Carolina’s Wins Affect Smith’s Suspension

The Carolina Panthers seem like a recovering alcoholic at 90 days of recovery: strong and stable yet still susceptible to misfortune. The loss of wide receiver Steve Smith due to suspension for the past two games could have been shaky, and could have shown the Carolina team how much they need their star player, but instead the team’s wins over San Diego and Chicago took all the pressure off Smith, also proving the suspension was the right thing for head coach John Fox to do.

Panthers fans were no doubt skeptic when Fox went through with Smith’s two-game suspension he received for punching teammate Ken Lucas. Taking out such a valuable player as Smith was risky business, but it paid off for both Fox and Smith because not only did it show the players that Fox’s rules stick; it also let the team wean off their dependency on Smith. Like Fox said in a statement, “I think with the type of guys we have in our locker room, an unfortunate incident was made into a positive. I think the fact that we were able to win two games without him makes us all better. Him included.”

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Panthers Pounce on Bears in Second Half

Carolina put rumors of a home game curse to rest yesterday, improving their record to a 2-0 start on the season after dominating the Bears in a second half comeback, unexpectedly beating the Chicago team 20-17. The 2-0 Carolina team hasn’t seen a winning streak like this since 2003, but it seems like the winds have suddenly changed for the Panthers.

Still without Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith, the Panthers were able to launch a surprise attack on the Bears anyway, looking to rookie runningback Jonathan Stewart to deliver his first two NFL touchdowns in the second half while shutting out Chicago in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter. Stewart took a four-yard run to the goal at the end of the third quarter, and then topped it off with a one-yard touchdown with 3:52 left in the game. Thanks to a tough Carolina defense, the Panthers stopped a Chicago comeback in the last two minutes of the game on a fourth down, solidifying Carolina’s victory and boosting their team confidence. The next stop for the Carolina victory train is at Minnesota next weekend, where we’ll get to see that magical Panthers act on the road.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Preview of Sunday’s Animal Fight

The Panthers and the Bears both proved last week they were on top of the NFL food chain, and the two teams are ready to roar in this weekend’s Carolina/Chicago matchup at the Panthers’ den, the Bank of America Stadium, on Sunday. Although the teams have met only three times, history gives the Bears a 2-1 edge, both wins taking place at Chicago. The last time the two teams played each other was in 2005, when Delhomme got sacked eight times and intercepted twice, but this year’s matchup will most certainly feature a whole new playing field.

First of all, the Bears leave their security blanket of Soldier Field, where they marked their two wins against the Carolina team in previous years. There’s always the factor of quarterbacks, also. Delhomme’s strength (seen in last week’s game) may overpower any of Chicago’s many eligible but by no means superpower fleet of QBs including Rex Grossman, Brian Griese and Kyle Orton. Add in a mean Carolina offense that includes receivers Muhsin Muhammad and DJ Hackett (remaining strong even with the absence of Steve Smith) and wham, Carolina may see their season off to a perfect 2-0 start.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Former Bears Gear up for Sunday’s Matchup

A fierce Carolina team coming off an impressive win over San Diego last week is moving on from the victory, setting their sights on the orange and blue that will invade the Bank of America Stadium this coming Sunday. The Panthers are more than ready to show their aggressiveness on the field, and this week’s matchup brings personal feelings into the mix for a couple ex-Bears, namely Muhsin Muhammad and Chris Harris.

Wide receiver Muhammad, coming off a three-year stint with the Bears, reportedly made a statement to a Sports Illustrated reporter during the preseason that Chicago is “where receivers go to die.” We know Muhammad’s feelings about the Chicago team, and ex-Bear safety Chris Harris has a similar drive for this week’s game. Harris was traded last year to the Panthers for a fifth-round choice in the ’08 draft, and the (still bitter?) safety has had this weekend’s game circled on his calendar since the off-season. Harris, the franchise record-setter for forced fumbles, will bring the heat against the Bears this weekend, and Muhammad will be right there in the mix, too, so stay tuned for the Panthers/Bears matchup on Sunday and watch the sparks fly as the former Bears try to dominate the stadium.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

No Place Like Home

Carolina’s win over the Chargers at San Diego last week was a huge one. The game revealed a strong Panthers offense, and quarterback Jake Delhomme stepped up like he ran the show. The most impressive part of the game, though? Carolina’s team. The camaraderie between players, all of them working together to defeat the Bolts, was incredible. It seems like they’ve all forgotten the Steve Smith incident, and team friendliness was exuded even after the game when Muhsin Muhammad gave Jake Delhomme a big fat kiss on the cheek while he was doing an interview.

