Initial Impressions (Preseason One)

Started off this game not certain what to expect. Learned a few things, but not a lot. Nothing special to celebrate, but no reasons to panic either.

Starting with the QB spot: A little off early, but Matt Moore still looked the best of the QBs out there. If not for some foibles by the O-Line, I think he'd have led a scoring drive before leaving for the night. Credit him for showing better pocket presence than Delhomme did last year, and the ball still comes out of his hands quick. Field confidence too. Watching him run the offense, you'd never know he had less than ten starts under his belt. He has the demeanor of a guy who's been in charge for a long time.

Clausen looked good overall, but needs to get some of his passes up a little higher. Those low line drives across the middle are interceptions waiting to happen in a regular season game. Reasons to be positive for sure, but anybody thinking he's ready to challenge for a starting job is overreacting big time.

Nothing really special to say about anyone else. Cantwell might be that guy who looks better in practice than in games. He holds on to the ball way too long and his decision making isn't up to snuff. I'd like to see more of Tony Pike to make a better judgment as to whether I'd keep him or Cantwell. Don't rule out the possibility that neither makes it and someone cut from another squad gets the number three job instead.

The O-Line looked rustier than the Tin Man in a rain storm, especially Chief Ugly Jordan Gross. Nobody did anything to distinguish themselves in the battle for the right guard spot either. Granted, we're missing a key starter and things are still a tad unsettled, but I'd prefer we'd have looked better overall.

Still, not terribly worried about the offense at this point, really. No, they didn't look like a juggernaut, but for preseason week one, missing some key guys (Smitty, Stewart, Otah) and playing a fairly solid defense, it wasn't that bad.

Greg Hardy needs some work with (and against) starters. If he can stay healthy, he has a really good shot to contribute this year. He and Tyler Brayton were the best of the defensive line. A couple nice plays from Ed Johnson and Derek Landri too. Even a good play from Nick Hayden (though that belly crawl afterward looked just...wrong).

A little concerned about Everette Brown, though. Yes he showed up a few times, but he's becoming the master of the near miss. Always being close to the play is good, but from time to time, you have to actually get there. Until he starts "getting there" more often, I'm going to be a bit worried

Charles Godfrey is still a mixed bag for me too. I'll reserve judgment for now, but I need to see more from him to feel confident come time for live ammo to start flying.

In a related note, Chris Gamble is more important to the Panther defense than he gets credit for.

Armanti Edwards gets an incomplete from me. A few good things, nothing glaringly bad, but nothing special either. Looks to me like his adjustment to the pros may take a little time, but that's not really unusual.

A few good things from Dwayne Jarrett, but don't put me on the bandwagon just yet.

Note to David Gettis: That punt return gaffe is not a play you want on your highlight reel. Getting pushed around on Special Teams will get you in John Fox's doghouse...fast.

Brandon LaFell showed that he could block, and that he could run. All well and good, but he also needs to prove he can catch. Yes, a defender got a hand on the end zone pass to him, but a big receiver like LaFell needs to pluck those balls and pull them down.

Kudos to Tyrell Sutton. He's clearly taking up the mantle of Nick Goings on this team. Not as talented as those ahead of him, but he just takes the ball and runs hard.

I'd also like to see the Panthers find a way to keep Josh Vaughn, but I expect it'll only be on the Practice Squad, and I think someone will steal him.

Nice to see some good things out of Corvey Irvin. Also some positive impressions of Tony Fiammetta.

Eric Moore might beat Hilee Taylor for the last DE spot, not that I expect either of them to be active on gameday, regardless of who makes it.

Guys I was hoping to notice, but can't recall seeing that much of: Dan Connor, Wallace Wright, Geoff Schwartz.

Some other guys who really needed to do something to give the coaches a reason to keep them, but didn't do much: Dexter Jackson, C J Davis, Rob Petitti and David Gettis.

Jason Baker still kicks well (on punts and on tackles). Sadly, the Special Teams still look like Danny Crossman's coaching them, but it is still preseason. There were some good Special Team coaching options available this offseason. Unless we see some improvement soon, we may really regret not going after one of them.

Much as I wanna be a WVU homer, I don't see Mortty Ivy sticking this season.

Terry McAulay showed that refs can have preseason rust too. Some of his calls were off or didn't make sense, and some of the announcements made me go "huh?"

And I'll close by saying that while I certainly have my critiques of Panther fans, at least we can say we didn't get featured on national TV cheering a five yard penalty against us.

 

Don't suppose a kindly mod could fix my "initial" typo, could they?

 

Great assessment.

 

Not if special teams play the last few seasons is any indication.

 

D-line looked good, run stopping wise

 

Maybe Peppers getting paid so much money in Chicago and then all the media saying how bad our DL will suck without him has motivated the guys? They looked better than I expected. It is just one preseason game though we will see if they can get it done in the regular season.

 

Or maybe baltimore was playing without their regular left and right tackle.

 

Oher wasn't playing?

 

Isn't he normally at RT?

 

Oher played. Brayton went right through him for one of his sacks.