Panthers game

[Russ Smith]

Well to me the game wasn't anywhere near as close as the final score would indicate if not for the fumble on the sack giving Green Bay a short field they'd have never been close. Then they went on a long 13 play 90 yard take the underneath against the prevent defense drive.


Carolina's defense is good but to be honest I'm more worried about their offense and in particular 3 guys, Stephen Davis running inside, DeShaun Foster outside and on pass plays, and Steve Smith as a receiver and returner. Smith in particular scares the hell out of me, watching Green come up and whiff twice on WR screens to Loyd, can you imagine if that's Smith he'll take it to the house if you don't get him down.

Really interested to see what Clancy comes up with, my guess is based on recent games Carolina will try to pound the ball, get our safeties up and then go deep to Smith.

Going to be a very tough game I really think the ideal is to run the ball and play time of possession to keep their offense off the field but we don't run the ball well enough and I suspect we're going to end up having to throw and hope we can keep Josh on his feet and give him time to attack their CB's.

Lucas is listed as injured right now but will presumably play too bad I'd love to get Ricky Manning isolated on Fitz or Boldin he's good but he's so small. Gamble is good but as his name says he will gamble, the TD to Driver last night on the slant was all on Gamble he tried to jump the route and instead Driver scored.

They're very good but I bet they're just absolutely kicking themselves for passing on Derrick Johnson to take Thomas Davis in round 1, right now what a colossal mistake. Johnson is the leading candidate for DROY and would certainly be starting for Carolina if they'd picked him. Davis was taken to convert to OLB but somewhere along the way they changed that plan, moved him back to SS, and he's now backing up McCree. He's going to be a pretty good player but they wanted a LB and openly stated they took Davis to move him to OLB but there he is at SS.

 

[clif]

Is Peppers hurt? I was reading on the panthers board and they seem to think that Peppers is still suffering from an ankle injury.

 

[blindseyed]

We're a one dimensional Offense...we have a great kicker!

 

[Russ Smith]

Is Peppers hurt? I was reading on the panthers board and they seem to think that Peppers is still suffering from an ankle injury.

No idea but he was sure quiet last night when I was watching.

Their LT is some guy I've never heard of so I'm really hoping for another big game from Berry on Sunday. KGB had 2 sacks last night, hopefully Berry can do something similar.

THey're so well coached it's a scary game for us, we make so many mental mistakes going up against a very sound fundamentals type team scares me, especially in special teams. Hopefully Rackers puts every KO out of the endzone and we just punt away from Smith and Gamble both of whom are really dangerous.

 

[joeshmo]

Is Peppers hurt? I was reading on the panthers board and they seem to think that Peppers is still suffering from an ankle injury.

He may be hurt. But I also think he is a little overratted, but thats just my opinion.

Every team that Peppers has played against this year has a message board full of fans that are raving about their RT's and how they made Peppers a none factor.

 

[clif]

I think we may want to have max protection the whole game. 2 TE's, Shipp, Boldin and Fitz.

There is no way I would let their Dline get off the ball this game unless we are ready to write an obituary for Josh.

This may be a great time to mix in more screens. The panthers have to be licking their chops to have free runs at the QB.

 

[Rats]

No idea but he was sure quiet last night when I was watching.

Their LT is some guy I've never heard of so I'm really hoping for another big game from Berry on Sunday. KGB had 2 sacks last night, hopefully Berry can do something similar.

THey're so well coached it's a scary game for us, we make so many mental mistakes going up against a very sound fundamentals type team scares me, especially in special teams. Hopefully Rackers puts every KO out of the endzone and we just punt away from Smith and Gamble both of whom are really dangerous.

Speaking of quiet...Steve Smith had one catch last night for 12yards. He has been nails all year for my fantasy team until last night he got me 2 pts. Davis however got me the win with his last touchdown. I think Smith is going to be pissed and wants to come out and put up some huge numbers against us. The D will have to really jam Smith at the line and keep him off his routes. He really runs some great routes. We have a good counter though....Fitz and Boldin....they have to produce again.

 

[clif]

He may be hurt. But I also think he is a little overratted, but thats just my opinion.

Every team that Peppers has played against this year has a message board full of fans that are raving about their RT's and how they made Peppers a none factor.

IF ever there was a game that he would "get healthy" this would be it. Him against Wakefield gives me nightmares.

 

[joeshmo]

I think we may want to have max protection the whole game. 2 TE's, Shipp, Boldin and Fitz.

Why. They have yet to show anything that even resembles a pass rush so far this year. They have 4 sacks in 4 games. Until they prove that they have one we stick with our normal game plan IMO, but have the max in our back pocket if needed.

As for Smith, beyond him their WR core has been very unspectacular to say the least. We can get away with single coverage on the other WR's with double coverage on Smith very easily IMO.

Not afraid of their pass game and their run game has sputtered but that usually means they are due for a big one, which I think happens this week.

 

[Russ Smith]

He may be hurt. But I also think he is a little overratted, but thats just my opinion.

