Panthers Defense Struggles to Come Together

If games were determined only by the defense, the Carolina Panthers would be in trouble. The much-injured Carolina defense is still working out the kinks after witnessing injuries from top starters Maake Kemoeatu and Jon Beason earlier this month, and the team fell to the Baltimore Ravens 13-17 in the third preseason game of the year Saturday night. Coach John Fox wasn’t the only one with tough love to give the Panthers after their exhibition game Saturday night, and much of the criticism was coming from Beason himself, who has been sidelined with a sprained knee. Beason delivered bouts of disapproval following the Carolina-Baltimore game over the weekend, saying, “On the sideline you get that coaches’ point of view. The tackling was horrible tonight. I think we’ve got to do a better job in our man-to-man coverage. I think we were good against the run, which we hadn’t been the first two games. But we’re still not where we need to be.”

The Panthers have been struggling defensively over the last couple months, however, and not just in the preseason. New defensive coordinator Ron Meeks has had the team tackling new drills and skills in learning a new defense, and the mounting numbers of injuries only make it harder for the defense to come together, especially as linebackers Beason and Thomas Davis, safety Charles Godfrey and nose tackle Kemoeatu have all been out with injuries. Will the Panthers be able to pull together their defense in time for the opening of the regular season? The countdown is on, so stay tuned for more!

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

Panthers vs. Ravens Preview

The Carolina Panthers will take on the Baltimore Ravens Saturday evening in both teams’ third preseason game, and it will be most interesting to watch the Panthers’ second string in action as several of Carolina’s starters including Jonathan Stewart, Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Jon Beason and Maake Kemoeatu will not see any play time tomorrow. Running back DeAngelo Williams may also spend tomorrow evening sitting the bench, as he sat out of yesterday’s practice with knee soreness. Will the Panthers have enough to overcome the Ravens tomorrow night and tack up their first win of the (pre)season?

The Panthers have plenty more players to step in during the absence of the aforementioned starters and, after all, that’s what the preseason is for. Tomorrow’s game will mark the first of the year to be played at Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium, but the Raven’s won’t be giving up easily. QB Joe Flacco and RB Ray Rice are two Ravens to watch in particular in tomorrow’s matchup, but, like Carolina, Baltimore has a number of ailing players that won’t be representing the team in its third preseason battle, including Terrell Suggs, Mark Clayton, Samari Rolle, Kelly Gregg and L.J. Smith. Is this an even playing field? We’ll soon find out!

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

The Fight to Make Carolina’s Roster Continues

The Carolina Panthers still have quite a few players on the cusp of either making the team’s roster or being cut before the start of the regular season, and injuries endured over the last few weeks have shaken things up in Charlotte, where the latest headlines include material about rookie Sherrod Martin, who has recently made the switch from cornerback to safety. Martin’s new role with the team comes after starting safety Charles Godfrey and backup Nate Salley both recently suffered injuries, and now he’ll work alongside Quinton Teal and Kevin Kaesviharn to provide some depth to the position. Of Martin’s switch to safety, strong safety Chris Harris said, “He’s very athletic, so it was a natural for him to move there. He’s still got to learn the defense and learn the ins and outs. But as of now I think he’s picking it up pretty well.”

Other rookies Captain Munnerlyn and Mike Goodson have proven their fit with the Panthers, as well, and will likely make the roster, though young receiver Ryne Robinson has had a shaky preseason so far, most notably making a costly error in the Panthers’ recent exhibition game against the Dolphins when Robinson lost the ball and allowed the Dolphins to recover it. Long snapper J.J. Jansen also made a slip-up with a high snap against the Dolphins and could see his job with the Panthers in jeopardy because of it. Several other players are vying for a spot on the team, so look for it all to pan out soon enough.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

Goodson Acquires His First NFL Fine

Mike Goodson, the Carolina Panthers’ fourth-round draft pick in 2009 (111 overall), is fitting in great with the team, but the rookie running back formerly of Texas A&M got a little ahead of himself last week during the Panthers’ exhibition game against the New York Giants, making headlines when he initiated a throat slash gesture after scoring a touchdown on a 14-yard run in the second half of the game. Called on the spot for unsportsmanlike behavior, Goodson was immediately penalized 15 yards during the game, and he was also fined $7,500 on Monday for his distasteful gesture. While coach John Fox hasn’t issued a statement regarding Goodson’s throat-slash stunt, he did inform the rookie that a fine was likely to follow his behavior during the game.

