Carolina Panthers 2010 NFL Schedule – Preseason

Date | Opponent | Time
Aug 12 @Baltimore 8:00pm
Aug 21 N.Y. Jets 8:00pm
Aug 28 Tennessee 8:00pm
Sep 2 @Pittsburgh 7:30pm
All times are Eastern

Carolina Panthers 2010 NFL Schedule – Regular Season

Date | Opponent | Time
Sep 12 @N.Y. Giants 1:00pm
Sep 19 Tampa Bay 1:00pm
Sep 26 Cincinnati 1:00pm
Oct 3 @New Orleans 1:00pm
Oct 10 Chicago 1:00pm
Week 6 BYE
Oct 24 San Francisco 1:00pm
Oct 31 @St. Louis 1:00pm
Nov 7 New Orleans 1:00pm
Nov 14 @Tampa Bay 1:00pm
Nov 21 Baltimore 1:00pm
Nov 28 @Cleveland 1:00pm
Dec 5 @Seattle 4:15pm
Dec 12 Atlanta 1:00pm
Dec 19 Arizona 1:00pm
Dec 23 @Pittsburgh 8:20pm
Jan 2 @Atlanta 1:00pm

After clinching the division and the number two seed against New Orleans two weeks ago the Panthers were able to use the much needed bye week to get some of their starters healthy.  John Fox revealed Wednesday that Damione Lewis, Maake Kemoeatu, and Jeff Otah all practiced and will be ready to go for game time.  The only injury to report was Geoff Hangarter who is questionable with an ankle injury.  With both lines healthy the Panthers will be focused and ready to take on the Cardinals tonight in Charlotte.

Keys to the Game

1. Pressure Kurt Warner- While the Cardinals were able to have success running the ball last week against the Falcons, they will still rely on Kurt Warner to put points on the board, and in order for the Panthers to keep that from happening, they have to pressure Warner.   Any quarterback in the league can pick apart a defense if given time, even more so with Warner.  The Panthers have to get in Warner’s face, disrupt his timing and make him to throw when he doesn’t want to.  The other reason is that Warner has been known to fumble the ball, so if Julius Peppers does his thing and gets to Warner, the ball is likely to come out.

2. Pound the Rock- Obviously this goes without saying that the Panthers should give the ball to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.  By running the ball the Panthers can control the line of scrimmage, wear down that Cardinals defense, but most importantly, keep the ball out of Kurt Warner’s hands.

3. Force Turnovers- Throughout the season the defense has shown an inability to force turnovers, particularly in the secondary. I don’t know how many balls that should have been intercepted were dropped during the season, but that can’t happen Saturday.  As Jimmy Johnson says, the team that usually wins in the playoffs is not the team that makes the most number of good plays, it’s the team that makes the least number of bad plays.  If the Panthers are going to fall into the latter category, that means they will need to start catching some balls.  I know as a defensive back you’d rather be known as rick-a-shay that toast, but come on!

4. Red zone efficiency- One of the major reasons for the Panther’s success in recent weeks has been they great red zone efficiency.  Being able to punch it in on 1st and goal is huge.  If the defense continues to keep up the bend but not break mentality and at least hold the Cardinals to field goals, the Panthers will have a great shot at winning.

Because the Panthers have played so well at home it would seem that they are locked in for another NFC Championship, but that is exactly the attitude they must avoid.  If they keep they’re heads in the game and play John Fox football, then they should be heading to the next round.  Honestly though, I’m not worried about that at all.  John Fox has shown that he does a great job getting his team ready for big games, and I have no doubt he’ll do the same Saturday.  Besides, if all else fails the Panthers will have Jake to lean on, because save one game against the Seahawks, Delhomme has been money in the playoffs.  By the way don’t even get me started about the lack of credit Delhomme gets.  Sure he dosen’t have great numbers, but he is the reason Panthers are in the playoffs.  Quite frankly there is no other quarterback in the league that I would rather have right now than Jake.

Panthers 35, Cardinals 17

The one thing the Panthers might have going for them is Drew Brees is withing reach of Dan Marino’s passing record, needing 402 yards to hold the record.  If both of the Panthers tackles are out, it may not make that much of a difference if Sean Peyton and New Orleans focuses on breaking the record rather than winning the game.  But with Pierre Thomas playing very well, the Panthers might be facing a uphill battle.  The offense may have to step it up again Sunday with the way the defense has been playing the last couple of weeks.  Oh, and one other thing I forgot to mention, the Panthers are playing at New Orleans, so they would need to beat a division rival on the road, something that hasn’t been done by any NFC South team.

