Panthers Fever Affects More than Just Fans

The Carolina Panthers have a favorable position in the playoffs for the first time in years, and the Carolinas are officially in Panther mode. This mighty Carolina football team fended off its NFC South title and is sitting pretty as the second seed in the NFC, even catching a first round bye in the playoffs. What could be any better for Charlotte?

A huge economic impact. In the wake of Panthers fever and the fact that Carolina’s first playoff game will be played on home turf at the Bank of America Stadium, bars, hotels and sports stores are already preparing for what will surely be a playoff frenzy in Charlotte. Town bars are ordering more beer and food and sports stores are busy trying to reshelf team jerseys and memorabilia as quickly as the items are being snatched up by fans. Add in the cost of playoff tickets and Carolina is looking at an economic impact of $10 million (according to tourism officials.) This $10 million estimate is up from the Panthers’ 2004 home playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, when the economic impact was an estimated $8 million. The Carolina Panthers have a huge fan base to please, and hopefully the team will surpass all expectations on January 10, when the Panthers once again storm the field at Bank of America Stadium.

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Carolina Still Going Strong

The Carolina Panthers lost a heartbreaker to the New York Giants in Week 16 of the NFL, giving up first place in the NFC and home field advantage in the playoffs, but last week’s 33-31 victory over the New Orleans Saints shows that Jake Delhomme and the Panthers are still a force to be reckoned with. Carolina’s win over New Orleans solidified the team as NFC South champions, also giving them a first round playoff bye. Another thing the game solidified was DeAngelo Williams as the Panthers’ new leader in rushing yards for a season, setting a franchise record with 1,515 rushing yards on the season.

Coming off Sunday’s 33-31 win (thanks to a late field goal from John Kasay,) the Panthers will have a week to rest up with a first round bye in the playoffs before returning to their home field for a playoff game at Bank of America Stadium, where the team is still undefeated this year. On January 10, Carolina will battle either Minnesota, Arizona or Atlanta in what will be the Panthers’ third home playoff game ever. Carolina lost to Minnesota earlier this season, taking a win against Arizona and splitting two games with Atlanta, so any of these teams are sure to bring excitement to Charlotte in the upcoming weeks.

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Panthers-Giants Preview

If there was one regular season game to watch on national television, this Sunday’s Carolina Panthers-New York Giants matchup is it. Pro bowl picks Eli Manning and Julius Peppers will square off this weekend as the 11-3 Giants host the 11-3 Panthers at New York in what could be one of the biggest games of the season. The Panthers are looking to avenge a 27-13 loss in 2006 that marked the last time these two stellar teams played each other, and this is one game that will surely come down to the wire.

The winner of Sunday’s Panthers-Giants brawl will clinch the number one NFC seed and homefield advantage in the playoffs, so this game is more than crucial for both teams. The Panthers are currently on a three game winning streak attempting to tack one more W up on the board, while the Giants are in a two-game rut losing to both Dallas and Philadelphia in the last two weeks, looking for a win to change their recent luck.

The Giants started this season coming off a Super Bowl win and looking like one of the top dominating forces on the football scene, yet in a change of luck perhaps coming off the Plaxico Burress incident, the Giants have lost their last two back-to-back games, with Eli Manning even being sacked eight times in the Giants-Eagles game on December 7. The Panthers, on the other hand, have finally found their groove with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart leading the pack, so look for an upset in this Sunday night football action.

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Controversy Over ‘Smash and Dash’

Carolina Panthers running back tandem DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have been one of the most powerful combinations in the NFL this year, and the two are making waves for more than just their blowout performances lately. Williams and Stewart caught the nation’s attention early this season as a strong duo, but after they combined for 301 yards in the Panthers’ 38-23 win over Tampa Bay in Week 14, the media took hold of the nickname “Smash and Dash” for the Williams-Stewart combo.

While the nickname “Smash and Dash” for Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams is catching on like wildfire, a recent controversy has sprung concerning Tennessee Titan LenDale White, who claims he and his partner-in-crime Chris Johnson came up with the nickname for themselves after the running back tandem combined for 300 yards running in the Titans’ game against Kansas City on October 19. While sparking a flurry of attention in the media, White jokingly claimed that Williams and Stewart should be dubbed “Identity and Theft” instead of “Smash and Dash.” Williams recently announced that he’s leaving it up to fans to give the duo a new nickname, perhaps letting White take the “Smash and Dash” moniker back to Nashville. Whatever the case, Williams and Stewart are still on fire, and the powerful duo is gearing up to show the New York Giants just how dangerous the Panthers’ offense is in Sunday night’s Panthers-Giants matchup.

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Four Panthers Pro Bowl Bound

Anyone who underestimated the Carolina Panthers this season can officially eat their words. Aside from the Panthers’ first place position in the NFC South, the team is also winning due respect in a most recent development: the 2009 Pro Bowl. Players for the Pro Bowl were announced yesterday, and among the list of elite all-stars chosen for the NFC team are not one but four Carolina Panthers, ready to pack up their bags and head to Hawaii after this year’s Super Bowl.

Defensive end Julius Peppers, offensive tackle Jordan Gross, wide receiver Steve Smith and middle linebacker Jon Beason will all play in the Pro Bowl battle on February 8 at Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium, with Peppers and Gross named as starters for the game. The 2009 Pro Bowl will be both Gross and Beason’s first appearance at the game, while both Peppers and Smith have made Pro Bowl appearances four times in their careers. This quartet of Panthers has been nothing but phenomenal this year in the regular season, leading the Panthers to an 11-3 standing at the top of the NFC South with the playoffs  in sight, and although receiver DeAngelo Williams was left out of the Pro Bowl selection, the Panthers still have a great representation in this year’s postseason action.

