota, Carolina, Kansas City, and Indianapolis. Carolina and Indy are 4-0, and the rest are 5-0 (Carolina has had a bye week, Indy plays Tampa Bay on Monday.)

[Jeff O Rocks]

Good for the Panthers....Charlotte will be torn down if they go to the playoffs and win the Superbowl!! :spin:

[tommy]

Yeah, I was also disappointed that Moose didn't catch that flea-flicker... that woulda been one heckuva first play...

I was also concerned that the Panthers gave up like 350 total yards... more than normal, but as long as they come together for the win, that stuff doesn't matter.

I'm not sure if we can beat Indy... their defense is actually just as good as ours in terms of actual points allowed, and obviously they have a good offense.

But I think that if Davis keeps it up, and we stop fumbling balls on the 5-yard line!!!!, then we can beat them, definitely.

[cmw00]

yeah if we didn't have those few turnovers, I think the game would have been more of a blow out!

[Night Train]

That was a great game yesterday and I was lucky enough to be there. A buddy of mine got me some sweet lower level seats. By far the best seats I've ever had at a pro football game.

It was awesome to see He Hate Me run that kickoff back for a TD.

[folgersnyourcup]

The Panthers are in for one heck of an opponent this weekend... My god, anyone else see the Colts's comeback against Tampa Bay last night? Ridiculous! Down by 21 with about 5 minutes left and they end up winning it in OT. Hopefully the Panthers will take note and never stop playing.

[skypatrol]

yeah if we didn't have those few turnovers, I think the game would have been more of a blow out!

I see it the opposite way. If Brooks could actually throw the ball and hit a moving target, the Saints would've won that game by at least 15 points.

........of course, I'm a Saints fan.

Deuce ran over the Panthers all day long. :)

[tommy]

Yeah, Deuce did eat us up, but run defense is the one thing the Panthers do not pride themselves in.

As long as we can control Manning, we're golden.

[skypatrol]

Gonna be tough. No offense, but the Panthers' secondary is going to be eaten alive by Harrison and Wayne if Manning gets even a minimal amount of time.

Good luck though. The Panthers are my SECOND favorite team.

[Lady J]

I saw Stephen Davis on The Best Damn Sports Show the night before last ~ he was tactfully evasive when questionned about whether or not he had a chance at being MVP this year. Why commentators ask pre-answered questions is beyond me ~ what was he supposed to say ~ " I am the greatest! "? :p

[Turbulence]

Overtime, baby. And we got the ball first. He Hate Me just fumbled on the kickoff...but it was recovered by the Cats. I hope Delhomme can do something...Just get into Kasay's range. He's one of the most accurate kickers in the league...

[SouthernHockeyChick]

One of these announcers is a big Colts homer, huh? I think it's the color guy. Admittedly some calls have been a little hinky but I think they've gone both ways.


I am so nervous. Come on guys!! I need ONE team to win this weekend!!
Although, I'd rather it have been the hockey team if I had a choice.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

5 and 0 baby!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!

MAN, I love John Kasay!!!

[tommy]

That was a really good game. Offense was great in the 3rd quarter! Hopefully Stephen Davis will be able to play next week.

I dunno about that interception-incomplete pass call towards the end, it looked to me like the Colts had it, but I'll take the call, cause TV didn't show the greatest angle.

5-0, man! KC won today, so they are 6-0, so we aren't the only ones left (and Minnesota still plays), but I'm excited!

And John Kasay rocks!

[folgersnyourcup]

That was a GREAT game! The clear bias of one of the Fox commentators was absolutely nauseating though.... Both teams played their butts off. This was a very important win for the Panthers. Sorta like the Canes' game one win in the SCF. These Colts were referred to in more than one place as the "unbeatable" team especially after their comeback against Tampa Bay. It's true that the Panthers have surprised a LOT of people but the overall tone that I was getting from reading sportswriter's columns almost every week before a Panthers game was how the Panthers eked out their previous win and that they were in for a surprise when they take on a better team.... BAH! It's great that the Panthers keep on proving their naysayers dead wrong. Especially after this week's win, people should start standing up and taking note that this team is for real.

The best thing about this is that since my college doesn't have a football team (UNC Charlotte) and the Panthers stadium is a hop, skip, and a jump away everyone is acting like the Panthers are our football team! :spin: Great stuff.

[Jillsdad]

Congrats to the Panthers on being 5-0. Good comeback and strong win against a very good Colts team. As far as the interception/incomplete pass call, what goes around comes around. The Colts got the benefit of a BS call in the Tampa game thus they were bound to get burned on this call. As a Panther fan, I must say, that it was an interception. On a happier note, how about Deshawn Foster coming in for Stephen Davis and the team not missing a beat. We are lucky to have two quality running backs like those two.

[Caniac]

GO PANTHERS!!!!

WWWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[folgersnyourcup]

My dad found this great article:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/writers/don_banks/10/12/panthers_colts_insider/index.html

Definitely some good press for the Panthers.

[Jeff O Rocks]

That is awesome....I didn't even know the score til this morning. Very cool that they beat Indianapolis on their own field!! :spin:

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Um, did aliens abduct the Panthers today? Or maybe they were abducted in the beginning of the season and those were the too perfect clones we've been watching play. Too bad they brought the real team back for today. :roll:

The good news is we always stink at the beginning of the game. The bad news is the defense hasn't been on the field long enough so it still seems like the beginning of the game to them, and in the meantime the score is 20-0 not even half way into the second quarter. :roll: Not looking good.

