The Carolina Panthers received the news they had feared Monday afternoon when Jon Beason's injury turned out to be a season-ender -- an Achilles tear suffered in Sunday's 28-21 loss to Arizona.
Beason, the Panthers' Pro Bowl linebacker, made his 65th consecutive start in the game. He hurt the Achilles trying unsuccessfully to chase down Arizona tight end Jeff King, a former Panther, on a 48-yard touchdown pass.
We can speculate all we want about whether Beason rushed back from a recent surgery to play in this game, but at this point I'm more interested in the future. Beason was the Panthers' most versatile linebacker, able to stay on the field in any situation because he was so fast and covered the pass so well.
He will be replaced in the middle by Dan Connor, at least on first and second downs, coach Ron Rivera said. Connor is not as good at pass coverage as run support and will likely come out in passing situations in favor of either an additional safety or a linebacker like Omar Gaither.
How much will it affect the Panthers defense? Maybe not as much as you'd think. Beason is a Pro Bowler, but linebacker also happens to be the one of the team's two deepest positions (running back is the other). They will miss his leadership as much as his on-field ability, but they are uniquely positioned to replace him.
What the team needs now, most of all, is for Thomas Davis to stay healthy. Losing one of the team's two fastest linebackers is damaging. Losing both -- and Davis has missed a lot of the past two seasons with knee injuries but is healthy now -- would be devastating.
We're moving!
9 years ago
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20 comments:
The Panthers need to fire the entire training staff. They are incompetent and every season injuries like this take place.
How about Newton out for the season! Thats what we need!
It's easy to play armchair orthopedist, but that comeback did seem awfully quick. Achilles injuries typically take a long time to heal, especially when it's as serious and difficult as re-attachment surgery.
I'm sure the team doctors are second-guessing themselves today, but really, aren't guys who make that much money smart enough to take better care of Richardson's?
Anonymous @ 5:20PM...no what we need is for your entire family to be forbidden to procreate!
If I said something in print as dumb as wishing an injury on Newton, I would remain anonymous also. I'm sure the poster is not smart enough to put a knickname in his posting.
Shame about Beason, rushed back too quick like Davis did before him. He doesn't have to sweat losing any money from this so I won't cry too hard for him.
@6:01 pm...
Armchair orthopedist...brilliant!!
Anybody bother to notice that the Panthers improved against the run AFTER Beason was hurt?
I'm not impying that he was the problem, but recognizing that they learned and adjusted even without him.
Anonymous 5:20... We need Newton out for the season???? Did you even BOTHER to watch the game? You just proclaimed yourself to be either and idiot or a bigot, which do you prefer?
Here is a thought for the competition commitee. Why punish a defense for winning a goal line stand? We need a rule that says that if the defense stops the offense inside the 5-yard line that they take over possession at the 20 yard line. That would reward the defense for a big stop.
The Anonymous poster that said we need Newton out for the season. What's yout problem? Many people have tried to say that the Newton hating wasn't about race. This young man throws for 422 yards and sets a rookie record. Just simply had a monumental performance and there are still comments like this. What else could this be but racism? You can't say that he wasn't accurate or ran too much.
1 loss down, only 12,13 more for us to finally get a real QB in the draft
Cant wait to draft Andrew Luck !!!!!!
The Newton hating is just like the Obama hating (from the right at least, we on the left hating him for being a punching bag). Racism thinly masked as some kind of genuine stand on principle. The only principle here is "That Black Man Cannot Lead Me".
Sad about Beason, but any athlete on that field could be paralyzed on any play and they know it. We will press on.
sfinsf
Come on and leave the politics out of this, and don't diminish Newton by placing him on the level of Obama. Newton has always been excellent, while Obama has mostly been mediocre (at best). Newton was unable to singlehandedly produce one football win, Obama promised to save the world, and of course has failed miserably.
At least Cam doesnt play the race card like Obama and his people do.
Obama is a sock monkey
How about Greg Frye....he is bigger and stronger. His story is also sounding more credible.
Cut the lame con race card low IQ broken record. Idiot.
Who cares if the scammer threw 400 yds in a loss. Meaningless. Cut the braggart BS. He threw 75 yards 2 weeks ago & 250 yards in 3 preseason losses. He is still unproven although lil thug SS proved he has been holding back & should be fired.
People hate braggarts worse than they hate busybodies not minding their own business or lying cheats who play the system repeatedly for their own greedy selfish gain.
Opposing teams are not trying to hurt each other in the most violent game other than rugby where they wear no protection? What a joke. Go play badmitton.
If you dont know you can get seriously injured in the NFL then you are really a moron espec when you make millions. No sympathy for millionaires. All NFL Ds itchin to break a QBs neck so go discuss the prob with them & they will laugh.
Cut the lame con race card low IQ broken record. Idiot.
Who cares if the scammer threw 400 yds in a loss. Meaningless. Cut the braggart BS. He threw 75 yards 2 weeks ago & 250 yards in 3 preseason losses. He is still unproven although lil thug SS proved he has been holding back & should be fired.
People hate braggarts worse than they hate busybodies not minding their own business or lying cheats who play the system repeatedly for their own greedy selfish gain.
Opposing teams are not trying to hurt each other in the most violent game other than rugby where they wear no protection? What a joke. Go play badmitton.
If you dont know you can get seriously injured in the NFL then you are really a moron espec when you make millions. No sympathy for millionaires. All NFL Ds itchin to break a QBs neck so go discuss the prob with them & they will laugh.
First off, Anonymous at 5:20, you are just bitter because you have been speaking up to all that know you, that Cam would be a bust. So far you are 0-1 and my guess is that you need to move to another city because he will become an ELITE NFL QB, quickly.
Second, I wonder if the Panthers would ever entertain Thomas Davis at middle linebacker? He is quick, bigger then the other linebackers they have and would be able to cover the entire field?? Just a thought?
if i like steve smith, williams, beason, every other player for the panthers except shockey, i like freeman when he aint against the panthers, but i hate Cam Newton does that make e racist?
Man I'm learning that the real fans don't even bother to post cause they spend most of their time defending idiot comments. We've cheered Clausen, delhomme, Pete, st Pierre, and yall have the odassity to complain about a man who threw for 422 in his first game? Yall haters gonna look stupid and wrong as hell on Sundays just like you have about every time cam has proven you wrong so far.
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