Evan Mathis - Remember Him?

[Sam Mills Fan]

Just another guy that Fox thought was garbage and turned out to be a gem.

This is why I don't understand people that don't think Matt Moore can play. Why? Because John Fox says so? Since when has John Fox been a great arbiter of player talent?

[Davidson Deac II]

Jovan Haye and Tony Brown played a position where we were loaded when we let them go. Haye was actually a DE here, it wasn't until he got to Tampa and switched to DT that he started to shine. Players who do well elsewhere after failing here are very, very rare in the Fox era.

This. Mathis was a starter at guard next to our best tackle, and failed to succeed. I guess the differences between Right Guard and Left Guard are massive and intense, huh? This guy couldn't beat out a seventh round pick, was given every chance to succeed, and was eventually reluctantly let go. Now that he's managed to settle in he's throwing stones at Carolina?

Stay classy Evan. I give you a D- since the only way you can get better is by being told how you did.

I didn't see any stones thrown at Carolina. He said they moved him around a lot, and from I remember, that was true. Some can deal with being moved around, others need continuity. He didn't say that Carolina coaches were bad, or that they screwed him up, only that he needed continuity. If its working out for him now, then so be it.

[Cyberjag]

He is doing great because we never give rookies a shot. I know I will get grief for this but D.J. will probably go somewhere and be a great talent

Since when do we never give rookies a shot? Mathis had a starting role, and lost it. That's a shot. On our current roster, Gross, Wharton, Otah, King, Peppers, Gamble, Beason, Martin, and Godfrey all have gotten starting time as rookies (and I think I'm missing a couple there actually). That's a shot.

What more do you want, for us to sit veterans in favor of rookies?

[rayzor]

He is doing great because we never give rookies a shot. I know I will get grief for this but D.J. will probably go somewhere and be a great talent

i have a lot of problems with the way fox does things but the above statement isn't true at all.

a lot of the starters we have gotten their starting gigs as rookies.

[rayzor]

Since when do we never give rookies a shot? Mathis had a starting role, and lost it. That's a shot. On our current roster, Gross, Wharton, Otah, King, Peppers, Gamble, Beason, Martin, and Godfrey all have gotten starting time as rookies (and I think I'm missing a couple there actually). That's a shot.

What more do you want, for us to sit veterans in favor of rookies?

yeah, this area of criticism is unwarranted. panthers are actually one of the best teams in the league at giving predominant/starting roles to people they draft.

[Sandy Claws]

Just another guy that Fox thought was garbage and turned out to be a gem.

This is why I don't understand people that don't think Matt Moore can play. Why? Because John Fox says so? Since when has John Fox been a great arbiter of player talent?

Riiiigggggghhhhhht!

Fox never gave him a chance. Just gave up on him too early. Only let him develop for 3 years. Parcells and Company in Miami are even more stupid, only giving him 12 weeks. Look at him now!! He's a starter. I guess we should work on trading Stewart to Seattle in the off season for Forsett. Forsett is only averaging 1.1 ypc as a starter but HE'S NOW A STARTER. That's all that matters right? He must be better than our backups right?

[Sam Mills Fan]

Are you saying that Mathis isn't playing well as a starter? Isn't that the whole point of the article?

[Brooklyn Bully]

Jovan Haye and Tony Brown played a position where we were loaded when we let them go. Haye was actually a DE here, it wasn't until he got to Tampa and switched to DT that he started to shine. Players who do well elsewhere after failing here are very, very rare in the Fox era.

This. Mathis was a starter at guard next to our best tackle, and failed to succeed. I guess the differences between Right Guard and Left Guard are massive and intense, huh? This guy couldn't beat out a seventh round pick, was given every chance to succeed, and was eventually reluctantly let go. Now that he's managed to settle in he's throwing stones at Carolina?

Stay classy Evan. I give you a D- since the only way you can get better is by being told how you did.

LOL at you defending the Panthers because a former player speaks his mind about them.

[Cyberjag]

LOL at you defending the Panthers because a former player speaks his mind about them.

Why does that strike you as funny? I tend to defend them a lot, about a lot. If anything I get accused of defending them too much.

[Sandy Claws]

Are you saying that Mathis isn't playing well as a starter? Isn't that the whole point of the article?

How many players are we supposed to keep to play LG? Does the fact that he seems restricted to LG only become a factor in keeping him or letting him go? If he can't beat out the projected starter, do you keep him even if he only can back-up one spot or do you let him go.

[KillerKat]

even gross was doing a lot of complaining about getting bounced around. they have done that with several players but it was only when they were put into one position and kept there that they could excel.

the lack of grading and feedback is troubling. seems like the way fox and his staff talks to the team the way they talk to the media. no specifics. you just go out there and do what i tell you and let the grownups do all the thinking.

i'm glad he's doing well over there.

This part is what toubles me about the article as well. The lack of feedback is just another one of Fox's flaws.

[Snake]

LOL at you defending the Panthers because a former player speaks his mind about them.

at you taking the side of a player that has bounced around more then a pick 6 ball.

[Cyberjag]

Marvin Lewis: 53-51-1 regular season, 0-1 playoffs.

John Fox: 63-49-0 regular season, 5-3 playoffs.

But Lewis gives out grades, which is worth at least 10-15 games in the win column...

[monstercat]

Well first of all, if Mathis needed a grading system to tell him that he was getting his ass kicked on a weekly basis when he was a Panther, then he's about as dumb as a box of rocks.

Secondly, if Fox deserves any blame for Mathis, it should be for drafting him in the first place, because he was undersized and didn't really fit the mold of the big run blocking linemen that he should have been targeting all along.

Third, if you're a back up NFL O-lineman, then you had damn well better be able to play more than one position if you want to stick around.

Fourth, if any fan thinks that the Bengals are winning because of Evan Mathis, then they should just smack themselves in the face over and over and over and over again.