[Turbulence]

Couplea bad breaks and you're down 20 points....
I guess that's all it takes. Obviously this offense cannot come back from this deficit. Oh well...every team except 1 in the history of the league has lost a game or two...I guess this is ours.

Delhomme hasn't been horrible today, but I'd still like to see what Weinke could do. He looked so good in the preseason. If it goes on much longer, why would Fox not put in another QB, just to try to spark the team? (Just don't put in Old Man Peete...please!)

[SouthernHockeyChick]

WHY did Fox not decline that penalty at the end of the second and force TN to kick a field-goal? Instead we let them have another crack at it and BAM! Touchdown. That was utterly moronic. :roll:

I think you leave Delhomme in. He's not the problem. Everything BUT him is the problem.

I don't think there is any guarantee that they can't come back. They just have to change everything when they come back in for the second half. Probably not at all likely, though.

[folgersnyourcup]

Despite losing 37-17, this a game the Panthers DEFINITELY could have won. I think that all 3 touchdowns the Titans scored in the first half could have been stopped, particularly the 2nd and 3rd, with the fake punt and the stupidly accepted penalty at the end of the half.... Turnovers kept halting the Panthers momentum in addition to the recievers absolutely refusing to catch Delhomme's passes (he played fine) and also not being able to hang on to passes for an intereception instead of just hitting them. Take away the 21 touchdown points in the first half and the Panthers could have easily won this game. :( Hopefully they will just take this loss and move in, the worst thing to do would be to dwell in it and get into whatever the funk was that caused them to lose 8 straight games last season, blowing the majority of those during the final few minutes of the games

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I agree folg. Let it go and move on. They are still 5-1. That's pretty darn good!! They just didn't have their game today but hopefully they will get it back before next week.

[tommy]

I hate to say it, but I think it's good we lost. As close as some of the previous games were, this was a reality check of sorts, and now the team has a reason to play harder and play better defense.

I didn't watch the game at all; I was at an ultimate tournament in Chapel Hill, but I was very disappointed to hear about the game. But we play Pittsburgh next week, so hopefully we can rebound against them.

[puckin_A]

cool...I didn't even know this was here and I am a huge Panthers/Rams
fan......glad to have a forum on here.

[skypatrol]

Guess who's next............


The Dirty Birds were but a stepping stone.

:D

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Phew! I can not believe the Panthers stole that game. I'm glad but I can't believe it. The secondary still sucks, IMO. But they are finding ways to win. Now if only the Canes could manage that much....

[cmw00]

Wonder what the canes would have to do to get John Fox to come and give the team a pep talk about overtime?

[Jeff O Rocks]

This is wild and good....talking about going from shi* to shinola!! :D

[tommy]

This reminds me of our NFC Championship year. Ah, those were the days... Patrick Jeffers, Wesley Walls....

This team is so great at winning close games; despite the secondary being pitiful, the team is clutch, and clutch is everything. Peppers forcing that fumble, Kasay forcing their returner out of bounds - those are the types of plays that win games.

We play Houston next week. I didn't watch the rest of their game against the Colts... Did David Carr come back in, or did Banks stay in for him. We also have to watch out for Domanick Davis... he tore it up yesterday despite the Texans losing.

[cmw00]

I'm not positive as I wasn't in the same room, but I thought I just heard ESPN say he was gonna be out for a length of time?

[Shell]

Davis Held Out Of Panthers Practice With Sore Ankle
Dyson Makes First Appearance

POSTED: 7:08 p.m. EST November 5, 2003

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Stephen Davis limped his way into Carolina Panthers practice Wednesday while Kevin Dyson practically skipped out to the field.

Davis was held out of practice with a suddenly sore ankle the same day Dyson made his first appearance after tearing his Achilles' tendon in the spring.

Davis, the NFC's leading rusher with 992 yards, is questionable for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay.

Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp was certain Davis' ankle would be healed in time to play in the rematch of Carolina's 12-9 overtime victory in which Davis ran for 142 yards.

"That's just enough to get you through Wednesday and Thursday without being killed on the practice field," Sapp said. "We're dying to see Stephen."

But the Panthers were highly guarded about Davis' injury, which mysteriously appeared over the past few days.

"It's something that got a little sore on him probably Tuesday morning, and he came in and got treatment all day," coach John Fox said. "It had not been bothering him before that."

Fox said he researched league rules and learned he didn't have to reveal which ankle was bothering Davis.

Davis was limping when he briefly took the field at practice, the team said, but reporters didn't see him. He received treatment on the ankle during the time he usually meets with the media.

Davis has been the central player in Carolina's 6-2 start this season, carrying the ball close to 30 times a game and passing the 100-yard mark six times this season.

The Panthers have a solid backup in second-year running back DeShaun Foster, who ran for 85 yards and added 54 yards receiving while filling in for Davis in the second half of Carolina's win over Indianapolis.

Foster spent Wednesday preparing as if he'll be the starter Sunday.

Meanwhile, Carolina has three weeks to decide if Dyson will play this year.

Signed during the offseason to become the Panthers' top receiving threat, Dyson tore his Achilles' tendon in spring drills and was expected to be out for the year. But his recovery has been faster than expected and he bounded into the stadium Wednesday eager to get some work in.

"I was here at 6:30 this morning," Dyson said. "I was like a little kid on the night before Christmas last night. I couldn't sleep, I was just so excited to get out here and practice for the first time in a year."

Dyson missed the final month of last season with Tennessee after severely damaging his hamstring, and was hoping to make a comeback in Carolina. He said he thought he could have returned several weeks ago, but the decision was up to the Panthers' medical staff, which has been slow in bringing him along.

But finally cleared, Dyson said he went through a full practice.

