Steelers DL Coach Agrees With Pep

[Mr. Scot]

The thing I find so odd about Pep's feeling that way is that he has never that I know of not taken public responsibility for how he plays. I remember how much it impressed me when he was suspended for taking ephedra as a rookie and he took the responsibility on his own shoulders unlike a lot of other players who try to rationalize it.

I don't think he believes this situation is his responsibility.

That, or maybe he's listening to what Carey tells him.

[panthers55]

I may be extrapolating things that aren't there but my take on peppers is this. I think he is tired of being the guy that the other team puts their whole defensive scheme around to stop. He is tired of being doubled off the line and feels the talent around him isn't good enough (something he won't say given how it paints his teamates). He wants a different scheme which allows him the ability get free runs at the quarterback without constant doubles or teams knowing exactly where he is on every play. Plus he has picked teams like Dallas and New England which have big defensive tackles and allow the linebackers the freedom to roam the field.

I am not saying that anyone is holding him back or making it difficult for him to do well, but I do suspect that as a 3-4 linebacker he should have a much easier time getting to the quarterback and he will not have to work as hard. And that is really the issue for him. He doesn't want to work that hard or exert that much effort to get his sacks. Another version of his penchant to take off plays and not play hard all the time. But he has decided that another defensive scheme would allow him to do that and still put up big numbers.

[Mr. Scot]

I may be extrapolating things that aren't there but my take on peppers is this. I think he is tired of being the guy that the other team puts their whole defensive scheme around to stop. He is tired of being doubled off the line and feels the talent around him isn't good enough (something he won't say given how it paints his teamates). He wants a different scheme which allows him the ability get free runs at the quarterback without constant doubles or teams knowing exactly where he is on every play. Plus he has picked teams like Dallas and New England which have big defensive tackles and allow the linebackers the freedom to roam the field.

I am not saying that anyone is holding him back or making it difficult for him to do well, but I do suspect that as a 3-4 linebacker he should have a much easier time getting to the quarterback and he will not have to work as hard. And that is really the issue for him. He doesn't want to work that hard or exert that much effort to get his sacks. Another version of his penchant to take off plays and not play hard all the time. But he has decided that another defensive scheme would allow him to do that and still put up big numbers.

I had similar ideas for why I thought Dallas might be a primary target for him.

[Fireball77]

P55, that is certainly a credible train of thought. I hadn't thought of that.

Physically I have never had a doubt he could be a 3-4 OLB...but he isn't simply going to be able be a pass rusher in the Pats' 3-4. If he's on the weakside, he will have Seymour over there though & that will make his job a bit easier.

[panthers55]

I had similar ideas for why I thought Dallas might be a primary target for him.

I think he looks at a guy like Ware who had 20 sacks and feels he is as good or better. Then he looks at Ellis and Jones who both had 8 sacks and is convinced he could get one a game without really trying. Those 3 linebackers combined for 36 sacks in 2008.

Again, Not sure I agree that he is better than Ware for example but I think he definitely believes it.

[panthers55]

P55, that is certainly a credible train of thought. I hadn't thought of that.

Physically I have never had a doubt he could be a 3-4 OLB...but he isn't simply going to be able be a pass rusher in the Pats' 3-4. If he's on the weakside, he will have Seymour over there though & that will make his job a bit easier.

I think he is looking at their line as well and thinking he can rush and get plenty of sacks, although the Pats don't seem to blitz that much. Seymour led the team with 8 last year. As for whether he can play the tightend in coverage or play zone/man, that really is the big question. He surely thinks he can, and it appears divided among scouts as to how successful he will be.

[MadHatter]

I may be extrapolating things that aren't there but my take on peppers is this. I think he is tired of being the guy that the other team puts their whole defensive scheme around to stop. He is tired of being doubled off the line and feels the talent around him isn't good enough (something he won't say given how it paints his teamates). He wants a different scheme which allows him the ability get free runs at the quarterback without constant doubles or teams knowing exactly where he is on every play. Plus he has picked teams like Dallas and New England which have big defensive tackles and allow the linebackers the freedom to roam the field.

I am not saying that anyone is holding him back or making it difficult for him to do well, but I do suspect that as a 3-4 linebacker he should have a much easier time getting to the quarterback and he will not have to work as hard. And that is really the issue for him. He doesn't want to work that hard or exert that much effort to get his sacks. Another version of his penchant to take off plays and not play hard all the time. But he has decided that another defensive scheme would allow him to do that and still put up big numbers.

But yet he wants to be paid the highest salary as a defensive player. Can't have it both ways.

[Fireball77]

I am not sure about the salary thing MH since he turned that contract down prior to 2009 which I believe would have made him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL. I guess the proof will be if he takes the lower $$ he is sure to get if he wants to be an OLB in a 3-4.

[carolinarolls]

Where they publicly request a trade, instead of handling it professionally with the organization in private. A trade request made right after a lopsided Panthers defeat to end the season. Where he says he doesn't want to hurt the organization but has done that with pretty much every decision he has made. Where he blames everyone (not in so many words) but himself for not becoming the elite player he feels he should be. For that jackoff Tiki Barber interview at the Pro Bowl. For those antics...

He has never publicly requested a trade

The timing of him saying he wants to try another position has nothing to do with anything

He has done NOTHING to hurt the organization..Hurney did that

He has not blamed anyone for anything publicly

I don't watch anything Tiki Barber is associated with.

