How to fix it (Quarterback)

[Mr. Scot]

(Currently posting different threads breaking down changes that I feel need to be made if we're going to salvage this season; keep in mind as you read that not everything can be fixed this year, so I'm attempting to concentrate on those things which realistically can be, and going unit by unit)

QUARTERBACK

This is at one time extremely simple, while being very complex.

Two points of discussion (including one point of contention)

Bench Jake Delhomme

As hard as it is to say knowing just how good a person and how great a teammate and leader Delhomme is, it’s time to re-focus his role to an off-field one rather than on. I made the case for this two weeks ago, and I won’t go through the whole thing again, but will add an important point as to why I believe the clock has finally struck midnight.

Because of the interceptions? No.

Because of the meltdowns? No.

Because we need a spark? No.

It goes way deeper than that.

A couple of weeks back, I took my girlfriend (the Future Mrs) back to my hometown in West Virginia. The Mountain State has more than its share of curvy roads, and while going over them I chatted with her about how fast I used to take them when I was younger.

These days, of course, I'm older, wiser, and frankly, not brave enough to try that crap again.

Losing that youthful mojo isn't a problem if you no longer need to do the things you used to do.

If you do still need to do those things, it's bad. Real bad.

I began wondering whether that might have been Delhomme's issue about a week and a half ago. This week it was confirmed in print when Delhomme admitted to having battled some doubts. Point blank, when you have a starting QB whose biggest positive is his fearlessness, doubt is crippling.

When that QB starts having doubts, you bench him.

When that QB publicly admits those doubts, you drop him to third on the depth chart.

i'll say this much about Jake. Looking at the big picture, Delhomme has never received enough credit for the things he's done for this team. He's the most successful quarterback the franchise has ever had, and arguably the best overall. He’s been continually underrated by both fans and media, and often by opponents too. He’s been a soldier, a leader, and a fighter. Truthfully, he deserves a warm spot in the hearts of every Panther who’s watched him since he first took the field by storm in week one of 2003.

Sadly, he now also deserves a spot on the bench.

Start Matt Moore

As before, if Josh McCown were healthy he’d be the guy. But Josh is out, so the duty needs to fall to Matt Moore.

Will he struggle? Absolutely.

Will he look bad? Probably more than once.

Will he lose games? Yes, but at this point that’s no big change.

A long time back, George Seifert stubbornly kept an aging Steve Beuerlein in at QB during what turned out to be a non-playoff season. Even when the best thing to do would have been to go with Jeff Lewis and see what was there (ultimately of course, nothing) Seifert stayed with the vet over the youngster.

This season is not (yet) lost, but it's hard to deny Jake Delhomme has fallen further than Steve Beuerlein did during that year. Based on performance, you could justify keeping Beuerlein in until the bitter end.

I don’t believe you can do that with Delhomme, not anymore.

You have an extra week’s practice coming up, and you have a weak opponent coming up.

If you were ever going to make a change, this is the time to do it.

___________________________________________________________________________________

And here’s where my point of contention comes in…

Knowing how John Fox operates, it seems highly likely that if he does make a move at QB, it will be to recently acquired, sorely miscast, and crash course educated veteran A J Feeley.

Moore has been in the system, and he might be the future of the franchise, but Fox has long held a mistrust of young players in certain positions, QB among them.

Make no mistake, starting Feeley is the wrong move. But outside of sticking with Delhomme, it’s the move John Fox is most likely to make.

And having said that, I’ll say this.

Barring an injury to Matt Moore, if Fox starts A J Feeley for so much as a single game, you will see me jump on the “Fire Fox” bandwagon with two feet and zero regrets.

Bottom line...

[Fireball77]

You're going to get accused of being Scott Fowler again. He wrote an article advocating the same thing.