"I did a lot more than I think people would have expected me to for my first day back," he said.

Asked if he thought he could play against Tampa Bay, Dyson didn't hesitate. Fox was a little more guarded, but wouldn't rule it out.

"Never say never," Fox said. "He hadn't been playing a long time, so it's going to take a lot of time to get him ready. But he's coming along good."

The Panthers could use Dyson to bolster their receiving corps.

Steve Smith leads the team in catches (43) and yards receiving (573), but has irritated management several times - most recently last Sunday with a costly personal foul for kicking a Houston player late in the loss to the Texans.

And Muhsin Muhammad has faded into a blocker with just 18 catches for 252 yards and many notable drops.

[JaroFan]

Thanks! I just dropped Mohammed and picked up Dyson in my fantasy league!

[tommy]

Wonderful game this afternoon! That last drive was incredible! It looks like Delhomme can complete some passes when he has to; that was the first time I really felt like he propelled a drive rather than just managing it and handing off to running backs. 7-2 baby!

[talkingcanes]

The Panthers really tried to let TB win this one. Good job to pull it back together and get the win.

[Turbulence]

Fun game today...Delhomme made some key mistakes, but overall he looked very good, and very comfortable working under pressure in the pocket.

I don't like our game without Davis, though. It was too close...and Foster just doesn't cut it making solid, consistant play. Tell me this, why not utilize Brad Hoover as a FB more often? Give him the ball and tell him to run it up the middle! That's what we miss when Davis is out.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I still don't like the secondary. But, we're 7-2 so what can I say?

[cmw00]

Well the secondary isn't as bad as the numbers would show. They don't give up alot of yards after the catch. They do give up the big play from time to time, but I don't think they've cost us a game yet. They are fast and young, but small....

He Hate Me had a magnificent run back called back due to a bad call, or atleast questionable call.

Delhomme made mistakes that young QB's tend to make, but then that last drive he looked like a 20 year veteran! I could see Jake developing into a Bret Favre type player. I see alot of similarities in their heart and passion on the field among other things....

[Guyute]

great game. glad it was the only 1pm game I felt like watching. no conflicts. hehe

Go Eagles! :p

[Shell]

LOL

"We're not real pretty -- I think we kind of resemble our coach."

-- Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme, inadvertently insulting his coach, John Fox.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

LOL

"We're not real pretty -- I think we kind of resemble our coach."

-- Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme, inadvertently insulting his coach, John Fox.

I heard that interview. We were laughing our a**es off. :laugh:

[JaroFan]

I don't know if those of you with Direct TV are enjoying the NFL channel like I am, but on Wednesday nights they do a "Game of the Week". There's a chance it could be our Panthers-Bucs game, if anyone wanted to see it again.

[tommy]

8-2 now. We are so good at winning close games, and now the Panthers have a legit shot at being best in the NFC. HOWEVER, next week is at Dallas, and then Philly comes to town, so these next two weeks will really sort out the conference. Hopefully Davis, Delhomme, and Steve Smith can continue their regular input, and we get keep getting plays from guys like Proehl, and it'll keep right on clicking. Defense was great yesterday, 'specially in keeping Washington to 3 points off of turnovers. Excellent game. Bring on Dallas!

[Shell]

excellent game Tommy? Really? My horrible Skins almost beat them (and I'm still not sure Davis got a touchdown ;) ) There is no way that game should have come down to the very end when Carolina dominated the entire game. Be careful of those teams with lots of chances and no capitalization ;)

[Guyute]

yeah, if the Panthers bring that game against the Eagles, I'd be shocked if they eeked out a win. The birds are finally starting to get a couple of people back from injury... McNabb is remembering how to play, and we had a rookie WR step up big time last game.

I've almost forgotten those first 2 games of the season :D

as for CAR vs DAL... I dunno. Dallas has had a creampuff schedule. I think they're the most overrated team in the NFL right now. but, they can make some big plays, which makes them a little dangerous. but I don't think they're anywhere near what their record says. they have CAR & PHI coming up. I think it's time to separate the men from the boys.

I won't mind if the Panthers get home field.. it's not a terrible place to play. Though I'd much rather see teams have to go through philly. ;)

[SouthernHockeyChick]

It's hard to imagine being pissed of at an 8-2 team but I am. :roll: Just like the Canes....can't do anything any other way than the hardest way possible. Except, at least the Panthers are getting it done. We make 108 mistakes and STILL win the game. What is up with that? Can the Canes get some of it? I'd rather they be winning than the Panthers!!

[JaroFan]

I wouldn't rather they be winning, i'd prefer both. But i'm so happy for the Panthers, they deserve this. They've now got a great coach & fabulous team players (excluding 1 who is on the block).

I'll be at the Eagles game - 2nd row. Look for me! :cool:

[tommy]

The reason I thought it was an excellent game is because even with 4 turnovers, the defense held the Skins to 3 points off turnovers. I personally could care less how many mistakes the team made (I really didn't think they had that many other than the two tipped interceptions and a penalty or two), as long as the final score is in Carolina's favor. Good teams will win games, especially close ones. There is a difference between escaping with a win, or 'eeking one out', and being clutch. It's not a fluke that Carolina has won seven of their games in the last 4 minutes or overtime. A team that screws up in 7 games is not going to win all seven. They are doing the little things (i.e., getting pressure on the quarterback, running well up the middle, and using Delhomme wisely), that add up to a formula for success. As long as they are winning, it doesn't matter how to me.

