Kiper just made a good point on Mike & Mike

[Seamonk]

Let's put aside the other team problems for a second. Let's look at what Jimmy Clausen is actually doing when he's on the field. Does he scan the field? Sure. Does he pull the trigger? No. He's way too gun shy. There's playing it safe to avoid mistakes, and there's doing nothing.. which is a mistake.

Early in the season we liked the fact that Jimmy threw away the ball instead of taking the sack or throwing it up for grabs as we've become accustomed to with Jake and Matt. It was a good thing.. but later in the year, when you really want to win games when the trial period is over and you're supposed to be playing for real.. he did the same thing.. In fact he was throwing interceptions while playing it safe and being gun-shy.

That said, what's the point of playing it safe if you're going to do the thing you're trying to avoid by not slinging it down field. As a Pro QB.. you can NOT be gun-shy. Your windows are smaller, you have to hit them when you see them. Now.. we began to have a resemblance of a running game after the seattle game. The receivers have a lot of potential, they're growing. The offensive side of the ball had less problems at the end of the year than at the beginning.

Now.. the longest TD play from scrimmage this season for us was an 88 yard touchdown pass. Let me repeat that.. An 88 yard touchdown pass. From flipping Brian St. Pierre. That's freaking Remarkable. Now if I asked you if Jimmy could throw a 30 yard touchdown pass, What would you Honestly say?

I do not support Jimmy starting and learning with a Vet Backup. The Vet has to be a starter and Jimmy the backup. Let the receivers develop with the Vet first.. then Jimmy has no excuses. Jimmy was already working with really low standards when he was drafted.. All he had to do was throw more TD passes than Matt Moore. Right?

[Ricky Spanish]

kiper doesn't make good points

[mav1234]

speaking of Clausen... did anyone who watched him at Notre Dame feel like his throwing motion slowed down in the pros?

I know he had some batted balls in college but it seems like it takes him FOREVER to get the ball out now, whereas he used to zip it out pretty quick...

[DaCityKats]

i cant put it on the young wr's bc jimmy missed a lot of opportunities with them down field.

[CRA]

So yoou don't feel that the shuffling that was occurring along the O-line, amoung the RB, and at the WR position would have any impact at all on a rookie QB who wasn't intended to start at all this year? mmk. I disagree.

it has some impact but not as big or relevant imo as you suggest. Stewart going from #2 to #1 and getting hot didn't have a negative impact. The OL got better....not worse as the season went on. The WRs, while SOME were young, the young ones got better as the season went on.

again, by the end of the year there simply is no defense for how sad he was. I don't bash Clausen for looking like crap against Cincy.....he deserves to be bashed or looking like the same guy at the end of the season (with a decent team around him).

[carolinarolls]

speaking of Clausen... did anyone who watched him at Notre Dame feel like his throwing motion slowed down in the pros?

I know he had some batted balls in college but it seems like it takes him FOREVER to get the ball out now, whereas he used to zip it out pretty quick...

just rookie jitters and second-guessing himself.

Kid came into a bad situation and a lot was expected of him early.

He should never have taken a snap this season.

I think he has every opportunity to be good he just needs to catch up with the curve and gt his head straight.

[mav1234]

ya know, jimmy had like 2 nice halves of football.

know why?

designed short, quick passes leading to big shots down the field. Lightbulb.

Then Davidson went back to just having him sit in the pocket and sling the ball 20 yards down the field - theoretically, whcih more often was him getting clobbered after holding the ball for 3 seconds. Which rattled him. Which made him unable to do anything.

Blech. I see why the Panthers haven't given up on him, but they'd be fools to go into the season expecting him to become a #1 real easily.

[mav1234]

just rookie jitters and second-guessing himself.

Kid came into a bad situation and a lot was expected of him early.

He should never have taken a snap this season.

I think he has every opportunity to be good he just needs to catch up with the curve and gt his head straight.

His actual *throwing motion* is slower, though. It's like it's going through molasses. Is that typical of rookie jitters (Honest question)?

I agree he shoulda sit. Was stupid to put him in so early. Shouldn't have played him before the bye. Just hope it didn't screw him up long term.

[pstall]

Of course it takes time. My 8 yr old knows this. Clausen will get his fair shot at redemption next training camp and season.

Then we will see how truly awful he is and he will grab a clipboard for one to two more seasons and then he will be working for Edward Jones out of LA for the rest of his life.

He will make good money and tell his clients how he played in the NFL.

[PanthersGuy28]

That's what I've been saying, give Clausen another year...seesh.

[CatMan72]

I'm not ready to give up on Clausen, but I feel pretty certain at this point that we don't have another Troy Aikman or Peyton Manning on our hands... even when those guys were struggling as rookies, they showed flashes of potential greatness.

[Pox 08]

that isn't opinion....Clausen doesn't have the "ideal" attributes and physical traits people look for in a NFL QB. Height, size, hands, arm strength, throwing motion, release, etc.

From what Rivera said, he is gonna bring in competition. Unless they bring in a one armed man......Clausen ain't gonna win any competition. Most people think Moore was/is bad......and he looked light years ahead of Clausen in camp, practice and games per reports.

Clausen will be on the team. There is no reason to think he will realistically have a shot at starting week 1.

How many Qbs are starting were seen as "ideal" Qbs coming out of college?

[CRA]

I'm not ready to give up on Clausen, but I feel pretty certain at this point that we don't have another Troy Aikman or Peyton Manning on our hands... even when those guys were struggling as rookies, they showed flashes of potential greatness.

we have the next David Carr. We already know a rookie version of Matt Moore or a 67 year old version of Vinny T is a better option than that.

[CarolinaKat]

Jimmy showed nothing last year. I'd rather develop Newton then Jimmy. Much better upside. The Panthers needs to pick up Mcnabb or Vince Young or so type of vet QB. Without Luck the QB's in this draft are weak. Newton is a project, so spend some money and bring in a vet