NFC South Archive: October 2009
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
As I reported earlier on our news side, the Atlanta Falcons have added running back/return man Aaron Stecker.
Not sure exactly what the implications of this roster move are, but I think it’s safe to assume the Falcons believe either backup running back/return man Jerious Norwood or fullback Ovie Mughelli will be out for an extended period. Or maybe even both of them will be out for a while.
Norwood and Mughelli both sat out Sunday’s game in Dallas and that left the Falcons thin on backfield depth. Jason Snelling had to serve as the top backup to Michael Turner at running back and Verron Haynes at fullback.
Adding Stecker gives the Falcons a lot more flexibility in the backfield and another option in the return game.
As I reported earlier on our news side, the Atlanta Falcons have added running back/return man Aaron Stecker.
Not sure exactly what the implications of this roster move are, but I think it’s safe to assume the Falcons believe either backup running back/return man Jerious Norwood or fullback Ovie Mughelli will be out for an extended period. Or maybe even both of them will be out for a while.
Norwood and Mughelli both sat out Sunday’s game in Dallas and that left the Falcons thin on backfield depth. Jason Snelling had to serve as the top backup to Michael Turner at running back and Verron Haynes at fullback.
Adding Stecker gives the Falcons a lot more flexibility in the backfield and another option in the return game.
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Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
Falling
1. Jake Delhomme, quarterback, Panthers. It’s over. Sad to say because Delhomme’s done a lot for this franchise through the years and there might not be a nicer guy in the NFL. But he’s not getting the job done and Carolina’s season is quickly spinning out of control.
John Fox is scrambling for his job and that means he’ll probably turn to Matt Moore or A.J. Feeley (like either of those guys will make any difference). But Carolina clearly has to do something drastic and that means benching Delhomme.
2. Brent Grimes, Chris Houston and Chevis Jackson, cornerbacks, Falcons. We’ve known since the preseason that this was a problem spot for the Falcons. They brought in veteran Brian Williams and he briefly stabilized things. But Williams is gone for the season with an injury.
It’s time for the kids to stand on their own feet, but against the Cowboys they just kept stumbling and other teams are watching the film. Think Sean Payton might have a few ideas on how he can exploit these guys Monday night?
3. John Abraham, defensive end, Falcons. The effort is still there, so I’m not saying Abraham’s pulling a Julius Peppers. But maybe age is catching up to a guy who’s been an elite pass-rusher throughout his career.
Abraham’s not showing up very much and that leaves the Falcons without very much of a pass rush. That’s another reason why the cornerbacks are struggling.
Rising
1. Drew Brees, quarterback, Saints. Brees’ stock has been at an all-time high pretty much all season, so it’s hard to make a case that it got stronger. But that’s exactly what happened Sunday against the Dolphins. Brees added to his lore in a new way.
He started off terribly, throwing three interceptions as the Saints fell behind by 21 points. Then, he rallied his team to victory. That’s the mark of a true leader. That’s the mark of an elite quarterback. All further proof that Brees deserves to be at or very near the top in discussions of elite quarterbacks.
2. Darren Sharper, safety, Saints. Another week, another interception return for a touchdown. It seems like this guy makes big plays every week. Has there been a better free-agent pickup than Sharper anywhere this season? I don’t think so.
At this point, Sharper has to be a strong candidate for the defensive player of the year award. Heck, he’s producing more offense than Tampa Bay’s offense.
3. Josh Freeman, quarterback, Buccaneers. We’re not saying his stock is soaring because of anything he did in his brief debut in London. We’re just saying it’s obvious the Bucs are ready to hand things off to their first-round draft pick.
Maybe the change can provide some sort of spark for a team that has nothing positive going for it. But don’t expect this kid to come right in and be a miracle-worker right from the start. He’s got a lousy team around him.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
Falling
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John Fox is scrambling for his job and that means he’ll probably turn to Matt Moore or A.J. Feeley (like either of those guys will make any difference). But Carolina clearly has to do something drastic and that means benching Delhomme.
2. Brent Grimes, Chris Houston and Chevis Jackson, cornerbacks, Falcons. We’ve known since the preseason that this was a problem spot for the Falcons. They brought in veteran Brian Williams and he briefly stabilized things. But Williams is gone for the season with an injury.
It’s time for the kids to stand on their own feet, but against the Cowboys they just kept stumbling and other teams are watching the film. Think Sean Payton might have a few ideas on how he can exploit these guys Monday night?
