NFL Nation: Charles Godfrey
Wrap-up: Panthers 48, Buccaneers 16
Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers’ 48-16 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
What it means: The Panthers are 6-9 and won’t finish last in the NFC South. That’s because the Buccaneers (4-11) clinched that. This is a classic late-season case of one team soaring and another falling faster than anyone could have imagined. The Panthers are going to head into the offseason with tons of optimism because they already have a high-powered offense. All they need is to get a few injured players back, tweak their defense a bit and they sure look like playoff contenders for the 2012 season. Tampa Bay lost its ninth straight game. Coach Raheem Morris made a big deal of “the race to 10 (wins)’’ last year. Looks like the Bucs are racing to 10 straight losses to end this season. Nice progress.
Best record: Peyton Manning’s record for passing yards by a rookie (3,739) had stood since 1998. But it’s been broken now. Carolina’s Cam Newton passed it early in the first quarter. Oh, by the way, Newton also had his 14th rushing touchdown of the season, the most ever by a quarterback.
Best performance by a newcomer: Carolina safety Jonathan Nelson was signed off the practice squad this week due to an injury to Charles Godfrey. Nelson got the start and came up with an interception in the third quarter.
The Morris watch: There’s no question Morris is on the hot seat as his team has fallen apart since starting 4-2. I know there’s a small minority out there who say Morris should keep his job, replace himself as defensive coordinator and make a switch at offensive coordinator. Yeah, that’s brilliant and no doubt would put the Bucs straight into the Super Bowl next season. Actually, it’s ludicrous. It’s like having a refrigerator that hasn’t worked in more than two months and saying, “No need to call a repairman or get a new one because this thing just might kick in at any moment." The Bucs keep taking steps back and the team is in total disarray. There’s also the matter of Morris’ contract, which runs through 2012. If the Bucs somehow were even thinking about keeping Morris, they’d have to extend him because you can’t go into a season with a lame-duck coach (just ask the Panthers how that worked out with John Fox last year). If you do, you run the risk of the players tuning out the coach. Looks like some of that already has happened. It would be awfully tough to give Morris an extension as a reward for the way the Bucs have finished this season. I’m sure the fan base would be thrilled if that happens.
The Rob Chudzinski watch: Chudzinski is the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and his name is getting thrown about as a potential candidate for a job as a head coach. Yeah, maybe the Bucs go out and find a bigger name — and maybe they can’t. But the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, should have been watching this game and saying, “Hmm, this Chudzinski guy is doing a pretty nice job with a rookie quarterback. Maybe we should put him on the list.’’
Blount benched: Running back LeGarrette Blount lost a fumble on Tampa Bay’s first offensive play. He was benched after that and the Bucs went with Kregg Lumpkin and Mossis Madu, before Blount was inserted back into the game in the third quarter. Nice to see Morris using discipline. Then again, it’s probably too little too late.
What’s next: The Panthers finish their season Jan. 1 at New Orleans. The Buccaneers play their final game the same day in Atlanta.
Checking the injuries that matter most
Carolina safety Charles Godfrey (concussion) is listed as doubtful and coach Ron Rivera said he doesn’t expect any miracles. That likely means Jordan Pugh will move into the starting lineup. Cornerback Chris Gamble tweaked an ankle in Thursday’s practice, but took part on a limited basis in Friday’s practice. Rivera said he expects Gamble to play against Jacksonville.
Tampa Bay linebacker Quincy Black (ankle) missed his third straight day of practice and is listed as doubtful. That likely means Dekoda Watson will start in Black’s place on the strong side. Middle linebacker Mason Foster is expected to wear the radio helmet, which Black had been wearing. Foster will call the defensive signals and is expected to remain on the field for passing downs.
New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma (knee) is listed as doubtful and cornerback Tracy Porter (calf) is questionable. If Vilma can’t go, Jo-Lonn Dunbar likely will get the start, but the Saints have been rotating their linebackers steadily this season. Patrick Robinson is the likely starter if Porter doesn’t play. The Saints went ahead and ruled receiver Marques Colston and kicker Garrett Hartley out for Sunday’s game with Houston.