[JaroFan]

The reason I thought it was an excellent game is because even with 4 turnovers, the defense held the Skins to 3 points off turnovers. I personally could care less how many mistakes the team made (I really didn't think they had that many other than the two tipped interceptions and a penalty or two), as long as the final score is in Carolina's favor. Good teams will win games, especially close ones. There is a difference between escaping with a win, or 'eeking one out', and being clutch. It's not a fluke that Carolina has won seven of their games in the last 4 minutes or overtime. A team that screws up in 7 games is not going to win all seven. They are doing the little things (i.e., getting pressure on the quarterback, running well up the middle, and using Delhomme wisely), that add up to a formula for success. As long as they are winning, it doesn't matter how to me.


And that is the difference between now and our 1-15 season. We would lose the lead in the last quarter, but never be able to recover.

[Shell]

Panthers' Cooper suspended four games
Associated Press
11/19/2003

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Carolina Panthers safety Jarrod Cooper was suspended by the NFL for four games Wednesday for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

The unpaid suspension begins immediately. Carolina's special teams standout will be eligible to return for the final two games of the regular season.

The punishment stems from Cooper's arrest in September for driving while intoxicated, possession of a controlled substance, speeding and driving with a revoked licence.

Cooper already has been fined six game checks totalling $137,294 by the NFL for the September arrest and has said he is appealing the fine.

He also has a drunk driving conviction from a one-car accident in February 2002.

Cooper's suspension could allow the Panthers (8-2) to activate wide receiver Kevin Dyson.

Dyson has been on the physically unable to perform list all season after tearing his Achilles' tendon in June. He has practised the past two weeks and said he's ready to play; the Panthers have until Monday to activate him or place him on injured reserve.

[cmw00]

Oh boy, lets trade him to the giants! He and Collins could be good drinking buddies....

[Turbulence]

Yea, and right after he leaves Carolina he can swear on sobriety and go to the Pro-Bowl the next year...

Sometimes I figure some pro-athletes must be thick. Seems like every week you hear of "___ has been suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy..." :roll:

[Shell]

no Turby, they are thick cuz of the steroids ;)

I did laugh when I saw this quote today:
Jim Armstrong, Denver Post: "Saw a three-year-old comment from Don Fehr's right-hand man, Gene Orza, the other day in which Orza doubted whether steroids would give players a competitive edge. Right. They're taking them because their boxer shorts are too tight and they want to shrink their testicles."

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I swear to God the Panthers are the first 8-2 team I've ever seen that can make me want to claw my eyes out. :crazy:

[talkingcanes]

I swear to God the Panthers are the first 8-2 team I've ever seen that can make me want to claw my eyes out. :crazy:

they really do have a unique way to play football. I swear the defense takes a break in the 2nd half every week. and I don't even want to think about them losing to a Parcells coached team :sick:

[Jeff O Rocks]

Maybe I am good luck for at least one team.. I turned on the game and immediately the Panthers scored...maybe I should watch every minute of it!! :spin:

[Turbulence]

Blech....what a tough game to watch. Always on the cusp of victory but never able to quite reach it. Not a horrible game played, though. Penalties really, really hurt today. A respectable effort against a very solid Dallas team.
FOX MUST GO!

Just kidding.

[tommy]

lmao turby. I saw the 1st and 4th quarters today. We gotta do better in the red zone.

on a good note though, I started Javon Walker on a whim, for my fantasy team.

[folgersnyourcup]

Dallas kept BEGGING the Panthers to tie the game up.....ugh, two missed field goals and the Panthers still couldn't capitalize.... The stupid penalty by Stussie pretty much ended our drive, that coupled with the 2 penalties on the Cowboys third down after that was just crappy.... Some bad play calls though as well. Oh well, I'll be happy just as long as the Panthers still make the playoffs. I still have the scary thought that the Panthers will lose from here on out and end up missing the playoffs...

[tommy]

Okay, I just got back from the game, and WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO KASAY!?!?!? 3 missed FGs and a missed extra point? We would have won by 1!

But I'm already tired of talking about the game with my friends.

However.... That last play was HILARIOUS! What was that, like 12 laterals? Too bad Gross got the penalty. BUT... we ended up in the end zone, and Philly declined the penalty, so shouldn't it have been a TD for us? Whatever.

Stinky game otherwise though.

[Caniac]

I was there too. My company gave us seats in a luxury box, it was awesome.

Anyway, yeah. Kicks win tight games, and we should've won that one. I don't want to complain because Kasay was perfect for so long, but man...

[Turbulence]

Y'know, the team always looks like it can win, but doesn't. Mr. Automatic, Kasay, missed 4 kicks that would have won us the game. His place on the team is certainly in jeopardy...but, as always, it was a close game, and a winnable game. I still hold hope that this team can do well in the playoffs. Delhomme is getting better by the game.

And you gotta love that last play...if it weren't for the forward lateral, it could have been a 2 point play. I guess it wasn't a Panther TD because the play was called dead....but it was fun to watch anyway.

Just a few more wins to get into the playoffs...by that time, we'll have it made.

[canefan2k1]

Yea, I was there too. One row from the top. :eek2: There were Iggles fans alllll around us. The fumble in the 4th by Delhomme killed the Panthers, not to mentioned the 3 missed FGs + the Extra point. But despite all of that, it was a pretty well-played game. Can't win em all. :spin:

Home field shouldn't be a problem now since the Panthers schedule is quite favorable from here on out. We'll see what happens, who knows. :spin:

[tommy]

Few more wins, yes. And Thankfully, we play who? Atlanta, Detroit, Arizona, and the Giants. Four TOTALLY winnable games. After today, the fire under their butts should be lit, and 12-4 should be the goal. (Of course, they must take things one game at a time.)

