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Speaking of Billick. He has his finger on the pulse.

top dawg

By top dawg,
in Carolina Panthers

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top dawg Grand Master

top dawg

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Nice to get some more positive "objective" press from a national analyst, particularly one like Brian Billick who has actually coached champions, and is not hyper-positive like Chucky (who I love, unlike some).  Perhaps an undertone of "fluffiness", but, hey, it is well deserved.

 

I have called five of the Panthers games so far this season and have a pretty good handle about what this team is all about. But even I had my doubts about them being able to travel cross-country and beat a 49ers team that was ranked as the No. 1 rushing offense, the No. 5 scoring offense and the fourth-best scoring defense in the entire NFL.

 

 

Well, consider Sunday’s game as a warning shot across the bow because there is definitely a new power in the conference.

 

 

The Panthers have arguably the best front seven in the NFL and have a lot of beef up the middle to keep blockers off their playmaking linebackers, Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly. If the 49ers have the best linebackers in the league with Patrick Willis, Ahmad Brooks and NaVorro Bowman, then the Panthers must have the second-best unit. Kuechly finished the game with 11 total tackles and recorded his first sack of the season, but even more impressive is his ability to cover tight ends. In my opinion, he is the best cover linebacker in the entire NFL, and that diversity makes him an invaluable asset. Thomas Davis had just five tackles in the game, but forced a critical fumble that was the Panthers' first of two takeaways on the game that helped seal the one-point victory.

This defense is holding opponents to just 12.8 points per game this season and only 9.5 points per game in their six wins. They are ranked in the top three in nearly every major defensive category and are built to win games just like they did on Sunday. They have a three-headed rushing attack of their own, and really a fourth when you add Cam Newton to the mix. DeAngelo Williams gives them the explosive element (his 27-yard TD run just before the half ended up being the difference in the game), while Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert can come in and bang between the tackles as well as catch passes out of the backfield.

 

But the Panthers aren’t without their weaknesses, most notably the guards along the offensive line. The Panthers have yet to find a steady replacement for Amini Silatolu, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Because of that injury, they have been rotating guards on either side of the line looking for the right combination...This will be an ongoing experiment for the remainder of the season, but Cam Newton can make up for a lot of mistakes up front with his ability to elude defenders and make plays outside of the pocket.

 

 

If they can back up this win with another against the Patriots, then it will no longer be just a warning shot across the bow; the league will be on full notice that the Panthers are just as dangerous as the Seahawks and the Saints in the NFC.

 

 

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top dawg Grand Master

top dawg

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I see it's time for the "This guy says good things about the Panthers so clearly he knows what's up!" threads.

 

Well, actually I think you're being overly cynical. Billick made some good points in regards to the Panthers, the main one being that Kuechly may be the best cover LB in the NFL.  He also gives Thomas Davis much deserved respect, as Davis' story has really been under-reported.  Much like many of us, he is also somewhat skeptical of the O-line, and rightly says that Cam's elusive ability can cover a multitude of the O-line's sins.  

 

It's also worth noting that he effectively contrasted the record high in offensive scoring in the NFL so far this season, and the great defense that has been showcased by our Panthers. 

 

You can poo poo it, but I'm gonna enjoy it while it lasts (at least until the next game). It has been a long time coming.

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TheGreatestOfAllTimeCam Newbie

TheGreatestOfAllTimeCam

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Glad he likes us, but I don't like Billick much.

 

He's on board because he's had a steady diet of us.

 

I liked what Cowherd said today about us, He's definitely giving us some props which hes' been reluctant to ever do. Thats how you know we're entering that special territory. He said today that Kaepernick and some other guys can't make plays in the pocket and that scares him about some of the QB in the league, but he flat out said that "Cam Newton can make plays from the pocket". He's been so critical of cam in the past so it was nice to hear.

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top dawg Grand Master

top dawg

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Glad he likes us, but I don't like Billick much.

 

He's on board because he's had a steady diet of us.

 

I liked what Cowherd said today about us, He's definitely giving us some props which hes' been reluctant to ever do. Thats how you know we're entering that special territory. He said today that Kaepernick and some other guys can't make plays in the pocket and that scares him about some of the QB in the league, but he flat out said that "Cam Newton can make plays from the pocket". He's been so critical of cam in the past so it was nice to hear.

 

Well, poo, man. What is Billick supposed to do, not like us after covering us with a little bit of consistency?  Would it be better if he didn't cover us, and thus didn't really know what the fug he's talking about as he criticizes Cam and our schedule? To me, it's just natural.

 

As for Cowherd, I have found his criticism of Cam a bit Amen "cornerish".  He seems too much like a gold-digger that loved Cam when he first came on the scene, but dropped him like a hot potato when things were down, losing all objectivity about Cam's relative lack of experience in a pro-style offense, or even experience as the starting QB at a major college program. But, I suppose he's no different than many. 

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TheGreatestOfAllTimeCam Newbie

TheGreatestOfAllTimeCam

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Well, poo, man. What is Billick supposed to do, not like us after covering us with a little bit of consistency?  Would it be better if he didn't cover us, and thus didn't really know what the fug he's talking about as he criticizes Cam and our schedule? To me, it's just natural.

 

As for Cowherd, I have found his criticism of Cam a bit Amen "cornerish".  He seems too much like a gold-digger that loved Cam when he first came on the seen, but dropped him like a hot potato when things were down, losing all objectivity about Cam's relative lack of experience in a pro-style offense, or even experience as the starting QB at a major college program. But, I suppose he's no different than many. 

 

I didn't mean it as a slam on billick, I meant he can't help but like us because he has seen so much of us, so he knows we are the real deal.

 

I just don't like him because I think he's a dick - I do appreciate that he respects our team though!

 

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