Tag: Ben McAdoo

Studs and duds from Panthers’ Week 4 loss to Cardinals

The Panthers were far from saving in their Week 4 loss to the Cardinals. But at least Spider-Man showed up.

Who stood out (in the right and wrong ways) throughout Sunday’s loss for the Carolina Panthers?

Let’s take a look at the studs and duds from Week 4.

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky rips Panthers for telegraphing plays on offense

Dan Orlovsky bashed the Panthers offense on Thursday, throwing around the terms “unacceptable” and “coaching malpractice.”

If the Carolina Panthers continue to get unflattering exposure, they may very well become the laughing stock of the NFL. Well, they got some on Thursday.

Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky just shed a not-so-flattering light on the Panthers—specifically on their predictable offense. During Thursday’s episode of NFL Live, Orlovsky dove into how Carolina tipped off their plays through shotgun formations in Week 2.

He explains that the positioning of running back Christian McCaffrey relative to quarterback Baker Mayfield can tell opposing defenses if they’re going for a run-pass option (RPO) or just a straight pass.

To be fair to offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, perhaps describing this as “coaching malpractice” is a bit on the strong side. Although these may not be “cherrypicked” instances, the ways in which McCaffrey lined up aren’t exactly uncommon throughout the game.

In fact, there were plays during that very same afternoon where the Panthers called for passes when McCaffrey is behind Mayfield.

Regardless, Orlovsky was right about one thing—this offense has been unacceptable. And it’s going to take a lot more than adjusting their running back’s position out of shotgun to fix their problems.

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Panthers OC Ben McAdoo: We need to get more WRs involved

Through two games, only three Panthers WRs (DJ Moore, Robbie Anderson and Shi Smith) have recorded a target. Ben McAdoo said he wants to change that.

Through two games here in the 2022 regular season, only three Carolina Panthers wideouts have recorded a target. But we swear, they really do have more receivers.

On Thursday, offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo addressed exactly that—stating he has to do a better job of getting more guys at the position involved.

“Yeah, we worked a lot of guys in this week,” McAdoo said of adjusting his personnel and learning their identity. “We need to do a better job during the course of the game gettin’ them in there and that starts with me. And we certainly have a lot of trust in our players—not just the three we’ve been throwing out there.”

Those three are DJ Moore, Robbie Anderson and Shi Smith. Of quarterback Baker Mayfield’s 56 passing attempts thus far, the trio has accounted for a 60.7-percent target share.

Getting zero percent of that share, and barely any in the snap department either, are 2021 second-round pick Terrace Marshall Jr. and free-agent signee Rashard Higgins. After both players didn’t see the field in the Week 1 opener against the Cleveland Browns, the former saw six plays (but no looks) at MetLife Stadium this past Sunday.

Additionally, Laviska Shenault Jr.—a trade acquisition from the Jacksonville Jaguars back on Aug. 29—has yet to get any in-game action as well. In fact, he’s not even been active to this point as he continues to learn the offense.

If McAdoo, however, wants to give his guys chances—would he disclose exactly which guys those would be? Nope.

“That’s a great question,” McAdoo said with a smile when asked which wide receiver would be the next one in. “That’s a better question for Coach [Matt Rhule] than it is for me. Appreciate the question. But we have a lot of guys we have confidence in. So I’m not gonna mention any names because probably who I mention first will be something you can write about.”

Well, perhaps we can’t write anymore about this then . . .

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Biggest storylines for Panthers vs. Giants in Week 2

The Panthers aren’t looking for any type of revenge against the Giants in Week 2. They’re just looking for some redemption from their season-opening loss.

For the second time in as many seasons, the Carolina Panthers are going Broadway! But could we be in for another stinker of a show?

While that’s most certainly a possibility, let’s shift our focus to the overarching themes of this production to get you ready. So, here are the top storylines for the Week 2 matchup with the New York Giants.

Panthers OC Ben McAdoo on playing Giants: ‘There’s nothing to it’

How does Panthers OC Ben McAdoo feel about returning to the Meadowlands this Sunday? Well, he really just wants to keep it between the ditches.

The Carolina Panthers were apart of a “revenge game” in Week 1, as quarterback Baker Mayfield collided (sometimes literally) with the Cleveland Browns. So, how about another?

On Sunday, first-year offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo will be calling plays against the New York Giants—the franchise he spent four, um, highly-publicized, years with. When asked on Thursday if there are any emotions for him heading back to the Meadowlands, the 45-year-old no-sold it.

“Love New York,” he said with a smile. “Got a lot of great memories there. Great people there, in that organization. Love the city. Love North Jersey. But right now, it’s about gettin’ ready to play a football game. And for me, to spend any time thinking about that would be kinda selfish and not very smart.

“We played ’em twice last year when I was in Dallas, and it didn’t really factor into anything. Playin’ ’em again this year—so far, there’s nothing to it. I try to keep it between the ditches.”