There’s positive news on the injury front out of Atlanta. Center Todd McClure, who missed the first two games with a knee injury, is probable and participated fully in Friday’s practice. If he’s able to go, McClure’s experience and leadership should only help an Atlanta offensive line that’s struggled in the first two games. Also, quarterback Matt Ryan (knee) is probable and practiced fully on Friday after being limited Wednesday and Thursday. As expected, defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux will be out with a knee injury. The Falcons also declared cornerback Kelvin Hayden out with a hamstring injury. That likely means the Falcons will turn back to Chris Owens as the nickel back.The fourth-quarter hit drew a penalty for roughing the passer. This was Branch's second infraction, according to the NFL. The other came during a 2009 exhibition game.
The league also fined Carolina Panthers' Charles Godfrey $7,500 for a horse collar tackle on Seattle's Justin Forsett. This was his third infraction for unnecessary roughness. The other two came last season.
Update: The league also fined the Panthers' Charles Johnson for a hit on Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, Brian McIntyre notes. There was no flag on the play.
2010 schedule/results
Sam Sharpe/US PresswireWideout Steve Smith hasn't had a touchdown catch since Week 2.Falling: Steve Smith. Not all that long ago, Smith was as talented as any receiver in the game. The talent may still be there, but the production is not. In Sunday’s loss to New Orleans, Smith had one catch for 9 yards. You can put most of the blame on the quarterback struggles or the fact the Panthers don’t have a lot of other threats at wide receiver. But the bottom line is the Panthers aren’t getting the type of production they should from Smith. He hasn’t had a 100-yard receiving game and hasn’t caught a touchdown pass since Week 2.
Rising: Charles Godfrey, safety. He has a team-high four interceptions and has been a playmaker in the secondary. Godfrey had only two interceptions in his first two seasons. He has shown a nose for the ball that even the Panthers didn’t think he had. Godfrey also has been a solid tackler. The only downside to his performance is that he hasn’t had an interception since Week 5, but that’s largely because the Panthers have been falling behind and opponents aren’t throwing a lot.
Midseason MVP: Linebacker James Anderson. You have to look long and hard for bright spots, but Anderson is one. In his first year as a full-time starter, he has shown a knack for making plays. He has 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and 77 tackles.
Outlook: There are no sudden cures on the way. In fact, it’s likely things will get even worse. With head coach John Fox almost certainly gone after the season, there is the potential for things to get even uglier. Fox always has had control of his team throughout his tenure. But his lame-duck status jeopardizes his power. If the losing continues, it might get to a point where owner Jerry Richardson pulls the plug on Fox and finishes the season with an interim coach. That’s not a real attractive option, but all the Panthers really have to play for the rest of the way is draft position in 2011.
Steve Mitchell/US PresswireTanard Jackson forced three fumbles and had five interceptions last season.There are some guys who were great in their time and there are some guys who could be great in the future. Although I’m projecting in some areas, we’re dealing mostly with the present here.
That’s why I made the final criteria for this list asking myself, “If you were starting a team, which of these safeties would you chose?’’ So, here it comes.
- Tanard Jackson, Buccaneers. At the moment, Jackson is simply the most reliable safety in this division and I decided on him after envisioning him in a couple different uniforms (like those worn by the Saints and Falcons). Jackson played on a bad defense last year. It should be slightly better this year and Tampa Bay’s secondary is shaping up to be one of its few strengths. That’s largely because Jackson will be back there directing traffic.
- Thomas DeCoud, Falcons. This guy made huge strides last year in his first full season as a starter. The Falcons think he’s only going to be better now that they’ve added cornerback Dunta Robinson. DeCoud might be the most cerebral safety in the division.
- Malcolm Jenkins, Saints. I was projecting a bit on DeCoud. I’m projecting a lot on Jenkins. Last year’s first-round pick spent his rookie season at cornerback before making the move to free safety. He’s got big shoes to fill -- and we’ll get to those shoes in a bit. But Jenkins probably has more natural physical talent than any safety in the division. If he has any grasp at all of what he’s doing, he’ll probably end up looking pretty good in Gregg Williams’ defense.
- Roman Harper, Saints. I know there are probably even some New Orleans fans who think I’m ranking Harper too high. Well, look at what else is left? But, seriously, I think Harper gets a bit of a bad rap. He’s a strong safety and strong safeties aren’t supposed to be great in coverage. They’re supposed to make tackles and Harper does that. In a very good secondary, he’s a nice role player.
