Houston Writer detailed breakdown of the Panthers

[PantherBrew]

https://www.battleredblog.com/2019/9/30/20889911/quick-thoughts-texans-v-panthers

 

I didnt see this posted, but I thought it was well worth sharing.  

Some highlights, but worth reading all IMO. 

 

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That changed after the first quarter. The Panthers dropped back seven to eight yards, sat, and sucked up the quick passes. Watson repeatedly had nowhere to go with the ball, leading to coverage sacks, which led to cross country third down conversion attempts, which led to an even more aggressive pass rush and multiple punts. The passing offense unraveled. Houston never adapted to it.

This is a good example. The Panthers have one safety deep. The corners take zone turns. The linebackers sit in the middle of the field and make easy pickups. Watson has five receivers and no one is open. There’s Shaq Thompson passing Keke Coutee to the safety, but Luke Kechly is in the throwing lane. Watson tries to step up, then decides to scramble, and is sacked from behind.

 

 

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This was different against the Panthers. Carolina’s defensive line is the back end of the pool. Mario Addison, Bruce Irvin, Vernon Butler, Brian Burns, Gerald McCoy, Kyle Love, and Dontari Poe were all there along the line of scrimmage. Each player has the ability to either push the pocket, or flow around the edge. Houston’s offensive line didn’t miss a ton of blocks, but they didn’t maintain pocket integrity. Constricted. Watson played quarterback in a demolished mine. In this setting the same scrambling lanes weren’t there like before.

A lot of this damage was done rushing only four with some tackle-end tinkering. When a defense gets this much pressure with only four they can pretty much play whatever coverage they want. When this much pressure is occurring, and a linebacker like Kuechly is in the center of the field to take away dump offs and hot throws, offenses are suffocated.

The Panthers didn’t blitz much, but when they did, they did it intelligently. The receivers are in a tight formation. Carolina has eight defenders in the box including two defensive backs. They overload the right side of Houston’s line of scrimmage. Kuechly knows the back is the hot, and jumps it before the ball is out of Watson’s hand. This prevents the back from cutting it back inside, and forces him right into the zone turning corner. Carolina is great at funneling the ball to where they want it to go.

 

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For too long, Shaq Thompson played behind Thomas Davis and was never utilized as an every down defender. Then Thomas Davis went to Los Angeles, and they finally gave him the keys to the 2004 Subaru Outback. He pairs perfectly with Kuechly. The transition has been seamless from one administration to the other. Thompson had 12 tackles, 7 solo, 1 sack, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 pass defensed, and 1 quarterback hit in this one to add to the other 19 solo tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 quarterback hit, and 1 pass defensed he’s already made. This is the best game I’ve remembered seeing Thompson play. I’ll have to check and see what Pro Fartball Focus says first though.
Thompson blitzed well in this game when they decided to bring him. He sacks Watson on this second and twelve blitz. They bring three on the right. It’s big on big. Thompson v. Mancz. He tosses him like a Reggie White pass rush, and leaps to take away Watson’s ability to throw it at the feet of the out route. Also, Kuechly knows exactly where Watson wants to go with the ball. Once again, the Panthers are funneling Houston and taking away their outs.

via Gfycat

On this blitz, Thompson is wide against Laremy Tunsil. This sets up Bruce Irvin one v. one against the running back. Irvin rolls over the top like a smashed deer, and hobbling on one leg, Watson throws a chest pass to the running back, tackled immediately, by, you guessed it, Luke Kuechly.

 

 

Here Thompson rips through the outside half of Scharping, pulling on power, and combines with Kuechly to make the tackle for a loss.

 

 

And on this play, Thompson goes from spying on Watson, to covering the back down the sideline, and drops a pick in the process. He turns and finds the ball better than most cornerbacks do.

 

Thompson has been fantastic this year, along with the rest of Carolina’s defense. They started off 0-2 after losing two close games thanks to Cam Newton missing the open throws available to him. Kyle Allen has made these throws. The Panthers are good. Keep watching them this year.

 

[Mr. Scot]

I posted an observation in the gameday thread that I thought Allen was dropping back a little further after the initial fumble but I wasn't sure. Sounds like that was indeed the case.

[TheSpecialJuan]

this is great 

[Adb6368]

Think we could get this writer a job at the Charlotte Observer?

[ellis]

That’s a very good piece of work. Thanks for sharing. 

[PantherBrew]

12 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

I posted an observation in the gameday thread that I thought Allen was dropping back a little further after the initial fumble but I wasn't sure. Sounds like that was indeed the case.

Hmm.  It would certainly make sense.  Just need to step away from interior pressure without just getting deeper. Bradys the best at it. 

[NanuqoftheNorth]

Awesome post!  Thx

[TheCasillas]

25 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

I posted an observation in the gameday thread that I thought Allen was dropping back a little further after the initial fumble but I wasn't sure. Sounds like that was indeed the case.

Me too.

 

[BrianS]

OMG at our coverage.  It's like someone flipped a switch this summer and we learned how to cover.  And, not surprisingly, our defense started working.

[PantherBrew]

8 minutes ago, BrianS said:

OMG at our coverage.  It's like someone flipped a switch this summer and we learned how to cover.  And, not surprisingly, our defense started working.

Coaching. Fewell was such an important hire.

[Mr. Scot]

16 minutes ago, BrianS said:

OMG at our coverage.  It's like someone flipped a switch this summer and we learned how to cover.  And, not surprisingly, our defense started working.

 

8 minutes ago, PantherBrew said:

Coaching. Fewell was such an important hire.

Beat me to it...

Remember, last year they were being coached by Richard Rodgers.

[Waldo]

It's a great peice but the pro fartball focus is the cherry on top. Thank you for the post!

[panthers55]

17 minutes ago, PantherBrew said:

Coaching. Fewell was such an important hire.

Said this in the offseason. He was our best addition in the secondary.

[bigdavis]

Love the way the writer described Allen's duck under move on Watt, and his amazing off balance pass to Wright, to seal the win:

This is “professional” wrestling. This is a man in a safari hat blasting a charging lion out of the air. This is absurd. Football is a gross and disgusting game. But plays like this are why I love it. I’m a pig. Feed me my slop.

Thanks for sharing this illuminating article!