Keys to the Game

1. Pound the Rock- Run the ball, run the ball, run the ball.  As hot as DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are right now, it makes no sense for the Panthers to try and come out throwing the ball.  DeAngelo Williams put himself in the MVP conversation with his performance last week against the Giants, so l say just give the ball to him.  Running the ball should allow the Panthers to control time of possession and keep Drew Brees off the field, which is crucial as the Saints are 1st in the league in total offense.

2.Bend but don’t break- Drew Brees will most likely come out firing, so it’s best that the Panthers just keep that bend but don’t break mentality.  It’s okay if the Saint’s move the ball down the field, their going to do that.  The key will be holding the Saints to field goals rather than touchdowns, something that hurt the Panthers against the Giants.  If the Panthers keep everything in front of them and just don’t get beat deep, they should give Julius Peppers some time to work on Drew Brees and contain the Saint’s high powered offense.

3. Don’t Get Hurt- Okay so it’s impossible for Carolina to control injuries on the field, but they cannot afford to get anyone hurt, specifically Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith, Julius Peppers, or anyone of the offensive line.  The Panthers are certainly hot at the right time, but they can’t afford any injuries at this point in the season.

I suppose it’s possible that the Falcons could loose the game against the Rams, but the Panthers have to go into the game Sunday thinking it is a must win.  The last time the Panthers were in this situation they annihilated the Falcons to lock up the number five seed in 2005.  Let’s hope Sunday has a similar result.

Injuries

Both of the Panther’s starting defensive tackles are hurt, Damione Lewis is doubtful with a hand injury and Maake Kemoeatu is questionable.  Darwin Walker and either Nick Hayden or J’Vonne Parker will fill in for the tackles if they can’t go.

Panthers 35, Saints 30

One of the major concerns for the Panthers is going to be coming out focused and energized after their emotional victory last Monday over the Bucs.  If the Panthers come out flat, they may find themselves to be in an early hole, as the Broncos have shown they can score quickly and often, ranking second in the NFL in total offense.  With a secondary that has blown some coverages as of late, giving up numerous big plays to Atlanta, Green Bay, and Tampa, the Panthers will certainly have their hands full with Jay Cutler and the Broncos offense.  The one area that must be exploited by the Panthers is the Broncos running game, which ranks 26th in the league against the run.

Keys to the Game

1. Don’t get beat deep- The secondary, which had played so well earlier in the season, is now 14th in the league in giving up plays of 20 yards or more.  Be it poor tackling or lack of communication in the secondary, the Panthers have been vulnerable in the passing game.  With the Panthers now going up against arguably one of the best receiving corps in the league, it will be paramount that they keep everything in front of them, secede the 5 to 10 yard throws while making sure nobody beats you deep.  The one thing that may make their job a little easier is the fact that the Broncos are horribly thin at running back, so the Panthers should be able to leave seven in the box and limit the effectiveness of Jay Cutler and the Broncos passing game.

2.  Pound the rock- This is going to be the Panthers key to success from now through the rest of the season.  With DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart on fire, there should be no reason for Jake to even attempt to throw the ball.  As I said before the Broncos are 26th in the league in run defense, so it makes the most sense to keep everything on the ground.

3. Contain Jay Cutler- Much like Jeff Garcia, Jay Cutler is a master at buying time in the pocket, and is absolutely deadly outside of the tackles.  Expect the defense to use the same type of game plan they did Monday against the Bucs.  Hopefully the front seven, which have played very well in recent weeks, can get pressure on Jay Cutler.  Also look for Peppers to be moving around looking for the best matchup, most likely the one where he will be going up against rookie tackle Ryan Clady.

A Carolina win and a Dallas loss will ensure the Panthers a playoff berth, but by no means a home playoff game.  As well as the Panthers have been playing at home, they absolutely must win at least two out of the next three games to lock up a first round bye, and give themselves a pretty decent shot at the NFC title game.  Right now the only glaring weakness is the secondary, so if Ken Lucas and Charles Godfrey can get back on track, the Panthers will have a decent shot at beating the Giants next Sunday night.  I don’t expect this to be a huge day on the part of the Panthers offense, maybe coming out a little flat, but Carolina should be able to win the game.

Panthers 27, Broncos 23

There are a couple of key trends to look at in this game, one is the Panthers performances at home.  The Panthers are 6-0 at home and have outscored their opponents by an average of 14.7 points per game.  Jake Delhomme has literally been twice as good at home than on the road throwing 9 touchdowns and two interceptions at home and three touchdowns and seven interceptions on the road.  Jeff Garcia however plans to ruin any chance for Carolina success as he sports a 5-0 record against the Panthers, one of those wins coming on another Monday night in 2006 when the Panthers were knocked out of the playoff hunt by the Eagles.

