Keeping Up With The 2009 Carolina Panthers

Through the first six games of a season, any competant sports fan should have some idea of how most of the teams around the NFL are doing.

For instance if you take a 6-0 team and compare them to an 0-6 team, it should be fairly easy to determine which is doing better. It shouldn’t be difficult to tell which team has a shot at the playoffs.

Through six weeks, the Carolina Panthers have taken us fans on a roller coaster, and it hasn’t always a fun one.

In fact, at times I have felt sick to my stomach and begged the ride to stop. (Please see my previous article.)

But through it all, the Panthers have showed us two things about them. They can beat the easy teams, and will get trucked by the good ones.

The Panthers are 2-3 coming off back to back wins over the flopping Redskins and the abyssmal Buccaneers. Previous to these victories the Panthers were destroyed by the Eagles, Falcons, and Cowboys.

They have a game coming up against the Bills, a 2-4 team. Which is then followed by teams like Arizona, New York, Minnesota, another with the Falcons, and two against the Saints. The list goes on.

Now lets get onto some good news.  Since Week One, the Panthers have, slowly but surely, made some improvements. After the disaster in Philadelphia, the turnovers have decreased and the defense has slowly improved.

Basically the Panthers are a team with a lot of positives and lot of negatives.

The positives are that we have a stout offensive line that provides holes for a powerful running game.

We have a defense that is looking better and better each week with Ron Meeks’ new scheme. They held Dallas in check, and then shut down both Washington and Tampa Bay. We have a winnable game in Buffalo coming up as well.

The negatives however make me take a step back. Our schedule after Buffalo is brutal. We have an aging quarterback and a suspect receiving corps. But, if we keep improving then we have a chance.

With the Bills next week, if we win that game, we’ll be 3-3. But, again, all our wins will have been against non contenders.

But if the defense continues to improve and the running game becomes more and more established headed into the Arizona showdown, then we have a chance. If not, well, read my previous article to find out what will happen.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Madden Cover Curse Strikes Again! Fitzgerald, Take Cover!

One of America’s most beloved video games “Madden” first entered our homes with the debut of John Madden Football in 1989. For about a decade, Madden himself graced the cover of each game.

This changed in ’99 when San Francisco 49ers running back Garrison Hearst graced the cover. This is when the Madden Curse began. From ’99 onward, each year a different, high-profile football player would be featured on the cover.

With the recent injury of Troy Polamalu (The latest cover athlete, shared with Larry Fitzgerald), I couldn’t resist bringing this issue back. The cover accolade is certainly an honor, but along with this honor has come a strange phenomenon. 

Virtually every cover athlete has suffered massive injuries, or decline in performance the next year. Call it a coincidence, nit-picking, or something to watch out for, but this article is dedicated to the not-so-lucky victims of Madden’s infamous Curse.

Madden ’01 Eddie George

Before Madden Cover: Started all 16 games in ’99 and rushed for 1300 yards while helping to lead the Titans to the Super Bowl.

After Madden Cover: Got better as a runner and even racked up 1500 yards, but here is where the Curse got started. In the 2000-01 divisional round of the playoffs against the Ravens, he had a costly fumble that helped lead to a shocking loss against the visiting wild card Ravens.

Verdict : Cursed

Madden ’02 Daunte Culpepper

Before Madden Cover: In 2000 Culpepper lead the Vikings to 11 wins, the division crown, and to within one game of the Super Bowl.  

After Madden Cover: His stats dropped considerably. He started five fewer games, went from 33 touchdowns to just 14, and the Vikings failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since the ’95 season.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden ’03 Marshall Faulk

Before Madden Cover: Faulk helped the Greatest Show on Turf go 14-2, light up the NFL and to Super Bowl XXXVI, before a shocking upset at the hands of the Patriots. Faulk put up exceptional numbers.

After Madden Cover: In 2002 Faulk and the Rams took a big step back. Faulk’s yardage dropped by 400 yards, and he rushed for four fewer touchdowns. He did manage to squeak out a seventh pro bowl appearance, but his team dropped all the way to 7-9, and out of the playoffs.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden ’04 Michael Vick

Before Madden Cover: Michael Vick electrified the NFL in 2002. He was named to the Pro Bowl, had one of his best seasons statistically, and even led the upstart Falcons to an upset win over the Packers in the playoffs.

After Madden Cover: In 2003, Vick missed all but four games with a broken leg. The Falcons fell apart without him and finished 5-11. This is a no-brainer.

Verdict: Cursed 

Madden ’05 Ray Lewis

Perhaps the one person who has legitimately avoided the cover curse. He hardly registered a drop in production and was an outstanding player all around.

Verdict: Curse Avoided

Madden ’06 Donovan McNabb

Before Madden Cover: McNabb was fresh off leading the Eagles to their fourth straight Conference Championship appearance and first Super Bowl appearance since the 1980 season. He was a pro bowler and had one of his greatest years as a pro.

