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JaguarCrazy2832
Joined: 28 Jun 2008
Posts: 73955
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 Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:01 pm Post subject: JC2832's Pre-Season Team by Team Analysis: Carolina Panthers |
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Carolina Panthers (6-10)
The Panthers were abysmal in 2010 and landed the 1st pick. Most everyone including Panther fans thought they were stuck with the pick but the Carolina front office took a chance on a guy with “character concerns” and concerns with his “intelligence and ability to learn a playbook”. All of a sudden the haters are few and mostly silenced. Despite the fact that the Panthers only won 6 games last year, they averaged 25 points per game and were in most of their games when just a year ago they were getting beaten badly. The main problem was the defense that gave up ~27 points per game. The future is bright with Cam Newton and other young pieces.
Offense:
The Panther offense last year looked very good with a Newton-Smith connection that clicked often for big plays and they still have 2 very good RBs in Jonathan Stewart and Deangelo Williams. Cam Newton went all Batman through the league when some figured he would play like Alfred, but it’s not every day you see a QB rush for 14 TDs… because it’s never happened before. We all know yards don’t win games TDs do, but 4000 yards is a huge accomplishment for a rookie and the 35 TDs overall is unheard of for a rookie. Not only were Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart very efficient both averaging 5.4 ypc, but they both were healthy for a full 16 game season. Neither eclipsed 1000 yards but when Cam Newton runs almost as much as the other 2, its almost perfect that all 3 spell one-another. After dealing with Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore, people were writing Steve Smith off, but the 5’9’’ stud put up great numbers with his rookie QB going for 79-1394-7. Unfortunately the next guy only had 600 yards in Brandon LaFell. The Panthers really seemed to lack a #2 option at WR or even a solid #1 TE. Carolina realized the need there and traded for Pass-catching TE Greg Olsen, and drafted highly-talented WR Joe Adams. These additions, although not major, are going to go a long way to helping Cam down the road. The Panther OL has a lot of talent on it and its no wonder they are able to get big plays through the ground and air. Jordan Gross is a very good LT in the NFL but the other OT spot is a bit questionable. The Panthers traded for the highly athletic but raw Bruce Campbell to compete on the OL. Jeff Otah is one of the league’s best run-blocking RTs, but he always seems to be on the IR having missed 28 games in 2 years. Ryan Kalil is on that 2nd tier of very good Centers in the league. The Panthers also added Matt Reynolds and the highly talent guard Amini Silatolu in the 2012 draft this year. The new additions to the Carolina offense along with the other young talent slowly tapping into their potential, the Panther offense could be even more exciting this year.
Defense:
The Panther defense was hurt badly by injuries losing both Jon Beason and Thomas Davis (again) plus CB Captain Munnerlyn. The Panthers are getting healthy now and they should be a formidable defense if they can fight off the injury bug. Charles Johnson is among the premiere pass-rushers in the NFL, but the Panthers are looking for a 2nd option opposite him. Greg Hardy had just 4 sacks, but has talent. The interior DL is still a major concern of mine even though they drafted Sione Fua and McClain last year. I personally thought a DT would have been a smart move for the Panthers in Round 1, but they went after the clear-cut #1 LB prospect in Luke Kuechly. If Kuechly pans out the Panthers could have the best trio of LBs in the NFL next to Jon Beason and James Anderson (Thomas Davis is great when healthy, but lately he hasn’t been healthy). Finally, the Panther secondary has gotten very young quickly with adding Munnerlyn, Godfrey, and Martin in the past half-decade and all 3 look to be promising. Chris Gamble is still a reliable option at CB. Carolina also brought in Coastal Carolina CB Josh Norman to compete for time, still pissed Carolina got him…The defense still has more questions than the offense due to the injuries and interior DL, but they have plenty of good pieces and leaders that will elevate the play of others around them.