He has not called a press conference, blabbed anything to the media other than the "4 teams" bullshit which was basically a "don't tag me" warning, and he has every right to seek something different after completing his contract. So what if you think he has lost faith in the Panthers. He would know better than any of us and I doubt them all the time.

He has done nothing wrong and anyone on here who disagrees is simply wrong. There are no two ways about that.

I understand you are mad, I'm disappointed too. But we cannot blame this on Peppers. If he had faith in the staff and roster of this team he would stay. He is getting older and in my opinion it will be a tragedy if a player this special does not get a ring. NOBODY can blame him for wanting a change. He has been straight up from the beginning AFTER fulfilling all obligations.

You (or anyone else) hating pep is like you hating some piece of ass after she drops you cold.

immature

[carolinarolls]

So Fox is the H C here,not the DC .

So why would Fassal not get the credit in N Y instead of Fox ?

xactly

[scpanther22]

He has never publicly requested a trade

The timing of him saying he wants to try another position has nothing to do with anything

He has done NOTHING to hurt the organization..Hurney did that

He has not blamed anyone for anything publicly

I don't watch anything Tiki Barber is associated with.

He has not called a press conference, blabbed anything to the media other than the "4 teams" bullpoo which was basically a "don't tag me" warning, and he has every right to seek something different after completing his contract. So what if you think he has lost faith in the Panthers. He would know better than any of us and I doubt them all the time.

He has done nothing wrong and anyone on here who disagrees is simply wrong. There are no two ways about that.

I understand you are mad, I'm disappointed too. But we cannot blame this on Peppers. If he had faith in the staff and roster of this team he would stay. He is getting older and in my opinion it will be a tragedy if a player this special does not get a ring. NOBODY can blame him for wanting a change. He has been straight up from the beginning AFTER fulfilling all obligations.

You (or anyone else) hating pep is like you hating some piece of ass after she drops you cold.

immature

i agree 100% some people act like they have serious hurt feelings..over this

[rayzor]

I don't think he believes this situation is his responsibility.

That, or maybe he's listening to what Carey tells him.

this very much could be the case.

[rayzor]

I may be extrapolating things that aren't there but my take on peppers is this. I think he is tired of being the guy that the other team puts their whole defensive scheme around to stop. He is tired of being doubled off the line and feels the talent around him isn't good enough (something he won't say given how it paints his teamates). He wants a different scheme which allows him the ability get free runs at the quarterback without constant doubles or teams knowing exactly where he is on every play. Plus he has picked teams like Dallas and New England which have big defensive tackles and allow the linebackers the freedom to roam the field.

I am not saying that anyone is holding him back or making it difficult for him to do well, but I do suspect that as a 3-4 linebacker he should have a much easier time getting to the quarterback and he will not have to work as hard. And that is really the issue for him. He doesn't want to work that hard or exert that much effort to get his sacks. Another version of his penchant to take off plays and not play hard all the time. But he has decided that another defensive scheme would allow him to do that and still put up big numbers.

i can see this as being true. it makes sense. he could have found a better way of handling it. the way they have sought this change has done nothing but hurt his chances of going anywhere.

[Montsta]

He has never publicly requested a trade

The timing of him saying he wants to try another position has nothing to do with anything

He has done NOTHING to hurt the organization..Hurney did that

He has not blamed anyone for anything publicly

I don't watch anything Tiki Barber is associated with.

He has not called a press conference, blabbed anything to the media other than the "4 teams" bullpoo which was basically a "don't tag me" warning, and he has every right to seek something different after completing his contract. So what if you think he has lost faith in the Panthers. He would know better than any of us and I doubt them all the time.

He has done nothing wrong and anyone on here who disagrees is simply wrong. There are no two ways about that.

I understand you are mad, I'm disappointed too. But we cannot blame this on Peppers. If he had faith in the staff and roster of this team he would stay. He is getting older and in my opinion it will be a tragedy if a player this special does not get a ring. NOBODY can blame him for wanting a change. He has been straight up from the beginning AFTER fulfilling all obligations.

You (or anyone else) hating pep is like you hating some piece of ass after she drops you cold.

immature

Are you serious carolinarolls? He hasn't requested a trade? WTF is all this 4 teams nonsense then? Has he held a press conference on ESPN to say he wants to be traded? No. But if a bunch of fans on a forum hear about a player wanting to leave this team long before the deal goes down and he's gone, someone screwed up.

Him not signing his franchise tag hasn't hurt the Panthers organization? It's prevented us from directly contacting teams with our own trade scenarios. And not blaming anyone publicly? I said not in so many words, but you can't deny he hasn't done that. If you feel that you are some freakish athlete and the only reason you aren't the first hall of famer still actively playing is because of a system or a scheme, you are pointing the finger at someone else. Period. And you know what they say, you point one finger at me you're pointing three back at yourself.

You act like I am personally hurt by Pep's actions. I could care less. I've made it known that I've been a Pep fan forever, but I'm not unrealistic about how front office football works. I know there is a VERY HIGH chance that both Beason and Deangelo Williams could be gone just as quickly when their contracts expire. Not every player is gonna be a Minter that stays and plays forever. I personally feel for a Carolina native and team cornerstone, Pep has gone about things the wrong way. That's all.

And as a Panthers fan, I feel 100% that there is not a single team Peppers could go to that is primed to win championships better than ours. It wouldn't surprise me if it turns out like Tiki Barber, where he bitches and moans and the year after he goes the Giants win it all without him. So do I wish him well? Yes. Do I want him to ever get a ring? HELL NO. Because every year he gets a ring, we aren't.