There has been some outcry about the Panthers playing ping-pong with their quarterbacks -- John Fox announced Monday that Matt Moore would be the starter Sunday against San Francisco again.
Moore started the first two games; rookie Jimmy Clausen has started the past three. Neither has won a single start, and both have been very unimpressive while leading the NFL's worst offense.
I understand the logic of my colleague Tom Sorensen and others -- they believe that Clausen has to learn on the job, that he'll be better-equipped to lead the team in 2011 and so on (assuming Moore's gone then; he may be, given that this is the last year of his current contract).
But Clausen, to me, looks pretty overmatched for this job right now. Moore throws more interceptions, yes, but that's partly because he tries to complete more passes. He tries to do things.
Clausen is the king of throwing it away -- he'll chuck it out of bounds on third-and-10 instead of trying to keep the play alive and get a first down. He also has some serious problems holding onto the football (seven fumbles so far this season).
I'm not saying Clausen doesn't ultimately have a brighter future than Moore; likely he does.
But there are a whole bunch of guys in that locker room who would really like to win a game -- just one, for pete's sake -- and right now I think Moore moves the team a little better and has a little more idea of what it takes to win an NFL game. Even with the two losses this year, remember, he's 6-4 as a starter in the league.
So if Moore falters in the first half and throws three picks? Go back to Clausen, absolutely. They're both going to play some more before the season is through. This decision certainly isn't a final one.
But at the moment, I would agree with Fox: for this game, on this week, Moore gives the Panthers a slightly better chance to win than Clausen does.
We're moving!
9 years ago
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36 comments:
When will you start asking the hard questions of this ownership/management team Scott? Or better yet, WILL YOU???
I'm not sure that Moore will make any difference at all. Even though he's 6-4, remember he was 0-2 this year and looked like crap. The bottom line is that the O line isn't blocking well and we now have zero proven receivers. On a positive note, I've heard Fox is having Moore look at tapes of his good games from last year. He's a psychologist now...maybe that's his calling instead of being a head coach. I could buy that.
@Answers-Now!!! Jerry ain't listening or talking. Just how would you propose writers ask the tough questions?
Because the charlotte observer has a contract with the panthers to take it easy on them if they want to be allowed to cover them. Its even written in paragraph two that they must treat Jerry Richardson like a fragile little flower or they will lose access to the locker room
Scott, got to say I agree with you. Clausen may have played in a pro style offense, but he does not look ready to lead this team. Moore's interceptions have hurt us, but Clausen's fumbles are killing us. Moore has shown flashes of greatness last year. Not sure where that went but it could possibly come back and we could protect Clausen on the side line while we struggle through this terrible season.
@ThanksagainJerry, they can show up at his door and not leave until he answers questions. The press do it all the time. The fact is the Observer and it's sports staff are scared to ask the hard questions. This is what seperates them from big league talent. If you can write, but are afraid of your job, you work for mid market papers like the Observer.
Moore is 2nd rate but what can you do?
In 3 yrs at NDame 3rd rate Clausen racked up an unbelievable 16-21 record before skipping his senior year & into the draft. Along comes the gullible Panthers...
Yea he was great in Ca playing that incredibly difficult private christian school high school football.
At least JDel has 2 years left of playability and other than too many interceptions could have at least guaranteed a 50% win record or better.
Whiners need to be careful for what they wish ... as usual
Jerry Richardson needs to explain to the Carolina Panther's fans his strategy for the team this season in a candid and honest fashion. He owes us that much.
Scott once again your wrong. This season is over, we need to look to the future and let Clausen play. Peyton Manning was in the same situation in Indy and they didnt pull the switch when he struggled his rookie year. Clausen has no recievers to throw the ball too and a horrendous O-cordinator who would rather punt on third down then call another play. D Will needs to get 20 touches for this team to have a chance to win. Has not happened once this year. I love how Fox never would pull the string on Jake but now he will go back and forth, maybe its cause he doesnt care anymore either knowing he has one foot out the door.
At this point, why not try Armanti Edwards, at least he could keep a play alive with his feet. We're not going anywhere this season so just try Edwards and maybe we'll get a pleasant surprise.
