Panthers Offense Misfires Early But Defense Dominates
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The Carolina Panthers are 1-0 despite looking out of sync for much of the first
Carolina Panthers: Shaq Thompson is Ready
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The Carolina Panthers are entering the 2017 season with a problem. The problem is an over abundance of talent at the linebacker position. A good problem to have. Luke Kuechly, the defensive leader on the field, has his position locked up.
Read MoreCarolina Panthers: The Need for Cohesion and Unity Along Offensive Line
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With Panthers fans hoping for a 2017 Championship run, so many things must go right. But the for the Offensive Line this is especially critical. Here are some of my thoughts concerning the 2017 Panthers offensive front.
Read MoreIs Derek Anderson the Answer to Minnesota's QB Troubles?
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Recently, the Minnesota Vikings were struck a severe blow as a team, a season-ending injury to their star quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater. He suffered the dreaded “non-contact” i
Read MoreTwo Signings Carolina Must Make
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Allow me to say I know this idea and any type of negotiations are years away, nevertheless this idea needs to be brought up.
We all know they type of player Kelvin Benjamin is. We saw that his rookie year when he burst into the NLF for 1009 yards and 9 TDs, seemingly smirking when he would catch a ball over the coverage of a rival CB. It was not until the NFC championship game in Seattle that we really saw who this kid was and learned he was something we had never seen before. A giant standing as tall as any WR the NFL has ever seen at 6’6” and as wide and as girthy as most NFL TEs at 250 lbs. The size of a giant and the attitude of one former Panther “Steve Smith”. This became evident when he caught a TD on Richard Sherman looked up at him and said “I’m gonna keep coming all day!” and then caught another one. Now after missing a year due to a knee injury, he looks ready to come back and continue his dominant ways.
Devin Funchess is much harder to read; he took till week 7 to even have an impact game as a rookie but after that he went off. In the following weeks he went on to become a more consistent target for Cam Newton. He is big 6’4” and 230 lbs and he plays the game fast. He runs good routes and highpoints the ball very well. Recently it’s being said Funchess is “light years ahead of last year “, this makes me happy. Funch and KB have similar skill sets, yet each one stands out. The one area Funch could improve in is his self confidence vs top corner. KB is able to dominate a top CB or FS, even both at the same time, and he knows he can make the play because he is relied upon to make the big play, that is confidence. On most teams Funchess would be a number one receiver, but the Panthers are not most teams and Kelvin is not most players.
Now this being said, why should we lock up both?
It’s simple Cam will be able to count on both! Kelvin commands a double team in coverage no matter how much talent is on him (just check his stats when covered by both Sherman and Thomas), KB still gets the job done. Funchess is a physical mismatch for some elite NFL corners but we haven’t yet seen Funch vs top flight corners. And now with KB around, Funchess will rarely have to face top corners. Now this idea makes it so that lower level guys and lower paid guys in the depth chart look so much better because they are not relied upon as heavily and also do not have to face top tier cornerbacks. The versatility of Funchess allows the Panthers to bring in players to be nitch guys. Guys with blazing deep speed or 3rd down conversion guys. There are both among the 14 receivers we have in camp.
As far as the running game would be concerned well this idea can save you money! We don’t live in an NFL that has many elite backs and finding one is very hard. Even more difficult is keeping one without breaking the bank. I do not believe in paying running backs big money, they are hurt to often and when one goes cold it ruins your game or games. I believe in the idea that you keep 3-4 backs and ride the hot hand (much like how the Patriots do it), this saves money but it can also be bad if the rest of the team is not set up right. The Pats are able to get away with this because they have a top level QB and having two quality receivers who can create space. The idea of using multiple backs allows the offense to keep the defense guessing as to what the offense will do. Its not as simple as one back to carry the load and a switch on 3rd down. Defenses against Carolina will have to put 6 in the box vs Carolina because that defense has to cover guys like Kelvin, Funchess, and Olsen.
Cheap vets and rookie contract RBs are the way I would build a team, big receivers can provide significant downfield blocking which is necessary for big run plays. Not to say I wouldn’t draft a RB high but once he starts asking for 13 mill a year we know Dave will let him walk.
One player doesn’t make a team but a duo like Kelvin and Funchess will make so many mismatches for Cam, that he will be able to use the entire offense as weapons for attacking the opposing defense. Also these, Twin Towers, will make it so teams shouldn't blitz but should they try to blitz, take a look at Cam’s numbers from last year and tell them to with KB back, those numbers are expected to go up. It will be costly keeping both but at the end of the day I think they will end up being the best WR duo we have in the NFL, and potentially the best duo in Panthers history.
JP aka The Pope
Contender or Pretender: Kansas City Chiefs
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This week’s Contender or Pretender post will take a look at the Carolina Panthers week 10 opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs. This game will be a good mid-season test. If Carolina wants to win a Super Bowl then it will have to beat the top NFL teams like the Chiefs.
