Sunday, November 28, 2010

5 things I didn't like in Panthers' 24-23 loss to Browns

Very entertaining Panthers game today, for a change. I was in Cleveland watching it, and I enjoyed the back-and-forth of it and the fact that Carolina rushed for a season-high 151 yards and tied its season high for points -- those were good things. But since it was still a 24-23 loss to Cleveland, it's time for the traditional "5 things I didn't like":

1. Going for two (or not). I know it's easy to second-guess now. But even when it was happening early in the third quarter I thought John Fox was making a mistake by not going for two points when Captain Munnerlyn scored on a 37-yard interception return to cut Cleveland's lead to 21-19.
I know the conventional wisdom is to never go for a two-pointer until the fourth quarter, but why should a 1-10 team care about conventional wisdom? The Panthers struggle so hard to score TDs (they have 11 offensive TDs in 11 games). So when you have a chance to tie the game, you must take it instead of kicking an extra point.
If Carolina had made that two-pointer, all John Kasay's 42-yard miss on the last play of the game would have meant was that it was time for overtime.

2. Kasay's kick. I know Cleveland Browns Stadium is a tough place for a kicker, but Kasay had already knocked two through from almost the same distance on the same side of the field. The veteran almost always comes through in those situations -- this time he didn't, ruining an incredible drive for the Panthers in the final minute.

3. David Gettis. The rookie continues to be a feast-or-famine receiver. After an 88-yard TD last week, he didn't catch a single pass Sunday and was never targeted by Clausen. Now Clausen wasn't looking downfield much, but still...

4. Slow defensive starts. Carolina's defense played well in the second half -- actually outscoring the Browns' offense 7-3 in that half. But the first part of the game was awful, as the Panthers allowed three TDs in Cleveland's first four possessions. And Peyton Hillis (194 total yards, 3 TDs) kept simply running over and through Panthers.

5. Penalties. Carolina had 8 for 68, and three of them early gave the Browns third-down conversions just when it seemed like the Panther D had gotten off the field.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Scott you need to ask why did Fox and Meeks go into prevent mode on defense?

But I agree with the rest of your complaints though.

Panthster said...

Why not go for 2... because are coach STINKS!

Anonymous said...

As a huge Panthers fan, I hope they lose the rest of their games so that we can get the first draft pick in Andrew Luck, out of Stanford, next year and start new with a promising quarterback and a good new coach. Maybe Harbaugh will come with him...that dude is intense.

Anonymous said...

What school hands out diplomas to people that don't know the difference between 'our' and 'are'???

Anonymous said...

Right call not going for two. It was the wrong call years ago in the Super Bowl when we went for two too early, and it was the right call today. Kasay for 42 to win is all you can ask for; the only shame is that he didn't hit it.

Anonymous said...

We lost because our genius head coach and offensive coordinator continually settled for field goal attempts instead of trying for touchdowns. You were 1-9 and 5 weeks away from unemployment. What did you have to lose?

Anonymous said...

Scott, on occasion all of us make decisions that are questionable. For example, you decided to pick the Dallas Cowboys to win the Superbowl this year. The COWBOYS!?!?! I think everyone has a right to make a terrible decision every now and then. Even you.

Tired of Losing said...

Like I said last week, the five things that I don't like about the Panther's Organization:
1) Jerry Richardson
2) Marty Hurney
3) Don Gregory
4) Danny Morrison
5) The Observer(they are on Carolina's secret pay roll)

Gunny Phillips said...

Where is the kid we drafted from App St? I'm on a two week leave from Afghanistan and haven't had a chance to watch many Panther games over there. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

You haven't been missing out on much Gunny...but thanks for all you do over there.

As far as the BUST from App, he has only been active for one or two games this year. Trading our 2011 2nd round pick (which will be second pick of 2nd round) to trade up to the 3rd round to select A. Edwards (a project pick)is the worst draft day mistake that Fox and Hurney had ever made. The idiot wasn't ever projected as a 5th round pick!!

Anonymous said...

Gunny,
AE hasn't been given a chance to do much of anything. One of the few times they let him touch the ball, he picked up a quick 7 yards, which was more than the QB had done! Now, Fox just keeps him inactive . . . which makes a great deal of sense for a 1-10 team. :(

Anonymous said...

Why call Edwards an idiot for being drafted so high? It's not like he picked himself, the Panther's "brain" trust did.

Anonymous said...

I"m not a conspiracy theorist but...
Buffalo's suspicious dropped pass in OT and Panther FG mishap and the Luck-Newton lottery...