Jerry Richardson owes you whiny fartheads NOTHING !!
Division 1AA Edwards from App St is a bigger joke. He is only 5' 9" with his cleats on. he was signed as a WR not a QB. Wayyyyyyyyy to short for a QB in the NFL or even CFL.
He fumbles in part because Kalil isnt snapping it well. Then again, the whole O line has stunk this year - hence the tossing it out of bounds. Combine that with jettisoning all our vet talent, not signing ANY FA talent especially at WR, and Smitty being hurt and you dont have ANY QB who could do well here.
Yes Clausen hasnt performed as well as we want but we pretty much tied his hands before he got on the field due to management decisions.
"The FAN is the most important part of the Panther Organizatio." Signed JERRY RICHARDSON
HOSRE CRAP!
Armanti Edwards is a saturday player not a sunday player. End of story.
Hope the weather's good Sunday at 1:00. I plan to wash and wax my car.
Hope there's some good games on at 4:00.
Please stop with the rediculous calls for Armanti at QB. I understand he looked awesome against the equivalence of high school talent. You know who else did? Allen Iverson. And he's not playing basketball right now, so why don't we sign him and throw him back there while we're being unreasonable? You put Armanti in at QB with his lack of size, no practice as an NFL QB and this horrid O-line and he will get killed. Literally.
For all the Armanti haters I guess you, just like John Fox missed him blow by Peppers on his 2nd play in the Wildcat. You're probably an ACC fan that doesn't want to see a FCS player succeed b/c your team would have trouble competing in a FCS conference right now. Get over yourselves.
I like reading fans of Edwards talking about people that say he cant be an nfl qb. 1 person says, "they should start Edwards" the next person says, "hes too short & will get killed in the nfl", then the 1 calling for him to play brings up colleges. LMAO every single article it's the same thing over and over, no matter what the article is about. They could write an article about the stadium getting a new tv & someone would bring up Edwards. I dont care if they start him or not i think you fans are hilarious.
Do you guys as reporters ever watch film? Review the games on DVR? Comment on games specifics? For example, vs the bears 6 or more times by formation we had all 22 players within the hashes. (Kind of hard to run the ball this way, especially inside!) Out of a standard pro set, we are averaging 4 or 5 times a game where we short motion the flanker back into the formation causing 10 defenders to be in the 'box". (and still we try to run inside) Standard zone blocking is designed to take defenders where they want to go, have you assessed the number of times both DeAngelo and Stewart have missed cutback due to poor technique of keeping shoulders square to line of scrimmage on initial approach thus limiting there ability to visually see the cutback (they sometimes make it cause they are just very good, but imagine what they might do if properly coached) have you guys noticed that most teams that want to run the ball spread the formations (the weaker your blockers them more the principle applies) to run the ball (several teams ran spread 4 and 5 wides on 3/1 and 4/1 including goaline and successfully picked up the yardage this past weekend. Spreading the formation to 3 wides te plus 3 wides or AT LEAST keeping our 2 wides wide! allows seems for good running backs to hit, including cutback seams. have you guys noticed that our motion is never for the point of a) determine man or zone b) flipping the strength of formation c) creating mismatches. Have you noticed we don't even try to create mismatches for example, using motion or formations to get an Armanti Edwards or Goodson one on one with a Chris Harris type (knowing Harris can't cover, that's why we cut him, we never attempted to exploit him even once. I could go on and on and on with specifics from casually watching a game once imagine if i had NFL game film!, I have not coached football in 25 years and I could coach our offense better. We HAVE TALENT, it is NOT lack of second WR, it is lack of coaching, technique, formations, play calling. Please report specifics and challenge our staff to change and our owner to change our staff! (now as possible, why wait?)
I agree. It is not lack of talent, except maybe at the qb postion. There we don't have the experience to win a Super Bowl but with the right coaching, we are better than 0-5. I to have not been in organized football for 20 years but notice the same things. High quality offensive strategy is non existent with this team.
Scott, as usual, I agree with you about Matt Moore. Jimmy Clausen just isn't cutting it right now and maybe he will properly develop in time, maybe he won't. The Panthers just don't have that kind of time to play "wait and see." Hands down, the best choice is Matt Moore.