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Abraham’s not showing up very much and that leaves the Falcons without very much of a pass rush. That’s another reason why the cornerbacks are struggling.
Rising
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He started off terribly, throwing three interceptions as the Saints fell behind by 21 points. Then, he rallied his team to victory. That’s the mark of a true leader. That’s the mark of an elite quarterback. All further proof that Brees deserves to be at or very near the top in discussions of elite quarterbacks.
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At this point, Sharper has to be a strong candidate for the defensive player of the year award. Heck, he’s producing more offense than Tampa Bay’s offense.
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Maybe the change can provide some sort of spark for a team that has nothing positive going for it. But don’t expect this kid to come right in and be a miracle-worker right from the start. He’s got a lousy team around him.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
Just passing along some numbers from ESPN Stats & Information on the Saints.
First, the Saints are off to the second-best start in franchise history. Here’s a look at their best starts.
Next, the Saints are putting up points at close to a record pace. Here’s a look at the best starts (based on points) in NFL history.
Just passing along some numbers from ESPN Stats & Information on the Saints.
First, the Saints are off to the second-best start in franchise history. Here’s a look at their best starts.
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Next, the Saints are putting up points at close to a record pace. Here’s a look at the best starts (based on points) in NFL history.
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Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
The Carolina Panthers, thanks mostly to quarterback Jake Delhomme, lead the NFL in giveaways. The Panthers have turned the ball over a league-worst 21 times.
They’ve been intercepted 14 times and lost seven fumbles. Tampa Bay has 13 giveaways (11 interceptions and two lost fumbles).
New Orleans and Atlanta each have 10 giveaways. The Saints have lost the ball on five interceptions and five fumbles. The Falcons have been intercepted six times and lost four fumbles.
The Carolina Panthers, thanks mostly to quarterback Jake Delhomme, lead the NFL in giveaways. The Panthers have turned the ball over a league-worst 21 times.
They’ve been intercepted 14 times and lost seven fumbles. Tampa Bay has 13 giveaways (11 interceptions and two lost fumbles).
New Orleans and Atlanta each have 10 giveaways. The Saints have lost the ball on five interceptions and five fumbles. The Falcons have been intercepted six times and lost four fumbles.
Saints continue to lead league in takeaways
October, 27, 2009
10/27/09
9:34
AM ET
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
The New Orleans Saints continue to lead the league in takeaways. They now have 18.
They’ve intercepted 13 passes and recovered five fumbles. Atlanta ranks seventh in the league with 13 takeaways (five interceptions and eight fumble recoveries).
Tampa Bay is tied for No. 13 with 11 takeaways (eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries). Carolina is tied for No. 23 with eight takeaways (five interceptions and three fumble recoveries).
The New Orleans Saints continue to lead the league in takeaways. They now have 18.
They’ve intercepted 13 passes and recovered five fumbles. Atlanta ranks seventh in the league with 13 takeaways (five interceptions and eight fumble recoveries).
Tampa Bay is tied for No. 13 with 11 takeaways (eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries). Carolina is tied for No. 23 with eight takeaways (five interceptions and three fumble recoveries).
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
The latest NFL rankings are out and the New Orleans Saints continue to lead the league in total offense.
The Saints rank No. 1 overall (third in rushing and sixth in passing). Their defense is No. 11 overall (eighth against the run and 14th against the pass).
Atlanta’s offense ranks No. 19 overall (19th in rushing and 17th in passing). The Falcons are No. 25 in total defense (23rd against the run and 26th against the pass).
Carolina’s offense is No. 20 overall (eighth in rushing and No. 22 in passing). The Panthers are No. 4 in total defense. They are No. 26 against the run and they’re No. 1 in the league against the pass. But that No. 1 ranking is a bit misleading. The Panthers are in that spot mainly because they’ve fallen behind in most of their games and opponents haven’t thrown the ball much.
Tampa Bay is No. 28 in total offense (28th in rushing and 28th in passing). Defensively, the Bucs are No. 27 (29th against the run and No. 13 against the pass).
The latest NFL rankings are out and the New Orleans Saints continue to lead the league in total offense.
The Saints rank No. 1 overall (third in rushing and sixth in passing). Their defense is No. 11 overall (eighth against the run and 14th against the pass).
Atlanta’s offense ranks No. 19 overall (19th in rushing and 17th in passing). The Falcons are No. 25 in total defense (23rd against the run and 26th against the pass).