McAdoo first joined “Big Blue” back in 2014, when he was hired by head coach Tom Coughlin as the team’s offensive coordinator. After a pair of strong seasons leading that unit, McAdoo took over for Coughlin at the helm in 2016.

His first campaign as head coach saw instant success, leading the Giants to an 11-5 mark and an NFC wild card berth. The situation quickly soured, however, as McAdoo was ousted following a 2-10 record over 12 outings the very next season.

But, as McAdoo said, he can’t think about any of that this week. There are way more pressing issues at hand for him and his new offense.

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Giants set to square off against old friend Ben McAdoo in Week 2

The New York Giants will have to contend with their former coach, Ben McAdoo, this Sunday when they take on the Carolina Panthers.

This Sunday when the New York Giants take on the Carolina Panthers, they’ll come face-to-face with their former head coach, Ben McAdoo.

McAdoo is in his first season as the offensive coordinator for the Panthers, and his first outing of the season didn’t go like he would have hoped. He returns to New York with thoughts that he knows how to win, but he might be in for a surprise.

McAdoo joined the Giants in 2014 as the offensive coordinator under Tom Coughlin, where he would remain for two seasons. Following Coughlin’s departure, McAdoo was promoted to head coach and the Giants improved under his direction. At least initially.

In his first season as coach, McAdoo’s club went 11-5 but things ended with a wildcard loss to the Green Bay Packers. His second season was the polar opposite of his first. The Giants went 2-10 before McAdoo was fired mid-season.

As offensive coordinator, there’s no question that McAdoo knows what he is doing. And the environment isn’t going to phase him, either. He has bounced around quite a bit since leaving the Giants, and he likely wants to prove he is worth his wage, but this is a Giants team he hasn’t seen before.

The entire league was awakened last week when the Giants rolled into Tennessee and clawed their way to victory. McAdoo is no different.

Only a handful of players from McAdoo’s tenure in New York remain, and none of the front office or coaching staff are the same. He’s learning on the fly and watching the Giants along with everyone else. He may think he has a plan — that he’s ready for what the Giants bring to the field — but if you’ve seen the video of Brian Daboll, Saquon Barkley and Sterling Shepard celebrating last Sunday, then you know that’s a tall task.

The Giants haven’t been this united in a very long time.

That’s not to say the Panthers will be a pushover — they won’t. But they’re going to want to beat McAdoo as much as he’s going to want to beat them.

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Giants vs. Panthers: 5 things to know about Week 2

The New York Giants and Carolina Panthers square off on Sunday afternoon in Week 2, so here are five things fans should know.

The New York Giants (1-0) host the Carolina Panthers (0-1) at MetLife Stadium this coming Sunday afternoon.

The Giants won their opener on the road, 21-20, against the Tennessee Titans, their first Kickoff Weekend win since 2016 and only their second since 2011.

The Panthers lost their opener at home, 26-24, to the Cleveland Browns. Two questionable calls in the final minute by the officials gave the Browns an opportunity to win the game.

Here are five things to know about Sunday’s matchup.

Ben McAdoo has ‘high expectations’ for Panthers offense

He won’t guarantee anything for your fantasy teams, but Panthers OC Ben McAdoo expects some big results from his unit in 2022.

Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo isn’t making any promises this season, especially any regarding the outlooks of your fantasy football teams. But he will be entering his first regular season in Charlotte with some big expectations.

Just a few days ahead of the Panthers’ Week 1 matchup with the Cleveland Browns, McAdoo fielded some questions regarding the state of his group. And even despite his players having to learn a new system with a new quarterback, he believes his offense is in for a very productive campaign.

“I think we’re an offense that I have high expectations for,” McAdoo said on Thursday. “Our standards are high. We wanna come out, we wanna play physical and heavy-handed. We wanna play with tremendous effort. We wanna be good teammates and take care of each other. We gotta come together.”

McAdoo wouldn’t, however, disclose who he plans on using this Sunday—particularly at the wideout position. Following the team’s cutdown to 53 men, as well as their trade for former second-round pick Laviska Shenault Jr., the Panthers are set to carry seven receivers into the year.

“That’s a good question,” McAdoo said when asked how many of the seven he plans on throwing into the rotation. “We have a lot of guys that I’m very confident in. I don’t wanna give anything away at this point in time. That’s a better question for Coach.”

He would then go on to say that Shenault is making one heck of an effort to learn the offense—one in which he could eventually assume a hybrid role in.

But, as McAdoo suggested, only time (and the games) will tell.

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New Panthers offense creates some unknowns for Browns

Will the Browns face a Panthers offense that is more McAdoo or more what Mayfield does well? @WardOnSports takes a look at the unknowns with Carolina:

After what has felt like the longest NFL offseason since I have been alive, we have finally reached game week. The best thing about game week is that we can turn our attention toward football. The Cleveland Browns have not won a season opener since 2004 and they have a distressing 1-21-1 record since their return to the NFL in 1999.

