USA Today's Matthew Stevens on fixing the WR corps.

[top dawg]

After reading this article by Matthew Stephens who covers the Panthers at USA Today that explains how to fix our "wide receiver woes," I really began to think even more so that it's not the receivers themselves that are the biggest problem here, it is the way that they are being used. 

Of course none of them are perfect, and they've all dropped some balls, but some of the most dominant receivers in the game let some get away from them (if you check out the drop rate leaders for the past several seasons). Still, receivers are expected to catch the ball, so I expect they'll continue to work out on the JUGS machine. There have been other problems like stopping on routes, or playing what I consider as "soft," but by and large I think these things are easily correctable. That being said, these are things that they can correct, but the biggest correction can't come from them.

In my opinion, the issue that sticks out like a sore thumb---and is really unacceptable if you really think about it---is what the writer touched on, and that's the need to alter routes.

"I’d love to see Benjamin streaking down the field for a huge bomb and a touchdown. But if we are being realistic, that play would take ages to develop and is far harder to execute properly than a quick slant for seven yards.

 

By changing the routes up a little more, guys like Benjamin and Funchess could utilize their size and catch radius to create separation on shorter routes rather than try to speed by a defender. As mentioned above, the quicker routes also help get the ball out of Newton’s hands faster, which should lower the number of hits he takes in the process.

Then when defenses cheat up to stop shorter routes, you can burn them easier with a deep ball to either your speed guy or Benjamin. Even if you don’t complete the pass, you’re more likely to see the defense back up again so you can convert first downs some more."

 

I mean, it makes perfect sense, doesn't it? Here, some people have dogged out Funchess and Benjamin about a lack of separation, but big receivers with limited speed by their very nature are not necessarily going to get a whole lot of separation. They're arguably more effective on shorter routes where quicker throws will allow them to maximize their huge bodies and catch radiuses. The slower that a play develops, the more time that the defensive backs have time to adjust and neutralize the best characteristic that most huge receivers have. 

So that's clearly a coaching problem first, and perhaps a personnel issue, second. 

Now this is not to say that the quicker, faster, Funchess can't develop into a down field type of receiver, but the need for true speed, as Stevens points out, became painfully obvious this past season, and has arguably been a need ever since Smitty got the ax. Ted Ginn Jr. provides speed, but as Stevens alludes to, at some point the negative returns of buttery hands overshadows the returns based upon pure speed. 

 

"...Carolina should look long and hard at replacing him with someone younger and a little more steady. Even if some of the speed is taken off, having a more consistent pass catcher will draw more attention from a secondary if he streaks down the field, likely moving a safety out of the way to open up throwing lanes elsewhere."

So again, for me this comes back to coaching and personnel. I know that some of you just don't believe in Byrd, and that's fine---especially for the future, I suppose---but it was very frustrating to me that Rivera and/or Shula didn't get Byrd some appreciable snaps in a season that was over basically by the end of October. In any event, a receiver with good speed, at the very least, and flypaper hands has to be on Gettleman's to-do list as he shops at Target this offseason.

Besides speed and adjusting routes, the other two things that Stevens says we should do is fix the running game and focus on player execution (which I kind of touched on earlier).

Perhaps this is just a glorified rant, or a veiled "Shula sucks" thread. I mean if fans, writers and analysts can see things, what the fug is the problem of the FO and coaches? For all the "We try and put the players in the best position to succeed," our coaches (and maybe even G-man) just fuged it up last season. 

Hopefully they'll answer the phone to the wakeup call and not just continue to hit the snooze button this offseason (including in camp with true competition, and not just rhetoric). The status quo is really unacceptable.

 

 

[gmonjimbo]

Yeah I think better play design and route patterns will help the receivers and offense in general. All we run is corner and out routes. Add more crossing, drag,hook, and fade routes for KB and Devin. 

[The Lobo]

DJax please

[SpeedOFLight]

I always thought are routes/play design was not doing our wrs any favors. I hope this is tweaked in the off-season.  Im curious to see what Byrd has to offer. He made a great play when he played at the end of the season. Maybe the answer is on the roster? Who knows

[top dawg]

10 minutes ago, The Lobo said:

DJax please

If DJax was even on our radar, I'd be surprised. That being said, I wouldn't cry if we got him. The thing is, I think that we may have to get someone else as well. I really do believe that we need to get someone who can excel working in the slot. Now if Funchess or even KB fill that need---kind of like what Marques Colston did for the Saints for so many years (very effectively, I might add), then great. Otherwise, I am still on the Jeremy Kerely or Robert Woods tip. Kenny Stills might be a better long term option than DJax, believe it or not.

[CarolinaNCSU]

Hoping for better plays in the playbook next year, an "evolved" offense...expecting the same ol' same ol' because I'm not an idiot. 

[vorbis]

I think as much as anything the Panthers need a particular type or style of athlete at WR right now, that isn't really on the roster. someone with big time quickness and acceleration, but also overall toughness and ability to block with gusto in the running game.  

as long as shula is here, the running game is going to be fully installed and used as much as possible. 

[tiger7_88]

This is what a lot of us have been SCREAMING about when we've been talking about "scheme".

Good offensive coordinators and offensive head coaches don't just count on receivers to get open, they have schemes that GET receivers open.

One example right off the top of my head was that first New England TD yesterday... there wasn't a single Pittsburgh player anywhere near that tiny, slow WR in the end zone.  He didn't beat anybody off the line or "get open".  He WAS open and it was all due to play design.

Shula couldn't scheme a guy open if his mother's life depended on it.

[csx]

4 minutes ago, tiger7_88 said:

This is what a lot of us have been SCREAMING about when we've been talking about "scheme".

Good offensive coordinators and offensive head coaches don't just count on receivers to get open, they have schemes that GET receivers open.

One example right off the top of my head was that first New England TD yesterday... there wasn't a single Pittsburgh player anywhere near that tiny, slow WR in the end zone.  He didn't beat anybody off the line or "get open".  He WAS open and it was all due to play design.

Shula couldn't scheme a guy open if his mother's life depended on it.

That's funny. Olsen is always wide open.

 

[NYPantherFan]

I think we all have been saying this for some time now. You have two big bodied receivers who can easily work the short routes: slants, digs, curls/hitch routes, out routes. Fade routes in the red zone need to be used more.

Then you have guys like Ginn/Brown and even Olsen who can help take the top off the defense and work across the field. 

I don't know why it is so hard for Shula to understand..

[beastson]

2 minutes ago, NYPantherFan said:

I think we all have been saying this for some time now. You have two big bodied receivers who can easily work the short routes: slants, digs, curls/hitch routes, out routes. Fade routes in the red zone need to be used more.

Then you have guys like Ginn/Brown and even Olsen who can help take the top off the defense and work across the field. 

I don't know why it is so hard for Shula to understand..

I just think looking at the current NFL, size doesnt matter if you don't have that speed. Speed is very prevalent in today's NFL. Gettleman is trying to build the new york giants from 2011. The NFL has changed since then.

[AU-panther]

With KB's size, and Funchess to a lesser degree, we should be the best slant team in the league.

Somebody needs to give Michael Irvin a call.

[LinvilleGorge]

1 hour ago, csx said:

That's funny. Olsen is always wide open.

 

Because Olsen is the lone elite receiving target we have. 

[Ivan The Awesome]

Kenny Stills please.