Every team that Peppers has played against this year has a message board full of fans that are raving about their RT's and how they made Peppers a none factor.

I don't know teams don't typically design their protection schemes around blocking DE's that are overrated and if you watch Green Bay their entire blocking scheme was how to keep Peppers off Favre. He hasn't had a sack yet this year but I'd wager that's not the first team this year that fairly consistently doubled him with either a TE or a RB.

He had 11 sacks last year and got the same kind of treatment. He looked pretty healthy when they had him in on offense although he didn't jump as high as I expected he would having seen him play a lot of basketball.

Very lucky we don't have to worry about Jenkins he'd have annihlated the interior of our OL, but I gotta admit Buckner against Brown scares the heck out of me a veteran DT could really school Elton. The interesting thing is their starting front 4 has only 2 sacks all year, both by Rucker.

They're not invincible but they are clearly one of the best teams we'll play all year along with Philly and Indy at the end of the year.

Hopefully this is trap game for them, short week, maybe they're looking past us to scheme for Detroit next week .

 

[Russ Smith]

Why. They have yet to show anything that even resembles a pass rush so far this year. They have 4 sacks in 4 games. Until they prove that they have one we stick with our normal game plan IMO, but have the max in our back pocket if needed.

As for Smith, beyond him their WR core has been very unspectacular to say the least. We can get away with single coverage on the other WR's with double coverage on Smith very easily IMO.

Not afraid of their pass game and their run game has sputtered but that usually means they are due for a big one, which I think happens this week.

They definitely miss Muhammad but Colbert is very good, not sure why he's out to such a slow start, 6 catches in 4 games coming off a great rookie year.

They scare me on offense because they're precisely the type of offense we don't match up well with, like the Giants, they can run the ball and they have enough balance that you can't forget about their passing game.

 

[joeshmo]

I don't know teams don't typically design their protection schemes around blocking DE's that are overrated and if you watch Green Bay their entire blocking scheme was how to keep Peppers off Favre. He hasn't had a sack yet this year but I'd wager that's not the first team this year that fairly consistently doubled him with either a TE or a RB.

Not sure about the GB game but I know for sure watching their games against NO and Miami, that Jamaal Brown(a rookie in his first game) and Vernon Carey took him on 1 on 1, with very little help from TE's and RB's and made Peppers look very, very average. He got double the first few series in those games but realized that Brown and Carey could handle him 1 on 1 and for the rest of the game they paid more attention to Rucker then they did to Peppers.

Dont get me wrong I think he is good and would want him on my team any day of the week. I just dont think he is the next great DE or best DE in the league that everyone else thinks he is. He is in a huge slump so far this year, be it becuase he is injured or having no Jenkins next to him I dont know the exact reason, I just know he has not played well at all this year.

 

[Russ Smith]

Dont get me wrong I think he is good and would want him on my team any day of the week. I just dont think he is the next great DE or best DE in the league that everyone else thinks he is. He is in a huge slump so far this year, be it becuase he is injured or having no Jenkins next to him I dont know the exact reason, I just know he has not played well at all this year.

I'd guess it was Jenkins but didn't he play next to Rucker with Buckner playing next to Peppers? or is Buckner replacing Jenkins?

I haven't seen them before last night this year I'm just going off what I read this offseason from Jenkins and Rucker talking about how often teams double Peppers, the Packers did it quite frequently last night when I was watching.

If I were Fox I'd tell Peppers if you want to play offense, you better start producing on defense.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

my expectation for this game go like this:

Panthers have 7+ sacks
McCown throws one INT to Gamble or Lucas
One of the backs has a 100 yard day
Smith will have a nice game
They will cause the biggest problems up front yet

Saying this i think Delhomme will be intercepted twice, McCown will make eenough plays, our defense will play pround and we will win a tightly contested game on a 40-50 yard Rackers fild goal. I think the short rest, travelling and heat will do these guys in around the 4th quarter as their defense has yet to experience 100 degree temps......

Final score Cards 20, Panthers 17

 

[D-Dogg]

Steve Smith is one of my favorite recievers in the NFL. And I am VERY afraid that he is going to have a career day against us...and he's had some stellar career days. I just don't think we match up with his speed and route-running prowess one bit. He catches a slant route, he's got 6 points. I'd be slanting that guy right behind our blitzing LBs all night long...I was afraid of Shockey because he'd be able to get behind the LBs, but Smith will take it to the house if you give him an inch.

 

[clif]

Why. They have yet to show anything that even resembles a pass rush so far this year. They have 4 sacks in 4 games. Until they prove that they have one we stick with our normal game plan IMO, but have the max in our back pocket if needed.

As for Smith, beyond him their WR core has been very unspectacular to say the least. We can get away with single coverage on the other WR's with double coverage on Smith very easily IMO.

Not afraid of their pass game and their run game has sputtered but that usually means they are due for a big one, which I think happens this week.

Even with that said... this has got to be one of the most athletic Dlines we have faced all year. We have a RT playing only his second game at the position going against one of the best DE's around.

