Thursday, November 11, 2010

On Clausen, Goodson, Moore and the Panthers

I spent some time in the Panthers' locker room Wednesday and came away with this column on new Carolina starting RB Mike Goodson, who will be forced into the lineup Sunday at Tampa Bay due to the glut of injuries at that position.

I like Goodson -- he's fun to be around. Always seems happy. And he's confident, which is a rare thing in Carolina's locker room these days. Now whether he does much Sunday -- that's very iffy. But I'm glad he's getting a chance.

A few other mid-week thoughts about the Panthers:

-- It was striking when listening to Matt Moore and Thomas Davis talk about their season-ending injuries and 2011. Davis sounds very confident that he will end up here in 2011 and beyond, signed to a long-term deal and perhaps a Panther for life. he and GM Marty Hurney have talked about it.

-- Moore, on the other hand, has had no such conversations with Carolina. And it seems far less likely to me that he will end up back here (like Davis, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2011 -- pending, of course, all the stuff with the lockout).

-- Jimmy Clausen seems a little beaten down to me by his lack of success in the first half of the season. The guy who proclaimed on Draft Day in April that the Panthers had just made the best pick of the draft -- I don't know where that guy went, but he's not inhabiting Clausen's body anymore. This guy really needs something good to happen, but starting on the road against surprising Tampa Bay this week and against a fearsome Baltimore defense next week doesn't seem the ticket.

-- Armanti Edwards as the emergency QB? That may sound good to Appalachian State fans who want Armanti to play, but in reality it doesn't mean much other than Armanti is going to run the scout team in practice. As the third-string QB, Edwards will only play if both fellow rookies Clausen and Tony Pike get hurt. Which, given this offense and all its problems, certainly could happen, but more than likely won't. I'd rather see Edwards active so he could run a few plays from the Mountaineer formation at least, but that doesn't sound likely this week. That's too bad.

20 comments:

Panthers-Realist said...

What a waste of a season. I wish Matt well where ever he ends up. T.D. may want to think about getting out of here as well, for his own sake. It is clear that the ownership/management here has no intention on being competetive anytime soon.

bigjohn said...

Scott

I thought the emergency QB could play in the 4th quarter without restrictions to the other two.

Also, why wouldn't they just name him active as a WR so he could play some WR and in the Mountaineer package, and still in essence be the emergency QB? I've never understood that rule.

Anonymous said...

The 3rd QB doesn't count against your number of actives on gameday. So, if he were active at WR, another person would have to sit that wouldn't otherwise and there would be no designated #3 QB.

There is a rule, however, about the 3rd QB playing in the 4th quarter. For example, last week, if Fox wanted to, he could've brought Clausen back in after Pike (#3) had entered the game in the 4th quarter. I think Armanti will see the field at some point Sunday, but it will probably be late when the game is out of reach already.

Anonymous said...

Matt M is good as gone, wish they could get a 6th or 7th round pick before he got injuire.

Thomas D should be franchise, instead of giving a long term deal, to see how fast he has recover.

Knowing this fanbase they will compare Davis to Dan M, who as well had alot of injuries to let go Dan C.

Just like with Will W, who they let go just has been going from team to team since.

Making it seems like he was a Pro Bowl/All Pro player, when the thruth is he's just another solid player.

Anonymous said...

It is just idiotic that they would let Matt walk...
The Guy is 26 yrs old and has NFL experience, albiet limited. He has started, had good games, has won.

How many Training camps, Preseason games has he been through? 3 years invested Watching and "trying" to learn from the sideline. All the things that these young QB's(Clausen,Pike,Edwards??) and if drafted another potential flunkie, should do to be Productive.

Opinions vary I guess. Based on Bradford and Stafford.

Anonymous said...

3rd QB can play in the 4th with no restrictions. He can play any time during the game IF he is on the active 45 man roster. Ususally is not the case, so that someone else is active. BUT if he is an active WR, he can still the third QB and play anytime during the game.

Anonymous said...

I bet goodson has a field day!!! Something like 14 carries for 34 yards and 4 receptions for 21 yards. If you set the bar low you won't be disappointed dear goodson. Also I bet clausen goes 10-25 for 107 yards and two picks. They will eventually put pike in no guess though on his numbers.

Five Guys said...

Anybody that thinks Jimmy Clausen is the elite QB the Panthers have been looking for are freakin IDIOTS. He sucks and so does Armanti Edwards. Two draft picks wasted! I love App. St. but wake up people. I pray with the early draft pick (unless Marty Hurnia trades it away like a moron AGAIN) that we get a real QB that can snap the ball and when it's 3rd and 17 he will throw it for 20 yards and not 5. JIMMY CLAUSEN SUCKS and now everybody sees why he dropped to 48th, nobody else wanted him but he is like Charles Godfrey...on our team as the starter when they either one would be lucky to be on the practice squad on any other NFL team. Our new coach will fix this crap and bring in a real coaching staff, not some cleveland reject that couldn't run a train on a dead racoon much less the offense.

Anonymous said...

How after 3.5 games Clausen suck? Hell even Manning and Josh F had horrible season, but in their 2nd year improve.

These comments right here shows you and along others will throw Luck or Locker under the bus.

