Sunday, December 12, 2010

5 things I didn't like in Atlanta's 31-10 win over Panthers

Time for the traditional "5 things I didn't like" blog. Don't know if yall even remember, but I do actually write a "5 things I did like" blog whenever the Panthers win -- that just hasn't come up for awhile.

So on with the negativity for these 1-12 Panthers, who thankfully have only three more games to go:

1. Jimmy Clausen. The Panthers' overmatched rookie quarterback has now thrown 193 passes in a row without throwing a TD pass. He threw 24 passes Sunday and only got 107 yards out of them. He is 0-7 as a starter and still hasn't had a 200-yard passing game. Clausen will be the subject of my column for Monday's newspaper, and let's just say it's not going to be pretty. (UPDATE: here's the column).

2. The weather in Charlotte. In a word, nasty. Panther coach John Fox said that -- given the cold drizzle and the fact his team was 1-11 entering Sunday -- he couldn't blame the fans for not showing up. And they didn't. (The sun did come out for awhile in the second half, though).
The percentage of empty seats -- easily more than half were empty -- reminded me of a Monday night Bobcats-Timberwolves game at Time Warner Cable Arena.

3. The first quarter. Carolina was outgained 133-6, outscored 14-0 and out-first downed (I know, it's not a word) 7-0 in the first 15 minutes. Not much of a way to reward those loyal fans who did show up.

4. The pass blocking. Clausen was sacked five times as Atlanta blitzed often to take advantage of the rookie's inability to make good decisions consistently.

5. The "no lateral." OK, it's a little thing. Richard Marshall made a nice play on the last play of the first half, intercepting Atlanta QB Matt Ryan with a lot of room in front of him (but also 5-6 potential tacklers).
Marshall had to score to make the play really count, though. He was hemmed in at the 40, which would have been just the right time to try one of those risky laterals so many defensive players love to try in practice. Instead, Marshall just went down, taking one of Carolina's few scoring chances with him.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tons of Falcons fans at the game. Reminded me of a game against the Patriots several years ago.

Anonymous said...

Not as bad as that Ravens game a couple of weeks ago.

Anonymous said...

One thing I liked about it: It was easy to fast forward with my DVR, sitting at home, warm and fuzzy.

Anonymous said...

i know its a moot point but the fact they couldn't even put some points on the board at the end of the game, looking lost within the 5 yard line with time dwindling down. They stink. We have 146 QBs and this guy is the best we can put up? Why not put Armani in there and run the ball, its the only thing we did well today.

PS. Fire Fox.

Anonymous said...

The weather??? Really? How many showed up in Chicago today...sheesh

SSGPat said...

It looked like a Falcons home game to me (and sounded like it too). I was there for this embarrassment.

Dave said...

Fire Hurney tonight! Please! Everybody wants to fire Davidson and Fox but my old high school coach told me you can't make chicken salad out of chicken crap. The Richardson, Hurney, and the entire the personnel department (both Pro and College)are the ones to blame for this miserable season!

Jeffrey J. said...

I agree. Marty Hurney is a "fraud." I can't beleive the Panthers are paying him a seven figure salary to select bench warmers from App. St. Where do I need to sign up for a job like his?

Anonymous said...

Marty Hurney wants you to believe that he is just as talented as Polian or McKay. He's just not and a BIG part of the problem. Please dump this guy.

Anonymous said...

Let's all sing that Mary Poppins song about "a few of my favorite things", then go back to the real world. Might help, won't hurt ---

Anonymous said...

Weather wasn't the excuse for hardly anyone showing up... The record speaks for itself.

Anonymous said...

Oh, the Panthers played? Hmm. I think I had to wash my hair or something.

Anonymous said...

lol there were 50 thousand cars buried in snow at soldier field.
enough said about the bad weather.

Anonymous said...

"Marty Hurney wants you to believe that he is just as talented as Polian or McKay. He's just not and a BIG part of the problem. Please dump this guy".

He's no way near close to those guys. With the moves he has made recently with the AE pick etc etc, he should be fired. Only problem is JR probably have gave him an extension. After all his contract did expire in the month of June this year.

Fox and coaching staff deserves alot of blame as well. How come Jacl De Rio is coaching better than him and he is listed as a "lame duck" coach.

That should have made Fox to coach better, instead of blaming the lack of talent(veterans lol). Whoever hires this idiot they will hear his favorite quote "it is what it is" after eah lost.

Knowing he has a great friendship with Sean P, if Greg W becomes hc he will be the defensive coordinator on the team.

Anonymous said...

Meow another L kitty cats. Leave the state of North Carolina you sorry Panthers. And take your brain washed fans with you.

Anonymous said...

Hey Steve Smith:

"you aint at Idaho anymore"

Anonymous said...

SSmith must have been the greatest to have gone to Mountain West Big Powerhouse UTAH after 2 years at Santa Monica Jr College powerhouse.

Smith was drafted late 3rd round in 2001 and his rookie season awarded top fumble king of the NFL on special teams.

