What to Do without Brad Hoover?

The Carolina Panthers watched in disbelief last week as one of their toughest players was carted off the field with what’s likely to be a high-ankle sprain. The player was fullback Brad Hoover, and the Panthers now have their work cut out for them in scrambling to replace him for this weekend’s big game against the undefeated New Orleans Saints. Hoover, expected to be out at least another week, would normally be followed by rookie Tony Fiammetta on the second string, but with Fiammetta out with a concussion, the Panthers will have to come up with another plan on where to pluck a replacement from.

Most likely, John Fox’s Panthers will opt to move a tight end (with Dante Rosario out, the Panthers’ available tight ends are Jeff King, Gary Barnidge and practice squader Jason Pociask) into the fullback spot for Sunday’s game, and backup running backs could be used here, as well. While this poses a problem of a certain degree to the already struggling Panthers, Fox played down the situation to the press yesterday, saying, “We’ve got guys and we’ve got plans. These guys (the Saints) played the Atlanta game with a fullback that had been in their offense for about three days, so you make do… I thought we got through today pretty well. I think we have some plans in place.” We’ll see what these plans are on Sunday as the Panthers travel to New Orleans to try to hand the Saints their first loss of the season.

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All about the Panthers’ Running Game

Don’t tell Steve Smith, but it looks like the Carolina Panthers have actually found a rhythm at this point in the season, going back to an old strategy: running the ball. The dynamic duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart reared it beastly head in last week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, and the Panthers came up with a 34-21 win over the ‘08 Super Bowl competitors. In Sunday’s game, Williams rushed for 158 yards, giving Carolina the edge to sail past the Cards on their way to the team’s third win of the season, but what’s in store for this weekend when the Panthers play the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome?

If the Panthers can continue with this unstoppable running game they’ve seemed to have rediscovered over the last couple weeks, they might actually have a shot to put a dent in the armor the 7-0 Saints have built up to this point, but it will all depend on how well New Orleans does at stopping players like Williams and Stewart. After last week’s game, coach John Fox acknowledged the team’s development of a superb running game over the last few weeks, also saying the Panthers “didn’t run the ball especially well early in the season.” Carolina now, however, is averaging 148.9 yards on the ground per game, and the Panthers look on improving their record this Sunday as they face the undefeated Saints in New Orleans.

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Revived Panthers Look to the Future

Carolina Panthers fans can let out a collective sigh of relief this week, as Jake Delhomme is back - and we don’t just mean out of the hospital. Delhomme had his first zero-turnover game of the season on Sunday as the Panthers dominated the Arizona Cardinals 34-21, and even though the Carolina QB made an early exit from the game, his three-quarter turnover-free play is somewhere to start. Delhomme was given the game ball by backup quarterback Matt Moore after Sunday’s Cards-Panthers showdown, and it looks like the Panthers very well might turn around the second half of the regular season.

Sunday’s win over the Cardinals was a big one for the Panthers, who have been haunted by last year’s playoff game against Arizona ever since last season, and Carolina’s Week 8 play was a huge indicator that the Panthers can hang with the toughest of teams even despite a faltering record. John Fox spoke of his team’ s focus after the game on Sunday, saying, “The biggest thing is just getting those turnovers flipped around. Maybe sometimes a little bit too much is put on in ‘08. We’re in ‘09 now. Last year is last year. For this season at this point, I think that should do something to boost our confidence.” With the Panthers gearing up to face the undefeated New Orleans Saints this weekend, Carolina will have to stay focused on every aspect of the game to give Drew Brees and Co. a run for their money this Sunday as the two teams meet at the Superdome.