After Madden Cover: McNabb missed seven games. Had a terrible fued with wide receiver Terrell Owens, suffered an obvious drop in production. And to top it off, the Eagles suffered their first losing season since ’99.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden ’07 Shaun Alexander

Before Madden Cover: In 2005, Alexander was the league MVP and set the record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season with 28.

After Madden Cover: His performance went in the tank. He ran for almost a 1000 fewer yards, and rushed for 20 fewer touchdowns. Not to mention the fact that his record for most rushing TDs in a season was broken in 2006 by LaDanian Tomlinson.

Verdict: Cursed

Madden ’08 Vince Young

Before Madden Cover: Vince led the upstart Titans to a record of 8-5 in games he started. He was named to the Pro Bowl and was named rookie of the year.

After Madden Cover: In 2007, he threw nine touchdowns to 17 interceptions. He managed to lead the Titans to the playoffs but played poorly in the game. He was eventually relieved of starting duty by Kerry Collins in week one of the ’08 season. He hasn’t started a game since.

Verdict: Mild Curse

Madden ’09 Brett Favre

Before Madden Cover: Brett rides off into the sunset after leading the Packers to one of their best seasons in years.

After Madden Cover: Opts out of retirement and undergoes offseason-long fued with Packers. He signs with the Jets, and they collapse after an 8-3 start. They finish 9-7 and miss the playoffs.

Verdict: Cursed

And now…

Madden ’10 Feat. Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu

Fresh off a Super Bowl win and at the height of his game, what could possibly go wrong for the Flyin’ Hawaiian? Well how bout an MCL tear in the second quarter of week one? He could miss up to six weeks. Madden Cover Curse strikes again. Sorry, Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time.

Well perhaps there is strength in numbers. Maybe the curse can only affect one guy at a time. Maybe it won’t get good ol’ Larry Fitzgerald. Or just maybe it’s only a matter of time. For when featured on the Madden Cover, many will try but few will ever avoid that dreaded, awful…Madden Cover Curse.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

If Defenses Win Championships The Panthers Could Be In Trouble

I’ll say this: The Carolina Panthers return eleven starters on offense, and look to be a dangerous juggernaut to contain. With Steve Smith, Mushin Muhammad, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and the emergence of Mike Goodson, they could cause many a defense to suffer terrifying nightmares.

But through it all, the Panthers look to be very vulnerable on the defensive side. It is true that the Panthers return nine starters from last year’s defense, but the gaping hole at defensive tackle up front could cause problems. They should sign a free agent soon, but the best they will be to get at this point is average.

The void at DT was never more evident than the Giants game last year when the Panther—minus Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis—simply could not contain the Giants’ strong ground game.

The secondary will also be an issue. Already inexperienced Godfrey recently went down with an injury, and Jon Beason and Thomas Davis—critical cogs of this defense—are also nursing injuries.

If all goes well, they could all be back by the beginning of the season. But we can’t afford to be missing any of them for an extended period of time on an already thin defense, full of inexperienced and young players.

We all know what happened during the second half of last season. The defense, save for Beason and Peppers, completely collapsed. They gave up well over 30 points a game, but thankfully the offense turned into a machine and would put up between 28 to 35 points of their own.

The problem is offense alone will never win a championship, even if you look at the greatest offenses in NFL history. This includes the ’84 Dolphins, the ’81 Chargers, the ’87 49ers, the ’83 Redskins, the ’04 Colts, the ’07 Patriots, the ’99 Rams, ’02 Raiders and the ’98 Vikings.

Despite their deadly offenses, they had average defenses and it shows. Only one of those teams (the ’99 Rams) actually won the Super Bowl.

Now look at some of the greatest defenses in NFL history. The ’85 Bears, the ’70’s Steelers, the ’08 Steelers, the ’02 Buccanneers, the ’00 Ravens, ’69 Chiefs, ’72 Dolphins, and the ’75 Vikings. Guess what? All but one of those teams came away with a Super Bowl ring.

My point is, the Panthers may outscore teams but eventually someone will figure out that defense and we will be in real trouble.

It really is ironic. For years the cornerstone of the Panthers’ success was their vaunted defense. The team had to fiind some way to make up for the offense’s shortcomings, but now the roles have been reversed.

For any Panthers fans out there: When you say your prayers tonight, pray we score a lot of points. I mean a lot. Because if things don’t change quickly for our defense, we may need all the points we can get. 

Why The Carolina Panthers Are Lucky to Have John Fox

Let’s be honest—John Fox is not the type of coach that will dazzle viewers and fans with offensive genius. His teams won’t light up the scoreboard or set the league on fire, but they’ll get the job done. And on any given Sunday, more often than not, that equates to a win.

It amazes me that, in this day and age, so many fans are willing to get rid of a coach so quickly. The playoff game against Arizona was a disaster, but let’s look at the bigger picture here.

