Sunday, December 5, 2010

5 things I didn't like about Panthers' loss to Seattle

True story. I was at home for this game, watching it on TV with the DVR going. At halftime, with Carolina up 14-3, I fell asleep.
I woke up 45 minutes later, looked bleary-eyed at the TV screen, and figured I must have looked at the score wrong.
Nope. It was 24-14, Seattle, and soon it was going to get worse. So here are five things I didn’t like about Seattle’s 31-14 win over Carolina, in which the Seahawks scored 31 straight points after the Panthers leaped to a 14-0 lead:

1) Jimmy Clausen. Up 14-10, he threw a “pick-six” interception to Seattle’s Lofa Tatupu that changed the game’s tenor completely. It’s exactly the sort of error these 1-11 Panthers can never afford to make but usually do, and everything went downhill from there. Clausen was fine handing off, but when it came time for him to move the team through the air, he couldn’t do it.

2) Jeff Davidson. The Panthers’ deservedly criticized offensive coordinator will get another heaping helping after this one. And what were the Panthers doing throwing on third-and-1 with a 14-10 lead anyway? Jonathan Stewart had been the best player in the game to that point – give him the ball.

3) Seattle's 96-yard drive. Up 14-3, Carolina had pinned Seattle at the 4 after a mishandled kickoff to open the third quarter. And then there went the Seahawks – 96 yards straight down the field, giving themselves hope.

4) The 84-yard punt return. Seattle’s Leon Washington is certainly a dangerous return man, and his burst up the middle set up the Seahawks’ third straight touchdown in the third quarter. But no one on the Panther punt coverage team seemed to even get close to Washington except punter Jason Baker, whose miraculous shoestring tackle inside the 5 only delayed the inevitable.

5) The offensive line. How many times get Clausen get clocked in the second half, or else have to throw the ball away to avoid yet another sack? I lost count, but I did notice that the officials felt so sorry for Clausen they actually tried to help him up a couple of times.

Note: For those who entered my "Write a Fake Book Title for the Panthers' 2010 Season" contest over the weekend, read the comments of the blog entry below this one if you want some painful laughs (and also the names of the winners).

33 comments:

Unknown said...

31 unanswered. If I go to the Panthers game next week, I'm bringing a paperbag. I know what you're thinking - to wear right? Wrong. To puke in while watching them.

On the "I can't believe what I just saw". On Yahoo's Pick 'em, they have Carolina favored over Atlanta next week. Something wrong with that one.

Panthster said...

Panthers Top ten list:

Number 10: Panthers 1-11, can we just move the hyphen over one spot to the right?
Number 9: We might not have an Offense, Defense or even a mediocre coach, but our punter is a beast!

Unknown said...

1 Thing I Don't Like about Scott's Posts...

The arrogance of telling us what he likes and doesn't like, as if we should care.

Anonymous said...

The "5 things that I don't like about the Panthers have remained constant throughout the season."
1) Jerry Richardson
2) Marty Hurney
3) Don Gregory
4) Danny Morrison
5) Charlotte Observer
Same Carolina Kittens each of the last 12 weeks. They should really be 0-12 if San Francisco didn't beat themselves.

Bill said...

Why should we care when the owner obviously doesn't. I feel badly for the quality players like Beason, Smith, Godfrey. It's hard to be a fan and be treated to a situation like this.

Anonymous said...

I bet Mr. Richardson has a buyer for the team. That's why he ransacked the team, dumping the coaches, and ignoring the fans. I would not be surprised if we have the "Los Angeles Panthers" soon.

Anonymous said...

What are you talking about Scott? What's not to like about this or any other loss the rest of this season? I'd rather have the number one pick than to be 2-14 or 3-13! Lose the REST of them as well!

j_hatley said...

Dear Scott -
Please get a new template for your post game. This 5 Things column is garbage, it is not original...hell, it is the same column every week.
1. Bad QB Play
2. Can't stop the run
3. Terrible play calling
4. no 2nd WR
5. Lack of adjustments
Blah, blah, blah...seriously - we all watched the game and it is the same every week....Bad Teams find ways to lose games. Period. As a writer, you need to find a way to write something worth reading.