Anonymous said...

LMAO

It is funny reading all the negative comments. Maybe all you so called fans should just appreciate the fact that we do have a NFL team in Charlotte to complain about. They could move to Raleigh.

Gunny Phillips said...

Sir. Thankyou Sir for getting me up to speed on Armanti Edwards status.

Anonymous said...

Rumor has it the team is leaving N.C. for California. That will be after they clean house and the bums are gone.

Anonymous said...

"As a huge Panthers fan, I hope they lose the rest of their games so that we can get the first draft pick in Andrew Luck, out of Stanford, next year and start new with a promising quarterback and a good new coach. Maybe Harbaugh will come with him...that dude is intense".

You said you are a huge Panthers fan, but you want them to lose the rest of their games? Thats some stupid shit I ever heard of.

You and along others will throw Luck under the bus after 4-5 games.

What makes Luck so special? Was Clausen getting some praise until seeing him play just to get thrown under the bus?

Hey lets draft a QB for the next 5 years until they get it right? Clausen besides the int has showed alot of poise, to bad John K picked the wrong time to miss a field goal.

Drafting another QB would show that they have given up on Clausen after 5 games. Losing his confidence, never given a real chance with a good to great coaching staff who can adjust, game plan, and develop young talent(Qb and WR). Not with a lame duck coaching staff at best.

Anonymous said...

Hey Gunny--

Thanks for your service and for checking in on Edwards. The Panthers are trying to make a great QB into a receiver because they can't get it through their thick collective heads that you don't have to be 6'3" to complete passes or run plays in the NFL.

Of course, they haven't figured out how to make their 6' 3" QBs into passers or play makers either, though today JC showed he was almost as good as Jake Delhomme.

Oh, and the idiots on this board are the guys who call their betters idiots.

Stay safe.

Unknown said...

3 Things for the Panthers to do: (check your emotions at the door)

1. Be fooled by the flashes of Clausen if you like but....Get Cam Newton if we get the #1 pick, that's where he's going. He's not tearing up the Pac10 in a down year like Luck, he's tearing up the SEC. He's bigger, faster, and has an arm. Don't be on the wrong side of McNair/K. Collins all over again. If you believe in Clausen fine, let them duke it out in camp every team needs two...look at the eagles.

2. Thanks to injuries, Mike Goodson has trade value - get draft picks like the Pats

3. This is hard but, Steve Smith deserves better - trade him and get picks.
We're the youngest team in the league embrace it.

Anonymous said...

SS deserves better?

WHY? He has been AWOL for 2 yrs now.

He said he was a non-factor 2 yrs ago and proved it.

Maybe he deserves worse.

Unknown said...

Uhhh, anonymous...last I looked wide receivers can't throw themselves the ball

Anonymous said...

1. Be fooled by the flashes of Clausen if you like but....Get Cam Newton if we get the #1 pick, that's where he's going.

Thanks goodness you aren't the damn GM, what makes you think Cam N worth the 1st overall pick? College doesn't indicate he will have success without playing a down in the nfl.

Knowing how impatient this fanbase is in general you and other will throw him under the bus after 4 -5games. Can he even read nfl defenses? he won't get away with just scambling in the pro's.


2. Thanks to injuries, Mike Goodson has trade value - get draft picks like the Pats.

Who will trade for Goodson? As he suffer concussions and ankle injuires over the years.

3. This is hard but, Steve Smith deserves better - trade him and get picks. We're the youngest team in the league embrace it.

At best you would get a 3rd or 4th rounder for him, but he does deserve better.

Unknown said...

Cam...lets just be objective then:
Cam Newton
2010 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
185.6 2254 24 6 67.9

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
1336 18 5.9

Andrew Luck
2010 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
166.1 3051 28 7 70.2

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
438 3 8.6

Cam has 24 TD passes, Luck has 28. Cam has 18 rushing TDs, Luck has 3. Pac10, 2 team in the top 25, SEC has 6. What's your excuse? He's as big as Josh Freeman, but faster, arm as strong as Bradford but taller. Mechanics better with a quicker release than Tebow's

As far as impatient fanbase, there are no expectations, the contender days of delhomme and peppers are gone - youngest team in the league, build through the draft. Clausen may develop but what if he doesn't...panthers please don't overthink this one - its a no brainer

Unknown said...

Refer to Tampa...we're rebuilding every team has to do it at some point

Anonymous said...