First of all, in seven seasons under Fox, not once have we done worse than 7-9. Think about that. Sure it’s mediocre, but we’ve never had an awful season with him as coach.

He has a strong overall record. He’s 63-49 in the regular season, and 5-3 in the postseason. That equates to 68-52. Bottom line…we’ll always be in the hunt.

Here’s something interesting to chew over. Fox has as many playoff wins in seven years as Jeff Fisher has in over thirteen years of coaching. Furthermore, Fox has the same number of playoff wins as Marty Schottenheimer—accumulated in over twenty years of head coaching.

The Panthers are one of only three NFC teams to have reached two or more Conference Championship games this decade, the others being the Eagles and the Giants.

It’s a tribute to Fox’s tenure that we could be consistently competitive amongst so much change.

Believe me, I wish that at times he would be more agressive and blow out a team. But trust me, it would cost us the game more often than win it. We simply don’t run the style of offense that allows for much risk taking.

If the Panthers are playing to expectations then they will run the ball, create havoc on defense, and make the occasional big play in the passing game to keep the other team honest. And when that happens we’re going to win. Plain and simple.

After all the success we’ve had I just can’t put a guy under the bus after one bad, albeit horrible game. The Panthers had a bad day against the Cardinals, but we have to give the guy another chance before it’s anything more than one bad game.

In the modern NFL, I feel fortunate to be a Panthers fan. With so much turnover in front offices and coaches getting fired left and right, quarterbacks get benched every week, I feel that we are lucky to have the rare combination of both coaching and quarterback stability.

Give that up and who knows what could happen.

Remembering Steve McNair

This is one of those articles that I hate having to write. It’s always tough to say goodbye to someone who touched so many people, but McNair was one of those players who deserves to be remembered.

McNair was found dead today in his Nashville apartment along with a still unidentified woman. He suffered a fatal gunshot wound. No person or persons have been taken into custody yet. This according to espn, and TMZ.com.

Now to business. If you take a look at McNair’s NFL career on the surface it may look something like this. He was drafted in 1995 by the then Houston Oilers, who became the Tennessee Titans.

He played with them until 2005. After assuming the starting Quarterback position in 97 he led the Titans to four playoff appearances in a five year span (99,00,02,03).

His teams reached two AFC Championship games, and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV. McNair was then picked up by the Baltimore Ravens and he helped lead them to their best regular season to date at 13-3, during the 2006 season.

They were subsequently ousted by the Colts in the divisional round of the playoffs. He would hang around for one more year before retiring.

He finished his career as a three time pro-bowler, and co-MVP in 2003. He threw for 174 touchdowns to 119 interceptions, and had 31,000 passing yards.

His record in the playoffs was 5-5, and despite playing well in the Super Bowl, his team lost thanks to the most famous tackle in history.

That was his career on paper, but really he did so much more than that. He came from a very small school (Alcorn State). He wanted to play quarterback, but in the NFL it was hard for African-Americans to get respect at that position.

He proved so many people wrong. He was not only a prolific passer, but he was very smart with the football. He hated interceptions more than anything else, and was said to be conservative with the ball.

He could also make people pay with his feet, as he often displayed his nimble rushing abilities. I, however, feel that his biggest contribution was his sheer toughness.

Numbers can’t describe how the man would routinely put his shoulder pads down and charge right into the heart of the defense. He was fearless, and often touted as being the toughest man on his team.

That’s saying something. Considering his teams featured players like Jevon Kearse, John Runyan, Derrick Mason and Ray Lewis.

Many people have said that the NFL is too soft. That the NFL wants quarterbacks to wear dresses. I even heard an analyst yelling that football is supposed to be a contact sport.

Well its true that today’s sports are not the gladiator exhibitions of yesteryear, but it was refreshing to see such a fearless athlete. To see one at the quarterback position was even more surprising.

I won’t forget Steve McNair. I won’t forget the man that, along with guys like Randall Cunningham and Warren Moon, made what Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick and Vince Young possible.

He was one of the trailblazers of the NFL, and one of the classiest men to ever don a helmet. I don’t remember ever hearing his name in the news for something bad or for some misconduct.

No McNair was truly a competitor and a man that will be sorely missed. It truly is an awful day for sports fans.

 

The NFL’s Top 10 Almost Dynasties

The 60’s Packers, the 70’s Steelers, the 80’s 49ers, the 90’s Cowboys, and the 2000’s Patriots. Those are the NFL’s dynasties. These are the teams that won several championships over a specific range of time, and did so consistently. The Steelers won four rings in six years and the latter two dynasties won three rings in a shocking four year span, but what about the teams that were great, possibly even dominant, but just weren’t considered a dynasty? These are the teams that may have won two, maybe one, perhaps they didn’t even win a championship, but they displayed dominance over a period of time. These teams are the ALMOST dynasties of the NFL.

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010