Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Panthers by the numbers after 12 games

Some significant numbers for the 4-8 Panthers, winners of two straight heading into Sunday's home game against Atlanta:

0 -- Steve Smith's number of 100-yard receiving games out of the past four. He had five 100-yard days in Carolina's first nine games. Still, he is tied for second in the NFL in receiving yardage (1,092).

1.5 -- Take away Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Johnson's scrambles and that's what the Bucs' running backs averaged per carry Sunday (22 carries, 33 yards). It will be tough to do that to Atlanta's Michael Turner.

3 -- Times in a row Atlanta has beaten the Panthers, including a 31-17 win on Oct.16.

4 -- Years since an NFL quarterback had run for three TDs in a single game until Cam Newton did Sunday in the Panthers' 38-19 win over Tampa Bay. Daunte Culpepper had most recently done it in 2007.

13 -- Cam Newton's TDs this season (all rushing), which ranks him third among all NFL players in that category. The only players who have scored more: Philadelphia running back LeSean McCoy (15 TDs -- 12 running, three receiving) and New England tight end Rob Gronkowski (14 -- 13 receiving, one rushing).

18 -- Touchdown drives that the Panthers have had of 80 or more yards this season. The team hasn't had many short-field TD drives at all -- it is averaging 70.2 yards per TD march.

44.6 -- Cam Newton's quarterback rating the first time he played the Falcons, when he threw for 237 yards but had zero TD passes and three interceptions in the Panthers' loss.

72 -- The Panthers' number of offensive plays that have gained 20 yards or more this season, which is first in the NFL in that "big play" category. Oakland (67) is second. The Panthers were tied for last in 2010 in the same category with 44.

139 -- Rushing yards Atlanta's Michael Turner put up against Carolina in the first game this season at the Georgia Dome. He had 62 rushing yards in the first half and 77 more in the second as the Falcons gradually wore down the Panthers.

8 comments:

Shane T. said...
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Shane T. said...

Any idea when the last time was a player had a passing, rushing, and receiving TD in a single game? Cam fell just 2 yards short of that feat on Sunday and I was wondering how common that is.

Anonymous said...

I remember Ladanian Tomlinson doing it when he was with the Chargers. They used to run the halfback option pass play with him all the time and he usually had one or two TD passes per year in his prime.

Anonymous said...

I think Kordell Stewart might have done it in his early Slash days, but if LT did it that obviously would have been more recent.

Anonymous said...

Don't know about one since then, but "On October 16, 2005, in the Chargers' victory over the Oakland Raiders, LaDainian Tomlinson became the 7th player in NFL history to run, catch, and throw for a touchdown in the same game."

Anonymous said...

In 2001, David "Patten became the first player since Walter Payton in 1979 to run, catch and pass for touchdowns in the same game."

Anonymous said...

Again, don't know about any since LT, but "LaDainian Tomlinson ran for a touchdown, caught a touchdown and threw for a touchdown against the Raiders, becoming just the seventh NFL player to pull off the trifecta. The others: David Patten (New England, 2001), Walter Payton (Chicago, 1979), John Henry Johnson (Pittsburgh, 1960), Keith Lincoln (San Diego, 1965), Dan Reeves (Dallas, 1967), and Harmon Wages (Atlanta, 1969)."

Anonymous said...

Scott,

Do you know what has to happen in order for Carolina to make the playoffs? I know we would have to win every game but who has to lose to who in order for us to have a chance?

Tony