Carolina’s offense is No. 20 overall (eighth in rushing and No. 22 in passing). The Panthers are No. 4 in total defense. They are No. 26 against the run and they’re No. 1 in the league against the pass. But that No. 1 ranking is a bit misleading. The Panthers are in that spot mainly because they’ve fallen behind in most of their games and opponents haven’t thrown the ball much.
Tampa Bay is No. 28 in total offense (28th in rushing and 28th in passing). Defensively, the Bucs are No. 27 (29th against the run and No. 13 against the pass).
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
The NFL announced this afternoon that Pro Bowl balloting has begun.
You can vote here. You can cast ballots through Dec. 21.
If you’d like to hear my suggestions on who deserves the honor, here they are:
New Orleans: Basically, you wouldn’t be wrong in voting for any of the Saints on the ballot. But start with quarterback Drew Brees, receiver Marques Colston, tight end Jeremy Shockey, guards Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks, defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, safety Darren Sharper, linebacker Jonathan Vilma and punter Thomas Morstead.
Atlanta: Quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end Tony Gonzalez, center Todd McClure, receiver Roddy White, linebacker Curtis Lofton and punter Michael Koenen. If defensive end John Abraham picks it up in the coming weeks at all, he becomes a candidate.
Carolina: The only guy I feel real strong in recommending is linebacker Thomas Davis. Linebacker Jon Beason and tackle Jordan Gross went last year and I wouldn’t rule them out, but only if their play picks up in the coming weeks.
Tampa Bay: Remember, this isn’t like baseball. There doesn’t have to be a player from every team. But if you feel compelled to vote for a Tampa Bay player, tight end Kellen Winslow is probably the most deserving at the moment. Linebacker Barrett Ruud also could be a possibility.
The NFL announced this afternoon that Pro Bowl balloting has begun.
You can vote here. You can cast ballots through Dec. 21.
If you’d like to hear my suggestions on who deserves the honor, here they are:
New Orleans: Basically, you wouldn’t be wrong in voting for any of the Saints on the ballot. But start with quarterback Drew Brees, receiver Marques Colston, tight end Jeremy Shockey, guards Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks, defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, safety Darren Sharper, linebacker Jonathan Vilma and punter Thomas Morstead.
Atlanta: Quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end Tony Gonzalez, center Todd McClure, receiver Roddy White, linebacker Curtis Lofton and punter Michael Koenen. If defensive end John Abraham picks it up in the coming weeks at all, he becomes a candidate.
Carolina: The only guy I feel real strong in recommending is linebacker Thomas Davis. Linebacker Jon Beason and tackle Jordan Gross went last year and I wouldn’t rule them out, but only if their play picks up in the coming weeks.
Tampa Bay: Remember, this isn’t like baseball. There doesn’t have to be a player from every team. But if you feel compelled to vote for a Tampa Bay player, tight end Kellen Winslow is probably the most deserving at the moment. Linebacker Barrett Ruud also could be a possibility.
Waiting for Bucs to make it official on Freeman
October, 26, 2009
10/26/09
3:59
PM ET
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were scheduled to arrive back home Monday after their trip to London.
We won’t hear anything from coach Raheem Morris until he meets with the media Wednesday because the Bucs are off until then. But I think you can see from far away what’s going to come out of Morris.
He just about has to come out and say that rookie quarterback Josh Freeman will be the starter when the Bucs return from their bye and host Green Bay on Nov. 8. Does Morris really have any other choice?
I don’t think so. Veteran Byron Leftwich flopped early in the season. Josh Johnson took over and did some nice things from time to time, but it’s obvious he’s not a long-term starter. It’s also painfully obvious that, at 0-7, the Bucs need a spark of some sort.
I’m not saying definitively that Freeman will provide that spark or not. I don’t know if the guy is any good. But it’s clearly time for the Bucs to start finding out.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were scheduled to arrive back home Monday after their trip to London.
We won’t hear anything from coach Raheem Morris until he meets with the media Wednesday because the Bucs are off until then. But I think you can see from far away what’s going to come out of Morris.
He just about has to come out and say that rookie quarterback Josh Freeman will be the starter when the Bucs return from their bye and host Green Bay on Nov. 8. Does Morris really have any other choice?
I don’t think so. Veteran Byron Leftwich flopped early in the season. Josh Johnson took over and did some nice things from time to time, but it’s obvious he’s not a long-term starter. It’s also painfully obvious that, at 0-7, the Bucs need a spark of some sort.