Questions:
1. Will Cam Newton take a step forward, lead his team to the playoffs, or will he falter and miss out again?
2. With the injured defenders coming back, will the Panther D become a feared defense once again?
3. Does Cam have enough help at WR/TE?
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SwiftTexan
Joined: 15 Feb 2011
Posts: 2441
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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You forgot to mention the addition of Mike Tolbert to that running attack. They are looking like an old-school run-first offense without the defense to keep them in tight games. I expect their DTs to be better than advertised because they had some injuries there. It's also interesting that in a pass-first league - they are loaded at talent at LB when most teams have figured out that they only need one good LB and a bunch of good defensive backs. Until they can improve their depth in the backfield - I can't see them matching up with the Saints or any other team that runs 3-5 Wide.
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GO SEAHAWKS GO!
Not a Texans fan...just a nickname.
April 7th, 2013
| aceinthehouse wrote: | Don't sweat Seattle.
They're overrated & not making the Playoffs next season.
8-8 or 9-7 best for Seattle. (& No Playoffs) |
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iknowcool
Joined: 15 Apr 2009
Posts: 11597
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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| SwiftTexan wrote: | | Until they can improve their depth in the backfield - I can't see them matching up with the Saints or any other team that runs 3-5 Wide. |
I think our depth in the secondary is fine. Munnerlyn, Hogan, Butler, Norman at corner behind Gamble and Smith and Nakamura at safety behind Martin (although he is in a competition right now) and Godfrey is fine. That is solid depth. I think the main issue is we just don't have anybody that you can actually rely on covering a top tier receiver sans Gamble, who played at a top ten level last season. Covering slots and #4s is fine for us; we're just going to have trouble covering teams who have two great starting receivers like NYG.
We've loaded ourselves at LB because in this division, you need good linebackers to cover some of these monstrous tight ends. Godfrey struggled last year because he was forced to cover the Graham's of the world which is just a matchup he isn't going to win and this is due to Davis and Beason going down to injury. I expect Godfrey to return to how he performed in 2010 and that was as one of the leagues better safeties. Too bad I can't say the same for the other safety. However, I think we can match up with New Orleans. We did it in the first game against them last season and that was when Newton was still enduring growing pains. They blew us out in the second half in Week 17 but half our defense didn't even play that game. Not sure if we'll be able to beat him although anything can happen in divisional games and we certainly have the talent to beat them. I still have them taking the division for now unless Brees sits out for too long. However, we can match up with them, especially if Rivera can implement the heavy blitzes he showed signs of in Week 1 last year but had to stop due to the injuries at LB.
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Steelerspower
Joined: 13 Jun 2011
Posts: 6637
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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The panthers can make the playoffs if the defense play better
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JaguarCrazy2832
Joined: 28 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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| SwiftTexan wrote: | | You forgot to mention the addition of Mike Tolbert to that running attack. They are looking like an old-school run-first offense without the defense to keep them in tight games. I expect their DTs to be better than advertised because they had some injuries there. It's also interesting that in a pass-first league - they are loaded at talent at LB when most teams have figured out that they only need one good LB and a bunch of good defensive backs. Until they can improve their depth in the backfield - I can't see them matching up with the Saints or any other team that runs 3-5 Wide. |
Their secondary isnt all that bad, plus I didnt mention Tolbert because he is after all a 3rd string RB on a team that will utilize #1 and #2 alot and leave very little for Tolbert
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JaguarCrazy2832
Joined: 28 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Steelerspower wrote: | | The panthers can make the playoffs if the defense play better |
That phrase can be said for like 15 teams word for word or switch out defense for offense 
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FourThreeMafia
Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 40584
Location: East of Sixburgh
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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| JaguarCrazy2832 wrote: | | Steelerspower wrote: | | The panthers can make the playoffs if the defense play better |
That phrase can be said for like 15 teams word for word or switch out defense for offense |
Thats bull poo.
Anyway....the Panthers can make the playoffs if they score more points than the other team most weeks.
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| cluelessororke wrote: | | I am going to laugh in your face when they don't even sniff WR until day three of the draft |
Still waiting for your laugh.... |
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JaguarCrazy2832
Joined: 28 Jun 2008
Posts: 73955
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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| FourThreeMafia wrote: | | JaguarCrazy2832 wrote: | | Steelerspower wrote: | | The panthers can make the playoffs if the defense play better |
That phrase can be said for like 15 teams word for word or switch out defense for offense |
Thats bull poo.
