The Carolina Panthers have decided not to place a franchise tag on about 10 of their players, making them free agents next week. The Panthers have tagged essential players in the past such as Marty Hurney, but this year, they will have about 10 players become free agents when free agency begin next week. Important players such as Dan Connor, and Geoff Schwartz played a major role in the team last season, and were expected to be tagged. Hopefully, the decision pays off and the Panthers management can make an impact when free agency begins next week.
With a huge need to add defensive linemen and the desire to fill the defensive line with a big fierce defender on the inside, would Dontari Poe be the perfect for the Carolina Panthers when they take a player with the ninth pick in the 2012 NFL Draft? We believe that Poe is the answer for the Panthers, he is a beast of an interior defensive lineman who is fully capable of handling the NT position for the Carolina Panthers. Poe has a lot of upside, and the Panthers need a lineman like Poe!
Prior to the combine, taking Poe at nine would have been considered a reach by many, but his numbers have been off the charts and he is doing nothing but impressing the scouts during the NFL combine. Is it possible that Poe is just a workout warrior who won’t be able to dominate the interior of the line for the Panthers? Yes, of course that’s a possibility, but if Dontari Poe can keep his momentum going into draft day, we won’t be surprised to see the Carolina Panthers select Poe with the ninth pick.
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Cam Newton chalked up another stat in his favorite category, wins. The Panther defeated the Skins 33-20. Newton threw for 256 yards and a TD, and also ran for 59 yards and a score. Newton is steadily becoming a trusted player in the NFL, no easy task for a QB whose pocket skills were called into question before he ever played a down. If he continues at this pace there is no telling how much success he could have.
The defense held together because they stopped the run for the most part. The Panthers allowed only 92 yards rushing, and were able to cause 3 turnovers in the game. Carolina has lost 4 games by less than 7 points, and are getting closer and closer to turning this thing around. If it happens this year, then the team is ahead of schedule. Next week the Panthers take on the Vikings at home. If they earn another win, you never know what could happen in the Wild West (South).
This week the Panthers will take another step foward towards becoming a legit team again. Cam Newton leads his squad into Atlanta to take on Matt Ryan and the Falcons. Newton to this point, has been a star. He has 1600 yards passing, and 7 TD’s. He is slashing teams for huge yardage each week, using his legs only when he has to. He has shown a great ability to throw from the pocket and is getting better each week. The Panther’s offense will have a good day against the soft Falcons’ D. The secondary Atlanta runs out there isn’t going to be the one to stop Newton’s march to rookie records.
On defense the Panthers should look to make the big play, go for the turnovers. They are going to give up yards, and points. But if they can cause a fumble here or there, or pick one off and take it to the house they will be golden. All they need to do is hold the Falcons back, not stop them completely. I see a 31-21 win for the Panthers, and a big step up.
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This week the Panthers are home to take on division rival New Orleans. This is not a good matchup for the Cam Newtons, and if they’d like to hang around theres 2 things they must do. 1. Protect Cam Newton at all costs. Even if it means only running 2 routes and max protecting him. 2. Don’t let the Saints beat you on big plays. The Panthers need to keep everything in front of them and stop New Orleans from hitting home runs. Having said that, I don’t think either of these thing will happen.
The Panthers will have to be unblockable to stop Drew Brees’ passing attack. If they give him any time, he will destroy them. My strategy would be to send house blitzes as much as possible, and try to cause turnovers by knocking the ball loose. Without a huge effort from the passrushers, this game will be a beatdown.
If your looking for something to watch for in the 2nd half, look at Cam Newton’s ability to adjust in game after a tough 1st half. That can be a good measure of improvement, and he will need to learn this to grow into a complete player. I see a 42-14 loss for the Panthers, unable to get in the Saints way. Check back for my game recap after all the action.
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HC Ron Rivera decided to test Devin Hester. As many coaches before him would have attested, that was the wrong move. Carolina lost to the Bears in a high scoring 34-29 affair. Hester had a 73 yard kickoff return to set up a later score, and a 69 yard punt return for a TD breaking the all time record.Hester wrecked an already tough day for the Panthers. The Carolina defense played decently against the pass, holding QB Jay Cutler to just over 100 yards and picking him off once. The run D, was another story. RB Matt Forte dismantled the Panther D, rushing for a whopping 205 yards and a TD. No team can overcome a beat down like that. Carolina’s front 7 looked weak against Chicago’s tough O-line. If Carolina wants to be legit, they will need to toughen up and learn how to curb teams running offenses.
As far as Cam Newton and the offense go, it was a decent performance. Newton threw for 374 yards, a TD, and a INT. They moved the ball very well, racking up 543 total yards, but scored only 29 points. Newton, DeAngelo Williams, and Jonathan Stewart combined for 169 yards rushing, which is a good base for the offense. The main problem was 3 drives that stalled too early, and ended in FG’s for K Olindo Mare. If the Panthers stick the ball in the EZ, they win. Simple, right? As much as die hard fans can’t stand to see losses, Carolina clearly has a serious future ahead of them. If you are pulling your hair out with each defeat, be patient. The wins will come. Next week Carolina takes on the division rival Saints at home. Check back for a game preview on Saturday.
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360 News | Panthers360 | 
March 6, 2012 3:59 am | 
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