Goodson, already signed to a four-year deal with the Panthers, has seen extended playtime so far during this year’s preseason thanks to fellow running back Jonathan Stewart sitting the sidelines with an injured Achilles’ tendon, and he’ll likely be able to make up for his faux pas in last week’s game during this upcoming weekend as the Panthers travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins on Saturday at Land Shark Stadium.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

Defensive Curse of the Panthers Strikes Godfrey

Make that three defensive players on Carolina’s roster out with injuries. Charles Godfrey, Carolina’s starting free safety, is also sitting the sidelines this week after breaking his hand in last weekend’s exhibition game against the Miami Dolphins, leaving another gaping hole in the team’s defense. While Godfrey, a third-round pick in the ‘08 draft, has already undergone surgery and could make a return anytime after the start of the regular season, the Panthers have already taken action to cover his position, signing veteran free safety Kevin Kaesviharn in his absence.

Kaesviharn, an eight-year NFL veteran who’s spent his last two years in the league with the New Orleans Saints, joins the Panthers in part because Charles Godfrey’s backup safety Nate Shelly is sidelined with a knee injury, and his new spot on Carolina’s roster led to wide receiver Jason Carter getting the boot to make room for Kaesviharn. Now that Carter is out of the picture, Kenneth Moore and Ryne Robinson will vie for the Panthers’ No. 4 receiver position behind Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad and Dwayne Jarrett. As for Godfrey, he’s listed as “day-to-day” right now but could be back for Carolina’s season opener, though he’ll likely have to wear a “club” on his injured hand.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

Beason Injures Knee in Saturday’s Loss to Dolphins

The Carolina Panthers just can’t stay healthy. Injuries were prevalent in showing Carolina’s lack of depth once again on Saturday as the Panthers suffered a 17-27 loss to the Miami Dolphins in week two of the preseason, and this time it was linebacker Jon Beason who went down on the football field, succumbing to a strained knee ligament mid-action. “I was getting off a block and I’m not sure if someone came at me intentionally or if they fell on it,” Beason said of his injury. “I’m assuming someone fell on it.” Beason underwent an MRI and is said to have strained a knee ligament, though his agent Drew Rosenhaus claims that the linebacker could return for the start of the regular season.

In his place, backup Dan Connor will take over at linebacker. Connor played in three games last year as a rookie before tearing his ACL, and he is expected to start next Saturday as the Panthers take on the Baltimore Ravens in another preseason game. While Dan Connor is suddenly in for Jon Beason, Nick Hayden and rookie Marlon Favorite continue filling the shoes of Maake Kemoeatu at defensive tackle. Kemoeatu tore his Achilles’ tendon earlier this month in training camp, and it’s yet to be determined if he will return this season or if the Panthers are looking to replace him with an outside source.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

Panthers-Dolphins Preview

The Carolina Panthers will migrate south this weekend to play the AFC East’s Miami Dolphins at the newly-hailed Land Shark Stadium tomorrow evening in the teams’ second preseason game in ‘09, and the Panthers are out to avenge their disappointing preseason loss to the Giants last weekend, ready to take on Tony Sparano’s Dolphins in a Saturday night matchup.

