Carolina Huddle

Ken Lucas has an amazing opportunity to redeem himself this weekend against some of the league’s best. As of late, Ken has caught plenty of flack from fans for his less than stellar play. This weekend, that could all dissappear with a solid performance.

Cardinal Fans appear to be some of the most polite and courteous in the league, a nice change from what we were expecting from Atlanta Falcons fans.

I will be paying close attention to the Wedesday injury report. Jeff Otah missed the previous Panthers-Cardinals matchup, and could possibly miss the game Saturday with an injured toe. The Panthers run game is more dominant with Jeff in the lineup.

The more I look back on the season, the more I realize that Pro Bowl Linebacker Jon Beason has added more than just ability to the team. He has brought a tremendous amount of leadership to the defense, something that was lacking last season. This will be Jon Beason’s first NFL playoff game, and I expect he will make it a memorable one.

Carolina Panthers

Hello Cardinal fans! I hope your stay is an enjoyable one. Here are a few tips that will allow you to maximize your trip.

• The nicest hotels are off of Woodlawn and easily within walking distance to the stadium.
• Charlotte is full of fine dining and shopping. Just make your way to Independence Blvd just outside of the city. You will be amazed at the extravagance.
• Carolina Panthers games always kickoff 2 hours after their scheduled time. We southerners are just slow like that. We like to relax and take our time.
• We LOVE to hear how you do things in Arizona! Southerners are known for their inquisitive nature. There is nothing we enjoy more than listening to how your city does things better!
• Let the locals know you are not a tourist by greeting everyone you see with “Howdy Partner! Think it might could rain today?”

Welcome to the Queen City!

Carolina Panthers

I am sure you have heard by now, the Panthers are once again hosting the Arizona Cardinals.

This time, its for keeps.

The Panthers have won the last five games in the series, the Cardinals have not seen a divisional game in a decade. It would seem this should be a fairly easy victory for the Panthers. But looking closely at the game played only months ago, the Panthers need to do two things differently to seal the deal.

1. Pressure Warner often, and hit him early. Warner is an excellent QB, you are not going to confuse him or phase him with creative coverages. What you can do, however, is harass him physically. It will be crucial for Carolina to make sure Warner’s jersey is dirty by the end of the first quarter. He will wear down quickly, if they can get to him.

2. Run the ball. And when you are done running the ball, run the ball again. Deangelo Williams finished the first meeting with a 6.4 yards per carry average. Jonathan Stewart averaged only 1.3 yards per carry. Combined, this will not get it done on Saturday night. The Panthers need to shorten the game, wear out the Cardinals defense, and keep their own defense well rested. All of this hinges on the offensive line a the dynamic duo.

Carolina Panthers

Now there is a headline you won’t see very often.

Over the years the Carolina Panthers fan base has been much maligned. Frequently tagged as fair weather, whine and cheese, Carolina fans have frequently been seen in a negative light.

They hear it every year as the elder franchises visit the Queen City. They talk about their history, their generations of support for their teams. Their unequivocal and total domination of the fanatic title.

It turns out, however, that some of those storied elder franchises dripping in history are worse off than the teenage Panthers. For instance, winning their division, the Minnesota Vikings faced the prospect of a mandated NFL blackout for the local viewing area. The same Vikings team that started in the AFL in 1959. The same Vikings that have had 50 years to develop a loyal fan following. Half a century of development .

And yet, they cannot sell out a home playoff game without the help of Philadelphia. Roughly 50 percent of Vikings season ticket holders even bothered to buy playoff tickets.

In a little over a dozen years, the Carolina Panthers have been able to develop a fan base that not only sells out each home playoff game in seconds, but also a reliable sellout crowd each and every Sunday. Growing up in Tampa in the 80’s, I know what its like not to be able to watch your home team on Sundays.

Be happy your kids won’t have to deal with that.

Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings

We all know the Panthers are dinged up with injuries, so getting healthy is an obvious need currently. But aside from that, what are the top three things the Panthers can do this bye week to prepare for their next opponent? We don’t know who that opponent is as of yet, so game planning will come next week. This week the Panthers are working on three key things in preparation for January 10.

1. Tackling. The Panthers lately have lacked in this department. Missed tackles are a big contributor to why the Panthers are not the #1 seed in the NFC. They failed to wrap up and tackle in New York, and now they may have to travel. This week the problem must be corrected. Emphasis in practice must be less on stripping the ball, and more on bringing down the ball carrier.

2. Blitz Effectiveness. In New Orleans, the blitz schemes lacked imagination and effectiveness. The Saints had no issues in picking up the blitzing defenders. More needs to be done in this regard. If the Panthers host the Falcons, it will be less of a problem, as it will be easier to fool rookie QB Matt Ryan. But if the Panthers host the Cardinals, veteran Kurt Warner will easily decipher what is coming after him. The Panthers must improve here.

3. Killer instinct. In short, the Panthers must develop one, and fast. In New York and in New Orleans, comfortable leads were blown by lackadaisical  play calling and a run out the clock mentality. Problem was, this was started in the third quarter. The Panthers must not be afraid to pile on the points. If you are up 17, the goals should be to be up by 24 on the very next possession. The clock should  not be the number one priority.

These three things, if improved upon, will deliver a home playoff victory on January 10.

Bank on it.

Carolina Panthers Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, NFL Playoffs

The end of the regular season is here, allow me to enlighten you on the best and worst of the NFC QB’s….

Top 5 - Put these guys on any team, and they are instantly better.