- Sherrod Martin, Panthers. Here's another instance where I’m projecting a bit. Martin had three interceptions as a rookie and was part of the reason the Panthers felt comfortable trading Chris Harris. Like the rest of the Carolina defense, it will be interesting to see how he fares without Julius Peppers up front.
- Charles Godfrey, Panthers. He’s produced two interceptions in two seasons. But the Panthers think enough of him that he’s in the starting lineup.
- Sean Jones, Buccaneers. He was brought in to take over at strong safety and it appears he’s won the starting job. Jones is a pretty average player. But surround him with Jackson and cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Ronde Barber and he’ll be fine.
- Erik Coleman, Falcons. This guy wasn’t a bad player a few years ago, but the coaching staff wasn’t happy with him last season. The Falcons would like to get Coleman out of the starting lineup, but it hasn’t happened yet.
- Darren Sharper, Saints. This is the guy I was referring to Jenkins replacing. He’s one of the best safeties of all time. But Sharper is a total unknown at this point. He’s 34 and coming off knee surgery. There are indications he might not be ready for the start of the season. There’s even a chance he could be cut or retire. If Sharper miraculously comes back and is anything close to what he was last season, he jumps to No. 1 on this list immediately. But, at the moment, I think the best the Saints can hope for is to have him as insurance for the second half of the season.
- William Moore, Falcons. This is the guy the Falcons want to start ahead of Coleman. But Moore missed most of his rookie year with an injury and has missed a lot of time this preseason. He needs to get healthy and show he’s prepared before he can step into the starting lineup.
- Sabby Piscitelli, Buccaneers. This guy got destroyed by Tampa Bay fans last year. Some of that was unfair because, as I said earlier, strong safeties aren’t supposed to be great in coverage. Piscitelli got hung up in deep coverage on a bad defense last year. But the real problem was Piscitelli never came close to being the hitter John Lynch used to be in the same position in Tampa Bay’s defense. He flat-out missed on a lot of tackles. That’s why the Bucs brought in Jones.
Jeff Fishbein/Icon SMIDarren Sharper is potentially the top safety on this list -- if he's 100 percent healthy.The list of inactive players for Carolina includes receiver Kenneth Moore, defensive end Charles Johnson, safety Charles Godfrey, running back Mike Goodson, fullback Brad Hoover, guard Duke Robinson and defensive end Hilee Taylor. A.J. Feeley is the third quarterback.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
In the 24 hours or so since Mark and Jon Richardson resigned their positions as presidents with the Carolina Panthers, I’ve talked to a lot of friends and professional acquaintances in Charlotte. Most of the time, I felt like I was talking to people in Boston.
It seems like Panthers fans suddenly have become the second coming of Red Sox fans. You know the attitude -- a general acceptance that anything that can go wrong will, and an overall gloomy view before the season even starts.
I think that’s a mistake. Sure, it doesn’t quite look like the stars have been lining up for the Panthers this preseason. The defense has looked bad, injuries are piling up and the change at the top, at the very least, suggests there was some dysfunction within the organization.
But does all that just turn a team that was 12-4 last season into a 6-10 team? I’m not buying it and I grew up a Red Sox fan in the most cruel years in the team's history.
Sure, there are things to be concerned about with the Panthers. The defense has to play better than it has in the preseason, the injuries to linebacker Jon Beason, running back Jonathan Stewart, linebacker Thomas Davis and safety Charles Godfrey are reasons for worry, and the Richardson saga creates drama for a team that doesn’t like drama at an inopportune time.
But you know what? Every team has some issues with the regular season almost upon us, and the Panthers have less issues than a lot of teams out there. They’ve also got plenty of positives -- a great running game, a very good offensive line, Steve Smith and the possibility of a huge year by Julius Peppers.
You really think the resignations by the Richardsons are going to impact this team on the field? Mark Richardson made sponsorship deals. Jon Richardson made sure the grass grew and the lights worked at Bank of America Stadium. Few of the players had direct interaction with the Richardson brothers.
Just because they resigned, don’t go resigning yourself to the assumption the Panthers are in for a long season.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
I didn't have the luxury of watching the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night. It wasn't available where I live.