Anyway....the Panthers can make the playoffs if they score more points than the other team most weeks. |
Now you're just effing with me 
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FourThreeMafia
Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 40584
Location: East of Sixburgh
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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| JaguarCrazy2832 wrote: | | FourThreeMafia wrote: | | JaguarCrazy2832 wrote: | | Steelerspower wrote: | | The panthers can make the playoffs if the defense play better |
That phrase can be said for like 15 teams word for word or switch out defense for offense |
Thats bull poo.
Anyway....the Panthers can make the playoffs if they score more points than the other team most weeks. |
Now you're just effing with me |
Not at all.
Just trying to raise my game in regards to team analysis to Steelerpower's level. After that insightful, in depth look at how the Panthers can be successful, the thread may as well be locked down, because thats all that needs to be said really.
Cereal though...the Panthers IMO are still a year away. They play in a tough division and while I think the defnese will be better, I still think their interior DLine and secondary is pretty bad and will cost them games.
6-10 is a fair guess, but I could see them winning between 6-9 games.
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| cluelessororke wrote: | | I am going to laugh in your face when they don't even sniff WR until day three of the draft |
Still waiting for your laugh.... |
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BlackandBlue
Joined: 01 Jan 2011
Posts: 1097
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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| JaguarCrazy2832 wrote: | | Steelerspower wrote: | | The panthers can make the playoffs if the defense play better |
That phrase can be said for like 15 teams word for word or switch out defense for offense |
It's easier for a defense to improve or worsen than it is for an offense, if only for that fact that a good QB is all you really need to make an offense hum.
And if you look at the NFC teams that barely missed the postseason, a lot of them did so because of offensive incompetence- the Seahawks and Cardinals, the Bears, even the Eagles and Cowboys to an extent. |
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Steelerspower
Joined: 13 Jun 2011
Posts: 6637
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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| FourThreeMafia wrote: | | JaguarCrazy2832 wrote: | | Steelerspower wrote: | | The panthers can make the playoffs if the defense play better |
That phrase can be said for like 15 teams word for word or switch out defense for offense |
Thats bull poo.
Anyway....the Panthers can make the playoffs if they score more points than the other team most weeks. |
The defense of the Panthers in 2011 were one of the worst in the league...If the defense is between 10th and 15th, I think they can make the playoffs
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Last edited by Steelerspower on Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Atomic_Panther
Joined: 02 Sep 2010
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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| JaguarCrazy2832 wrote: |
Their secondary isnt all that bad, plus I didnt mention Tolbert because he is after all a 3rd string RB on a team that will utilize #1 and #2 alot and leave very little for Tolbert |
Tolbert is listed as a full back not as a running back. I don't know how many touches he will have by the end of the season but he will probably be on the field plenty. He can be a weapon in the running and passing game so it is another position that defenses have to be wary of and he will be on the field at the same time as either Deangelo Williams or Jonathan Stewart. Personally I think Tolbert coming out of the backfield is going to be a better pass catching option than whoever wins the 4th WR or 2nd TE spot. |
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norcalraider510
Joined: 12 Feb 2011
Posts: 6376
Location: The Itty Bitty City By The Water
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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Anyway...
Im with 43mafia. Carolina is still a year away(maybe more) imo. Division is going to be tougher and I think the sophomore slump is going to get Cam. Defense is still a big ?. imo they win 5-9 games next year
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RaisinBran
Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Posts: 8888
Location: 925 Bay Area
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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Shouldnt u just put all your evaluations in the same thread? In a few weeks this forum will have all your threads on the first page lol
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JaguarCrazy2832
Joined: 28 Jun 2008
Posts: 73955
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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| RaisinBran wrote: | | Shouldnt u just put all your evaluations in the same thread? In a few weeks this forum will have all your threads on the first page lol |
I highly doubt that. The closer we get to training camp the more talk there will be about other stuff. Plus my threads dont seem to generate as much buzz from other more respected posters. There is only about 15 posts or so per thread and I'm usually a few of those. The Arizona thread is already on the next page and the Atlanta one is almost there too
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