I’m not saying definitively that Freeman will provide that spark or not. I don’t know if the guy is any good. But it’s clearly time for the Bucs to start finding out.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
It’s a slow day on the Saints’ front. The players have been given Monday off and coach Sean Payton won’t meet with the media until Tuesday.
But, hey, there was enough excitement in Sunday’s comeback win in Miami to last for several days. The performance of quarterback Drew Brees, who led the Saints back after they trailed by 21 points, still is drawing rave reviews.
“Usually when a quarterback throws three picks, he goes into a shell,’’ said NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders. “Not Drew Brees.’’
And consider these weighty words on the Saints from a man who used to coach Peyton Manning.
“They really showed me something,’’ NBC analyst Tony Dungy said. “Adversity and they still had the belief, 'Hey, we’ve got Drew Brees. We can win in any situation.' I kind of doubted New Orleans. …Drew Brees, he’s my MVP so far.’’
It’s a slow day on the Saints’ front. The players have been given Monday off and coach Sean Payton won’t meet with the media until Tuesday.
But, hey, there was enough excitement in Sunday’s comeback win in Miami to last for several days. The performance of quarterback Drew Brees, who led the Saints back after they trailed by 21 points, still is drawing rave reviews.
“Usually when a quarterback throws three picks, he goes into a shell,’’ said NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders. “Not Drew Brees.’’
And consider these weighty words on the Saints from a man who used to coach Peyton Manning.
“They really showed me something,’’ NBC analyst Tony Dungy said. “Adversity and they still had the belief, 'Hey, we’ve got Drew Brees. We can win in any situation.' I kind of doubted New Orleans. …Drew Brees, he’s my MVP so far.’’
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
The most interesting development in the NFC South today is in Carolina, where coach John Fox said he hasn’t decided yet if Jake Delhomme will remain the starting quarterback for Sunday’s game with Arizona.
The mere fact that Fox wouldn’t say anything definitive is highly significant and I think it means a change is coming. In the past, whenever questions about staying in the lineup have come up, Fox always has answered swiftly with something like, “Jake’s our quarterback."
That didn’t happen this time and knowing Fox like I do, I think he’s at least seriously contemplating benching Delhomme and going with either Matt Moore or A.J. Feeley. Which one?
Flip a coin. Moore’s got more time in the offense, but he came into the league as an undrafted free agent for a reason. He’s not that talented and he hasn’t played very much. Feeley was picked up by the Panthers after backup Josh McCown was injured. Feeley hasn’t had a lot of time in the offense, but he has more playing experience than Moore.
The other factor at work here might be the opponent. Delhomme’s downward spiral essentially started with a playoff loss last season against Arizona. He threw five interceptions in that game and hasn’t been the same since.
Putting him out there against the Cardinals again could bring flashbacks and another disaster and that’s got to be weighing on Fox’s mind. You don’t make a decision like this lightly because, once you pull the plug on Delhomme, he’s basically done with the Panthers.
He’s done a lot for this franchise through the years. But it sure looks like he’s got nothing left to give.
The most interesting development in the NFC South today is in Carolina, where coach John Fox said he hasn’t decided yet if Jake Delhomme will remain the starting quarterback for Sunday’s game with Arizona.
The mere fact that Fox wouldn’t say anything definitive is highly significant and I think it means a change is coming. In the past, whenever questions about staying in the lineup have come up, Fox always has answered swiftly with something like, “Jake’s our quarterback."
That didn’t happen this time and knowing Fox like I do, I think he’s at least seriously contemplating benching Delhomme and going with either Matt Moore or A.J. Feeley. Which one?
Flip a coin. Moore’s got more time in the offense, but he came into the league as an undrafted free agent for a reason. He’s not that talented and he hasn’t played very much. Feeley was picked up by the Panthers after backup Josh McCown was injured. Feeley hasn’t had a lot of time in the offense, but he has more playing experience than Moore.
The other factor at work here might be the opponent. Delhomme’s downward spiral essentially started with a playoff loss last season against Arizona. He threw five interceptions in that game and hasn’t been the same since.
Putting him out there against the Cardinals again could bring flashbacks and another disaster and that’s got to be weighing on Fox’s mind. You don’t make a decision like this lightly because, once you pull the plug on Delhomme, he’s basically done with the Panthers.
He’s done a lot for this franchise through the years. But it sure looks like he’s got nothing left to give.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
I just flew in from Dallas and am about to start playing catch-up on going through the transcripts of the various NFC South coaches from earlier today. Atlanta's Mike Smith is talking right now.