But it wasn't too hard getting a grasp of what was going on in Charlotte. Watching the play-by-play, looking at the stats and reading some of the in-game reporting, it was easy to see that Carolina's defense didn't play well.
The surprising thing was it had nothing to do with Carolina's gaping hole at defensive tackle (which will be addressed through a trade or a waiver pickup before too long). The Ravens did the Panthers a favor by not really pounding the ball over the middle.
They moved it through the air. Baltimore's Joe Flacco threw for 199 yards in the first half. It has to be noted that Carolina was playing without injured linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis and free safety Charles Godfrey.
Beason and Davis are two of Carolina's best defensive players and there's no doubt their absence was felt. But did the absence of Godfrey, a second-year pro, really drag the secondary down that much? I'm not so sure. Godfrey's a pretty average player at this point in his career.
What's much more of a worry is that the rest of Carolina's secondary struggled. Chris Gamble, who's supposed to be a No. 1 corner, didn't play like one. The other members of the secondary aren't nearly as talented in coverage as Gamble.
Sure, it's just a preseason game and, if Davis and Beason are healthy for the start of the preseason, that's going to be a big help. But the Panthers already had a glaring problem in the middle of their defensive line.
Now, they might have another one with the secondary.
 | |
| US PRESSWIRE | |
| How will NFC South defensive backs fare against the bevy of tight ends including Tony Gozalez, Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey? |
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
With the NFC South suddenly becoming a hub for tight ends, a very big question rises.
Who's going to cover all these guys?
Presumably, the outside linebackers and safeties. Does the NFC South have enough talent at those positions to keep up with Tony Gonzalez, Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey? We'll find out in the fall, but I'm thinking linebackers and safeties could have a lot more value in the NFC South in this weekend's draft.
Think about it a bit.
Let's say you're the Saints and you're sitting there at No. 14. There's been lots of talk about taking running back Chris "Beanie'' Wells, defensive back Malcolm Jenkins or maybe even a defensive tackle. But, after Thursday's trade of Gonzalez to Atlanta, you're suddenly faced with the prospect of facing him and Winslow in four games.
You've got experience at outside linebacker in Dan Morgan, Scott Fujita and Scott Shanle, but do any of those guys have the legs to run with Gonzalez or Winslow? If you're the Saints, you suddenly might want to slide Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews, the two USC linebackers who could be available when you pick, up a few spots on your draft board.
Same story for the Bucs, who are sitting at No. 19. They've already overhauled their linebacker corps by signing Angelo Crowell and moving safety Jermaine Phillips to weak-side linebacker. But the thought of facing Shockey and Gonzalez on a regular basis might make it difficult to pass on Matthews or Cushing. For that matter, the Bucs would have to think hard about Jenkins, if he's available.
Part of the reason for moving Phillips to linebacker was a desire to get Sabby Piscitelli into the starting lineup at strong safety. But is Piscitelli ready to line up against Shockey and Gonzalez?
The Falcons, who hold the No. 24 pick, have needs at defensive tackle, defensive end and cornerback. But they might have to put more emphasis on their needs at safety because of changing landscape of tight ends in the NFC South. Matthews, Cushing and Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas might have jumped up Atlanta's board in recent days.
Carolina doesn't pick until the second round (No. 59 overall) and the Panthers are in good shape at outside linebacker. They've got some big needs on the defensive line, but they might not be able to sit still at safety in the second or third round. Strong safety Chris Harris isn't known for his coverage skills and second-year pro Charles Godfrey still is trying to grow into the free safety job.
How NFC South defenses try to counter the upgrades at tight end is one story line to follow throughout the draft. Here are four more NFC South story lines to follow.
What happens with Julius Peppers? This situation has been simmering in Carolina for months and it could be ready to boil over. Peppers has said he wants out of Carolina and the Panthers have said they want him back.
But Peppers has strapped Carolina's cap situation with his $17 million franchise tag. If some other team steps forward with a deal that includes a first-round pick, the Panthers almost have to take it. The alternative is to hang on to Peppers at his current price and the Panthers are ready to do that.
In that situation, the common assumption is that Peppers has no choice but to put in another season with the Panthers. But don't assume anything with Peppers. This thing has never been about money and Peppers is a very unique individual. It's not out of the realm of possibility that he would hold out and pass on the $17 million.