[Pantherman]

Agreed Jake has done alot for us over the years. I give him complete credit for he has done for the panther fans. 7 years ago he came into the Jags game fired this team and took them to the SB and to NFC champship twice. But those days are gone. Jake is not what he use to be. He needs to benched and Matt moore start. If Fox starts a QB who just got signed instead of letting your 3rd string who knows the play book and can do it. Then Fox needs a Doctor after the fans get through with him. It seems fox is not making the right choices now adays. Foxes days are numbered. fox better watch his stepps.

[Mr. Scot]

You're going to get accused of being Scott Fowler again. He wrote an article advocating the same thing.

Okay, I confess. I'm actually Scott Fowler, Darin Gantt, Charles Chandler and Steve Reed. I just write so much that I need different pseudonyms. The guys you see out at practice, in the pictures and at the press conferences are really actors that I pay to throw people off the scent :sosp:

(Lord, I'm loopy tonight)

Honestly, I haven't read the news spots tonight. I started writing on these posts pretty much right after the game ended.

I'll check it out tomorrow. Too tired and cranky at this point

[Jangler]

Maybe with the pressure Matt Moore will flourish. I know it is time for a radical overhaul of the whole team until they find out what is wrong. We should not be this bad. 3 games and 3 good drives WTF?

[Mr. Scot]

I could honestly live with being 0-3 right now if we had looked consistently competitive getting to this point.

We've had moments, but you don't win championships with "moments".

[GoPanthersGo]

I disagree. Let him play through his rut.

[Mr. Scot]

If I thought it were just a rut, I'd agree.

[beardosaurus]

If I thought it were just a rut, I'd agree.

Seconded.

I think his best days are WAY behind him.

[Mr. Scot]

I don't know if I go with "way" behind him, but i do think they're behind him.

Delhomme is normally one of the most media savvy guys there is, but you just can't talk publicly about doubting yourself when your team is in crisis. More often than not, it tends to make things worse because even if they're trying not to, your teammates start to wonder "what if..."

[The Other Colbert]

Delhomme is honestly the best QB we have. And he has served his position with the team well for the past seven years. But he was never expected to win games for us, just to manage the game and not commit turnovers. I think we have all taken for granted all of his last minute comebacks and leadership in the locker room.

This being said, it's troubling that our organization hasn't been realistically looking for a future replacement. Matt Moore gave us all hope a couple years ago when he stepped into the spot light and showed promise. Since then its been more of the same mediocre play from him.

But, he is the closest thing we have to a developing future QB. I say that he should be given his chance to grow and learn on the football field. I hate to say it but our season seems to be one in which we cant expected too much from but gain experience and development for our players. I say let Matt Moore struggle along with the team and maybe flourish into a legit franchise QB for us.

[Delhommey]

I mentioned Delhomme's lack of audibling out of obviously doomed plays in the offensive thread. Either that means the coaches have lost faith in him and have him on a short leash (bad) or he's lost confidence in himself (worse).

[thejimmy]

Benching Jake will be a painful moment for me--I was in attendance during the Jags game when he came in and won the game. I've seen every snap of his career, every pick, every TD, everything he's ever done. I love his heart, his honesty, his kindness, his personality, etc.

But...

I'm about winning more than anything else.

That's why I agree to start Moore. I don't know if he's the future, I've actually got doubts. But I'd like to at least know. We know what we have in Jake and it's not good. Let's find out with Moore and go from there. I guess from Fox's standpoint, if he replaces Jake, he's conceded the season, something he's probably reluctant to do. but at 0-3, I've already conceded it.

[Zaximus]

The season is basically over, probably hard to make playoffs.

If we were playing great and had a chance I'd keep Jake in. At this point, we may as well let Moore get some experience and see how he plays, and see what we got.

Either

A) He sucks. We figure out he's not that guy and quit wasting time.

He shows promise, wins us some games, makes improvements. We get more confience in him to start and he gets more confidence. We figure out he's a possible future.

C) He goes off and leads us to playoffs after finally getting a chance to play and START.

What do we have to lose?