Here's a small preview of my next column about the Carolina Panthers from their training camp in Spartanburg, which will be in the paper sometime in the next 1-3 days. The basic premise: It's time to let Chris Gamble do what you pay him to do, and that is to guard the other team's best receiver far more often.
Gamble signed a six-year contract extension in November, but the Panthers don't get full benefit from him because he so frequently stays on the left side of the field and simply guards whoever comes into his area.
Gamble would like to guard the other team's No.1 threat more often. When I asked him about this, he said it's a challenge he looked forward to and something he wanted to do more of.
"Hopefully they'll want me to do that," Gamble said. "I'm ready for that challenge."
We're moving!
9 years ago
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7 comments:
Incidentally, I forgot to put one item in this blog. The receiver Gamble most looks forward to facing this season? Randy Moss.
I think the only reason Gamble isn't a household name (in NFL fans' homes, anyway) is because he hasn't been given the opportunity to cover the #1 receiver during every snap, regardless of where he's lined up. This strategy sure would've come in handy during our last playoff game!
TURN HIM LOOSE, FOXY!
Umm...but does anyone really believe he's ready/capable of that? For every dramatic play, he's not really a shutdown corner, just a really athletic one that makes mistakes. I'm glad he's on the team, and maybe he's overpaid...but really?
I dont think we really know what he is capable of because we have wasted so much of his career having him play second fiddle to Lucas. Lucas was never a shut down corner even when he played well in Seatle, but for some reason we payed him a lot of money to come here and fill that role. I have long felt that Gamble should have been our premier DB.
Remember that in the game against Arizona, Larry Fitzgerald caught lots of passes against zone coverage in the first half, but only two catches in the second half when covered by Chris Gamble. That shows what Gamble can do, when given the opportunity! Let's hope that the new Defensive Coordinator will give him more opportunities to do this than he was given last season.
When it's all said and done, Gamble is a gamble....Really, he isn't any good!
5:10: "Second fiddle to Lucas?" How do you figure? Lucas was not brought in to do anything but make this football team better. And he did.
And "carpants," let's not get high-and-mighty about anonymous internet posters. Can I look you up in the yellowpages in the Ps? Or is it the Cs?
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