Will Sean Payton be able to keep his hands off the offense? That's not going to be easy for the New Orleans coach. Payton's background and passion is on the offensive side, but his future is on the defensive side. As tempting as it may be to draft Wells to give the Saints a power back, Payton may have to go outside his comfort zone.
The defense is the reason the Saints haven't made the playoffs the last two seasons. They've spent the offseason overhauling the defense. Now, it's time to finish the job. Payton has switched defensive coordinators and that pulls away a layer of insulation on his own job security. If defense keeps this team out of the playoffs again, it might be Payton's turn to take the fall.
Are the Bucs really content with their quarterback situation? Kansas State's Josh Freeman is at least a consideration in the first round. But Tampa Bay has so many other needs that it might not make a lot of sense to take a quarterback who might not be ready to play right away.
The Bucs signed Byron Leftwich and he certainly is a candidate to start. But think back to one of the first moves coach Raheem Morris and general manager Mark Dominik made when they took over. They re-signed Luke McCown and paid him pretty good money. There was a reason for that. Morris and Dominik want McCown to be their starter.
Can Atlanta rebuild its defense in one draft? That's pretty much what the Falcons have to do after parting ways with Keith Brooking, Lawyer Milloy, Grady Jackson, Domonique Foxworth and Michael Boley. The Gonzalez move means that the Falcons will focus almost their entire draft on defense, except for possibly adding a little depth on the offensive line.
Atlanta's only addition on defense was adding linebacker Mike Peterson. There's some good, young talent in place with defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux, middle linebacker Curtis Lofton and cornerback Chris Houston.
But the Falcons need some more young talent on this defense. They need to walk out of this draft with at least two defensive starters.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-4) at Atlanta Falcons (8-5), 1 p.m. ET
 |  |
Tampa Bay coordinator Monte Kiffin told his defense that it didn't suddenly become bad in Monday night's loss to Carolina. But it sure looked that way.
The Bucs, who have been known for their defense since the Tony Dungy days, got run over by Carolina. Poor tackling played a role, but that can be fixed. What might not be able to be fixed is that the Panthers showed you can get into a slugfest with the Bucs and win.
Tampa Bay's defensive line, particularly the interior, was getting blown off the ball by Carolina. You can bet that Atlanta coach Mike Smith and offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey spotted all that on film and are ready to turn Michael Turner loose on the Tampa Bay defense.
Kiffin is reportedly leaving to join his son, Lane, at the University of Tennessee and a lot of Tampa Bay's defensive players are getting older (Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber, Kevin Carter and Chris Hovan). With quarterback Jeff Garcia banged up, the Bucs need one more big game from this defense.
If that doesn't happen, the Bucs' playoff hopes could be in real trouble. And Atlanta's playoff hopes could be growing.
Denver Broncos (8-5) at Carolina Panthers (10-3), 4:15 p.m. ET
 |  |
There was a playoff atmosphere in Charlotte for Monday night's huge victory against Tampa Bay, which brought on a lot of talk about the Panthers having a shot at the No. 1 seed.
That's all true and Carolina's got a big game coming up next week in New York against the Giants. But the Panthers haven't clinched anything yet and they have to take care of business in their final home game (they have a chance to go 8-0 in Bank of America Stadium).
That's why this matchup is scary. Denver's been inconsistent all year. But the Broncos have the ability to throw the ball all over the field and can score points in bunches. Carolina's pass defense hasn't been exactly stellar the last month.
Veteran cornerback Ken Lucas was burned several times Monday night and there's a growing concern he might be slowing down. Rookie free safety Charles Godfrey has shown he still is capable of rookie mistakes.
The Panthers are in great shape pretty much everywhere else. They've got to get the secondary fixed and win this game. Then, it will be time to truly start the talk about the No. 1 seed.
Click here to access the NFL Pick Center, a service for ESPN Insiders where fans can view two different simulation models for every NFL game.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
The NFC South is dominating the NFL's new Brand University program, which works with rookie players to help them make good choices on and off the field.
Carolina's rookie class will receive an award today the NFL said. The only previous award was given to Atlanta's rookies about a month ago.