Anonymous said...

Hey Deerhunter the band from ATLanta is pretty good. Well besides thats I guess we got Beason. Hopefully, the football Gods are looking down on us and give us LUCK. GOD GIVE US LUCK!!!!!!! Allow every team to rape us from here on out.

Anonymous said...

For me to see "Steve Smith" sleeping on the sidelines on the bench is ridiculous. As much money as this guy gets paid and for all the crapt and fights we have had to put with him over the years it is time for him to go. I hope all the other owners in the league saw this too and when it comes new contract time I hope you only get the league minimum. . You owe the panther fans an apology at the very least.


Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/12/05/1890261/seattle-uses-21-point-3rd-quarter.html#ixzz17J4BNLUY

Anonymous said...

"Hopefully, the football Gods are looking down on us and give us LUCK. GOD GIVE US LUCK!!!!!!! Allow every team to rape us from here on out".

Luck would have failed with the current situation of this team as well. I do recall the pass protection being inconsistent, can't pick up blitzes worth a damn.

Lack of development, no veteran presence etc, etc. Luck will NOT save this team without continuity from the coaching staff.

Surrounding him quality talent along a head coach who can develop. Make adjustments along game plan.

Don't worry though after 4-7 games, Luck will be thrown under the bus. The next minute i will hear how Matt Barkely is "pro ready" and will call for his name.

Anonymous said...

You guys that are heaping the crap on Richardson are all democrats aren't you? Probably never gave a dime to the Panther organization, but you know how to run the team? Standing there with your hand out, saying "give me, give me, give me or I'll sue!"? Do me a favor - invest millions, alienate your family, put everything you have on the line - then come talk to me. Go to your day job at Burger King and leave the business decisions to those who know how to run a business. This will all pan out for us very soon, but you can't see past the nose on your collective faces. Its because of JR that we have an NFL team at all. But alas, you'll find something else to gripe, moan and complain about. . .

Anonymous said...

CLAUSEN SUXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

NEVER listen to a word some know nothing sports writer moron like Tom Sorenshit says and now he is backing off him as usual and next year he will befriend Fox after he has run him off and why Fox is half azz trying to win or lose. Theres another know nothing named Worst who does high school who needs to get the boot too. He is getting bad.

What is the purpose to keep starting this Clausen punk since they only look stupider and stupier. Where is St Pierre you idiots? Even Pike? Pike was one of the best in Cincy.

And that goes for the rest of the whole Panther team. THEY ALL SUCK.

Forfeit your wasted salaries for the whole year. Repay what has been paid. You earned nothing. Players need to send the fans who paid out a lot a refund.

Anonymous said...

Please lose the rest of our games so that we can get Andrew Luck. If they get the 1st pick and choose anyone but Luck, I will give up my PSL's and never attend another game. Clausen sucks. They can fix this pretty easily. Delhomme was 24-34 yesterday, beat Miami with no picks ans a 95 QB rating.

Anonymous said...

Sorry guys, but Payton Manning could not live behind this offensive line. Vick would probably put in about two miles of track work in Carolina. They are terrible. Not to mention, this team needs to relearn a basic skill of football - tackling. Wrap up the runner and bring him down. They are aweful...

GK said...

Disagree with number one on Clausen. The pick six was bad, can't get away from that. Brought back memories of how Delhomme lost games for us. The difference between that team and this one is that the rest of the team was good in 2009-10, whereas this team is pretty lousy.

I blame the pick six more on Davidson/coaching staff than Clausen. Sure, it was his decision to toss the ball into the flat, but the numbskull coaches called the play. They know the quantity they have at QB, yet they called a play with an option notorious for turning into a pick six. Tossing the ball into the flat near your own goal line is a recipe for disaster. A good call, as you noted in #2, would have been to hand it off to Stewart. If they just HAD to go through the air, a TE curl, flood or crossing route would've been much less risky.

It's all coaches/Davidson for both #1 and #2 in my book.

MicFlo said...