I am also not as high on Wakefield after going back and watching the game again. We got blown up on the first 3 or 4 plays... whiffed on cut blocks I'd say another 4-5 times... so there has to be great improvement. He did get better as the game went on but..no where near there yet.

 

[justAndy]

I don't think the predicted high temp of 88 and cludy is going to hurt Carolina one bit.

 

[Russ Smith]

Even with that said... this has got to be one of the most athletic Dlines we have faced all year. We have a RT playing only his second game at the position going against one of the best DE's around.

I am also not as high on Wakefield after going back and watching the game again. We got blown up on the first 3 or 4 plays... whiffed on cut blocks I'd say another 4-5 times... so there has to be great improvement. He did get better as the game went on but..no where near there yet.

He couldn't run block the whole night. One of the reasons Arrington was so ineffective was that 2 of his first 3 runs were right and both Brown and Wakefield missed their blocks and blew the play up. Most of the good runs went left or middle.That said, on the run where Arrington reversed field for 13 yards, wakefield got his man, twice, on the same play first sealing the backside and then again when JJ ran the other way he sealed the same guy coming back.

Him and Peppers 1 on 1 is a nightmare but I don't think we'll do that. I'd expect to see less of JJ on passing downs precisely because Shipp is better in blitz pickup and that will be crucial to help Wakefield.

They're just not a team we match up well with on paper right now.

 

[spanky1]

Steve Smith can be neutralized.....the Packers showed that last night. He is a very explosive WR to be sure but we have experience facing other elite WR's in players like Holt etc.

I'm not too sure that he'll be the one to give us headaches....as he's double teamed watch out for Keary Colbert, their #2 WR.

We can win this game given, where it falls on our schedule. I wouldn't want to play them further along in the season that for sure.

 

[conraddobler]

The only thing we have going for us is that they are comming off a close emotional win on MNF with one less day of preparation and it's a home game for us.

They are a solid relatively well coached team that is exactly the type of team, as Russ already pointed out, that gives us fits.

We simply don't match up well against a power back like Davis who's had good days against us before.

Still we are going into a bye, the staff and players know the season is at stake and I expect they will all give it their best effort.

The morale of our team has to be much better than it was and I think we will make a game of it.

Bottom line, the Packers are just in terrible shape, for them to even contemplate comming back no matter how it happend means we have a decent chance.

Josh not throwing interceptions or fumbling will be absolutely key, we cannot turn it over to this team like we did with the 49ers we have to stay within 7 points of them to have a chance.

 

[blindseyed]

Bottom line, the Packers are just in terrible shape, for them to even contemplate comming back no matter how it happend means we have a decent chance..

Yea but remember, no matter how bad they are, they have Brett back there...he just doesn't quit.

 

[Russ Smith]

Steve Smith can be neutralized.....the Packers showed that last night. He is a very explosive WR to be sure but we have experience facing other elite WR's in players like Holt etc.

I'm not too sure that he'll be the one to give us headaches....as he's double teamed watch out for Keary Colbert, their #2 WR.

We can win this game given, where it falls on our schedule. I wouldn't want to play them further along in the season that for sure.

True but if you look at the first 4 games:

Giants, handled Toomer but Burress and Shockey hurt us.
Rams Holt and Bruce both hurt us
Seattle Jackson killed us as did Alexander running the ball
SF Lloyd had a big day but we basically stuffed their whole offense.

So we really haven't succeeded yet in silencing any of the #1 WR's we've faced and now we don't have Rolle and possibly Macklin for this game.

They worry me because they're so balanced, if you play run, they'll throw, if you play pass, they'll run.

Hopefully we'll get after Delhomme one thing with him is he will throw some dangerous passes which is why he throws a fair amount of picks every season. I don't have much faith in us shutting their run game down.

 

[joeshmo]

They worry me because they're so balanced, if you play run, they'll throw, if you play pass, they'll run.

They may look balanced but they certianly dont play balanced, which really surprised me. Looks like they will live and die by the run game no matter what.

Run plays per game - 30
Pass plays per game - 16.5

Thats one of the highest run to pass ratios in the league.

 

[CardinalLaw]

Their defense looked very overrated, I think we can put up points against them and win the game. So far they Lost, they Won, they Lost, they Won, so hopefully the streak continues. I am not all that worried with Davis, I am more worried about Foster running out to recieve the ball, and screen passes. Packers absolutly suck at at tackling, that Foster play were he ran 30 yards with the guy hanging on to him, is not something I expect this week. So I think this game will be much closer then I really thought. But there is no way to shut down there whole offense. You take out Smith, they run on you and hit there TE. I guess it will be pick your poison.

 

[Redsz]

The thing that surprised me the most was Carolina's pass rush and pass defense. I believe they only have 4 total sacks so far and are ranked 23rd against the pass. Which is fortunate for us because the only way we are going to score is passing the ball a ton.

They are good against the run though, and are about on par with SF in terms of YPC (3.5).