[JaroFan]

Wow you guys were there, too? The one game this season I go to! I wish i'd have known. Oh well. I really don't think Philly played that well at all, we just didn't do our job. No one was really dominant.

On a side note, did you guys see those shirts: McNabb sucks, Philly swallows? I saw a kid, had to be about 8 yrs old wearing one. How do you explain to your kid what that means? :)

[tommy]

On a side note, did you guys see those shirts: McNabb sucks, Philly swallows? I saw a kid, had to be about 8 yrs old wearing one. How do you explain to your kid what that means? :)

LMAO... those were hilarious! The guy was selling them for only 5 bucks after the game!

[Guyute]

E

A

G

L

E

S

EAGLES!

:p

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I KNEW you couldn't make it through the day!!! :p

[Guyute]

I was trying to.

I feel bad being one of the few people around here with Good teams to route for :p ;)

*scampers off into some dense brush, not to be seen again for awhile*

[canefan2k1]

Wow you guys were there, too? The one game this season I go to! I wish i'd have known. Oh well. I really don't think Philly played that well at all, we just didn't do our job. No one was really dominant.

On a side note, did you guys see those shirts: McNabb sucks, Philly swallows? I saw a kid, had to be about 8 yrs old wearing one. How do you explain to your kid what that means? :)

Yea, I saw the McNabb sucks shirt. Thought it was pretty funny, but selling them after the Eagles won? :sick:
Anyway, and that chant. :crazy: It's been stuck in my head the whooooole day. That's all we heard in the upper deck.
E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles!

SUCK! :p

[Guyute]

SUCK! :p

lol. yeah, either that or......
sit atop the NFC :p

doesn't matter. we'll see the panthers again in the playoffs, if they can hold it together. they won't get too far though. same thing as dallas. a team that has a possibility of being good... but isn't quite there yet.

que sera sera :)

[JaroFan]

On a side note, did you guys see those shirts: McNabb sucks, Philly swallows? I saw a kid, had to be about 8 yrs old wearing one. How do you explain to your kid what that means? :)

LMAO... those were hilarious! The guy was selling them for only 5 bucks after the game!


Man, I wanted one so bad but I couldn't find him afterwards. :mad:

[JaroFan]

I guess I don't look at it as the Eagles beat us as much as we lost the game.

3 missed field goals = 9 pts.
1 missed extra point = 1 pt.

Final score 25-16...well you can figure out the math! :cry:

[Guyute]

yeah yeah... if if if.

if the game was 25-22 and the eagles are running the ball 3 out of 4 downs just to keep the clock going, they probably would've felt more pressure to actually put a drive together instead of killing time.

so that doesn't hold too much water with me that the game would've been won by the Panthers had those kicks gone in. maybe, but who knows.

it's a totally different game if those weren't missed, but that's not to say a different outcome.

[tommy]

SUCK! :p

lol. yeah, either that or......
sit atop the NFC :p

doesn't matter. we'll see the panthers again in the playoffs, if they can hold it together. they won't get too far though. same thing as dallas. a team that has a possibility of being good... but isn't quite there yet.

que sera sera :)

Don't worry about getting top seed in the NFC. That role is gonna go to St. Louis. Ha! :p

Seriously though, I've heard lots of people say that the Panthers just "aren't quite there", in terms of being able to win playoff games, and while the next four weeks won't exactly be the toughest challenge for the Panthers (@ATL, @ARI, vs. DET, @NYG), if they can use these games to practice using Delhomme a little more frequently, then I think they can win all the marbles. If we could use Delhomme more on 2nd and 3rd down, (heck, maybe even first down), and become a little less predictable, I think we'd be able to capitalize more. The reason we aren't capitalizing (especially in the red zone), is because we are so predictable. Anyone can stack up the middle on 3rd and goal from the 7, when they know that Davis is just going to run it up the middle. If we could pass some more, capitalization would follow. We just need to mix it up.

Now I'm not asking for a West Coast offense. (That's SOO 3 years ago, anyways.) We all saw what happened when Seifert tried that stunt here in years past. We just aren't the team to do it. We're a predominantly running team, but we have the most rushing attempts in the entire NFL. I think we can afford to mix it up a little bit.

[Caniac]

E

A

G

L

E

S

EAGLES!

:p

Guyute's trying to get suspended. ;)

[Guyute]

lol :D

[tommy]

Well. That sucks. Vick was great. Imagine what Atlanta coulda been this year.

Personally, playing this way, I don't know if the Panthers are gonna do anything this year. All they have to do is win a game to clinch the division, and for the third week in a row, they couldn't pull it out. We had a 15 game losing streak two years ago, last year we had an 8-game losing streak. Heaven forbid we lose 6 in a row this year.

Plus, I lost 20 bucks on the game.

[folgersnyourcup]

I feel the same way as you Tommy. It's very concievable that they lose their next three games. What a promising season it once was.... The funny thing is even if they lose from here on out they still have a chance to win the division. There would be no point though as they would absolutely limp into the playoffs. The fact is, the Panthers needed this win, and the last one, and the one before that....and lost all three.

Ugh....Vick just ran circles around us. Still, the defense was very good, and with the aid of two missed field goals, held the Falcons to only 14 points. The offense is just beyond anemic at this point though. The offensive coordinator needs to call some better plays though.... And what is the point of throwing the ball to primarily one reciever as was done all game....hard to trick the Falcons if nothing is changed up... Delhomme didn't have a great game but it was passable, and the interception was NOT his fault. Moose just stopped running his route. Inexcusable. Sure, Delhomme was scrambling, but he threw the ball right where it was supposed to go. If Moose stays on his route, he at the very least gets to bat the ball away but it most likely would have been a completion.

