Stopped by practice today...

[rayzor]

is the defense trying to duplicate what other defenses are doing in games? throwing 9-10 in the box?

[CatMan72]

is the defense trying to duplicate what other defenses are doing in games? throwing 9-10 in the box?

No, not that I noticed.

They were in shells today so there was nothing heavy going on, but most of what I saw I would characterize as us playing our style of defense. I would also say that I didn't see many running plays being executed (if any) it was 99% passing plays. It's funny what you recall when someone starts asking questions.

I think you raise an excellent point, maybe they did that on a day I wasn't there? If not, it would seem to make perfect sense to me. I'm not worried about taking reps away from our defense if it means our offense can get better at handling pressure.

[Jangler]

Are they throwing cupcakes at Clausen? I hear he hates that.

[panthers55]

No, not that I noticed.

They were in shells today so there was nothing heavy going on, but most of what I saw I would characterize as us playing our style of defense. I would also say that I didn't see many running plays being executed (if any) it was 99% passing plays. It's funny what you recall when someone starts asking questions.

I think you raise an excellent point, maybe they did that on a day I wasn't there? If not, it would seem to make perfect sense to me. I'm not worried about taking reps away from our defense if it means our offense can get better at handling pressure.

I doubt they have installed the gameplan for next Sunday nor is the scout team ready to go. I suspect they went with their regular playbook trying to get the two new guys up to speed. I figure they will come back and implement everything next week.

[rayzor]

No, not that I noticed.

They were in shells today so there was nothing heavy going on, but most of what I saw I would characterize as us playing our style of defense. I would also say that I didn't see many running plays being executed (if any) it was 99% passing plays. It's funny what you recall when someone starts asking questions.

I think you raise an excellent point, maybe they did that on a day I wasn't there? If not, it would seem to make perfect sense to me. I'm not worried about taking reps away from our defense if it means our offense can get better at handling pressure.

I doubt they have installed the gameplan for next Sunday nor is the scout team ready to go. I suspect they went with their regular playbook trying to get the two new guys up to speed. I figure they will come back and implement everything next week.

i can see wanting to get thomas up to speed on the offense, but when have we been able to implement our offense the way we would like? until they start replicating what they are actually facing in game time situations, it isn't going to be doing much good.

[panthers55]

i can see wanting to get thomas up to speed on the offense, but when have we been able to implement our offense the way we would like? until they start replicating what they are actually facing in game time situations, it isn't going to be doing much good.

Since this practice was largely passing and not running the 8 or 9 men in the box scenarios don't really factor that much. In fact it is harder to pass again a shell especially vertically then it is against a stacked box where there is single coverage.

As for blitz packages they won't work on those until next week. Truth is that most blitzes unless it is against a team like the Jets or Baltimore are situational. The best way to avoid them it avoid third and long.

[Anybodyhome]

"i can see wanting to get thomas up to speed on the offense, but when have we been able to implement our offense the way we would like? until they start replicating what they are actually facing in game time situations, it isn't going to be doing much good."

Bingo. I've always felt like the weakness of the Panther D are the same plays the Panther O rarely executes.

Ever notice how poorly Panther defenses over the years have played TEs who can catch? How many times have the Panthers been gashed by a TE who can catch? And just how often do the Panthers use their TEs in the passing game?

How about screen plays and counters? Matt Forte tore up the D in the first quarter simply cutting back against the flow. Throw in a couple screens- something else the Panthers rarely use- and the D looks pedestrian again.

The Panthers defense looks its worst when trying to stop plays that the Panther offense rarely uses.

[CatMan72]

I also practiced a little reverse psychology, I had Clausen sign a custom Madden 11 cover with his image in a Panthers uniform and I gave him an extra copy I brought (good incentive to get guys to sign and generally a decent thing to do).

I'm hoping this act of pure self-interest will also have the unintended side effect of applying a reverse Madden curse on him. With his struggles, perhaps being on the cover of Madden will actually help?

If this works, I'll post my paypal account so you can all send me embarassing sums of money as a tribute to my genius... If it turns out that it actually makes him worse, then it's Zod's fault.

[CatMan72]

...here's a link to the Clausen Madden 11 cover I printed and had him sign if you're curious: http://picturepush.com/+GsMQ

[rayzor]

Since this practice was largely passing and not running the 8 or 9 men in the box scenarios don't really factor that much. In fact it is harder to pass again a shell especially vertically then it is against a stacked box where there is single coverage.

As for blitz packages they won't work on those until next week. Truth is that most blitzes unless it is against a team like the Jets or Baltimore are situational. The best way to avoid them it avoid third and long.

most teams have been blitzing on most downs. i think that the saints did it the least, only keeping their's to 3rd downs.

the thing that i think has been rattling clausen and messing up the oline is that there are people blitzing in from every angle and they are sending so many people in so often. other teams aren't just stacking the box. they've dealt with that before. they are rushing in a lot more with it. imo, until they start preparing for that, very little else will work.

i am curious to know what kind of shells they had going. if it was cover 1 shells then that would more prepare them for what they are seeing provided the backfield is getting the same amount of pressure they have been. more than cover 2 is just jumping the gun right now. they really haven't had to face that much.

[mav1234]

Will be interesting to see how it turns out. If practice alone is deciding who starts, I would say Moore has a huge edge.

Just hope we don't bounce through QBs, no matter who goes.

[Catdaddy]

How do you know who the number one's are? The team doesn't even know that

[mav1234]

I would imagine that you could gauge it by the linemen, the backs, maybe the TE, and maybe the D who is playing against em?

Plus, if Clausen and Moore split time totally equally, I'd probably wager they split time with the 1s.

[Catdaddy]

I would imagine that you could gauge it by the linemen, the backs, maybe the TE, and maybe the D who is playing against em?

Plus, if Clausen and Moore split time totally equally, I'd probably wager they split time with the 1s.

Jason Baker must have been out there, he's out only number one on offense