As far as Charles G goes, how in hell do you know he wouldn't start for other teams? Being more of a practice player?

Do you expect a unproven rookie to be an All Pro/Pro Bowl in his rookie year? Only a few had became stars in their first year.

Anonymous said...

"The Panthers have just made the best pick of the draft" LOL are you kidding me? that was the worst pick EVER. Jimmy listen up son, YOU SUCK! YOU SUCK more than a hoover vacuum cleaner factory. All this crap about the "mountianeer formation" Jesus Christ wake up, Armanti Edwards sucks and that was the 2nd worst pick of the draft. I don't care what he did in App. St. he can't do it in the NFL. make him a corner back, cause he sure as heck can't catch. LOL I love the Panthers and it sucks to catch all the hell I am catching at work. I have a Panthers logo tattoo on my arm and I hope to show it off again some day.

Anonymous said...

To All App State fans...you may want to see Armanti, BUT...don't you think the coaches would have AE suit up if they believed he even knew the plays? He is such a project, I hope it's not a wasted pick. Going from ASU to the pros is like having a toddler run a marathon. Why even bother learning the plays; he's just going to have to learn new ones in 2011. Maybe Armanti will get on the field in 2012? Armanti should never have ben drafted before the 6th round. He should have been someone else's pet project. Did the Panthers get any gov't funding for drafting a special needs player who can't learn a playbook?

Michael Procton said...

‎"Jake is the classiest guy on this team and in this organization. Jake's the best. We're really close. I wouldn't be playing as well as I am now without Jake. That's who he is. He wants to win too. He's a competitor, but when circumstances like [his injury] happen it's not the end of the world for everybody. He understands that and knows that this team needs to win. He's been helping me so much."
--Colt McCoy, on Jake Delhomme
P.S.: The Carolina Panthers are paying Jake Delhomme $13 MILLION this season not to play for them. It seems they also have several young quarterbacks who could have used his leadership and mentoring abilities. Sweet call, Jerry Richardson. Thanks for punting the season so you could set an example.

dp42828 said...

QUOTED FROM ANNONYMOUS poster: "To All App State fans...He should have been someone else's pet project. Did the Panthers get any gov't funding for drafting a special needs player who can't learn a playbook?"

Since you called me out...my $0.02.

I've watched the kid play the last 4 years. He's a winner. Now, let's say you graduated from college (hypothetical) with an accounting degree, but got a job in Molecular Biology - I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A LEARNING CURVE. It wouldn't mean your stupid. Ignorant statement.

Yes, ASU fans were excited when AE was drafted by the Panthers, but I wish he was drafted by a team with a coach, not a cry-baby who is looking to blame everyone but himself these days.

I hope AE gets the chance to make the Panther's fans/ AE haters (he is a Panther right?) eat your words.

Anonymous said...

Do these AppSt idiots never just shut the fck up about their WR? What a joke. Get off the mountain crack and moonshine. Edwards will never take a snap in the NFL. Get over it. Deal with it. At 5' 9" with cleats on he may never run a pass route either. Try special teams kick or punt return only if hes lucky. Other than that hes through.
Clausen has the size like Moore but a joke.
Hire a vet next time and stop the fckin whine when they throw interceptions.

Anonymous said...

Can you imagine 50 yrs down the road when the UNCC 49ers get one on the roster by stoke of luck and the whining that ensues? Yikes.
The old addage is never sign a local yocal or youll never hear the end of it. Simple logic. If noone else will sign them in all of America then why locally? They either got it or dont got it.
Thats why a certain high profile QB yocal didnt get signed plus some of these sports writers play favorites ina major way and whine all the time too. JR has enuff problems.

Michael Procton said...

7:26, they HAD a veteran QB. They paid him $13 million to go away.

8:17, they didn't sign Chris Leak not because he was from Charlotte, but because, like Edwards, HE CAN'T PLAY. Maybe some day they'll both be competing to be a #2 QB in the CFL.

Anonymous said...

uh...Armanti has already taken a snap...guess you haven't been watching.

Anonymous said...

So I have been going to App State since I was 8 years old, I'm 20 now and a junior at App State. While I do have a prejudice about being an App State fan and watching them for so many years, I know Armanti can handle himself in the NFL. He can scramble like crazy, and he is deadly accurate. (Definitely better then Clausen) Of course App fans want to see him play, and it would be the same for anyone whose quarterback went to one of the BCS schools. I think it's stupid that people think that guys who go through a lower division school can't handle the NFL. Other guys from App State have done it and so can Armanti. Also, to the commenter who says
"Do these AppSt idiots never just shut the fck up about their WR? What a joke. Get off the mountain crack and moonshine." as an App State student and fan....fck you

Anonymous said...

yea bc all the experts were right about div 1AA "toddlers" making it in the NFL...payton, warner, mcnair, romo....

Anonymous said...

Does anyone else think Fox did Clausen a disservice by pulling Moore early in the season and putting Clausen in and then putting Moore back in his place? Who the h#ll does that to a rookie QB? Talk about a confidence killer. Once Fox pulled Moore, he should have stayed with Clausen. Confidence is everything. Just look at Sanchez.