The Panthers need to do a bit of soul searching now. It's been said before, but they MUST from here on out to salvage anything from their slide. The rest of their opponents are VERY beatable teams....but leave it to the Panthers of the last few weeks to find ways to lose. Let's get the old Panthers back hmmm?

I'm still hoping for a Panthers/Eagles NFC Championship..........

[Guyute]

I'm still hoping for a Panthers/Eagles NFC Championship..........

hope on folg. Sorry, I don't *intend* to piss anyone off. I know a lot of you are panthers fans. Hell, I'm a panthers fan too. I've had a Lot of fun watching them (sometimes. lol). But, panthers, even as a winning team, were struggling, imvho. The last few weeks they've gone up against decent teams, and have lost. Granted, they've lost in a close game... problem is, the wins are all close games as well.

they really need to put a smackdown on a decent opponent. They may make the playoffs, but no farther than the 2nd round.

Besides... you wouldn't want the panthers coming through Philly for the NFC, would you? ;) :spin:

anyway... it was a very good game. Vick just pulled out the one-man-show. I thought the panthers were going to take it in OT after the momentum of picking a pass on the 5 yard line with 6 seconds to go after an unstoppable drive by the falcs. too bad.

[folgersnyourcup]

Hehe, well you never know. They are losing the close games as of late but maybe it'll all turn around.... You never know, Philly might lose from here on out, and the Panthers might win from here on out. It's still very much up in the air.

On a side note, Julius Peppers is now my favorite player after his sack on Michael Vick last night. Sure, it was an enjoyable sack, but beyond that it won me 2000 dollars in Harris Teeter gift cards. (Harris Teeter/Carolina Panthers sack contest) Yay! :spin:

[Guyute]

well, yeah, it's possible. but Philly has gone 8-2 (out of the final 10 games of the season) for a couple years in a row now. it's the start of the season I usually worry about, not the end. ;)

Peppers played a pretty solid game, yeah.
Though the best was watching Vick get utterly effing closelined near the end of the game. that was one mean hit. and then the brawl broke out. lol. keeee-razy. :)

[folgersnyourcup]

Though the best was watching Vick get utterly effing closelined near the end of the game. that was one mean hit. and then the brawl broke out. lol. keeee-razy. :)

Yep, that was great. If Vick wants to play like a running back he needs to be prepared to take the hits like one...his reaction to being hit shows that he is not.

[JaroFan]

Gee, do you think the announcers were told to hype up Vick & Atlanta? I was SO sick of hearing about him by the end of the game. We all know how fabulous he is; I didn't need to see his same run over and over again, nor did I need them to use the red line graphic only on him.


And how many times did they get some information wrong? I know they haven't had the pleasure of announcing Panthers games but geesh!

[canefan2k1]

Gee, do you think the announcers were told to hype up Vick & Atlanta? I was SO sick of hearing about him by the end of the game. We all know how fabulous he is; I didn't need to see his same run over and over again, nor did I need them to use the red line graphic only on him.


And how many times did they get some information wrong? I know they haven't had the pleasure of announcing Panthers games but geesh!

Can't agree any more. :mad:

[tommy]

The only reason I didn't TOTALLY get fed up with the Vick hype was because he was actually playing awesome. If he had sucked the whole game and they were still singing his praises at the end, that would have been a different story. But yeah, it did get a little tiresome. And what the hell were they doing comparing him to Barry Sanders? Puh-leeze!

[tommy]

Boy, this Cards-Cats game looks pretty ugly so far.

[Turbulence]

Slow and ugly...

The Panthers are like the 'Canes....they play good against good teams, and they play like horse manure against bad teams. :roll:

At least there's another half left.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Oh God. :eek2: It's come down to a Kasay field goal. :eek2: Poor guy. And he made it!!!

What a crap game though. :roll: No WAY they should have won that game (assuming we don't give it away in this last 4 seconds). I tried my tactic of having a nap when things are sucking because that usually results in me waking up to find us in the lead. I did....it was 17-14....but as you know we didn't keep that lead so I didn't really think that worked. But it did. If they keep playing like this we will definitely go out in the first round of the playoffs.

You feel dirty after a win like this. But you know, I'd roll in sh*t for a Canes win right now so what am I complaining about? :beatup:

[Turbulence]

Successful teams always win the games that they aren't supposed to....games like this. The entire team played like sh*t (The same sh*t you'd roll in, SHC?) and still pulled it out. Arizona is not a good team.

But...the playoff position is clinched. We have an 'in.' The Super Bowl is ours to lose. :)

[tommy]

All I have to say is:

Phew.

That was a terrible game. Delhomme looked awful, and Davis was a non-factor. Props to Foster and Kasay for saving our butts.

But yeah, we're IN!!! Kind of limping into the playoffs, but hey, whatever works. Lots of teams probably will underestimate us, so we can take them by surprise.

[Guyute]

sure did eek-out another one. :crazy:

I'm sorry to say, but I think the Panthers may have peaked at the wrong time of the season. I'd like to see 'em play well.. but the last few games have been quite scary.

anyway, grats for locking a playoff spot. that's something to be happy about. :)

[tommy]

If the playoffs started today, we'd play Minnesota.

The last two times we've played them, we've won, but we then proceeded to lose 15 and 8 times in a row, the past two seasons. I'm not too high on playing the Vikes. lol, only kidding. Both teams peaked at the wrong times, and Minnesota at Carolina would be interesting. Still up in the air who anybody is playing though (in the playoffs). You can see potential matchups at espn's football page.