Rookie classes were asked to set goals in four areas: On the field, in community partnerships, player development and citizenship and award winners were decided on how many goals were met.
Carolina's goals included having at least two rookie starters in the games in Weeks 9 through 12. Gary Barnidge, Charles Godfrey and Jeff Otah got starts in those games and the Panthers also got significant contributions from Jonathan Stewart and Hilee Taylor. As part of their community involvement, the Carolina rookies dressed up in Halloween costumes and visited Levine Children's Hospital. They also served 200 steak dinners at a homeless shelter in Charlotte and purchased holiday food and toys for a family of five.
Atlanta's rookies earned the award in Weeks 5 through 8. Their on-field goals were to have at least one starter per game (they averaged 2.75 in that stretch) and have rookies play at least 5-percent of the plays (they participated in 20-percent). The Falcons rookie also made eight community appearances through Week 8.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
With the season at its halfway point -- or pretty close to it -- it's time for the midseason NFC South awards.
 | |
| Getty Images | |
| Drew Brees has completed 69 percent of his passes and thrown 15 touchdowns so far. |
Most valuable player (offense): New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees. There's really no one else to consider here. Brees has been putting up numbers that could make him a candidate for the league's overall MVP. The bottom line here is that the injury-plagued Saints are 4-4 almost entirely because of Brees. Take him away and they'd be 0-8.
Most valuable player (defense): Atlanta defensive end John Abraham. Some people (mainly Carolina coach John Fox when he's defending Julius Peppers) like to say it's not all about sacks. Point taken. But Abraham has 10 sacks and has had a huge impact even with the Falcons wisely limiting his number of snaps.
Most valuable player (off the field): Carolina cornerback Ken Lucas. He might have made the biggest play of the entire season back in August. After getting punched out by teammate Steve Smith, Lucas instantly forgave the wide receiver -- and truly meant it. In the process, Lucas might have saved Smith's career, the jobs of coach John Fox and general manager Marty Hurney and set up the Panthers for a big season.
Best rookie: Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan. No need for an explanation.
Best rookie not named Matt Ryan and not taken in the first round: Atlanta middle linebacker Curtis Lofton. Carolina's Charles Godfrey and Tampa Bay's Jeremy Zuttah deserve mention, but Lofton has taken over as the quarterback of Atlanta's defense.
Most disappointing rookie: Tampa Bay receiver Dexter Jackson. The Bucs got their backs up right after the draft when some in the media suggested Jackson would be nothing more than a return man in his rookie season. Guess what? Jackson now doesn't even have that job, losing it to undrafted rookie Clifton Smith.
Best comeback: Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme. His name has become synonymous with Tommy John, and that's a good thing.
Best individual performance that amounted to nothing: New Orleans' Reggie Bush against Minnesota. In a Monday night game at the Superdome, Bush returned two punts for touchdowns and the Saints still squandered the game.
Worst-laid plans: New Orleans' overhaul of its defense looked brilliant back in the offseason. But even though linebacker Jonathan Vilma has helped, injuries have made this defense look too much like last year.
Best reclamation project: Tampa Bay receiver Antonio Bryant. The guy was out of football last year and has become the team's No. 1 receiver. The Bucs have taken some grief for giving players too many chances. This is one case they can point to as a success story.
Best coaching job: Tampa Bay's Jon Gruden. Seriously. Yeah, you can say all you want about Gruden's offense and its inability to go downfield. But Gruden's found a way to win six games with rotating quarterbacks and Joey Galloway out for much of the time.
Best performance by an assistant coach: Atlanta offensive line coach Paul Boudreau. He doesn't have a lot of talent to work with, but Boudreau has been able to keep Ryan upright and allow Michael Turner to run for a bunch of yards.
Best unsung player: Carolina strong safety Chris Harris. He seems to force a fumble every week and he's been a big help to rookie Charles Godfrey at free safety. Harris has put himself in place for Pro Bowl consideration.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
The NFC South's rookie class has been getting a lot of attention, but it probably should be getting more.
Way beyond first-round picks Matt Ryan, Sam Baker, Jonathan Stewart, Jeff Otah, Sedrick Ellis and Aqib Talib, this class is making significant contributions. Each division team is getting good production from its first-round choices and beyond.