Did somebody just say draft Cam N with the 1st overall picks? I guess Carolina should draft players base on college stats or heisman throphys a players win?

Thanks goodness you aren't the GM.

Anonymous said...

wow...you guys are sooo on top of this offense thing...if Joe F'n Montana fell into a time machine and came out again next year, he would do us no good as first or second pick...we need to do three things before we judge ANY of our QB's to harshly...
1.) We need more than 3 pass plays in the playbook... ("ok everybody go long" might be a better option)

2.) Somebody needs to block somebody... (at this point, don't have to hit ALL the Blocks, any 2 or 3 would be an improvement)

3.) Catch the damn ball... 'nuff said.

All in all, we can run next year for 5 to 8 wins IF (big if) we aren't so predictable and can get some line blocking. Let's draft the big run stopper threat DT, a good DEPENDABLE (sorry Jeffery O) OL, or something that will push us from 1 to 8 wins, baby steps people!

Kenny H. said...

Hey I just heard on ESPN that RUSS GRIMM will be the next coach of the Carolina Panthers. Any truth to this rumor???

Anonymous said...

TOP 5 QBs in 2011 NFL DRAFT

1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Height: 6-4. Weight: 235.
Projected 40 Time: 4.80.
Projected Round (2011): Top 3 Pick.

2. Jake Locker, QB, Washington - Scouting Report
Height: 6-3. Weight: 223.
Projected 40 Time: 4.59.
Projected Round (2011): Top 5 Pick.

3. Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas - Scouting Report
Height: 6-7. Weight: 238.
Projected 40 Time: 5.05.
Projected Round (2011): 1-2.

4. Nick Foles, Arizona
Height: 6-5. Weight: 235.
Projected 40 Time: 5.01.
Projected Round (2011): 1-2.

5. Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State Height: 6-3. Weight: 220.
Projected 40 Time: 4.72.
Projected Round (2011): 1-2.

Anonymous said...

@ Kenny H.

John Fox is expected to leave the Panthers at the end of the season and Adam Schefter of ESPN believes Russ Grimm could be at the top of the Panthers' list to replace Fox.

Grimm has the support of Joe Gibbs and the Richardsons have always admired the Steelers organization.

Anonymous said...

Great. Just what they need. Another rookie this time at coach.

Pick a seasoned vet coach who will draw fans not some rookie or social experiment like Tampa hated by most fans for his arrogance.

Tampas def not the model the Panthers need to copy by any stretch.

One good thing about Fox is he never was arrogant toward fans or media or ownership. He will get another job easily.

Anonymous said...

Russ Grimm seem like a logical choice for the Panthers.

Malcolm said...

Hell Yeah! Russ Grimm will bring his Hall Of Fame experience to the Panthers Head Coaching position!

Anonymous said...

Grimm? Why did they pass him up for the HC job with the Steelers or Cardinals?

Gibbs approved? Wow. Thats a shocker considering he played for him on all the 4 Super Bowl appearances and 3 wins.

How about an actual HC who played for NCSU and lives in Raleigh and won a Super Bowl for the Steelers? Or one who coached in Tampa and won it all?

Either Cowher or Gruden would fit perfectly in with the Carolina scheme.

Flip a coin. COWHER or GRUDEN. Case closed.

Anonymous said...

Actually Cowher or Gruden may not want the job that could soil risk or jeopardize their winning reputation. Giants DC Fox was the only guy who would take over 8 yrs ago after a 1-15 record.
In that case Grimm may be OK. Beggars cant be choosy.

Anonymous said...

I'm going to go ahead and post my thoughts here, although it's obvious Scott doesn't read the comments, based on the fact that a post from some coward named "anonymous" on November 28, 2010 11:43 PM, complete with obscenity, is still sitting here.

Scott said, "If Carolina had made that two-pointer, all John Kasay's 42-yard miss on the last play of the game would have meant was that it was time for overtime."

Therein lies the problem, Scott. WE WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT. We pretty much never do. And like the earlier commenter said, it was wrong to do so in the 3rd quarter of the Super Bowl, and it would have been wrong to do it in the third quarter Sunday. The TV announcers also were baffled that we didn't go for 2. Y'all are so married to that stupid chart that says, regardless of game circumstance, you go for 1 whenever the margin is ___ and you go for 2 whenever the margin is ___. God, I wish someone would confiscate all copies of that chart and burn them.

Remember, if we hadn't played that stupid 2-pointer mess in the Super Bowl, the Pats would have been down 3, not tied, when they got the ball on the last drive.