[tommy]

Thank God we held on to win that one... I was seriously worried after the Lions scored their second TD. But Delhomme REALLY looked good, and hopefully he can play like that in the playoffs.

btw, did anyone see Carney blow the Saints' playoff hopes? They had a play with 5 laterals and the Saints finally scored to make it 20-19 against Jacksonville, but then Carney missed the extra point with no time left.

Anywho, GO PANTHERS!!!

[JaroFan]

Woo-hoo, and we got 2 playoff tickets this morning! :spin:

[tommy]

Are you guys ready??? It's PLAYOFF time! Cowboys at Panthers, PRIMETIME 8pm tonight! The Panthers are underdogs I think. Last time we played Dallas they were the underdogs, but snuck out a 24-20 win. Hopefully Delhomme has gained some confidence from the past two weeks, and will be able to throw more if our running game doesn't materialize. I'm really excited! I'm goin' over to watch it tonight at my friend's house, in high definition! w00t!

[FUN HOCKEY TEAM]

CAROLINA HAS A FUN FOOTBALL TEAM.

[tommy]

That was total domination of the Cowboys! Delhomme looked good, and both Davis and Smith were very sharp. Muhammad was good, Rucker and Pepper and Jenkins had great pressure on the QB -- everything went well! St. Louis will be tough next week, but I'm excited!

[Shell]

They did do very well, no penalties and no turnovers? very nice!

[tommy]

They did do very well, no penalties and no turnovers? very nice!

Only the second team in NFL playoff history to win a game and have no turnovers and no penalties.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

I knew they could beat the Cowboys if they would just remember how to play. Problem is, none of my teams seem to be able to do that.

Now, let's get past next weekend in St Louis and hope like hell that the Packers beat the Seahawks today and then miraculously beat the Eagles (sorry Guy) in the meantime!! I don't want to go to Philly. :cry:

[JaroFan]

What a fabulous game to be at! The atmosphere was so overwhelming...seeing all the white towels waving reminded me of another great playoff run not too long ago ;)

To those of you that I had talked about the Eagles shirts, they repeated them for this one. I saw two versions:

Dallas Sucks, Parcells swallows

Dallas Sucks, Jerry Jones swallows

[Guyute]

Panthers looked VERY good against Dallas. No penalties, No turnovers... it's hard to lose a game when you play that fundamentally sound. good job.

Them getting by St Louis is going to be DAMN tough though. good luck. I'd like to see them play philly (I'd take Carolina over Rams ANY day. ;) lol )

[Turbulence]

Is Marc Bulger healthy, or will Warner be playing?

Either way, I have a good feeling about Carolina beating the Rams. The Defense is stout enough, and Davis, Delhomme, and Co. deliver the points.

[Guyute]

by what I've seen published, Bulger will be playing. You're not likely to know until the offense takes the field on Sat though.

Bulger overall has had a much better year.... but Warner is scary. he just gets stuff done when he has to. Should be a good game, for sure.

[Shell]

all the recent news (http://news.google.com/news?q=Marc+Bulger&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&scoring=d) (published in last few hours) assumes Bulger will be playing

[tommy]

With the way Bulger finished up the regular season in Detroit, I'd rather have him play than Warner. But the Panthers will pretty much have to replicate their near-perfect effort last Saturday. They had 2 recievers with 100+ yards, a 100-yard rusher, and Delhomme looked sharp, in addition to NO turnovers or penalties. St. Louis will be tough, but I have confidence that our offense is starting to click.

[Guyute]

oh yeah, if they can play the same game they did last week, the Panthers will be pretty damn tough to beat. however, I wouldn't count on seeing too many of those. I mean, that was a Perfect game from start to finish.... it just doesn't happen very often.

[cmw00]

Well a couple of the boys on ESPN think the Panthers have a very good chance, couple picked'em to win. They said the rams have had trouble contoling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and the panthers are the best in the league at controling the line especially defensivley. I haven't seen much of the rams personally this season so I'm just hoping the "experts" know what they are talking about :D

[Guyute]

well... the Rams got punked by the Lions... but if they're basing the entire year (and playoffs) on that game.... and basing the entire year (and playoffs) on the last Panthers game...

then yes, it'll be a walk in the park for Carolina.

unfortunately, that's not how it works, and the Rams are a DEADLY team.
then again, I'm no expert, just a hardcore football fan. :)

[folgersnyourcup]

I'm really looking forward to this game, it should be very interesting. One news article before the playoffs that cited each team's least favorable opponent listed the Panthers as the Rams least favorable opponent due to the very physical play that the Panthers bring. They were able to get to Carter on Saturday and I look to them to be able to get to Bulger as well. The Rams offensive line is overpaid and will take some punishment from the Panthers. There have been more positive things said of the Panthers after them beating the Cowboys but there are still many articles that say the only reason the Panthers won was because the Cowboys weren't really a playoff team anyway. An MSNBC article before the Dallas game was headlined: "Sorry Panthers, but we want you to lose" and said that Parcells was just the better cinderella story blah blah blah...

Also, that guy on the Best Damn Sports Show Period said the Panthers/Rams game has all the makings of a blowout.

Whatever, I really hope the Panthers can beat the Rams. Also, the atmosphere was amazing at the Panthers playoff game and I hope to be able to go to an NFC championship there. I can't believe the Packers ended up winning against the Seahawks though, I was hoping they would win because they would pose more of a challenge to Philly though. I want to Philly to lose of course (sorry Guy) because if so it would mean that a Panthers victory against the Rams would lead to the NFC championship being in Charlotte. But I thought Favre was really outplayed by Hasselback and the Packers were lucky (or destined?) to get the win. The Seahawks recievers just COULD NOT catch the ball to save their lives...my god, the game could've been a blowout early on had they caught a couple balls.