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Anticipating Pro Bowl Picks

The 43-man NFC and AFC Pro Bowl teams will be selected and announced today at 4 p.m. on the NFL network, and the league has players and fans both anxiously awaiting this year’s postseason teams. While the Pro Bowl is selected as one-third from the coaches’ vote, one-third from the NFL players’ vote and one-third from the fans’ vote, there are several Carolina Panthers waiting in the wings to be called down to play on this year’s Pro Bowl team – a huge difference from last year, when zero Panthers played in the Pro Bowl.

Several Panthers are ready to be selected for the Pro Bowl, but the player most likely to get picked for the team this year is wide receiver Steve Smith, who was been an absolute asset to Carolina this year. Because four receivers are chosen for the Pro Bowl team, Smith has a very good chance of making the NFC team. Defensive end Julius Peppers is also a safe bet for the Pro Bowl, as the seasoned veteran has 12.5 sacks on the season. The NFC’s other options when it comes to the Panthers include Atlanta’s John Abraham, Minnesota’s Jared Allen and the Giants’ Justin Tuck, but Peppers has a fighting chance to make it into the Pro Bowl here. Other Panthers being observed for the Pro Bowl include kicker John Kasay, linebacker Jon Beason, left tackle Jordan Gross, running back DeAngelo Williams, guard Travelle Wharton, cornerback Chris Gamble, linebacker Thomas Davis and center Ryan Kalil. Stay tuned to see who makes the cut!

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Carolina Wins Again

The Carolina Panthers were on fire once again yesterday as the Jake Delhomme – Steve Smith team led the Panthers to a 30-10 win over the Denver Broncos, keeping the Panthers in a favorable position for the playoffs. Steve Smith was an unstoppable force once again yesterday in the Panthers’ Week 14 victory, becoming a nightmare for the opposing team as he posted 165 yards rushing in the game.

DeAngelo Williams also added to Carolina’s huge win with an incredible 50+ yard touchdown, marking his league-leading 16th TD of the season. The Panthers plowed through yesterday’s game while team owner Jerry Richardson surprised team members and fans alike by showing up to the Panthers-Broncos matchup just days after being hospitalized and finding out he needs a heart transplant. By beating the Broncos, the Panthers improved their record at home, standing 8-0 at Bank of America Stadium while also clinching at least a tie for the NFC South title with an overall 11-3 record. Carolina’s win also aggravated the Broncos from winning the AFC West.

Next up on the Panthers’ to-do list is the New York Giants, and Carolina will need every bit of momentum to continue their winning streak against the defending Super Bowl champions in next week’s nationally televised game.

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Carolina-Denver Preview

The 8-5 Denver Broncos are next up on 10-3 Carolina’s to-do list, and these two first place teams will face off at the Bank of America Stadium on Sunday. Coming off a huge 28-23 win over the Tampa Bay Bucs last week, the Panthers are looking strong and ready to make the Broncos their next victim of a cat attack. Defending the AFC West title, however, the Broncos aren’t going to give up easily.

If the Panthers want to win Sunday’s game, their defense needs to stop Denver QB Jay Cutler, who is averaging more than 326 passing yards per game and has racked up eight touchdowns and just three interceptions. The Panthers’ defense is currently ranked 14th in the league, and they need to step it up to be able to breeze past the Broncos the way they did last week against the Bucs.

Look to the powerful offensive combo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to once again lead the Panthers in scoring, as this tandem has become one of the most explosive duos in the league. Steve Smith is also a valuable offensive player for the Panthers right now as his 100 receiving yards for the last four consecutive games should lead to another high-scoring game for Carolina.

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Panthers Owner to get Heart Transplant

Former NFL player and Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is in need of a heart transplant. The 72-year-old was hospitalized last week and has since been placed on a heart donor waiting list, putting a damper on the celebratory mood in Charlotte this week following the Panthers’ big win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. This week’s announcement that Richardson needs a heart transplant is shocking news, but is not completely unexpected. Richardson has had problems with heart health over the last several months, and he underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2002, even having a pacemaker installed last month to control his heart rhythm.

Jerry Richardson’s absence at Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium has been noticeable to many, but his two sons Mark and Jon continue to hold down the fort while their father is missing in action. Richardson has a deep history with the NFL, as he was a former Baltimore Colt and helped the team win the 1959 NFL championship game after catching a touchdown pass from legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas. Richardson scored the expansion team the Panthers in 1993 after working for years to make it happen, and he also owns the Panthers’ home field at the Bank of America Stadium.

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Panthers Get Recognition for Monday Night Performance

The Carolina Panthers got the ultimate reward for their praise-worthy performance in Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: a Sunday Night Football slot. After the cats slaughtered the Bucs in this week’s game and punched out a franchise record 299 yards rushing, the NFL rewarded the team by giving them the 8:15 Sunday night game on December 21 against the New York Giants, letting the nation know this Carolina team will put up a fight against the second-ranked Giants. The Panthers-Giants matchup was originally scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on the 21st, but will now provide Sunday night excitement for the entire nation.

The NFC matchup with Carolina and New York will be the final decider in home field advantage for the playoffs in the NFC, and if the Panthers win their next three games they will clinch the number one seed in the NFC and get a much-desired first-round bye. The Carolina Panthers haven’t played a Sunday Night Football game since 2006, and this game against the Giants will be their second nationally televised game in two weeks. The Panthers-Giants game marks the third game of the season to be moved due to flex scheduling, and high ratings are expected for the game.

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