Like I commented in Tom's column, somebody needs to get a fan drive started in order to get a Manning brother, Tim Teebow, Brett Favre, Tony Romo, or Tom Brady to come to Charlotte. Bet Jerry Richardson could not even pull that one feat off, cause even he could not afford any one of them.
Maybe its just time for Fox to leave now and let one of the assistants take over till next year.
Then lets go get Cowher, Dungy, Gruden or some other coach that can win!
I have to disagree with you Scott... While Moore may move the tam better in your opinion, Clausen is the only one that has thrown for a Touchdown this year... And since when has throwing the ball out of bounds cause there is nobody open been a bad thing? Veterans do this all the time. Moore and Clausen are doing equally bad in my opinion. Each are young inexperienced QBs. The one playing should be the one that is the future starter for the Panthers, and I do not get the sense Moore is that choice... at least under the Fox regime.
One thing that always frustrates me about Clausen is that he will always throw the ball out of bounds rather than gamble. That is a fine decision early in the game but that thinking doesn't make sense late in a game when you are driving to win!
You can always tell these stupid mountain moonshine pothead App State fans and their Division Two runt shortie ex-QB who sucked as a passer and was nothing was a scrambler playing D2A small colleges like UNCC will play or Davidson. He wasnt recruited by D1A schools. This is the bigtime. Smalltime midgets get killed or busted up.
If a player is drafted for one position, but it turns out he is much better at another position, it only makes sense to keep him at the first position. Because that's how he was drafted. Now I got it.
Ok, lets just see what happens.....we ARE Panther fans right? All of the belly aching and talking about how the team sucks need to stop, because once they start winning, all of the people who is talking trash will be right back on the band wagon talking about go Panthers. Win or lose, i will support this team with the hopes it will get better. PANTHER PRIDE!!!!! JGC
ive watch football for more than ten years straight and i believe this is a dumb move. Because carolina tried matt moore at the beginning of the season and it didnt work he was the reason why we lost a very winnable game in new york. So john fox had to make a coaching move. And i don't blame john fox because he's in a no win situation with this being his last year in his contract with a work in process team. So more than likely the team will probably go o and sixteen. And he gonna lose his job so i belive now that john trying to spark something in his offense.
ANDREW LUCK, take him with the first pick next year, ship Clausen for a 4th round pick. Matt Moore can be the back up next year.
This article from Scott is 100% correct, but I'll take it even further. Moore never should have lost the job this soon anyway. Clausen is what I thought he was, " not nearly ready" Sorensen is a shock jock who doesn't even pretend to know sports. I guarantee you he never played the game. He's a water boy at best...that's why he writes. He's a hater
Moore is the better choice; at least he has won a game in his past and has shown that he can get it done.
I think he needs to continue developing; people forget that Moore has only started 10 games in his career, that's not even a full season.
Clausen releases the ball too low and has too many passes batted down or underthrown.
ARMANTI EDWARDS: The rest of these guys suck so bad we will see him behind center sooner or later. Maybe we will all be pleasantly surprised.
What a joke. At 5" 9" with his cleats on his tiptoes App St Edwards is way too short to be a QB in the NFL plus he is not a passer just a scrambler playing only against inferior D1AA schools who have the weakest teams.
Obv App St idiots in their dreamworld push for this will only be the end of Edwards in the NFL since nobody else wanted him in and when the Panthers cuts him loose its over. The bright side is 0-16 Panthers will sign the #1 pick in the draft and obv choose the #1 D1A QB available and theres a few great ones.
If Edwards wants to stay in the NFL he would be wise to remain at WR where at least he has a fighting chance being the same height as shortman Smith who is way busted up and too ever return. Otherwise he is a deadman in the pros. Deal with it. Edwards has a 25% chance at WR but 0% at QB.
Write 2010 off. 2011 is the Panthers year with a #1 draft pick for QB.
Drafting another rookie QB is not going to solve anything.
Another fountain of knowledge spouts off about IAA compeptition. Get your facts straight, idiot. IAA no longer exists.
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