He improved and had a few good years but the past 2 yrs he must think he is back at UTAH or Santa Monica Jr College.

Why didnt Smith go to Notre Dame if he was so great?

Clearly BOTH Clausen and Smith SUCKED in the rookie years.

Kevin F. said...

Marty Hurney covered his own ass by selecting a quarterback with the Panthers first selection (2nd rd pick) of the 2010 draft. John Fox, a the head coach with one year remaining on his contract needed players that could help this team win this season. The "Clausen pick" was a way for Marty Hurney to show his loyalty to Jerry Richardson and to get a few more years extended on to his very own contract. Clausen was passed over by 31 teams and 16 of those 31 teams passed him up twice. What does that say about Marty Hurney and the Panther's College Scouting Department. The bottom line here is that Clausen can't play dead in a cowboy western movie. They made a mistake and if they get a chance to draft Andrew Luck they better.

Anonymous said...

89 made the Pro Bowl as a returner his rookie year, 2001. All those quarterbacks and they all suck. What's the common denominator? Rip Scherer. Rip Rip a new one.

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
Hey Steve Smith:

"you aint at Idaho anymore"

December 13, 2010 8:14 AM "


IT WAS UTAH

ALL THE SAME CUPCAKE PROGRAM THOUGH

PSL Holder / Jim M. said...

"General manager Marty Hurney knows things aren’t very much fun right now for Carolina fans, but said after Sunday’s game he still believes the Panthers have made the right personnel decisions for the long-term future of the franchise."
And, he thinks better days are ahead.
“I don’t think that right now you are going to hear a positive word about us,” Hurney said on WBT-AM’s post-game radio call-in show. “That’s the business. I get it. When you’re 1-12, if you try to convince anybody else otherwise, they are just going to kill me because we’re 1-12. And I get it. I understand all of that.


“But I do think there is a plan in place and there is a foundation in place. I talked to a lot of people that do what I do in this league and basically if you’re in this (league) long enough, every team is in this situation at some point. It’s cyclical and then you start over.”
Hurney pointed out that things looked very glum in 2001 when the Panthers were 1-15, but that two years later they were in the Super Bowl. The Panthers should be in great shape next offseason if a salary cap is implemented with only $70 million committed to the 2011 roster, according to an estimate by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas.

Marty Hurney must not be seeing what I've been seeing the last 13 weeks of this season.

That's what wrong with this organization. They say they have a "plan" but they will never admit that they are ever wrong!

Hurney get off the alcohol and sober up! Your plan hasn't worked and its time for a new plan in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Talk about rookie QBs look at 6'5" 240 lb with a gun Chris Weinke who broke every ACC and many nat records and won the Heisnsman plus a NCAA Title that included whipping Vick at VT in his best year he ever had in college.

Weinke was high school player of the year in St Paul and even won a baseball state title before opting to go to the Toronto Jays for 6 yrs in AAA and then took Bobby Bowdens up on his offer to go to FSU.

In 2001 Weinke had 3000 passing yards and 30 TDs plus ran for 10 more under 5 time Super Bowl winner HC George Siefert but played under a suckazz team and went 1-16.

Siefert was fired and Fox was hired and benched Wienke the next year for underdog Jake D. Weinke had the 2nd best rookie season in NFL history only behind P Manning in 2000.

What does all that prove? It proves you can be a Czar at QB and still get pfucked up the azz for reasons unexplained. Jake turned out OK after a couple yrs but the Panthers coulda shoula woulda had a couple Super Bowl wins had JR not listened to whiny fans and in essense fired Siefert and Weinke.

Hindsite is 20/20.

Anonymous said...

Folks, it's just a silly ball game.

Anonymous said...

Clausen couldn't start for a UFL team. Marty Hurney must of had his beer googles on when he evaluated that kid. He STINKS!

The Panthers need to hire someone from New England to run their football team.

Anonymous said...

Marty Hurney has been playing this "Plan" card for years. Every year we lose - it's about "the young players and foundation." The following year we are rewarded a very easy schedule and become world beaters. There is a trend here....you don't have to be too smart to realize it.

If Richardson thought the life was sucked out of this team and stadium with Seifert, there's no telling what he thought yesterday. Hard to jumpstart and drive a car with no steering wheel, no battery, no gas, no engine, no wheels or rims, etc...

These pro teams in Charlotte cannot afford to be bad. They get one chance to impress and retain fans. If they don't, the "fans" jump ship and find something better to spend their money on.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree more with you about the "Infamous Plan" speech.

In my opinion tt sounds too much like the "I have a Dream" speech by MLK.

It's real simple; Get a new plan, a new GM, and a new head coach it you want to get new fans to come to the games.

Sportsdon said...

The best part about this season has been seeing less and less people post about what a great coach Fox is. I'm enjoying these losses stacking up on him and showing what an outdated program he runs. Without superior talent across the board he can't win. Fox deserves this season. He is not a good coach anymore and doesn't understand offense at all.