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Off the bench with Katie Henderson |
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Thursday, 14 September 2006 |
Panthers off to rough start, again
The Carolina Panthers have started their season with a loss the past two years.
Actually, in the past 11 years, the Panthers have only won four of their opening day games.
Why would this year be any different?
The
Panthers lost their opening game 20-6 against the Atlanta Falcons
Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, proving yet again, they have trouble
getting off to a successful start.
The Falcons came out strong in the first half, rushing 159 of their total 252 rushing yards for the game.
The Panthers put on a better show last season, beating the Falcons on both occasions by a combined score of 68-17.
According to Panthers.com, quarterback Jake Delhomme is not pleased with the trend the Panthers are following in opening games.
“We didn’t play well,” Delhomme said.
“A couple of years ago against Green Bay [opening game 2004], we really
stunk it up. Last year we did alright [versus New Orleans]. We played
against a team that had a lot going on behind the scenes.”
Joe Theisman and other sports commentators have the Panthers picked to
represent the National Football Conference in Super Bowl XLI.
These predictions are due to the strong off-season acquisitions, such as free agent Maake Kemoeatu.
In addition, safety Mike Minter, corners Chris Gamble and Ken Lucas,
and defensive ends Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker will all prove to be
essential to the Panthers’ defense.
Left guard Mike Wahle and right tackle Jordan Gross will also be steady
on the offensive line and an important element to Delhomme’s offense.
Carolina has a long road in front of them to make it to the championship.
With injured wide receiver Steve Smith out of Sunday’s game, it
eliminated the Panthers long-ball threat and hindered the team’s
ability to establish the run game.
Smith’s absence also prevented intense practice with new wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.
The Panthers only gained 215 yards on their 15 first downs, with only 65 total rushing yards Sunday.
This could be attributed to Falcon newcomer, defensive end John Abraham.
Abraham dominated, forcing Delhomme into several hasty passes.
Even when the Panthers had two offensive linemen covering Abraham, he still managed to slip by and pressure Delhomme.
Injuries will definitely be a factor in the Panther’s success, or lack there of, as they continuously lose players.
Added to this injury list is left tackle Travelle Wharton who has been
placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season with torn
anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee.
Also, middle linebacker Dan Morgan, who has been one of the keys to the
Panther defense, was forced to leave Sunday’s game early in the second
quarter due to a concussion. It was the fourth of his career.
Although the Panthers lost their opener to a division rival and have a
growing injury list, there is still a chance for recovery.
With an undefeated preseason, the Panthers have a chance to turn around and still go for the title in February.
The Panthers will be on the road next Sunday to face the Minnesota Vikings.
This game could be a key turning point for Carolina, as the Panthers have defeated the Vikings in their past three encounters.
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