Packers @ Panthers Running Game Day Commentary 9/18/11

hope he runs the fuck over Matthews for a td

 

I'm not unhappy. I'd rather get a win, but this is the Superbowl champ team they're playing.

 

Damn I hate losing.

 

Losing sucks.

 

No real surprise. He can't read defenses at all, and he's not that accurate. In the red zone, the space is compressed and you need to be able to anticipate someone coming open before they do, then deliver the ball accurately in small windows.


Cam is what he is. He has plenty of arm strength and he has the aggressiveness to take chances downfield and give his receivers an opportunity to make a play. But the spotty accuracy, the poor footwork, and the questionable decision-making are all there. He cannot read defenses, so he'll stare down his primary option and can't anticipate who is currently covered but will come open in X seconds as the player crosses the coverage. Chudzinski has done some good things to create matchups that give Cam some easy throws along with some downfield one on one, but I'm not crazy about spending so much time in the shotgun. It limits your ability to run the ball, and makes your QB a bigger target.

I was most impressed with the defense today, though. The Nelson TD skews the stats, but they played outstanding. Frankly I didn't think the coverage could possibly play that well. Kudos to McDermott for having an excellent scheme in place and not leaving guys out on an island too much. Nice to see the ends getting some pressure as well. Overall I'm just happy that the team looked like it belonged on the field with the Packers, but Carolina has to has to has to establish a running game. Having Newton throw 40 times is good for his fantasy owners, but doesn't give the team its best chance to win. That also exposes the defense by putting them out too often, which is why the coverage finally failed.

So good effort, some signs to be encouraged about, and some clear things to improve on. Despite being 0-2, I feel a lot better about the future of the team now than I did two weeks ago. If only they had added some talent in free agency.

 

Best 0-2 team in the league. I don't think anyone believed this would be close.

 

I agree. Establishing a run game is crucial.

 

Good game against the SB champs. Turnovers and the inability to get it in the end zone were killers. Hopefully that's something they can get the kinks out of going forward. All in all it's good to see the Panthers look exciting on the field and the fans energized. Easy to tell that losing is something Newton doesn't take very well, which is a good thing.

 

It's not too late to hop onboard

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2011091812/2011/REG2/bengals@broncos#menu=drivechart

 

Hate to overreact, but it looks like DeAngelo has hit the wall. Stewart is the better back now imo.