Read MoreContender or Pretender
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Carolina Cat Chronicles is a dedicated Panthers fan site. I have decided however, to extend the reach of our website just enough to get Panthers fans something else to think about as the off season trudges on. I intend to look at a few of our 2016 opponents and determine whether or not those teams will be a “contender” or a “pretender.”
Read MoreLooking Through the Cat's Eye: Defensive Ends (Pre-Combine)
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We are at the point in the year where people start looking toward the draft. It is no secret that the Panthers pass rush will need to be addressed. I feel that it could be a very good year for them to bolster the DE position. Carolina will be looking for an every down DE, someone that can play the run and get after the QB. Let’s take a look at my DE rankings. PRE COMBINE, side note: I will not be talking about players that will be drafted higher than our estimated draft position.
Emmanuel Ogbah- Very good and very long. He can win with speed rush or bull rush. His build is NFL ready and he only stands to get stronger over the next few years. After 2 consecutive years with 10+ sacks and tackles for loss, he might be hard to get. The fact he struggles in stopping the run, might have him fall down and become available to us. People are saying they can not trust him, based off of other players from his school not working out. That is not a fair way to judge a person’s draft status but some people will look at it that way, which is fine if it allows him to fall to the Panthers. As far as fitting with the Panthers goes I see some of Kony in him but with better pass rushing ability. Both stand 6’4” 280 lbs and have the ability to play all positions along the defensive line .
Shaq Lawson- BACK YARD BALLER ALERT!!!! Standing in at 6’3” 270 lbs this Clemson product has a thick build and a smart mind! He knows play in and play out how to disrupt the game! He always played well, causing chaos behind the line of scrimmage during his first 2 years of college totaling 22 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. His junior year he more than doubled those numbers by totaling 24.5 tackles and 12.5 sacks. Lawson is a monster on whatever down you want to play him on. He may fall because he does not posses the long quick athleticism teams seek for top level pass rushers but he does know how to create pressure from all around.
Jonathan Allen- Can anyone really say anything bad about a defensive player out of Bama, they are all coachable and very smart. Don’t think Sabin would let anyone go to the NFL if they could not perform and keep his good name. At 6’3” 280 lbs his is very big and very strong, Allen knows how to break down any play and every play! He is strong in run support and his 12 sacks this year proves he knows how to get after the QB. He utilizes mostly the bull rush when he plays and he played mostly the right side in the SEC, he has faced off against future pro tackles for years now. He can easily be available because of the talent in front of him but I do see him as a late first rounder who could add some power rush to this Panthers team.
Kevin Dodd- No defensive lineman had a bigger break out game at a better time than Dodd, with a 3 sack 8 pressure performance in the National Championship game. He put the whole country on notice by showing just how dominant he can be. Always doing the dirty work in college, he was willing to help his fellow pass rush guys like Lawson and Beasley, this year he got his shot and made the most of his opportunity by totaling 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He showed his talent this year and looks to be the 3rd Clemson pass rusher taken in the first round in 2 years and the 2nd this year. His 6’5” frame with long arms helps him get past tackles and guards, he wins with both speed and power he plays hard every snap and plays till the whistle doing whatever he can to hit the QB. Looking at the talent in front of him plus his one year production in college this player who draws comparison to to Justin Tuck can very easily end up a Panther.
Carl Nassib- standing at 6’7” 270 lbs this one-year wonder is very physically intimidating. He was a walk on at Penn State where he only started this year. When he came to school he was around 210 lbs and has worked the last few years to get his strength up and become the 15 sack physically dominant player he is. Now he is just a one year wonder who put up crazy stats, but the best thing about him is he does not need help physically as coaches say he is always working out, he does not need to get his head right as they say he is very coachable and loves to go hard in practice and watch film. He will need help learning pass rush moves and control when breaking into the pocket as he sometimes will over run his target, but he has all the tools to become a domination DE, and his 19.5 tackles for loss suggest he is no slouch against the run game either.
Every player I have listed he could be in play for the Panthers late in the first round and all of them I believe will fit with not only need but with the other personnel on the field. These players, for either run stopping or pass rushing, some better than others, but any would be welcomed as Panthers in 2016.
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Tis the Season For Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers
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It’s Cam Newton’s world, we’re all just living in it. The frontrunner for MVP strengthened his claim with a game for the ages. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Cam Newton is the first player in the Super Bowl era to throw for 5 passing touchdowns and rush for 100 yards in the same game. What he and his team are doing this season is nothing short of spectacular. The Panthers at 14-0, are on the verge of finishing the regular season undefeated.
Read MoreThe Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Week 2
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The Carolina Panthers are 2-0. That is great news for Panthers fans. Honestly we have not payed our best game yet and still managed to win. That is the sign of a good team. In the wins we have had some players that were good, some that were bad and some just plain ugly.