Now that the team is back together and going strong, their next focus will be winning at home. With an incredible 28-21 record on the road (especially throwing in that San Diego win last week,) we all know the Panthers can dominate away games. Their record at home, however, is slightly below the league average at 24-24. Fans at the Bank of America Stadium are eagerly awaiting Sunday’s home game against Chicago, and now’s the time for the mighty Panthers to tack some more wins onto their record at home.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Muhammad, Delhomme Fire up Team

It was Dante Rosario who scored the celebrated last-minute touchdown for the Panthers at San Diego on Sunday, but some of the men behind the shadow of the final act are just as much to credit for Carolina’s huge win in their season opener against the Chargers. First up is Jake Delhomme. Panthers fans had been holding their breaths since last winter when the quarterback underwent reconstructive surgery on his right elbow, and Sunday’s game served as one big sigh of relief for Carolina supporters, who watched in awe as Delhomme connected with Rosario in those last few precious seconds of Sunday’s game to take the win at Qualcomm Stadium. Delhomme seems to be back up and healthy, and the Panthers have that to be thankful for.

Second up is Muhsin Muhammad. The Panthers missed Moose for the last three years when he was dwelling in Chicago’s den, and it seems as if he missed the team, too. Coming back to Carolina this season, Muhammad was named captain, and he was back in full force on Sunday, catching a short pass from Delhomme in the last quarter that set up the final two-second play that won the game. With top receiver Steve Smith on hiatus while still under a two-game suspension, both Delhomme and Muhammad stepped up to the plate last week, and they deserve the credit for last week’s huge win.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Panthers Stun Chargers in Last-Minute Win

The Carolina Panthers are this week’s NFL superstars, coming off a surprising win against the favored San Diego Chargers. All it took was the last two seconds of yesterday’s game to get the Panthers in motion, as Carolina QB Jake Delhomme connected with tight end Dante Rosario in the final seconds of playtime to take the lead, stealing a win at Qualcomm Stadium 26-24. The upset was a huge boost of confidence for the Panthers and an equally devastating loss for the Chargers, who had previously won 15 of their last 16 home games.

Carolina took the early lead yesterday, starting with a 44-yard field goal two minutes into the second quarter to put the first points on the scoreboard. The Chargers answered by racking up more points, and by the fourth quarter a Rivers-to-Vincent Jackson touchdown pass seemed to have solidified a San Diego win 24-19. Not so fast, though, and those final two seconds put a hungry Carolina team back into the running for a strong NFC South standing. The Panthers boarded the flight out of Southern California last night wearing grins, gearing up for next week’s rumble against a tough 1-0 Chicago team.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Panthers Stand Test of Time

Last year’s 7-9 run was an embarrassing defeat for the Panthers, but the fresh Carolina team has switched up their defense to give much more hope to this football season. Why the shifts in players and change in dynamic? One big reason is Kris Jenkins, who was traded to the New York Jets in the offseason following disagreements with his contract, letting the Panthers pick up the Jets’ third and fifth round draft picks. Jenkins wasn’t the Panthers’ only defensive changeup, however. Defensive end Julius Peppers switched from left to right, with the new Panther Tyler Brayton at defensive end to replace Mike Rucker.

So how will this reconstructed Carolina team stack up? Sunday’s opener against the San Diego Chargers will tell. San Diego’s relentless offensive team of all-stars LaDanian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates will give the Panthers plenty to worry about, as Tomlinson’s 1,474 rushing yards last year and Rivers’ 3,152 yards of passing will be a definite obstacle for Carolina if they haven’t perfected their defensive strategies yet. We just hope Chris Harris has recovered from that groin injury in time to make his contribution to this defense, as well.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Panthers Back on the Prowl with Return of Hackett

The Carolina Panthers have experienced more than their fair share of scares this year, and the regular season hasn’t even started yet. The Panthers’ lineup is a little light on the receiving side with Steve Smith out for two games after being suspended for sucker-punching teammate Ken Lucas in training camp, and D.J. Hackett’s time on the sidelines since early August for an injured toe hasn’t made things any easier for the team.

Hackett’s return to practice Wednesday was an answered prayer for the Panthers, who face a tough San Diego team this Sunday in their opening game of the season. Dusting the cobwebs off, Hackett made his return to the field this week after missing valuable preseason time. As the five-year veteran prepares for the start of the regular season in rotation with receivers Muhsin Muhammad and Dwayne Jarrett, speculation of his appearance in Sunday’s game against the Chargers has been all the buzz around the NFL. Panthers coach John Fox has yet to say if Hackett will start this weekend, but it’s all looking up for Carolina as of now, so stay tuned in for Panthers coverage and let the games begin!

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

Get Ready For More Power Rankings

With the start of the NFL season nearly upon us, power rankings are going to become even more important to the average football fan. They have the BCS, the AP, the Coaches Polls in college football, but fans of NFL teams seem to need to see where their teams rank in the whole scheme of thing in a concrete, if flawed list. If anything, it promotes conversation and debate. Anyways- where do the Panthers fit into all of this?

According to the CBS Sports poll, the Panthers are ranked No. 16 in the league, about exactly in the middle. The article talks about breakout teams coming from below the standard elite (the Patriots, Colts, Cowboys, Saints, Giants, Eagles…) and the Panthers might just be that team. Stay tuned to the Panthers Blog to see where they rank after each week of play. As you know, the Panthers will play their first game this weekend, fo they could move up the rankings quickly.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.com.

 Page 2 of 3 « 1  2  3 »