The fact that matters about Whitehead

[Panther Believer]

We all don't like him I know, but all hate and biased aside. Not only is he the MLB of your defense, but is a captain. The one game he gets benched we throw up a shutout. I know a lot of people are trying to take the W lightly but if anything judge the lions defense, not the offense. Even without Golloday and Swift, they have talent, so we can't act like they're crippled in the sense of lack of firepower. Jermaine Carter and STO over Whitehead and Troy Pride (I think Troy Pride would be much better suited in slot for the future) will be a story to follow for the remainder of the season it looks like. 

[DaveThePanther2008]

2 minutes ago, Panther Believer said:

We all don't like him I know, but all hate and biased aside. Not only is he the MLB of your defense, but is a captain. The one game he gets benched we throw up a shutout. I know a lot of people are trying to take the W lightly but if anything judge the lions defense, not the offense. Even without Golloday and Swift, they have talent, so we can't act like they're crippled in the sense of lack of firepower. Jermaine Carter and STO over Whitehead and Troy Pride (I think Troy Pride would be much better suited in slot for the future) will be a story to follow for the remainder of the season it looks like. 

To be honest, I won't care if Whitehead was the President.  If Carter played the position better than Whitehead, he deserves to be on the field. If Whitehead is a true captain he'll show the support for the change.

While you have to take into consideration the Lions were missing some key players. You also can't assume this is the reason Carter did so well.  Carter just may be more disciplined in the scheme of the defense.  Staying in his proper gap and doing his role is pass protection. 

He definitely needs to start. 

[Khyber53]

Sorry, but after watching Whitehead be out of position many times this season and a constant effort that looks like he is playing to avoid injury rather than to make initial contact and tackle (which is the job of linebackers), I just can't get behind him being either our starting MLB or a team captain.

In all honesty, I've watched Whitehead play with the same style that we saw out of Gerald McCoy and Bruce Irvin last season -- lackluster effort as they coasted on reputations, soaked down some paychecks and jumped on tackling piles to give them some stats for their next team (suckers) to employ them.

Maybe Whitehead will rededicate himself to the art and aggression of being a MLB at the pro level after being benched, but he really needs to show something out there. God bless him, but if he's going to be a player, he better start playing.

[BrianS]

We're all asking the wrong questions and making the wrong comparisons.

Ask instead:  How does Tahir Whitehead stack up against previous Panther LB's and captains?

I might concede it isn't quite fair to compare him to Kuechly, what about Thomas Davis?  What about Will Witherspoon?  Jon Beason?  Dan Morgan?  AJ Klein?

Tahir Whitehead doesn't meet the standard in my opinion.  Either as a captain or Panthers MLB.  I realize the coaches can't come out and say that during a year where they may yet need him to play, during a year they absolutely don't need him to become a distraction.  I do expect him to be gone this offseason.

[electro's horse]

So i read this from a Raiders fan (who also said Whitehead was abysmal) and I believe it now.

The reason Whitehead is a captain is because he is an absolutely monster in the weight room, both from what he can do and how he talks to other people. He is absolutely THAT GUY at the gym who's stronger than everyone else, has better technique than everyone else, let's everyone else know it, but also goes out of his way to help the younger guys with their fitness. Diet, workouts, stretching all of that. 

He's a barker, but he's genuinely a good guy off the field for the younger players, which is all the Panthers are. 

He just has no idea how to play football.

So yeah, he gets to be captain because all the younger players look up to him for how he helps them train and poo. 

So maybe an S&C job? I dunno looks like he's been demoted anyway so it doesn't matter.

[Pimpdaddy]

Guess we'll see if Rhule can be a stubborn bastard...

[4Corners]

Nothing personal against, Tahir. It’s only business. He isn’t a very good starting LB. I’m sure he is a great locker room guy and teammate, he is a captain, but what it comes down to is he is a huge liability on defense and he also is unlucky enough to be the guy replacing Luke. 
 

I wish him well but I also hope he isn’t on the team next year. 

[4Corners]

27 minutes ago, Pimpdaddy said:

Guess we'll see if Rhule can be a stubborn bastard...

Yep. Good test for Ruhle here. 

[kungfoodude]

Wasn't it Whitehead that said this season that it was the younger guys that were stepping up and leading? I could be wrong but I seem to remember that.

Either way, I believe your play on the field is going to garner as much respect as anything. Whitehead's play leaves a lot to be desired. I would be curious to know if he is widely viewed by his teammates as a "captain" anymore.

[PhillyB]

1 hour ago, Khyber53 said:

Sorry, but after watching Whitehead be out of position many times this season and a constant effort that looks like he is playing to avoid injury rather than to make initial contact and tackle (which is the job of linebackers), I just can't get behind him being either our starting MLB or a team captain.

In all honesty, I've watched Whitehead play with the same style that we saw out of Gerald McCoy and Bruce Irvin last season -- lackluster effort as they coasted on reputations, soaked down some paychecks and jumped on tackling piles to give them some stats for their next team (suckers) to employ them.

Maybe Whitehead will rededicate himself to the art and aggression of being a MLB at the pro level after being benched, but he really needs to show something out there. God bless him, but if he's going to be a player, he better start playing.

gerald mccoy never did any of that 

[ladypanther]

4 hours ago, Panther Believer said:

The one game he gets benched

Per Rhule, Whitehead had a rib injury...that's why he was not in the game.  Should be interesting moving forward to see his playing time when healthy.

[Waldo]

Whitehead is helping build Rhule's culture. He wasn't brought in because of how good he is on the field but what he brings everywhere else. We are flipping our entire culture, that's Whiteheads value.

And yes Carter should be starting based purely on play but I also don't know what the team chemistry is so I don't know if the better long game is to hold tight and make a move at the end of the year. There are so many angles that coaches have to deal with that us fans might not ever see or hear when doing active player management.

I sure am interested to see which way this goes and how the new staff handles this specific situation. Sounds like they already figured out Little was trash so there is hope they recognize reality.

[DaveThePanther2008]

20 minutes ago, ladypanther said:

Per Rhule, Whitehead had a rib injury...that's why he was not in the game.  Should be interesting moving forward to see his playing time when healthy.

Question is.  What it a legit injury or a way to save face for Whitehead?

[Khyber53]

1 hour ago, PhillyB said:

gerald mccoy never did any of that 

I was completely underwhelmed by Gerald McCoy's on field performance, disappointed in fact after all of the swooning done over him being picked up by the team and his training camp activities. He was soft, as advertised by his previous team. Sorry to disagree, but I've gotta call 'em like I see 'em.