Read MoreMiami Dolphins vs Carolina Panthers: 3 Up and 3 Down
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Three Up, Three Down is a post game recap noting the things that went well and not so well for the Carolina Panthers. This week, we look at the Panthers 31-30 preseason victory against the Miami Dolphins.
Read MoreCarolina Panthers vs Buffalo Bills: 3 Up and 3 Down
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Finally, the Panthers hit the field for real, well sort of. Carolina traveled to Western New York to take on the Buffalo Bills for the first of 4 pre-season games. There were lots of questions going into this one and some of those questions did get answers but after the game some questions still remained.
Read More3 Reasons Why the Panthers Will 3-peat
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So I was online the other day, watching Carolina Panther YouTube videos as I was crying and eating ice cream waiting for the season to start, when I decided I wanted to order our divisional 3-peat shirt.
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Gettleman's Master Offense
/There is one thing the Panthers have more of than anyone else in the league! What is that you might ask? We have tremendous depth at those positions of skill that best cater to our style of play. These skills among those players are varied enough to keep the team from becoming one dimensional. Allow me to further explain.
Tier one of Carolina’s receivers include: Benjamin, Funchess and Olson. Yes, I know Olson is a TE but he is what I like to call a “TEINO” (Tight End in name only). He is capable of running all the routes of a Wide Receiver, even lining up as a Wide Receiver at times. He is not only our most reliable pass catcher but one of the most reliable in the NFL. This first tier of receivers is not expected to come off the field much, as they are our most talented group. The three receivers here share similar traits, at the same time their own specific strengths. All three possess the ability to get open in short areas, use their bodies to “box out” smaller defenders, and their height to high point the ball. With the size of this trio, none of them being smaller than 6’ 4” and 225 lbs, you can see how well they use their size to make plays. While all three share the size advantage, they each have their own skill set as well. Benjamin is freakish in height. 6’ 5” 240 lbs with 35” arms. Using his height and arm length, he is able to out reach most defenders for the ball while running. Funchess is the YAC receiver. He is big but has shown freakish athleticism for a man his size (6’4” 225 lbs). Looking at what he did in college impresses and is a glimpse of what Carolina hopes see from the rookie. “TEINO”Greg Olsen is as sure handed as they come in the NFL. He has the ability to catch everything thrown in his direction. This makes him invaluable to this Panthers offense. A VERY strong argument can be made that this trio will be the best red zone threesome in the ENTIRE NFL .
Tier 2 is made of two receivers, Corey Brown and Ted Ginn. When looking at these two receivers, Panther fans can see the past in Ted Ginn, Jr and what the future holds in Cory Brown. Both Ohio state products have the speed and shiftiness that defenses hate to deal with. And with both having experience as return men. They have the know how to start with the ball behind all 11 men and take it to pay dirt. The idea of two men on the field who have the ability to run go routes and screen plays is very nice commodity. The depth will allow for Carolina’s offense not stall in the speed game when a player is in need of rest or is injured. What Ginn brings over Corey is his veteran instincts. A little more savvy, experience acquired from being in the league for 9 seasons with 4 different teams. What Corey has is the surprise factor, we really have no clue what this young speedster is capable of, if given the chance to see regular on field action.
Tier 3 begins with our first set of running backs, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert. It’s no secret, when you mention those names you think power backs, because both are best used when running between the tackles and hitting holes with their bruising style. Both have steady hands for pass catching, the difference is that Stew can power his way to the second level of the defense and get into foot races with defensive backs and have a chance to win. As we have seen before with Tolbert, he is not someone you can try and hit without getting hurt yourself, just ask 49er Safety Eric Reed.
Fozzy and Cameron Artis-Payne (CAP for short) make up tier 4. The duo of crafty, give it your all runners the Panthers have in the back field will be vital to bring in for relief of Stew or Tolbert. Both run like it’s the last carry they will ever get. Fozzy, as we have seen, is great in a screen play!! Double that with Ginn and Corey and we have lots of ability there. CAP is one of the weirder runners I have ever seen. He runs side ways just to gain a little more ground. Much like a lot of the young runners today he has a crafty running ability that half the coaches in the stadium like, let’s be happy its our coaches that like him and not the other way around.
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The All Important Saints Mock Draft
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This has been a pretty wild and exciting offseason for the Saints and there are still possibilities looming for even more excitement before draft day.
The direction the Saints are taking is bold and it’s needed because there was some complacency, which happens when you have been with a team for a few years.
The result of being comfortable last season was a 7-9 record for the Saints and massive under performance from every player on the team. Trading Jimmy Graham, Ben Grubbs and Kenny Stills, then cutting Curtis Lofton surely had to make a lot of players pretty uncomfortable, which is the best thing that can happen to them.
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