I'll be back in a bit with observations and analysis from around the NFC South.
I just flew in from Dallas and am about to start playing catch-up on going through the transcripts of the various NFC South coaches from earlier today. Atlanta's Mike Smith is talking right now.
I'll be back in a bit with observations and analysis from around the NFC South.
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| Tim Heitman/US Presswire | |
| The running game of the Falcons -- and the production of running back Michael Turner -- is down significantly, which may pose larger problems for Atlanta. |
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Since right about the time he toted the ball for the 376th time last season, it has been fair to ask if perhaps the Atlanta Falcons wore out Michael Turner.
The question no longer is just fair. It’s necessary. The man who carried the Falcons to the playoffs last season hasn’t gone much of anywhere this season. After running for 1,699 yards last year, the days of triple-digit rushing yards have dried up. Turner has hit the 100-yard mark only once this season, and that was back in Week 2 against a Carolina team that essentially was playing without defensive tackles.
So is Turner facing the same fate as all those other running backs who went into big declines after carrying 325 or 350 times in a season? Let’s go straight to the best source.
“I’m still healthy,’’ Turner said after a 37-21 loss to Dallas on Sunday. “It’s not a health issue. I still feel fine.’’
But Turner and the running game haven’t been looking fine and what happened against Dallas may have demonstrated there’s a problem that’s getting worse instead of better. Turner carried 18 times for 50 yards. That’s a 2.8 average, which would translate into a 0.8 if this were a grade-point average.
“Concerned? I don’t know that I’d use that word,’’ Turner said. “But it is something we need to get better at.’’
Apologies to Turner, and I fully realize the Falcons were without injured fullback Ovie Mughelli and backup running back Jerious Norwood, but I will use the word concerned. The Falcons should be extremely concerned about their top running back and their running game in general.
Not even the seven carries for 68 yards by backup Jason Snelling were enough to give the Falcons anything close to a passing grade on the ground, and we’ll touch on the passing too, because it wasn’t very good. Matt Ryan was 19 of 35 for 198 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Uncharacteristically, he made bad decisions and, just as uncharacteristically, he got poor protection.
But I’m going to go ahead and place the blame for Atlanta’s offensive struggles on the running game. It’s supposed to be the core character of the offense and it hasn’t been close to that all season. The lack of productivity in the running game is throwing everything out of whack. When Turner’s not running clock, that means a defense that really isn’t all that talented has to spend a lot more time on the field and that’s a problem.
Worse yet, what happened with Turner and the running game wasn’t just a blip. It’s a growing and very disturbing trend. Even in last week’s win against Chicago, Turner carried 13 times for 30 yards. Glance back at the opener against Miami, where he carried 22 times for 65 yards or the Week 3 loss to New England, where he gained 56 yards on 15 carries.
“We’re not running the ball nearly as effectively as last year,’’ coach Mike Smith said. “It’s something we’ve been working on and will continue to work on.’’
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
We came into Sunday talking a lot about how the Saints had never trailed this season. Not once in five games.
Then, a funny thing happened and the point became moot. The Saints went down to Miami and fell behind early and kept falling behind. They were down by 21 points and, now, we’re going to talk some more about trailing.
This time, it’s in a totally different context.
The Saints became the first team this season to win after trailing by 21 points. And they didn’t just come back and win. they came back and won by 12 points.
When’s the last time that happened?
Well, ironically, the Saints were the last team to trail by 21 points and come back to win by 12. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Saints trailed the San Diego Chargers 24-3 and came back to win 41-24. That game was on Dec. 20, 1987.
Let’s file that stat away in the stack of impressive stats the Saints are compiling in what, so far, has been a magical season. It’s still way too early to talk about the Saints going undefeated (even though I’ve heard from a lot of fans who think that’s a possibility). But I will say that, in special seasons, you sometimes can make special things happen when you win the games it looked like you had lost.
One more sign that this season could end up being really special for the Saints.
We came into Sunday talking a lot about how the Saints had never trailed this season. Not once in five games.
Then, a funny thing happened and the point became moot. The Saints went down to Miami and fell behind early and kept falling behind. They were down by 21 points and, now, we’re going to talk some more about trailing.
This time, it’s in a totally different context.
The Saints became the first team this season to win after trailing by 21 points. And they didn’t just come back and win. they came back and won by 12 points.
When’s the last time that happened?
