Today we'll get started with one about Mike Goodson's fumbles -- a sore subject for the Panthers' multi-talented back.
Goodson had two fumbles Saturday night in the Panthers' 20-10 preseason win over the New York Giants, losing one of them (the other bounced out of bounds).
Not great, but is it a trend?
Unfortunately for Goodson, it has been recently. In the last two regular-season games of 2010, Goodson fumbled a total of three times, losing two of them. That means in his past three games, he has fumbled five times, losing three.
Now the preseason game won't count in the stats, of course. But nevertheless, this is disturbing. Coach Ron Rivera said Saturday night after the game that Goodson was too good to give up on but that the problem would (once again) be addressed.
Panthers owner Jerry Richardson told my colleague Tom Sorensen before the season about Goodson: "Mike Goodson knows very clearly that he is in good favor with me when he does not fumble the ball."
Goodson had only one fumble in his 2009 rookie season, but that's partly because he wasn't used nearly as often. Now he has seven fumbles altogether in two seasons (not counting exhibition games). He had six fumbles altogether in 2010 while running the ball, receiving and returning kickoffs. That wasn't the worst in the NFL -- Cleveland's Peyton Hillis had eight fumbles, leading all running backs in the category -- but it did put Goodson among the NFL's top 10 fumblers (among non-quarterbacks).
By comparison, DeAngelo Williams, the Panthers' most sure-handed back only has six fumbles in five seasons and once went an entire season without fumbling. (Jonathan Stewart's ball security is between those two -- better than Goodson, although Stewart did fumble four times in 2010, but not as good as DeAngelo).
Goodson apologized for the fumbles via Twitter late Saturday night, saying he was sorry about them and would work on it. A good-hearted soul, I'm sure he indeed will work hard on this. And he better.
Once you get the reputation as a fumbler in the NFL -- and Goodson now has it -- defenders try even harder to strip you.
Goodson too often lets the ball stray from he security of his chest, holding it out like a loaf of bread to be batted away. As the Panthers' best kickoff returner and best third-down back, he's got to get better at this, because he has potential to burn in so many other ways.
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14 comments:
He is extremely talented if he can just hold the ball he is gold....
Not exactly my idea of a stats heavy blog. How about fumbles per touch? That would be a much better way to compare Goodson and Williams and Stewart. And how do they compare to others in the league (or at least our division)?
I think it would illustrate why the Goodson fumbles are such a concern. I think it would also show a very underrated DeAngleo quality, i.e. protecting the ball.
High and tight...High and tight... Ask Tiki Barber for lessons...
Jimmy Clausen can teach him the proper way to hold onto balls.
Jimmy would also like to teach him how to make sure to keep balls high and tight.
What, no Jordan Gross questions? I think the staff is quietly concerned about that position. The Otah situation deflects those concerns. Gross struggled last year and again Saturday night. Could it be that Cam brought his own personal body guard from Auburn(in tackle) Lee Ziemba. Is he the eventual Gross replacement?
All these stats are boggling my mind.
Why doesn't someone put Goodson in contact with Tiki Barber, who was also a great running back with a fumbling tendency. After coach Tom Coughlin got hold of Tiki and showed him how to carry the ball his fumbling stopped.
Goodson is as bad as premature ejaculation. You can be the best rb in the nfl but turnovers equal loses. This is a basic football fundamental. Fumbling is unacceptable. I love Goodson but cmon...
Amen qdog112! The Panthers should have cut Jordan Gross a long time ago.
Why doesn't he wear those black sticky rubber elbow/arm wraps I see some backs wear? They're made of the same rubbery/tacky material the palm of the WR gloves are made of...just saying. This would help him immensely I think. Dude is a natural runner but need to hold onto the ball.
Cam has the SAME problem - watch any film from Auburn (and perhaps training camp?)...ike a loaf of bread! He will get stripped many times before he learns his lesson -...unless they are drilling this in his head now! Cam's worse than Goodson about this.
He'll get it corrected, and be the best rb in the league. No doubt. The kid has skill's.
It won't actually have success, I consider this way.
He or she is really proficient in case he can simply contain the golf ball he is platinum....
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