Easy answer to what happened. No Steve Smith, Atlanta does have a good defense (especially with no steve smith) and Vick had one of those "Barry Sanders with an arm" games. Remember, he has shredded them before.
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Lesson learned from the Bengals & Clippers: It can always get worse, but it will get better.
Yes, Atlanta HAS in fact, had a history of success against that team. But I'm curious to know what you all think Carolina is gonna do this upcoming week against the Vikes. I'm saying they bounce back, but I wanna see what y'all have to say?
Ninja, don't you have anything better to do than carp about a lame-assed nickname?
As i said, i didn't think up "her pants", i've just been hearing it around here for years. Given the girly Teal colored uniforms, and the way they played last week (the reverse of what we all expected), it just seemed the appropriate thing to trot out for a Topic line.
Had i known it would lead to a nickname discussion, I never would've used it.
Besides...Powder Blue Injury Crew? sheesh. Even "The Carolina Her-pants" is better than that.
Trying to MANUFACTURE a nickname is...like...one of the LAME-est things a sports fan can do. Lamer? Talking about nicknames.
Right now, every other call to the Philly sports talk radio station is some bozo w/ NOTHING to bring to the table except a REALLY LAME nickname idea for Ryan Howard. NOTHING more annoying.
So...anyway....back to football, maybe?
not only did they lose a key member of their O-line, but they've lost some defenders, too. Injury crew indeed.
This weekend will be interesting, no doubt. I really liked Childress while he was here, and it was CLEAR that he wanted to run the ball more than Reid did. Now it seems that the Vikes will run alot, and if Carolina is compromised by injuries to their front seven, this game could be tight.
I think Dan Morgan is out for this weekend, and Steve Smith is questionable. But despite that, I still think they're gonna get the job done in Minnesota this Sunday.
There are a lot of "if's" in this game. IF the Pantyliners defense can hold up against the run for four quarters, (the skins did'nt) IF Brad Johnson can keep up that insane 3rd down conversion rate,(IF the running game gets going earlier, he won't have to) and IF Keyshawn can suddenly become a No. 1 receiver. I Think Not.
23-10 Vikes
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Lesson learned from the Bengals & Clippers: It can always get worse, but it will get better.
panthers got the raw deal schedule. the unknow was too much. injuries hit, starting LT, starting MLB, and all-world WR smitty. all were out after the first half. falcons out-coached, out-play out-everything the panthers. play calling was GREAT. cut back runs work perfectly. john abraham was a BEAST.
BUT...Just remember that the Panthers have lost their opening game the past 2 seasons (and almost the past 3 if it weren't for 4th quarter comeback against Jacksonville), and they have bounced back with IMPRESSIVE performances in Week 2. Last year, they knocked off the Pats, 27-17. And the year before that, DeShaun Foster came up with a HUGE performance as they upset the Chiefs in KC, 28-17 (and YES, they were without Steve Smith in that game too!) So I'm warning you folks, do NOT write this team off, because they usually play their best football when their backs are up against the wall.
I don't think anybody's writing them off, it's clear though that they are just about JV without Mighty Mouse and with the Pantyliners being the majority pick to go all the way AGAIN, they've got big targets on their backs. They can, but it aint gonna be easy.
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Lesson learned from the Bengals & Clippers: It can always get worse, but it will get better.
I think this game though is a MUST game for them, because if they end up 0-2, they may very well have dug themselves into a hole which, in that division, can be very difficult to get out of.
I agree, the pressure will be on for Carolina to win this weekend given the current state of their division, with Atlanta suddenly emerging as a real threat. Though without, or using an unhealthy Steve Smith, they may get a little desperate in this game and give up some stupid yardage or bad deep passes for picks. Minnesota did look a lot more solid against Washington than what was expected, and I don't suspect that it was a fluke. Keep in mind that Troy Williamson dropped 2 50 yard plus bombs last week. He blew by a "peeking over the top" Sean Taylor several times. This guy is a genuine deep threat if Johnson can put a ball out far enough for him, and he can begin to concentrate and make those catches. If he does....Minnesota will prove to be a very dangerous opponent. That score was not truly reflective of how bad Washington was or how good Minnesota really is.
Because I am not entirely sold on Minnesota's ability to perform in such a manner consistently, coupled with a shoulder shrugging start last week, this game is virtually unbettable. I'm not sure that if Steve Smith plays that he will be effective against Minnesota. Hurting both hamstrings in the preseason will play on his psyche (should he play), and make him run and execute more gingerly so as not to aggravate his injury. Smith's abilities as a top tier rcvr are entirely contingent upon his ability to move and cut quickly. Keyshawn is nothing but a possession reciever, though a very good one with his precise route running and sure hands. Carolinas offensive prowess was predicated on the threat of a deep ball in Steve Smiths direction. This "threat" makes an otherwise pedestrian offense, look very very good. If that threat doesn't exist, or is compromised in any way, I suspect Carolina will have more problems this week.
Again. I have a real problem on betting for Minnesota, not far removed from a roller coaster season, new managment, new ownership, and new coaching, or betting against Carolina, given their meteoric rise to the upper echelon last year, or even betting for them with a hurt or a not playing Steve Smith. making this one a real coin flipper. Save your money on this game.
If I were a betting man, I'd probably bet Carolina, because of their ability to come through with their backs up against the wall...WITH or WITHOUT Steve Smith. This is just ONE of the games that gives me the theme for this week's NFL action....DESPERATION SUNDAY!!!
thinking that week 2 is desparation time is really funny-- nfc south teams have plenty of time to beat the crap out of each other and i seem to remember that the cats started 0-4 few years back and finished in playoffs. vikes are solid enough to hang and take this game, yet i'm not underestimating coach fox and look for a huge battle-- vikings are in the season for the long haul-- i wouldn't put it on cruise control if the bears fans know what i'm sayin.
I think the mistake people seem to make is that they take the results of Week 1 way too seriously. I mean it's hard to base the fate of a team on just 1 game b/c things always change drastically in this league from week to week.
I think this game though is a MUST game for them, because if they end up 0-2, they may very well have dug themselves into a hole which, in that division, can be very difficult to get out of.
then a few posts later, he wrote:
Vanni9283 wrote: I think the mistake people seem to make is that they take the results of Week 1 way too seriously. I mean it's hard to base the fate of a team on just 1 game b/c things always change drastically in this league from week to week.
i could be a dik and say, "well, which is it?"
but i could see why you would say both of these things. they're not mutually exclusive concepts. being 0-2 with a division loss IS an undesirable spot. it can eff with the confidence / chemistry of a fragile team and send a promising season into a tailspin. but at the same time, it's not insurmountable, and carolina's been through enough adversity to let it roll off their backs.
But in that NFC South, you don't wanna be 0-2. Things do change from week-to-week, but now, you've got a pretty significant hole that you gotta dig yourself out of. I don't think it's gonna be insurmountable for Carolina to dig themselves out of it, but I do think they put themselves in a tough spot right now.
Vanni9283 wrote: If I were a betting man, I'd probably bet Carolina, because of their ability to come through with their backs up against the wall...WITH or WITHOUT Steve Smith. This is just ONE of the games that gives me the theme for this week's NFL action....DESPERATION SUNDAY!!!
Pundits, Predictors, and rednecks in teal colored Kerry Collins or Rae Carruth t-shirts ready to end it all.
Silver lining: give the bulk of the carries to DeAngelo Williams. He's clearly got a step on Foster, and better instincts. It might help them keep the ball on the field until Steve Smith can get back into the mix.