Keys to the Game

1. Contain Jeff Garcia- Garcia’s mobility and accuracy while on the move are what make him such a nuisance to opposing defenses.  If the Panthers are going to beat the Bucs, their defense has to step up, and that means containing Jeff Garcia, not letting him get out of the pocket and buy time, which is what he is so good at.

2. Come out firing- One of the things that hurt the Panthers in their last meeting with the Bucs was a slow start.  After getting a punt blocked and throwing and interception on the first three possessions, the Panthers found themselves in a early hole and couldn’t climb out.  Last week the Panthers showed they could come out with some explosiveness, running the flea-flicker, but Offensive Coordinator Jeff Davidson needs to have similar plays drawn up Monday as well so the Panthers can get out to a quick start.

3. Pound the Rock- The third key to success is going to be start pounding away with the run after a lead has been established.  With the DeAngelo Williams spearheading the 7th ranked rush offense, the Panthers need to control the line of scrimmage as well as the clock.  The running and play action game is Carolina’s bread and butter and there’s no reason for them to back away from it now.

4. Run the ball on third and short- The Panthers need to run the ball, and that means on third and short as well.  With Williams proving to be one of the elite backs in the league, there is no reason for the Panthers to try some stupid pass play when Williams can pick up two or three yards whenever he needs to.  I’m not complaining about Delhomme, but why let him throw it when Williams is averaging 4.9 yards per rush?

5. Don’t turn the ball over- The one thing Carolina absolutely cannot afford is to turn the ball over like they did back in week six, all it takes is one bad pass or one stupid fumble to put the Bucs right back into the game.  Protect the football.

I truly believe the Panthers are going to win this football game.  They’re playing at home, they have some serious motivation to beat the Bucs, who have now beaten them three straight times, and this is a must win game.  The only reason I say that is because Jake Delhomme has a knack for stepping up in the clutch, and Delhomme has a rather impressive record against the Bucs as well, he’s 7-2 as a starter against them.

As fart as injuries go LB Adam Seward and DE Hilee Taylor are both doubtful with leg injuries, while Na’il Diggs and Ken Lucas are both probable.  With Gaines Adams, Kevin Carter, and Javon Haye all questionable for the Bucs, there is a possibility they will be missing two maybe three starters on that defensive line.

Panthers 28, Bucs 20

Not only will this be a good opportunity for the Panthers to put some space between them and a divisional opponent, it marks the first of a tough stretch of games in which the Panthers play teams at .500 or better, four of those games on the road.  A win over the Falcons could help heat up the club going into December, where the Panthers will face the Bucs, Broncos and Giants.

Keys to the Game

1. Pressure Matt Ryan- One major part of the Falcon’s formula for success has been their running game, which ranks 2nd in the NFL.  Oddly enough it has been the run defense for Carolina that has been their weakest link this season, so expect to see eight guys in the box a lot tomorrow. The key matchup will be Julius Peppers and the Falcons backup tackle, as the starter, Sam Baker is out for Sunday’s game.  If Peppers, who has had five sacks in the last two games, can get to Ryan early and often, he may be able to shake Ryan’s confidence a little bit, something that hasn’t happened much this season.

2. Pound the Rock- Because Jake Delhomme hasn’t had a great couple of games, it is imperative that Carolina continues to build on their rushing success.  With a rushing offense that now ranks 6th in the league going up against a Falcons defense that ranks 22nd against the run, there should be some big plays out of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.  Not to mention the Panthers will have Ryan Kalil back at center.

3.  Work the play action pass- It kind of goes without saying that once the run has been established Jake Delhomme needs to start hitting his receivers deep down the field on play action.  This is the John Fox philosophy.  Steve Smith has had a couple of bad games as well, dropping some balls, as well as fumbling last week against the Lions.  Delhomme and Smitty just need to get  back on track.  The way I look at it, every player goes through some ebbs and flows during the season, so at least Delhomme and Smith have (knock on wood) hit the proverbial bottom and are on their way back up.

It really feels like the Panthers have yet to play a full game.  There have been games where the running game is on fire, Jake is hitting everything he throws at, the defense is dominating, and special teams perfect, the thing is they just haven’t all happened at the same time.  If there was ever going to be a time during the season where everything needs to start clicking now’s the time.

One other thing to note about this Falcons team: they aren’t the same team that got beat 24-9 in Charlotte.  With a new starting cornerback, as well as some more games under their belt, the Falcons are not going to be pushed around like they were the last time these teams met.

As far as injuries go, miraculously the Panthers are expected to have everyone healthy and ready to go come Sunday, certainly a rare occurrence in the NFL.