But yeah, here's looking forward to an interesting weekend. It's unfortunate that Westbrook is out for the playoffs but Philly still has number 22.

[tommy]

Also, that guy on the Best Damn Sports Show Period said the Panthers/Rams game has all the makings of a blowout.

It's for reasons like that, that nobody ever remembers his actual name.

The Panthers are starting to click. Yeah, they won a lot and then cooled off, but those wins were close. The Giants game, and then the Cowboys game... those were domination. Hopefully we can pull it off. Just keep Torry Holt out of the picture ( :crazy: ), and force them to try and run the ball.

[Shell]

Noticed this when I was scouting the St. Louis paper for details about tonight's game:

Beating Carolina is big enough job to occupy Rams
By Bernie Miklasz
Post-Dispatch
01/05/2004

About that Rams-Eagles NFC championship game . . .

Not so fast. The Rams will not have an easy time Saturday at home against the physical Carolina Panthers. And would anyone be surprised if Green Bay goes into Philadelphia and wins?

Let's have a walk-through:

About the Panthers . . .

Here is why Carolina will be trouble: Impressive head coach John Fox has built the kind of team that typically gives the Rams headaches. Literally. The Panthers will hit the Rams in the mouth. And then they'll hit the Rams in the mouth again. And they'll keep hitting the Rams in the mouth from late Saturday afternoon until early Sunday evening. When the Rams have lost games over the past five seasons, it's often because they can't stand up to a more physical team.

About John Fox . . .

Rams coach Mike Martz has always respected Fox. And Martz and Fox have had some good matches against each other. In his previous post as the New York Giants' defensive coordinator, Fox took an aggressive approach in trying to disrupt the Rams' flow. The Rams breezed over the Giants at home in 1999, winning 31-10. In 2000, the wounded Rams offense went to Giants Stadium with Trent Green at quarterback and Justin Watson at halfback and registered a surprisingly easy 38-24 win. But in 2001, Fox's defense pummeled quarterback Kurt Warner and halfback Marshall Faulk; Faulk left the game with an injury. The Rams survived for a 15-14 win but were battered by Fox's men. Fox always stressed one thing in his strategies against the Rams offense: hit hard, and hit often. (New England used the same road map to knock out the Rams in the Super Bowl.) And now Fox's Panthers have the kind of defense capable of doing it again. Especially if the officials let the boys play rough.

About the officials . . .

NFL officiating crews call fewer penalties during the postseason. The zebras generally let the teams play, especially on defense. And the wily Fox knows this. We can expect the Panthers to tug, slap, slug and mug Faulk and the Rams receivers. If the refs as expected suspend regular-season officiating standards, the Carolina defense will be given a significant advantage.

About that Carolina defense . . .

The key to Saturday's game: Can the Rams' overrated offensive line and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna go toe-to-toe with Carolina's outstanding front four? During Carolina's 29-10 victory over visiting Dallas, ABC football analyst John Madden said the Panthers have the NFL's best defensive line. In the final regular-season game, the O-line (including Manumaleuna) couldn't keep the Detroit Lions away from quarterback Marc Bulger's throat, and they're about to take on some true heavyweights in defensive tackles Kris Jenkins and Brenston Buckner and ends Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker. The interior line could be overwhelmed by Jenkins. The Rams allowed 43 sacks and averaged a mediocre 3.6 yards a rush. No question, Fox will deploy a pressure defense to try and rattle Bulger. And against Dallas, the Panthers introduced blitzes into the mix. If the Rams' offensive line gets mauled again, the Panthers will win this game - unless, of course, the Rams defense inflicts even more damage to the Carolina offense.

About that Rams defense . . .

A couple of months ago, the Rams' mission would have been relatively simple: If you stop halfback Stephen Davis, you stop the Panthers. And Davis is a splendid runner. But quarterback Jake Delhomme and superb wideouts Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad have expanded the Carolina offense. "We have a lot more diversity. We don't have to have those 10-play drives now," Smith told reporters after the Dallas game. "We're able to do so many more things now, it's not funny." Indeed, Carolina will bring a more balanced attack to the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams must get back to hassling the QB and forcing turnovers.

About the Dome . . .

Historical currents are strongly in favor of the Rams, who are 38-7 at The Ed since the start of the 1999 season. And since 1990, home teams have won 82.7 percent of the second- round playoff games. Can the St. Louis crowd unnerve the Panthers? Or will the crowd be a negative influence on the Rams by booing its two favorite chew toys - Bulger and Martz - when there's a poorly thrown pass or a blown timeout? Can the Panthers turn the Rams' crowd against the home team? It'll be interesting. The Rams should win in a close one, and at least they'll have an extra day to ice their bruises before hosting Green Bay in the NFC championship game.

About Green Bay . . .

If there's going to be a second-round upset, it will happen in Philly. The Eagles are 5-3 at home this season. The Eagles' defense is vulnerable against the run - ranking 22nd in stopping the run - and the Packers can hand the rock to the exceptional Ahman Green. And the colder the weather, the more quarterback Brett Favre likes it. I don't know if I believe in this "destiny" story line that's evolved in Green Bay, but the Packers' strengths seem to line up against the Eagles' weaknesses.

We shouldn't worry too much about the Packers and the Eagles. Getting past Carolina is enough of a challenge.

[cmw00]

Wow thats a good article especially coming from the enemy's own kingdom....