Time to single out some guys who weren't taken in the first round but are producing.
ATLANTA: By the time all is said and done, the Falcons could end up with one of the better drafts in history. We all know about Ryan and, to a lesser extent, Baker. But second-round pick Curtis Lofton has had a huge impact. In essence, the Falcons got their quarterback on the other side of the ball in Lofton. He's stepped right in at middle linebacker and Atlanta's defense has been better than anybody expected. Receiver Harry Douglas, a third-round pick, also is starting to emerge.
CAROLINA: Stewart and Otah have had their flashes, but third-round pick Charles Godfrey has been the most consistent of Carolina's rookies. He earned the starting free safety job in training camp and hasn't made many rookie mistakes. Give veteran strong safety Chris Harris some credit for helping to keep Godfrey on the right page.
NEW ORLEANS: There's no question the Saints gambled when they used their second fifth-round pick on guard Carl Nicks, who had some character concerns. But, so far, that move is paying off. Nicks has started the last five games and may be viewed as a long-term upgrade from Jamar Nesbit.
TAMPA BAY: The Bucs have had good luck drafting offensive linemen in the middle rounds in recent years and it looks like they've hit again. Third-round pick Jeremy Zuttah has received early playing time because of injuries at guard and coach Jon Gruden keeps singing his praises.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
They're 6-2, relatively healthy and sitting atop the NFC South standings. The Carolina Panthers at their bye week seem to have put two seasons of mediocrity and disappointment behind them.
Here are five bye-week observations on the Panthers.
1. John Fox is basically off the hot seat he started the season on. He's three or four wins from a playoff spot and the schedule doesn't get tough until December. Apologies to the Bill Cowher fan club, but this job is not going to be open. Even if the Panthers had a disastrous season, I firmly believe Cowher would not have ended up in Carolina. Owner Jerry Richardson once went down a similar road when he brought in George Seifert. Richardson is the kind of guy who learns from his mistakes. Cowher will end up coaching somewhere next year, but Fox will stay in Carolina.
 |
| Delhomme |
2. Jake Delhomme has made an absolutely fantastic recovery from Tommy John elbow surgery. He has thrown the ball better than before. But there still is one more test on the horizon. There is bound to be a cold-weather game or two and his elbow needs to get through that before you firmly can say everything is fine.
3. We're only starting to see what coordinator Jeff Davidson's offense is all about. Davidson was handcuffed without Delhomme last year and injuries on the offensive line have brought a lot of shuffling up front so far. But right tackle Jeff Otah and center Ryan Kalil should be back after the bye and Davidson's system will have a chance to truly prosper for the first time.
4. Overall, Carolina's defense has been very good. But there's one area that needs to improve down the stretch. That's the pass rush from the front four. Aside from some flashes by Julius Peppers, there hasn't been a lot of noise up front.
5. The Panthers have missed more than they've hit in the middle rounds of the draft. But third-round pick Charles Godfrey is making up for that. He got thrown in as the starter on Day 1. Very quietly -- and it's a wonderful thing when you don't hear a safety's name much -- Godfrey already has established himself as a solid starter.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
 | |
| Paul Abell/US Presswire | |
| Julius Peppers had a sack and a forced fumble Sunday against the Saints. |
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Observations from Carolina's 30-7 victory over New Orleans:
- For the first time in a long time, Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers dominated a game.
Peppers was the best player on the field, which is exactly what you need to be if you want to be the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Maybe not all the time, but at least part of the time.
What Peppers did against the Saints could make a lot of people forget he's been silent for most of the last year and a half. Peppers set up Carolina's first touchdown when he punched the ball out of the hands of New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey in the second quarter. Peppers used his quickness to run down Shockey and force the fumble.
Peppers also had a first-quarter sack and put the pressure on quarterback Drew Brees several other times. Brees had been playing like a most valuable player candidate through the first six weeks. On Sunday, he looked very ordinary.
That was mostly because of Peppers. He dominated left tackle Jammal Brown and threw the Saints off their game plan.
"Pep had a great game," defensive tackle Damione Lewis said. "He was constantly getting to the quarterback. He was unbelievable."
Yes, it was only one game, but it was a reminder of what Peppers is capable of doing.
If Peppers can do that a few more times, he'll have a big payday coming.