Anonymous. You spend half of the day analyzing other peoples opinions WITH YOU OWN OPINION. You project your own OPINION on others like its the gospel truth. I will tell you a secret an OPINION is an OPINION. You have to be an idiot and a narcissist for thinking your OPINION about a football team is more valid than another persons. And what kind of loser tries to make political conclusions based on sports? I am a Democrat and a PSL owner. Where are your seats located so we can have a chat? Oh and your link? Says NOTHING about Steve Smith falling asleep. I'll do one of your numbers and take a guess that you're one of those republican fearmongers who make up facts and think their opinion is the only valid one. I wish we could trade YOU and all the other know it all passive aggressive fans to another team....

Anonymous said...

Smith wasn't sleeping, he was holding his head down looking into his hands/lap. Don't get dumb s*&^! started.

Anonymous said...

Smith was snoozing. The whole tv world saw it. Pics dont lie.

Samson said...

As Dandy Don Meredith would say, "Turn out the lights, this party is OVER!" May God Bless your Heart Mr. Meredith.

Anonymous said...

I guess you can snooze while blinking your eyes.

Unknown said...

We are one of the youngest teams in the league, and the glue we neeeded to keep the team was lost to IR. Clausen is a rookie, and we will not know his true potential for a few years. We need our injured vets back. All of ya'll saying we should lose in order to get the 1st pick are the ones who truly suck. True fans ALWAYS want to win. IF, we get the 1st pick and draft Luck, we will potentially be forced to endure another woeful year. We need a QB who can lead the O whether it be Clausen, Luck, Newton, or Moore, I don't care. But let's face it, the players cannot play outside of the perameters set by the coaches. Sorry Ron Meeks, you are collateral damage.

Anonymous said...

Smith was not sleeping. Maybe closing his eyes in pain and disappointment. I think Steve is more passionate about this team than any player on the roster. Davidson and the offensive line are my two scapegoats though.

Anonymous said...

I feel really badly for Clausen. That kid got the crap knocked out of him so many times yesterday because our offensive line is not good. They couldn't hold back an angry mob of women at a 1/2 off shoes sale. I'm not saying he wasn't at fault for some of the mishap yesterday, but the O-line was a big factor in his demise.

Anonymous said...

Clausen is a joke. Anybody who Sorensen promotes always turns out to be a piece of crap. No lie. Now he tries to do a double take to save face & then he will run him off but next year be his best friend.

So what is the REAL problem of the Panthers and every other sport?

ITS SORENSENS FAULT as usual. You can run but you cant hide you mofo.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't vote in the 'Luck' poll. None of the options begun to ID the option. Draft him...no. Why bring a top knotch QB in to a bottom knotch team just to get him killed? A decent team can make an average QB look...well...decent. A bad team can make a great QB look...well, terrible. That's Luck as a Panther. Develope a bit of a nucleus, then thing about bringing in a QB.

Anonymous said...

Should you really be admitting that you fell asleep during the game, Scott? Not that watching the Panthers is very exciting these days, but you get PAID to write about this team. That in itself should keep you interested. Can't exactly write an informed piece when you haven't even watched the whole game.

Anonymous said...

I would get AJ Green as a number 2 WR before another rookie QB. We definitely need a strong number 2 WR.

Anonymous said...

@j_hatley

Excellent point. Very poor analysis from the OP.

Anonymous said...

This analysis is very thin. Please provide more insight in the future.

Anonymous said...

obaI think I've seen this season before. The last time the Panthers went to a youth movement, they dumped a pretty good QB (Burlein) and threw a rookie to teh wolves. Chris Weinke was destroyed by that 1-15 season. Is Clausen going to be the next Weinke?

Jon J. said...

Where in the world has Marty Hurney been hiding during this mess?

You would think he would want to come out from hiding and address the media in regards to this absolute dismal season at some point in time!

Hurney needs to "MAN THE F UP" and be accountable to the fans that are paying his seven figure salary!

Anonymous said...

The Denver Broncos don't mess around! They said "C-YA Later" to their young football coach, Josh McDaniels

No one should ever feel sorry for these NFL head coaches that do get fired. These head coaches are making anywhere between two to eight million dollars per year to coach football. That's a ton of money to the average fan.