Panther 24, Falcons 23

All that being said, here one reason why the Panthers will not give the Lions their one win of the season: Jake Delhomme had an absolutely horrible game last week.   Despite having some bad games in the past, Delhomme has always managed to rebound from not-so-great performances.  I’m not saying he’s going to throw five touchdowns, just that he is going to come out motivated and ready to play, something the Lions don’t want.

One other, if Delhomme does start to struggle as much as he did last week, just give DeAngelo Williams the ball in the Wildcat.  Williams showed how effective that can be both this season, and two years ago against Atlanta.  With a rush defense that ranks 31st in the league, Williams will probably be pretty effective, even if Detroit is stacking 9 guys in the box.

Keys to the Game

1. Don’t Keep the Lions in the Game- The Panthers did a great job of going up early last week against the Raiders, the problem is, they let the Raiders hang around, and when you do that in NFL, chances are you are going to get beat.  The Panthers simply need to go up early and not look back.  That means pounding the ball with Williams and Stewart, and getting the ball to Steve Smith.  As long as the offense does their job, the defense will do theirs.

2. Be ready for both Daunte Culpepper and Drew Stanton- The Lions alternated between quarterbacks last week against Jacksonville, and I expect them to do more of that today as well.  Culpepper has had another week to learn the offense, but he still won’t be able to use the entire playbook, in which case Stanton may com into the game.  With Julius Peppers suddenly red hot, things will be tough for Culpepper if he has trouble deciding where to throw the ball.

Really there isn’t much else to say, the Panthers just need to play their game, and they should come out with a win.  With Carolina playing at home, where they have been perfect all season, they should be able to move past the Lions and maintain their one game lead over Tampa Bay and Atlanta in the NFC South.

Panthers 28 Detroit 9

One of the things that we looked at over the bye week was Carolina’s performances on the road.  Outside of that fantastic performance in San Diego, the Panthers have failed to do much away from Bank of America Stadium, averaging a mere 13 points.  The Panthers will have an excellent opportunity to get to 2-2 on the road, as the Raiders are a long way from being a winning football team, not to mention that Darre McFadden is questionable, and JaMarcus Russell is out.

Keys to the Game

1. Offensive Line needs to Mesh- With Ryan Kalil and Jeff Otah expected back Sunday, the offensive line will again be reshuffled.  This will be the first time since week one that all of these players will be on the field together, so it is imperative that the line works well together.  As far as the makeshift lines went, you can’t be too disappointed, as the Panthers have only allowed 11 sacks all season.  It will be key that the line continues that type of pass protection, as well as open up big holes for DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

2. Get the Ball to Williams and Smith- Both DeAngelo Williams and Steve Smith have had an excellent couple of games, and are clearly the team’s playmakers on offense.  Smitty as you know is a game changer, being able to score on almost any play, just like the one two weeks ago against the Cardinals that gave the Panthers the spark they needed to end up winning the game.  Williams is having a breakout season, and should have a big game today against Oakland, which ranks a dismal 30th against the rush.

3. Generate a Pass Rush- With JaMarcus Russell not playing, the Raiders will be left with Andrew Walter to lead a horrific Raiders offense that ranks 29th in the NFL.  Obviously the key to any good defense is a good pass rush, but it is imperative that the Panthers apply pressure and make things difficult for Walter.  The Panthers cannot afford to allow Walter to get comfortable.

4. Don’t get Cocky- This two game stretch is by far the easiest of the season, and the Panthers cannot afford to get ahead of themselves.  No game in the NFL is a lock, and you have to focus on one opponent at a time or you’re going to get beat.  Yes, the Raiders are bad, but it only takes a few mental mistakes on the part of Carolina to keep them in the game, just look at what happened to Tampa Bay last week against Kansas City.

As far as injuries go, the two major injuries are Jonathan Stewart’s heal injury, he is questionable, and DT Darwin Walker is out.

One of the signs of good football teams is that they beat the teams that they are supposed to beat.  This is a game that Carolina is supposed to win.  With the way things are shaping up, if Carolina continues to win, they could be looking at a huge matchup week 16 when they take on the New York Giants for a potential number one seed in the NFC.

Panthers 27, Oakland 9

The Cardinals, who are first in the league in points scored per game, second in passing offense, and 6th in total offense will be facing their defensive equal in Carolina.  The Panthers rank 3rd in points allowed, 2nd in passing defense, and 5th in total defense, they have also yet to allow a 100 yard rusher this season.  As I said last week, usually when you have a high octane offense clashing with a smothering defense, the defense comes up on top, and that should be the case Sunday.