The ‘phin to look out for in tomorrow’s preseason game is most definitely going to be rookie cornerback Sean Smith, a second-round pick for Miami in the ‘09 draft. Smith was one of the shining pieces of the Dolphins’ puzzle in last week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he’s most certainly a player to take into account in tomorrow’s Panthers-Dolphins matchup. On the Panthers side, we’re still waiting to see less turnovers from the team that’s looking to make up for a six-turnover divisional playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals last year, and last week’s five turnovers weren’t quite convincing enough to erase the memory. If the Panthers can minimize fumbles and turnovers, the team should be able to slide past the Dolphins, who beat Jacksonville on Monday 12-9.

Tomorrow’s Carolina-Miami matchup starts at 7:30 p.m. EST, and after this week’s preseason game the Panthers play their last two preseason battles at home, the next being Aug. 29 against Baltimore and the last on Sept. 3 against Pittsburgh.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

The Brett Favre Effect

Brett Favre has duped the public once again, coming out of retirement for a second year in a row - this time joining up with the Minnesota Vikings. Last season, Favre’s last-minute decision to join the New York Jets put a spin on the AFC East for a New York minute, but his rocket arm wasn’t enough to really boost the Jets to the top. What will happen this season with Favre and the Vikings? Will his arrival in Minnesota be enough to shake up the NFC and affect other top teams in the conference?

When it comes to the Carolina Panthers, we’re sure to see some early speculation, but it all comes down to how much steam Brett Favre has left. Last month, he made a statement to ESPN on his retirement, saying, “I didn’t feel like physically I could play at a level that was acceptable.” That said, the Panthers likely have nothing to worry about this season, especially with Carolina’s top-notch players returning to the field this year. There are several other tough teams in the NFC, including the Cardinals, Giants and Eagles, so the Panthers have more to concentrate on this year than just the Vikings, who they play in Week 15 of the regular season.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

Panthers Looking to Add a Defensive Tackle?

Sure, Nick Hayden has stepped up to the plate now that it’s clear that starter Maake Kemoeatu won’t return to the football team for quite some time this year, but is Hayden good enough to start at defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers? This is exactly what the preseason will prove, and so far it’s not looking great. Hayden is obviously not the same player as Kemoeatu, and he’s already been the target for opposing teams’ offenses, leaving the Panthers to scour the market for another experienced tackle to fill the void Kemoeatu has left.

While Carolina hasn’t directly come out and said the team is looking for another defensive tackle, some of the players have commented on the situation, one of them being Jon Beason. Beason, the Panthers’ starting middle linebacker, recently spoke of Carolina’s DT position, saying, “Last year, Maake was down, Damione (Lewis) got hurt during that Giants game, and you had young guys like Nick Hayden step up and play well at times. We feel good about the young guys, but we definitely need to get a veteran guy in there.” Acquiring an outside defensive tackle almost seems inevitable at this point, and now the only questions left are who to get and where from.

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

Panthers Fall to Giants in Final Play of Preseason Opener

The Carolina Panthers still have some work to do before the regular season begins, and it was glaringly obvious last night as the team fell just short of a win to the New York Giants. The Giants pulled ahead with a 24-17 lead when, on the final play of the game, New York defensive tackle Ledger Douzable hit Carolina fourth-team quarterback Hunter Cantwell and knocked the ball loose. New York defensive tackle Tommie Hill then took the fumble and returned it for an 18-yard touchdown, and the Giants captured their first win of the preseason as so.

In last night’s preseason matchup, Carolina’s starters played about a quarter of the game, though neither Maake Kemoeatu nor Steve Smith played at all. Quarterback Jake Delhomme was 5 for 9 with 38 yards, and after the game he said, “As an offense, it was great to get out there and get some work. We didn’t start as fast as we would have liked, but we did some nice things. We have a lot of work to do and a long way to go to get where we need to be.” Next up for the Panthers is a Saturday preseason game against the Dolphins in Miami!

To get Carolina Panthers tickets, go to StubHub.

 Page 1 of 3  1  2  3 »