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Your weekly Ekwonu update…

*FreeFua*

By *FreeFua*,
in Carolina Panthers

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joemac Grand Master

joemac

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, *FreeFua* said:

Watch those big back to back runs by Foreman and Chuba. Ekwonu was a big reason for them 

We have a really good one. Now it’s important we find our QB while we have LT locked down on a rookie deal 

Jesus - dude has had maybe 6 so-so quarters in the first 2 games of his NFL career, and has been completely lights out since then.  He may be a Pro-Bowler this year, and an All-Pro moving forward.  Talk about a homerun first round draft pick! 

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KSpan Grand Master

KSpan

Posted
Posted
31 minutes ago, WestPanthers said:

Here you go ~ Our franchise LT

Compared to Erving loafing vs Atlanta and letting Darnold get rocked...

wolf of wall street omg GIF

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Seltzer Mentor

Seltzer

Posted
Posted

I honestly cannot remember a time when the long-term outlook for the Offensive Line was this good.

Probably since 2008.  2015 was great but it didn't last.

I know today is full of overreaction threads for this year's team, but it is hard not to be excited about the Oline development.  We would have been a consistent winner with Cam had we provided him with this kind of protection,

 

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Mr Mojo Risin Mentor

Mr Mojo Risin

Posted
Posted (edited)
10 minutes ago, CPantherKing said:

The coaching is clearly worried about Ickey in the passing game. They set him up to play more like a guard at the LT position by getting him to the second level.

He was covered by a TE most of the game on pass plays. They would even cover Ickey with 2 receivers. You could tell when the Panthers were going to run the ball because they would leave Ickey uncovered and put the strong side blocking to the right side of the line. If they covererd up Ickey, it was likely a 5 step drop.

The few times they left Ickey uncovered for a 3 step drop, he got beat. He was beat badly on the TD throw to DJ. That was all PJ feeling the pocket and sticking to his footwork to hitch up into the pocket and not run scared or take the sack like Baker or Darnold would have done on a 3 step drop with a small window in the back of the endzone.

He is great in run blocking, and much better when you set him up to play like an OG blocking down on the second level with no DL over top of him. He is great at picking up defenders from the interior of the OL front in a passing situation. He is awful at protecting the QB against edge rushers.

The OL would be much better had they started with Bozeman at C, Christensen at LT and Ickey at LG. Oh well. At least they have learned to put Bozeman at center, run plays that get Ickey a quick release to the second level, and cover Ickey up with TEs to push the edge rush further away from Ickey.

On the TD to DJ it was great to see PJ hang in the pocket but make no mistake had Ickey given up after getting beat PJ would have gotten smashed. Ickey was able to recover and push his man passed the QB so he couldn't affect the throw or hit his QB

Edited by Mr Mojo Risin
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Khyber53 Grand Master

Khyber53

Posted
Posted
42 minutes ago, CPantherKing said:

The coaching is clearly worried about Ickey in the passing game. They set him up to play more like a guard at the LT position by getting him to the second level.

He was covered by a TE most of the game on pass plays. They would even cover Ickey with 2 receivers. You could tell when the Panthers were going to run the ball because they would leave Ickey uncovered and put the strong side blocking to the right side of the line. If they covererd up Ickey, it was likely a 5 step drop.

The few times they left Ickey uncovered for a 3 step drop, he got beat. He was beat badly on the TD throw to DJ. That was all PJ feeling the pocket and sticking to his footwork to hitch up into the pocket and not run scared or take the sack like Baker or Darnold would have done on a 3 step drop with a small window in the back of the endzone.

He is great in run blocking, and much better when you set him up to play like an OG blocking down on the second level with no DL over top of him. He is great at picking up defenders from the interior of the OL front in a passing situation. He is awful at protecting the QB against edge rushers.

The OL would be much better had they started with Bozeman at C, Christensen at LT and Ickey at LG. Oh well. At least they have learned to put Bozeman at center, run plays that get Ickey a quick release to the second level, and cover Ickey up with TEs to push the edge rush further away from Ickey.

This is good, quality analysis. What I see is that Icky is getting better at the pro-level game. Almost nobody has ever come in right out of college and were a monumental success at pass defense from the left tackle position. They get beat, a lot, that first season.

And he's there, but I just see that he's learning the position. Run blocking, while still a skill, plays more into the physical gifts he has. Technique and exposure to the game will fix his pass blocking. Giving him extra help on that side during pass plays is exactly what he needed from the looks of it.

It does, however, set up a tell that opposing defenses can use against us. Unless we learn to exploit the tell... He's a smart kid, and our coaching just got smarter. This can work out very well. Eventually. And probably sooner than later, but there are going to be some bumps in the road. We just can't shift him away. Let him learn in this very difficult season. He'll be a grizzled vet before it is done and he'll be a monster out there. Our monster.

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    • Gapanthersfan
      Ekwonu

      By Gapanthersfan · Posted

      Easily. To be able to plug in a backup LT without much drop off from your starter? That could mean the difference between playoffs or sitting at home in January. Good/serviceable smart young and healthy LTs that won’t lose you a ball game at reasonable $$ don’t just come along every day. Everyone talks about the most important positions on a football team… backup LT is in the top 10.  Picture next year… the team is scrappy and competitive, 4 and 3 record, second place in the South. Morale is good. devastating run game that Let’s our marginal defense get plenty of rest. We play the Bucs and win, going to 5 and 3, but we lose Ickey to a high ankle sprain. Atl loses that week and are now at 5 and 3 as well. There is no Ickey and no BC because we let him go… and we go in to Atl the next week for a battle of first in the south. Week after that is the Jets…. Now they lose both by 10 and 3, respectively, and fall to 5 and 5 going in to their bye week. Atl is at 7 and 3. Out of typical Panthers desperation, they try to rush Ickey back in to the lineup with a saints game coming up…  Back to good old Panthers football, always playing catchup. Another season at .500 and the fans sadly rejoice in mediocrity, when playoffs were in reach. This team always overestimates its ability to pick up quality o line depth in the draft or FA and it always blows up in their faces. Like Chuba, I see him as being part of the core that Dan is trying to build. Work on his contract now and see if we can come out with something mutually beneficial. I’d consider 3 yrs at $25m to be very fair. 
    • waveslayer
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    • Shotgun
      Updated 2025 draft order

      By Shotgun · Posted

      Sounds like a plan. Those are the teams we should be mimicking! lol
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