The main reason for the defense’s success has not been because of the number of takeaways, sacks, or tackles.  It’s been because they have shut down the big play.  By only putting seven in the box, and using a lot of nickle and dime formations, Defensive Coordinator Mike Trgovac has been able to shut down any down field threat, forcing teams to dump off balls in the 5-10 yard area.  That means that as opposing quarterbacks go through their reads, no one down field is open, and there is more time for Julius Peppers and company to apply pressure and get some sacks.  This defense is designed to slow down a high potent, passing offense, which is exactly what the Cardinals have.

On the other side of the ball, look for the Panthers to try and continue their conservative approach, trying to beat teams with a dominating ground game, and an occasional down field pass with some play action.  Things did get off a little slow last week, but good field position and turnovers allowed for the offense to capitalize with short fields.  If things don’t go as well Sunday, look for Jake Delhomme to try and open things up down the field to Steve Smith, as the Cardinals rank 20th against the pass.  The thing is though, no matter how much the offense struggles, the defense will always keep them in the game and give them a chance to win.

Besides today being the 15th anniversary Jerry Richardson’s successful bid to get a NFL franchise in the Carolinas, today will also be the first time ever Jake Delhomme plays against the man he formerly backed up in NFL Europe, Kurt Warner.  Both quarterbacks were undrafted, and both got their start in leagues outside of the NFL.  In a league where so much emphasis is placed on which round you were drafted in, and how much money you get paid, it’s good to see guys like Jake and Kurt getting it done despite some of the obstacles they had to overcome.

With the Panthers playing at home again Sunday, where they have been great all season, they have a great chance of going into the bye with a 6-2 record, and some momentum.  Baring that embarrassing loss to the Bucs two weeks ago, the Panthers have shown that they are legitimate contenders in the NFC, and a win against another division leader will go a long way into cementing that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Panthers 27, Cardinals 13

There is no doubt that the Saints have one of the best offenses in the NFL, ranking 1st in passing offense, and second in total offense. What will be interesting is how well Drew Brees plays against the Panthers defense, which ranks 2nd in the NFL against the pass, and 3rd in total defense.  Somethings gotta give, but as they say, defense wins championships.  When you look at matchups where you’ve got a good defense squaring off against a good offense, the team with the defense usually comes out on top; just look at the Super Bowl last year.

The major issue with New Orleans is not scoring points, its making sure the other team doesn’t.  It really doesn’t matter how many points your offense puts on the board if your defense give up just as many.  Look for Jake Delhomme and the offense to come out firing on all cylinders.

Keys to the Game

1. Pressure Drew Brees- I can’t state how important it is for Julius Peppers and company to get pressure on Drew Brees.  Brees, is has the highest passer rating in the NFC, will have a field day if he is given time in the pocket.  The front four getting pressure makes the secondary’s job a whole lot easier.  Both Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey are expected to play Sunday, which means the defense will have to be on its game.

2. Get the Ball to Steve Smith- After the game Smitty had last week dropping some balls, one a definite touchdown, expect him to come out pumped and motivated.  As I said before the problem with the Saints have been their defense.  The Saint’s secondary has given up 21 plays of 20 yards or more this season, worst in the NFL.  Forget trying to establish the run, Delhomme and Smith need to come into the game looking to exploit that secondary.

3. Get the Ball to DeAngelo in the Flat- The Panthers tried in vain last week to establish a running game.  Obviously New Orleans isn’t as stout against the run, ranking 14th in the league, but with Ryan Kalil and Jeff Otah still doubtful, running between the tackles may prove to be difficult.  DeAngelo Williams is the kind of back that works best out in space, so if the Panthers can get the ball to him on some screen plays or outside runs, Williams will have a better chance of breaking off a big run.

4. Special Teams- Much of last week’s loss to Tampa Bay had to do with the Panther’s special teams play.  The Panthers had horrible field position for much of the game, at one point even backed up on their own one yard line.   Also, the Panthers coverage team needs to be on its game when Reggie Bush is returning the ball.  Bush showed his elusiveness twice last week, running two punts back for touchdowns against the Vikings.  So far the Panthers have been pretty solid in limiting returns, and that can’t change Sunday.

Injuries

WR D. J. Hackett is out with a knee injury, which means Dwayne Jarrett may see some playing time.  Ryan Kalil and Jeff Otah are still doubtful, which means the Panthers will most likely have the same starting lineup as last week as far as the offensive line goes.  Jonathan Stewart is questionable with an illness.

The Panthers, who are undefeated at home, will face a tough test Sunday.  As bad as last week’s loss was, it was only one game, and the Panthers should be able to bounce back Sunday.

Panthers 27, Saints 24