• Drew Brees - If he had a better team around him, he would be as good as Peyton Manning.
• Kurt Warner - Highest QB rating in the NFC. Still deadly accurate.
• Jake Delhomme - Best intangibles in the NFC.
• Matt Ryan - Rookie sensation
• Eli Manning - Good QB, better team around him.

Bottom 5 - These guys bring a team down

• Tony Romo - Gets worse as the pressure increases. Not a winner.
• Gus Frerotte - More picks than TD’s
• Marc Bulger - Regressing as a player
• Kyle Orton - Kyle who? Will never be a decent QB in this league.
• Dan Orlovsky - Bad name, worse player.

Carolina Panthers

I am not sure how to take this game.

Yes, the Panthers won. But they did not appear to have the killer instinct that a Superbowl team needs to have.

Offense:

Deangelo Williams is officially the best running back the Panthers have ever had, and likely will have for many many years. John Fox reportedly has said he is not just the most improved player on the Panthers, but in the entire NFL. That is a hard statement to argue against.

Steve Smith continues to the player that saves the Panthers from an untimely demise. His fourth quarter acrobatic catch between two defenders won’t be talked about much in the media, but was the most important play of the game.

Offensive Grade: B

Defense:

And now we come to the most troubling aspect of the Panthers going in to the offseason. I am confident the Panthers can score enough points to win a game, I am not very confident they can keep the opposition from doing the same.  The Panthers did blitz frequently, but rarely applied any more pressure than usual. The play of Ken Lucas is turning out to be a liability going forward.

Lets hope 2 weeks is enough time for them to get their heads on straight.

Defensive Grade: D

Special Teams:

Kasay made the kick that counted most, but missing kicks is never a good thing. Mark Jones made the return game completely forgettable.

Special Teams Grade: C

Carolina Panthers

All I see in the New Orleans media right now is talk over Drew Brees breaking the Dan Marino passing record this Sunday.

I don’t buy it.

While it makes for interesting talk and makes a game for a non playoff team somewhat meaningful, coach Sean Payton is not at all concerned for an individual player record. Sean Payton sees a chance to finish the season at .500 and momentum going in to next season.

Carolina could be without both starting defensive tackles, and reliable backup Gibson was placed on IR this week. Kemo did practice on a limited basis Thursday, but there is no guarantee he will be 100% at kickoff, if he plays at all.  Damien Lewis has not practiced due to shoulder issues. The Panthers have been signing defensive tackles to their roster and practice squad all week, which shows true concern despite what the poker face of John Fox is not saying.

Look for Sean Payton to test the Panthers interior line early and often. Saints RB Pierre Thomas is averaging close to five yards a carry, and at 5′11 and 215lbs is the type of back that can run off tackle and gash the Panthers in the middle of the field.

The Panthers will counter with Jon Beason playing a more aggressive run defense, putting more pressure on the safeties to cover tight ends out of the backfield. This will open up big play opportunities for the Saints, but the Panthers have little choice. They cannot allow another team to rack up hundreds of yards again on the ground.

It is possible the Panthers could be without Kemoeatu for the playoffs, Sunday will show us if they can survive without him.

Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints

I was lucky enough to witness this game first hand. Fear not Panthers fans, while a loss is never a good thing, this loss is not the end of our Superbowl hopes, not by a long shot.

On with the grades.

Offense:

Plain and simple, 28 points should be enough to win any football game, especially when your team is coached by a defensive mind like John Fox. The Panthers offense did enough to win this game. It’s difficult to place much blame on them, but playing it too close to the vest late in the game appears to have been a mistake.

But 28 points on the road in the freezing cold? C’mon. They did their job.

Offensive Grade: B

Defense:

Allowing 34 points will get you a loss the majority of the time. Weakened in the interior defensive line by the loss of Kemo, the Giants gave the Panthers exactly what the Panthers gave the injury plagued Bucs a few weeks ago. Namely, a healthy does of up your gut and in your face. The soft interior line allowed 301 yards on the ground alone. For a moment I thought I was watching a mismatched college bowl game.

Please get well Kemo, maybe now fans will appreciate you.

Defensive Grade: D-

Special Teams:

I was on the field for the game, and can testify to how unpredictable the wind is down there. One second it is calm, then out of no where the wind hits from one direction, and then another direction. Its hard to blame Kasay solely for missing the kick under a weather wind advisory. The offense could have gotten him a bit closer with a more imaginative plan. But, in the end, Kasay did miss the kick, and judging by his sideline actions just after, he was not too thrilled with it either.

Special Teams Grade: C

Carolina Panthers

Sunday night presents an excellent opportunity for the Carolina Panthers. They can proclaim on national television their football dominance in a convincing fashion. Sunday night also presents an opportunity for the New York Giants.

The sleeping Giants could send a wake up call to the rest of the NFL.

After losing the last two games, the Giants are no longer the darlings of the NFL. No longer heralded as the obvious NFC representative at the Superbowl. Without their star receiver, who for some odd reason enjoys hiding firearms in his sweat pants, the Giants are still searching for their new offensive identity.

Brandon Jacobs has said this week he will play, but with a lingering injury that could get much worse at any time on the field. The fact that he is even playing in this game speaks volumes to its importance and implications. It speaks to the heart of the matter, New York intends to make a statement.

I expect to see a playoff game on sunday night. The Giants know a thing or two about the playoffs obviously, having won the Superbowl less than a year ago. But this is not Carolina’s first playoff rodeo either.  Eight players remain on the roster from the Panthers 2003 superbowl appearence, and many others were on board during their 2005 NFC Championship run.

In the end these are two veteran teams, one on the rise, and one thought to be in free fall.

Can the Panthers keep the Giants in a slumber for one more week? I can’t wait to find out.

Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers, New York Giants