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Playoff collapse didn't test Panthers' faith in QB Delhomme

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By AKPantherFan,
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By Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY

USA TODAY is writing Letters from Camp from all 32 NFL training camps over the next few weeks. See all the Letters from Camp.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — You might wonder why Carolina Panthers coach John Fox doesn't have a quarterback controversy in his camp.

In the stunning 33-13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC divisional playoffs in January, Jake Delhomme threw five interceptions and fumbled away a sixth turnover.

"The 16 games before that, he was a 12-4 quarterback," Fox said from his temporary camp office this week. "I'll take that again this year."

Fox said he never considered putting Delhomme's job up for grabs, and the Panthers backed that contention up by signing the 11th-year veteran to a five-year, $42.5 million extension. Continuity and a decent track record trumped the worst game of Delhomme's life.

"In doing evaluations, you've got to kind of weigh the whole body of work," Fox said, mindful of Delhomme's 54-33 record as a starter and penchant for fourth-quarter rallies. "He had a bad game. He's not a bad quarterback. That has happened to all of them."

Even so, Delhomme is eager to put that playoff blunderway behind him. The Panthers came back this summer after squandering the bye week and home-field edge earned by winning a hotly-contested NFC South crown last season.

"It was tough because we had such a great year," Delhomme told reporters as camp opened. "For myself it was tougher than for the other guys, because they gave us more of a chance to win than I did."

Delhomme seemingly still has the trust of his teammates, to whom he apologized shortly after the playoff loss.

"We all told him to knock it off," tackle Jordan Gross said. "He doesn't want us apologizing to him when we have a bad game. Since then he's just been anxious to get started again. The only way to make yourself feel better when you have a bad game or bad play is to do better on the next one. That's the case for him. That's the case for all of us because we all had our name on that game."

Delhomme's career has been marked by tough challenges. He rose from NFL Europe project to riding the New Orleans Saints bench to guiding Carolina to a Super Bowl. He's come back from reconstructive elbow surgery. Now this.

"I've always thought I had thick skin, but I just added another layer," he said. "You've got to go with the ups and downs.

"Certainly it was a down. I'm looking for more ups."

AROUND PANTHERS TRAINING CAMP

• The scene: It's called Wofford College, but for some reason Faber College — the fictional school from Animal House— comes to mind when considering the cute little campus about an hour's drive from Charlotte that has served as the Panthers' training camp home since the franchise's inception in 1995. Lots of trees. Well-manicured lawns. Old-school dormitories. A throwback of a camp site — which just happens to be Panthers owner Jerry Richardson's alma mater — with a small-town high school aura. Fans bring blankets and sit on a hill as they watch practice. Others stand along the fence. Either way they are close enough that after a fan yelled, "Hey, Mr. Delhomme!" on Tuesday afternoon, the Panthers quarterback responded with a thumbs-up.

• Reason to believe: The 1-2 backfield punch, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, combined for 2,351 rushing yards and 28 TDs last season behind a revamped O-line. Williams averaged 5.5 per carry and emerged as a legitimate threat to go the distance on any snap. A strong running game is the type of foundation that controls tempo.

• Trouble spot: The team's best run-stuffing D-tackle, Maake Kemoeatu, went down with a torn Achilles tendon just seven minutes into the first training camp practice and is likely lost for the season. Kemoeatu didn't produce big stats, but he usually tied up two blockers and cleared paths for middle linebacker Jon Beason. Now unproven players such as Nick Hayden (two games, three career tackles), Lorenzo Williams and rookies Marlon Favorite, Corvey Irvin and Lonnie Harvey are on the spot for quick development.

• Who's new? Ron Meeks, who spent the past seven seasons running the Indianapolis Colts' defense, replaces Mike Trgovac as D-coordinator. He brings with him the philosophies of Cover 2, so there are new schemes and techniques to learn. Meeks hopes the zone coverage will better utilize young secondary talent such as cornerback Chris Gamble. He will also be challenged to inspire star defensive end Julius Peppers, who in the offseason grumbled about wanting to play in a different scheme.

• Positional battle: With 21 of 22 starters returning as camp began, the Panthers have continuity. Kemoeatu's injury instantly made the search for his replacement the biggest battle of camp. Expect an out-of-work veteran, maybe former fourth overall pick Dewayne Robertson, to get a shot at the gig. Meanwhile, Richard Marshall steps in for the departed Ken Lucas as the new starter at right cornerback. Also: A good competition shapes up for the backup spots behind starting safeties Chris Harris and Charles Godfrey, with Nate Salley and Quinton Teal leading the charge. And the Panthers need a kick-return specialist, with rookies Mike Goodson and Larry Beavers (who set a NCAA record for combined career kick-return TDs at Div. III Wesley) in the mix.

• Rookie watch: The Panthers hope their top draft pick, second-round defensive end Everette Brown, can quickly contribute — at least as a third-down rusher. He ranked third in the nation at Florida State last year with 13½ sacks. But with Peppers' presence on the right side, Brown is competing at left end (where he played as college sophomore). At 6-1, 256, he'll have to prove he has the physical toughness to hold up on the left side. Otherwise, there's also the chance that Peppers can flop to the left in some situations. Another intriguing rookie: Undrafted free agent running back Jamall Lee. From Bishop's College in British Columbia, Lee was picked No. 2 overall the CFL draft. But he wanted an NFL shot. You can't knock his guts. He signed with a team very deep at running back.

more......

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/panthers/2009-08-04-letter-from-camp_N.htm

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