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Panthers are 3-4 after Win over Cardinals

The Carolina Panthers bettered their record yesterday by routing the Arizona Cardinals 34-21 in a hard-fought battle, and the win was exactly what Jake Delhomme and his crew needed to boost the team’s morale and the quarterback’s confidence. The Panthers implemented a strictly running game yesterday to cruise around the Cards with some wild rushing, and Jake Delhomme only threw 7-of-14 for 90 yards and one touchdown before making an early exit when he suffered a chest contusion from a hard hit at the end of the third quarter. Delhomme left the game with 5:59 left at the end of the third after he was hit hard by Arizona’s Chike Okeafor, carted to a local hospital after reporting to feel “a little chilly” and weak while on the bench.

Backup QB Matt Moore came in for Delhomme after his injury, continuing to put the Panthers on the road to victory. DeAngelo Williams led the way for the Panthers’ running game, rushing for 158 yards on 23 carries. Jonathan Stewart completed Carolina’s “Double Trouble” running back duo, rushing for 87 yards on 17 carries and posting two touchdowns. Receiver Steve Smith contributed the other touchdown for the Panthers, sending the Cardinals away with their third loss of the season.

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Revenge of ‘08 Playoffs in Mind as Panthers Face Cardinals

Last time these two teams met, the Arizona Cardinals squelched the Super Bowl dreams of the Carolina Panthers, and it wasn’t pretty. Quarterback Jake Delhomme was picked off five times as the Panthers fell prey to the Cardinals in a 33-13 loss, and the season-ending slaughter is probably still haunting some Panthers fans. This weekend, however, Carolina has the chance to get revenge on Kurt Warner and his hot-and-cold Cardinals as the Panthers travel to University of Phoenix Stadium, and a win would grant a much-needed reprieve for this 2-4 Carolina team.

This Sunday’s game is important to both the Panthers and the Cardinals, but one player in particular who has to post stellar numbers in the game to survive is Jake Delhomme, who has been teetering around being benched over the last few weeks. Also to take into consideration this weekend is Arizona rookie Beanie Wells, a rookie out of Ohio State who might just be the explosive running back weapon the Cardinals need. Any way you look at it, this Sunday’s Arizona-Carolina game is one that’s sure to bring up old memories and draw emotion from all players involved, so if you’re set on watching just one football game this weekend, make sure the TV is locked into the Panthers-Cardinals game on Sunday, as this is sure to be one of the best games of Week 8!

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Week 8 Shakeups for the Panthers

John Fox and the Carolina Panthers have once again chosen to go with Jake Delhomme as the team’s starting quarterback going into Week 8, though coaches have probably put a lot more thought into their backing of Delhomme at this point. Fox made the decision to go with Delhomme on Tuesday, saying he has confidence in the veteran “because I think he gives us the best chance to win. Sometimes with the 48-hour rule, you go back and you look. There’s no question we’ve struggled in that area. Going through and looking at some of our mishaps, I don’t think it’s one guy, and I still think he gives us the best chance to win.”

In other news, the Panthers are still looking for new talent elsewhere, signing free agent tight end Jason Pociask to the practice squad yesterday and releasing defensive tackle Rashaad Duncan. Pociask, a native of Plainfield, IN and a four-year NFL veteran out of Wisconsin, was selected into the NFL in the fifth round of the ‘06 draft for the New York Jets, and he has also seen offseason time this year with the Tampa Bay Bucs and Indianapolis Colts. With tight end Dante Rosario currently out with a knee injury, the Panthers need to add more depth at tight end, and the 6-foot-3, 259-pound Pociask is looking to step up in the position.

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Panthers Get Wesley Back from Suspension

The Carolina Panthers’ special teams has been faltering this year, and we’re not just talking about the suspension of Dante Wesley. Wesley was ejected from Carolina’s Week 6 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he made an illegal hit on Tampa returner Clifton Smith, who suffered a concussion, and he was subsequently suspended from last week’s game, as well. Now that Wesley has been plucked from the reserved-suspended list, however, the Panthers have waived his replacement Keith Lewis. Lewis was signed last week to fill in for Wesley upon his absence, and now with Wesley back he won’t be needed on the team’s 53-man roster.

