Peppers hype here

...running thread to insert various Julius Peppers clippings.



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/10/15/burning_questions/

If the NFL's defensive rookie of the year were handed out today, who'd be clearing off a space on the mantel?


It'd be short-sighted not to mention Oakland cornerback Phillip Buchanon, who has two touchdowns, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries among his cache of big plays for the 4-1 Raiders. But I believe Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers has the early lead in this derby.

On Sunday in Dallas, Peppers tied an NFL record by posting his second three-sack game of the season, and added his first career interception, a forced fumble and a pass defensed. Somehow, the Panthers still blew a 13-0 late fourth-quarter lead and lost 14-13, dropping to .500 on the season for the first time at 3-3.

Peppers, the second overall pick, has those six sacks this season, tying him with Warren Sapp, Joey Porter, Kevin Carter and teammate Mike Rucker for second among league sack leaders -- one behind Bears outside linebacker Rosevelt Colvin. Peppers leads all rookies in getting to the quarterback, and his two three-sack games ties the league mark for most three-sack games by a rookie (San Diego's Leslie O'Neal in 1986).

Peppers has been in the forefront of a defensive resurgence in Carolina. The Panthers are ranked No. 2 in defense, and their 75 points allowed trails only Tampa Bay's 56. Nobody has scored more than 17 points against Carolina, which has dropped its past three games -- by a combined seven points -- after a 3-0 start.

The Panthers' pass rush has been dominating at times. Carolina leads the NFL with 25 sacks, six more than No. 2-ranked San Diego and Tampa Bay. Twenty of the Panthers' sack total has come from its starting front four, with Peppers and Rucker combining for 12, right tackle Kris Jenkins contributing five, and left tackle Brentson Buckner adding three.

Some found fault with the two-sport standout coming out of college, saying Peppers hadn't played enough football and would be over-matched for a while in the NFL. Funny, but you don't hear that so much any more.

"A lot of people were trying to find reasons why he couldn't be great," Carolina head coach John Fox said Tuesday. "But a lot of what people said were weaknesses were almost strengths to me. They said he hadn't played a whole lot of football. That's a plus, not a minus. This is his full-time job now. He doesn't have basketball. He doesn't have classes. I see this kid getting better every day."

Fox said Peppers already has learned one huge lesson. After his three-sack game against Detroit in Week 2, the Vikings constantly double-teamed Peppers the following week. The rookie grew frustrated and let it affect his game. But at Dallas, Fox estimates Peppers was double-teamed at least 50 percent of the time, and still produced three sacks.

"He has a lot of pride," Fox said. "He wants to be a great player and he really works at it. He dealt with the added attention so much better last week. He just fought through the double-team."

 

http://espn.go.com/chrismortensen/s/2002/1015/1446318.html

Just a little blurb about Peppers.

Best Performance: Defense
2. Julius Peppers, Panthers DE -- At what point do his skeptics cry "uncle"? Three more sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.

 

The source of this article should be obvious....

Carolina Panthers - Julius Peppers
The former Tar Heel two-sport star (basketball, football) continues to dominate on the professional level. Peppers, who is arguably the front-runner for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, terrorized the Dallas Cowboys offense in the Panthers 14-13 loss at Texas Stadium.

Peppers, recorded three sacks, an interception and forced a fumble despite being double-teamed for most of the game. Peppers interception came with 1:17 remaining in the first quarter and he returned Quincy Carter's errant pass 21 yards before pitching the ball to teammate Mark Fields who ran 30 more yard to the Dallas 32. This phenomenal play led to a Panthers score just before the end of the quarter.

Through just six games for the Panthers, Peppers is tied for second in the NFC with teammate Mike Rucker in sacks with six.



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