Panthers vs. Vikings Running Commentary

WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT!!!

 

WTF

 

What A Day for Peppers

 

Gamble is my hero.

 

I guess that was to much to ask for.

 

yikes

 

Chris 'Fuckhead' Gamble. That should be his new nickname. I hope the team gives him a fucking blanket party on the flight home.

 

YES!!!!!!!!!

SKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL Vikes!

 

After watching this game re-aired on the NFL Network yesterday (and not having been able to see it the first time), a lot of what I saw and didn't see had a lot to do with how our 2006 season turned out. It's not perfect, but I saw a lot of issues in this game that were true througout the season.

1) Julius Peppers is an absolute beast. Best 1st round pick in franchise history, easy. It took him a while to get there, but I'm convinced he has officially lived up to the hype, and the only way he's slowed down is by triple teaming him, illegal blocking, or scheme.

2) Rucker was better than I thought last year. He just gets overshadowed by Peppers (and his own past).

3) Jenkins is good for about four to six outstanding plays a game. Other than that, he's a relative non-factor. (I'm hoping this is more because of his recovery from injury than his overall ability as a player, and that he will return close to his old self this year.)

4) Kemo isn't what his numbers (height, weight, and salary) suggest he should be, but he did make some plays. Lewis still out played him, but he wasn't completely worthless.

5) Someone in this thread (I think) said that Thomas Davis is good for a few bone-jarring hits a game, but the rest of the time he plays tentatively. Whoever said that is absolutely right. I think Davis is still thinking too much. Hopefully this year he'll be able to be more instinctive.

6) Adam Seward is a solid and enthusiastic contributor, but not a starter.

7) Minter doesn't wrap up anymore. He shoulder tackles almost everyone.

8) Our OL injuries hurt. A lot. More than we probably acknowledged. Fordham, Williams, Hangartner, injured Wahle, and Gross weren't nearly as good as we needed them to be, particularly up the gut. If Hartwig and Wahle can come back healthy, it should go a long way toward bringing the running game back to where it should be.

9) Jake was playing desperate. Panicked. Not for his own sake, but to make something happen. Anything positive. Once he adopted that mindset, he threw caution to the wind and started screaming at everyone around him. Almost like for whatever reason, he tried to put the team on his back and make it go, but he couldn't and it frustrated and scared him. In 2003, he had fun. In 2006, he did not. We need Jake to be able to have fun again, or we need to find another starting quarterback.

10) When Smitty isn't on the field, this offense can't do squat. We don't have anyone else on the roster who can catch consistently. Drew Carter is a playmaker, but no better than a 4th receiver. The running game showed glimpses, but was only as successful as the patchwork line ahead of it.

11) Deangelo Williams may be the second best 1st round pick in franchise history.

12) Richard Marshall outplayed Chris Gamble in every way imaginable, and should be the starter opposite Ken Lucas on opening day this year.

13) There were two very serious ST breakdowns in Week 2 against MIN, and while Fox took the heat for both in front of the media, I'd bet fun money and marbles the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of Danny Crossman.