It is safe to say that the 2022 opener looms rather large for a multitude of reasons.

One aspect of the game that leaves the Browns at a potential disadvantage is the Carolina Panthers offense being somewhat of an unknown. During the offseason, they hired Ben McAdoo as their new Offensive Coordinator and then traded for QB Baker Mayfield. This is one of those instances where there isn’t a lot for the Browns to reference when attempting to get a feel for what a McAdoo/Mayfield offense will look like.

Update: Stefanski noted the unknowns in his press conference on Wednesday:

The Browns know Mayfield well and during his time in Cleveland, Head Coach Kevin Stefanski did a good job of making things as easy as possible for the young quarterback.

Stefanski used an under-center, run-the-ball, play-action structure with Mayfield. The heavier personnel, tight formations, and elite run game he deployed aided in limiting Mayfield’s workload and playing to his strengths.

In 2020 and 2021, the Browns ranked bottom-five in single-back formations while also ranking bottom-three in plays with at least three receivers, staying in the low 40% range in both years.

Furthermore, The Browns ranked 32nd and 29th in 2020 and 2021, respectively, in passing rate while ahead in games, as well as top-six in run rate on first down. These aspects of Stefanski’s offense helped get the most out of Mayfield while alleviating complex progressions, pocket management and a high volume of passing.

McAdoo’s past offensive style is dissimilar to Stefanski’s starting with personnel disposition. In three of his four seasons as the Giants offensive coordinator or head coach, McAdoo’s offense used three-plus receivers on at least 80% of snaps and even led the league in 2016 at 94%. In 2017, that figure fell to 62% most likely to a rash of injuries to his wide receiver room.

McAdoo has shown the propensity to work from the shotgun, spread things out, and attack the short to intermediate areas of the field. McAdoo also hasn’t been known to use play-action much. From 2015 to 2017, McAdoo’s play-action rates were 17% (23rd), 15% (29th), and 21% (21st). His offenses have relied on the quarterback’s ability to be good in the true dropback pass game. This is distinctly different than Stefanski’s system.

So, what will the 2022 Panthers offense look like?  A couple of things could be happening here. McAdoo could deploy an offense that looks nothing like what he has run in the past or they may lean on Mayfield to be a considerably better drop-back passer than he has shown thus far in his career.

The answer likely lies somewhere in the middle. McAdoo will certainly modify things to help his new quarterback, but it is unlikely he will morph two very different styles into an offense that entirely accommodates Mayfield. McAdoo comes from the Mike McCarthy coaching tree and ran a similar variation of McCarthy’s offense during his time in New York.

So, it’s true, the Browns don’t know what to expect from the Panthers offense on Sunday, but history suggests they should expect a similar variation of the offense McAdoo ran in New York. It’s not common for an NFL coach to adopt a new offense and it’s a whole different thing to install, execute and call said offense after acquiring your starting quarterback just before training camp.

Certainly, they will do what they can to make it work to Mayfield’s strengths, but at a base level they should expect the same philosophies McAdoo has lived by in the past.

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Panthers’ switch to OC Ben McAdoo described as ‘fantastic’

Yahoo’s Charles Robinson said there’s a real divide between Panthers HC Matt Rhule and OC Ben McAdoo. But that divide is actually a refreshing one.

What went wrong between Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and former offensive coordinator Joe Brady? Charles Robinson may have the answer.

Yahoo’s senior NFL reporter joined Wednesday’s edition of The Underdog Football Show to dish out the tastiest scoops of the summer. One of those scoops featured the state of Carolina’s offensive coordinator position—a flavor that’s gone from sour to sweet with their recent revamp.

Robinson told host Josh Norris that before transitioning to Ben McAdoo this offseason, the Panthers couldn’t gain any traction between Rhule and the man who previously manned the post in Brady.

“I think he [Brady] was overwhelmed and I think what happened was Matt Rhule ended up micromanaging a lot of other situations on offense,” he said. “Like, a ton. And it was really, really, not good.”

However those situations were managed, Rhule decided to part ways with the then 31-year-old Brady during the team’s Week 13 bye this past season. To that point in 2021, the offense ranked 28th in total yards and 23rd in points scored—which wasn’t much of a difference from their rankings in those categories (21st and 24th, respectively) the campaign prior.

But Robinson went on to say that things are much more harmonious with McAdoo—a very seasoned play-caller by comparison—now heading the group.

“And so I think when the switch came with McAdoo—from what I understand inside the organization, it’s been fantastic,” he added. “Because McAdoo—he’s a really good coordinator. Not a good head coach. But he’s a really good offensive coordinator. He can handle everything. It’s like, now there is a real divide between the head coach and the OC because the OC can handle everything and Rhule’s not dabbling or having to deal with 28 other things. So I hear, even coaching wise, that they feel a lot better about where things have been going on.”

Sounds like a rockstar to us.

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