Game #5: Chicago at Carolina

ohara · Post #1 » by **ohara** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:53 pm

Time to welcome back the treasonous Peppers to Carolina. Should be interesting. O-line is going to have to protect Clauson today as you know Peppers would love to flatten the kid a few times. Good news for Carolina is Cutler is out so they have a back up playing. Last week Clausen threw his first TD pass. Does he get his first Win today? Will have to do it without Smith. The youngsters at WR are going to have to come up big for us if we are to win today as the Bears are going to stack the line to prevent the run.

Jaruff · Post #2 » by **Jaruff** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 6:19 pm

Well, it's not looking good so far. The running game is having some success but you can't expect us to run the ball for much longer with a 17-3 deficit.

Clausen vs. Collins for worst QB rating this week?

ohara · Post #3 » by **ohara** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 9:12 pm

Wow, was that ever UGLY! O Line was horrific and Clausen was under pressure all day long. Some bad throws, but LaFell sucked today and dropped some very catchable balls. There is nothing in sync between Clausen and LaFell. But Clausen does seem to be on track with Gettis. Defense got burned early by Chicago in the 1st qtr, and then stiffened up the rest of the day.

So, it is down to Buffalo, San Fran and Carolina as the only winless teams. I bet San Fran wins 1st, and then it is anyone's guess between Buffalo and Carolina.

Jaruff · Post #4 » by **Jaruff** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 10:45 pm

ohara wrote:Wow, was that ever UGLY! O Line was horrific and Clausen was under pressure all day long. Some bad throws, but LaFell sucked today and dropped some very catchable balls. There is nothing in sync between Clausen and LaFell. But Clausen does seem to be on track with Gettis. Defense got burned early by Chicago in the 1st qtr, and then stiffened up the rest of the day.

So, it is down to Buffalo, San Fran and Carolina as the only winless teams. I bet San Fran wins 1st, and then it is anyone's guess between Buffalo and Carolina.

I think San Fran could beat the Vickless Eagles tonight and they should have defeated the Falcons last week. Buffalo has solid QB play right now but they've had bad luck. Today's game was winnable against the Jags. Same for our game last week against the Saints. The Bills play the Lions in Week 10, we play the 49ers and Rams after the bye next week. We probably have the best shot of winning at least one game by then.

According to the team depth chart, Gettis has overtaken LaFell as the starting WR opposite Steve. That makes sense; LaFell has been sporadic this year. Gettis is looking like another Panthers late-round steal.

I didn't catch much of the game (why bother at this point?) but I noticed that Moore throw some passes today. Was Clausen hurt or did Fox take him out just to do it? Chicago is lucky that they played us; any other team would have beaten them with the way Collins played.

ohara · Post #5 » by **ohara** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:42 pm

Game was late in the 4th when Moore came in. Jimmy was getting battered out there as the O Line was porous and he was getting killed. Came up limping a few times, and I think it was just being cautious. I think they have committed to Jimmy for the year so I dont expect any change there.

Jaruff · Post #6 » by **Jaruff** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 8:04 pm

ohara wrote:Game was late in the 4th when Moore came in. Jimmy was getting battered out there as the O Line was porous and he was getting killed. Came up limping a few times, and I think it was just being cautious. I think they have committed to Jimmy for the year so I dont expect any change there.

That's what I figured. I don't think you can go back to Moore now after he's been benched; we aren't the Raiders. I would like to see Tony Pike have an opportunity to play this year but I doubt that happens (then again, we did play Brett Basanez a few years ago).

ohara · Post #7 » by **ohara** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 8:17 pm

Interesting that ESPN Insider on Rumors raises the question of whether pulling Clausen means that Moore may take back the job. They say that Fox was asked about the starting QB position and he said that it would be under evaluation over the next couple weeks since this is our Bye Week. **I gotta think that if you go with the Rookie in game #3, you need to commit to him for the year. I mean, his O-Line is in tatters and is porous, he did not have Steve Smith Sunday, and he is only a Rookie who left college after his Jr. year. For Pete's sake Fox, give him the year to see if he can learn by experience. This season is lost anyway, just like you job. So dont try to ruin a young up and coming QB's confidence with you lack of decision making. God knows you stayed with Jake through much worse; why change your mannerisms now?

Jaruff · Post #8 » by **Jaruff** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 11:23 pm

It could also be that Fox doesn't care since he won't be back next year. If it wouldn't cost Richardson too much to terminate him now, I'd go ahead and do it if he's not committed to playing Clausen. Meeks or Skipper will be fine for the rest of this season.

celticsfan34 · Post #9 » by **celticsfan34** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:08 pm

offense is just ugly.....defense stiffened up after the first, this is a team that could go 0-16. the offense is that bad, the recievers are pathetic they can't catch, the offensive line looks slow and clausen is out on an island by his self id start moore. clausen isn't doing any better or hell go with pike he has nfl size and an arm give him a chance carolina is desperate and will do anything to get a win

Post #10 » by **Rooster** » Sat Oct 23, 2010 2:50 pm

It's like the Panthers are trying to lose. They've looked awful all year. I think they'll win a couple games but that's it.

I loved Collins's line: 6/16, 32 yards, 4 picks and a win.