Offense won't carry Panthers

[Rod Butsecks]

(By DAVID SCOTT, [email protected]) p//pp/It seems like a logical conclusion to draw: To be successful this season, the Carolina Panthers, with an injury-riddled defense that struggled last season, will need its offense to basically outscore opponents./pp/But the orchestrator of that offense ndash; quarterback Jake Delhomme ndash; doesn't buy it./pp/ldquo;I really don't see it that way,rdquo; said Delhomme. ldquo;It's so easy to say, so childish to say, but on Sunday you just have to score more points than the other team. You do whatever you can to win the game.rdquo;/pp/It's been another week of bad news for the Panthers' defense. As they prepare for their third preseason exhibition Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium, the Panthers have learned they'll be without linebacker Jon Beason (sprained knee) and safety Charles Godfrey (broken hand) for an indefinite period. Nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu (torn Achilles) has already been lost for the season./pp/These losses come to a unit that was already under fire for a shaky stretch late last season, when it allowed 30-plus points in five of Carolina's final seven games./pp/So why not think that the offense ndash; which features star running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith and an outstanding line ndash; will have to carry the team?/pp/ldquo;Because the season goes in waves,rdquo; said Delhomme. ldquo;Earlier in the season last year, the offense had some decent games, but the defense had some monster games. That flipped a little later in the year, when (the offense) was able to have some good games.rdquo;/pp/As the Panthers headed down the stretch of a season that would conclude with an NFC South championship, the defense started to break down. Opponents broke the 30-point barrier in five of their final seven games, including a 33-13 loss against the Arizona Cardinals in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs./pp/Preceding that game, however, the offense had powered the Panthers to a 4-2 mark in their final six regular-season games. Carolina's offense averaged 32 points in that stretch ndash; and that doesn't count a 31-22 victory against the Detroit Lions in Week 10)./pp/But Delhomme is right. The defense helped the Panthers get off to a solid start, holding opponents to single-figure scoring in four of their first nine games, including a 34-0 shutout of the Kansas City Chiefs./pp/ldquo;That's just part of the season,rdquo; said Delhomme. ldquo;You have certain phases of your team that have to win for other phases. Sometimes you'll have an off day or you're playing a team that matches (up) with you. It's part of the deal./pp/The Panthers' first-team offense and defense have gotten off to fitful starts this preseason. The offense showed some life in a 27-17 loss last week to Miami in Carolina's second game, thanks mostly to a sparkling 25-yard touchdown run by Williams. The key to that, though, was that Williams' run came at the end of a nine-play, 70-yard drive that lasted 5 minutes, 44 seconds./pp/ ldquo;That's offensive football,rdquo; said Delhomme. ldquo;When you keep the defense on the field, the longer you do, you have the upper hand. You want to impose your will so that they're not as fresh and you're keeping your rhythm.rdquo;/pp/Delhomme connected with Ryne Robinson on a 15-yard pass on a third-and-eight to keep that drive alive, then found Dante Rosario (16 yards) and Gary Barnidge (11 yards) on other big plays. Delhomme played the first quarter, completing 5-of-7 passes for 47 yards in three possessions./pp/The starters will likely play into the third quarter against the Ravens, as Delhomme continues to find that rhythm. It's tough to do in practice, he said, because quarterbacks aren't allowed to be hit./pp/ldquo;As quarterbacks, we're the only ones who wear a red jersey in practice,rdquo; he said. ldquo;You don't get that true sense of everything that goes on in a game, because guys are sliding around you. It's kind of unrealistic.rdquo;/p

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[panthers55]

While Jake didn't agree that the offense will have to carry the team all year he allowed that the defense carried us early last year and the offense carried us late. This year I think it will be reversed if we are to win. The offense will have to carry us early and the defense will have to carry us late around playoff time when our schedule is brutal and the weather will make a difference. In the end great playoff teams have to have a stout defense when it turns cold and ugly in December and beyond.

[DaCityKats]

yep defense wins championships