Well, ironically, the Saints were the last team to trail by 21 points and come back to win by 12. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Saints trailed the San Diego Chargers 24-3 and came back to win 41-24. That game was on Dec. 20, 1987.
Let’s file that stat away in the stack of impressive stats the Saints are compiling in what, so far, has been a magical season. It’s still way too early to talk about the Saints going undefeated (even though I’ve heard from a lot of fans who think that’s a possibility). But I will say that, in special seasons, you sometimes can make special things happen when you win the games it looked like you had lost.
One more sign that this season could end up being really special for the Saints.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Just when I thought the Atlanta Falcons were a very good football team, they showed they are not.
They got beat -- and I mean beat -- in every facet of the game by Dallas, a team that I don’t think is good at all. Matt Ryan made bad decisions, Michael Turner couldn’t run, the defense couldn’t stop anyone and even the normally-reliable special teams were bad.
I don’t think this is the way the Falcons want to head into next Monday night’s game against the Saints. That had been shaping up as a huge NFC South showdown. Now, it’s becoming just a game -- a game the Falcons might have to win to have any shot at winning the NFC South.
I’m heading down to the locker room for post-game interviews. Will be back in an hour or so.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Just when I thought the Atlanta Falcons were a very good football team, they showed they are not.
They got beat -- and I mean beat -- in every facet of the game by Dallas, a team that I don’t think is good at all. Matt Ryan made bad decisions, Michael Turner couldn’t run, the defense couldn’t stop anyone and even the normally-reliable special teams were bad.
I don’t think this is the way the Falcons want to head into next Monday night’s game against the Saints. That had been shaping up as a huge NFC South showdown. Now, it’s becoming just a game -- a game the Falcons might have to win to have any shot at winning the NFC South.
I’m heading down to the locker room for post-game interviews. Will be back in an hour or so.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
Hey, there’s no shame in losing to Buffalo. Especially when you’re at home.
Especially when you’re facing a quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. And most especially when you’ve got a chance to turn your whole season around.
No, I’m just kidding on all that. Carolina’s performance against Buffalo was so dismal that I truly believe it might have sealed the fate of coach John Fox. I’m totally speculating here, but I think Fox could be out at the end of the season -- maybe even sooner.
It’s rare to make changes at this point in the season and I think Jerry Richardson would be very hesitant to pull the plug now. That said, I’m not totally ruling out the possibility that Richardson might make a move.
This loss was beyond bad and it makes you wonder if players still have much faith in Fox. Heck, this is just my gut feeling (although it’s based on some things I saw and heard back when I covered the Panthers regularly), but I don’t think Richardson’s been totally sold on Fox for two or three years now.
Richardson couldn’t fire Fox back in 2007 when quarterback Jake Delhomme was out for most of the season and Fox was telling anyone who will listen that it’s impossible to win without your quarterback. Richardson couldn’t fire Fox last season when the Panthers choked and lost a home game to Arizona because the coach went 12-4 in the regular season.
But Richardson could fire Fox now or later in what’s shaping up to be a horrible season and no one would bat an eye. Maybe Fox makes it through the season, but I think you’ll be able to point to today as his real demise.
Hey, there’s no shame in losing to Buffalo. Especially when you’re at home.
Especially when you’re facing a quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. And most especially when you’ve got a chance to turn your whole season around.
No, I’m just kidding on all that. Carolina’s performance against Buffalo was so dismal that I truly believe it might have sealed the fate of coach John Fox. I’m totally speculating here, but I think Fox could be out at the end of the season -- maybe even sooner.
It’s rare to make changes at this point in the season and I think Jerry Richardson would be very hesitant to pull the plug now. That said, I’m not totally ruling out the possibility that Richardson might make a move.
This loss was beyond bad and it makes you wonder if players still have much faith in Fox. Heck, this is just my gut feeling (although it’s based on some things I saw and heard back when I covered the Panthers regularly), but I don’t think Richardson’s been totally sold on Fox for two or three years now.
Richardson couldn’t fire Fox back in 2007 when quarterback Jake Delhomme was out for most of the season and Fox was telling anyone who will listen that it’s impossible to win without your quarterback. Richardson couldn’t fire Fox last season when the Panthers choked and lost a home game to Arizona because the coach went 12-4 in the regular season.
But Richardson could fire Fox now or later in what’s shaping up to be a horrible season and no one would bat an eye. Maybe Fox makes it through the season, but I think you’ll be able to point to today as his real demise.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