Aside from Wesley’s comeback, the Panthers still have some work to do on their special teams. Kickoff returns especially are an area of focus for Carolina, as the team ranks last in the entire league for average drive-start position on kickoffs that don’t result in touchbacks. Kickoff coverage is something else Carolina is focused on, as John Fox recently said, “(Against Tampa Bay), our kickoff coverage wasn’t exactly stellar. That was a potentially game-changing play (when the team was) up 21-7, and (to) have a kickoff taken back 97 yards doesn’t do a boatload for your confidence. We missed three tackles on the play, one by our kicker.” Look for Carolina’s special teams to improve over the next couple weeks, as Dante Wesley is back in action and focus is given for repair.

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Panthers are Going Green

Well, kind of. They’re still suiting up in Carolina blue and black, but the Carolina Panthers are also making a conscious effort to take out the trash - and we don’t mean Jake Delhomme. A new project known as the Tailgaters has arrived at Bank of America Stadium, and this new program is focusing on keeping Charlotte as green as possible. The Tailgaters are making an effort to get Panthers fans to throw away their trash and recycle while attending Panthers games and tailgates at Bank of America Stadium, and so far the endeavor seems to be working.

Moving along in part by the Charlotte Solid Waste Services, fans attending Panthers games are given trash bags for garbage and recyclables upon arrival at parking lots on game days, and so far this season 34.3 tons of trash and 8.2 tons of recyclable materials have been collected on game days at the stadium. According to Jake Wilson, executive director of Keep Mecklenburg Beautiful, “Our goal to begin the program is to divert 20 percent of this volume. We know we can grow from there.” Keep it green, Carolina!

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Will the Panthers Finally Bench Delhomme?

After yesterday’s 20-9 loss against the Buffalo Bills, it’s clear that something has got to change for the Carolina Panthers to turn around their less-than-stellar season. Is that variable Jake Delhomme? Many people think so, and now maybe even Delhomme’s biggest supporter, Carolina head coach John Fox, will reportedly consider benching his go-to quarterback for next week’s game.

Fox has reiterated time and again that Jake Delhomme is his No. 1 pick as the Panthers’ starting quarterback, but after Delhomme threw two more interceptions in yesterday’s game against the Bills, adding up to a league-high 13 so far this season, Fox’s tone seemed to have changed. Starting with a disclaimer that he still thinks Delhomme is the team’s best quarterback, Fox acknowledged that the Panthers are reevaluating their options, saying, “We’ll do whatever it takes to develop some confidence in that phase of the game. We need to do what helps us win. If that’s Jake, he understands, and if that’s not Jake, he understands.”

The next batch of quarterbacks waiting in the wings to be called to action include Matt Moore and A.J. Feeley, and we’ll see over the next couple weeks which of these backup quarterbacks could possibly soon see playtime and silence the crowd of Delhomme haters looking for a fresh start.

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Bills-Panthers Preview

The Carolina Panthers might just see what a backup quarterback can do this weekend, but it won’t be their own. That’s because the Panthers face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, and with starting Bills quarterback Trent Edwards possibly out after suffering his second concussion in a year, backup Ryan Fitzpatrick could suit up in Bills gear on Sunday for the big game. Keep in mind Fitzpatrick went in last week and was just 10-of-25 for 116 yards with one interception and one touchdown, but he got the job done for Buffalo and could get comfortable enough in his newfound role to wreak havoc in Carolina.

The biggest thing to watch for in terms of Carolina’s own team this Sunday is the offensive scheme. Will Steve Smith get more action this week or will the Panthers again restrict their offense to a running game? Also, Julius Peppers has seemed to have found his groove for the Panthers’ defense, so look for this Pro Bowl player to prove his worth in this weekend’s Bills-Panthers matchup. Who will come out on top when the 2-3 Panthers play the 2-4 Bills this weekend? It’s all to come on Sunday, so stay tuned!

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