Tag: Carolina Panthers

Seahawks rookie Cody Barton to have MRI on his knee

Seattle Seahawks rookie linebacker Cody Barton suffered a pair of injuries on Sunday night, and is having an MRI done on his knee.

The Seattle Seahawks saw their already thin linebacker group take another hit on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams.

Starting in place of Mychal Kendricks (hamstring), rookie Cody Barton suffered both a knee and ankle injury and is scheduled to have an MRI on Monday, according to coach Pete Carroll.

“He strained his knee a little bit and [had] a little bit of an ankle thing,” Carroll said on 710 ESPN’s Pete Carroll show. “We gotta figure that out. He’s gonna get an MRI today to find out where he is. He was able to go back in the game, tough as nails and finished it, but I don’t know.”

Barton had a big role on Sunday, appearing on 58 defensive snaps (83 percent) as well as 16 snaps on the special teams. He came out after getting hurt in the fourth quarter but returned after just a few plays, apparently playing through the knee strain.

He finished with four combined tackles and one pass defended.

Barton’s health will be a big factor this week, as Kendricks may not make it back in time for Sunday’s game against the Panthers. Additionally, WILL linebacker K.J. Wright suffered a dislocated finger on Sunday, although Carroll expects him to be fine by next week.

If neither Kendricks or Barton are able to play, expect fellow rookie Ben Burr-Kirven to step into a starting role on defense.

Seattle could also opt to use their nickel package – which only requires two linebackers – a lot more as well.

Check back throughout the week for updates on Seattle’s injuries before they head South to take on the Panthers in their final road game of the season.

[lawrence-related id=52537]

Panthers coach Perry Fewell ‘disappointed’ by Donte Jackson’s comments

Today, Fewell told reporters he was “disappointed” with Jackson’s comments and that it will be handled internally, per the Athletic.

The Panthers have seen their fair share of ups and downs since their trip to Super Bowl 50 ended in disappointing fashion. Through it all, they never came apart at the seams or began the infighting that so often defines NFL teams who get used to mediocrity. It was a credit to the culture that former coach Ron Rivera had created.

Losing strains everything, though – and we may finally be seeing some cracks form in that long-standing unity. On Sunday afternoon, second-year cornerback Donte Jackson publicly derided interim head coach Perry Fewell’s play-calling. Speaking about two touchdowns for the Falcons (both of which Jackson was beat on), he called Fewell’s decisions “horrible calls.”

Today, Fewell told reporters he was “disappointed” with Jackson’s comments and that it will be handled internally, per the Athletic.

Jackson can be right about Fewell’s poor play-calling and wrong about doing it via the media. Especially considering how much Jackson has struggled this season against the Falcons, his criticism comes off as tone-deaf and hypocritical.

Succeeding at cornerback in the NFL doesn’t require you to be respectful, but Jackson isn’t playing the position well enough to get away with calling out his coach. Not by a long shot.

Meanwhile, Ross Cockrell has performed relatively well this year and hasn’t caused any headaches off the field. Perhaps some more playing time for him as opposed to Jackson will send a message and reward the kind of behavior that winning organizations want.

[lawrence-related id=615324]

[vertical-gallery id=615334]

NFC South Week 14 review: Panthers now 1 game out of last place

A five-game losing streak has put them in jeopardy of finishing the season in the NFC South cellar.

Fortunes change fast in the NFL. These 2019 Carolina Panthers are a living reminder of that. A five-game losing streak has put them in jeopardy of finishing the season in the NFC South cellar.

Here’s a review of what happened around the division in Week 14.

Saints (10-3) lost to 49ers (11-2), 48-46

Nobody expected a shootout in this one, but nobody’s going to complain, either. San Francisco narrowly won over New Orleans in the best game of the year so far, despite five touchdown passes from Drew Brees. The Saints’ inability to stop the Niners’ run game was key – they allowed 162 rushing yards on just 24 carries – an average of 6.8 yards per run. It’s entirely possible we will see a rematch in the NFC Championship game. The Saints will try to rebound at home against the Colts in Week 15.

Buccaneers (6-7) beat Colts (6-7), 38-35

The Bucs did their best to blow this one, committing four turnovers and losing over 100 yards on penalties. They came out on top on the strength of 456 passing yards and four touchdowns from Jameis Winston. Tampa also has seen tight end O.J. Howard finally come to life over the last two weeks. He caught four of five targets for 73 yards against Indy. Rookie linebacker Devin White came through with another critical game-changing play, offering more evidence that he’s going to be a very special player. Tampa should be able to keep the good vibes going against Detroit.

Panthers (5-8) lost to Falcons (4-9), 40-20

Atlanta just seems to have Carolina’s number. The players and the venues change, but the results are the same. The Falcons have won five in a row in this rivalry and eight of the last nine meetings. What’s most concerning for the Panthers is their ongoing failure to stop big plays. Whoever the next full-time head coach is will have to consider drastic measures to stop the bleeding in this area. It’s too early to completely write off Perry Fewell, but this did not help his case. Next up, Seattle.

Falcons (4-9) beat Panthers (5-8), 40-20

The Falcons came into this week as one of the worst rushing teams in the league. Facing the Panthers was just the medicine their run game needed – Devonta Freeman had his best game of the season and Brian Hill did just as much damage. Dirk Koetter obviously has figured Carolina’s defense out. The question is if he’ll have any success against another NFL team. Don’t expect it to happen this week, though. The 49ers are next on their schedule.

[lawrence-related id=615324]

[vertical-gallery id=615334]

Panthers continue to flounder with 40-20 loss to Falcons

In true holiday spirit, they gave the game away.

With a 1-7 record at the unofficial halfway point of the season, the Atlanta Falcons were the unquestioned, undisputed laughingstock of the NFC South . . . that is, until, they got their hands on the Carolina Panthers.

Sunday’s trip to Atlanta marked a new low for the floundering Panthers⁠—whose collective hearts, minds and bodies seemingly stayed at home with the freshly dismissed Ron Rivera. In true holiday spirit, they gave the game away.

The first gift came late in the second quarter with the Panthers down 10-3, when tight end Ian Thomas mishandled what should have been a near-30-yard completion. Thomas bobbled a perfect toss from quarterback Kyle Allen, allowing an easy pick for safety Damontae Kazee. While they did limit the damage, redeeming one another on a one-yard touchdown connection to bring the deficit to three at the break, another teammate let Allen down soon after.

On the opening play of the third quarter, rookie left tackle Dennis Daley faltered in protection and gave Falcons defensive end Vic Beasley an open lane to the pocket. Beasley delivered a booming blindside hit to Allen’s back, forcing a fumble that’d set up a five-play, 46-yard touchdown drive for Atlanta.

Five minutes and a 93-yard touchdown catch by undrafted wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus later, returner Greg Dortch conjured up a fumble of his own, one that embarrassingly wound up in the hands of kicker Younghoe Koo. (Yup, it was that kind of day.) The Falcons capitalized on that as well, adding three more points to effectively put the game away at 30-10 with 4:55 left in the third.

Allen provided the cherry on top of the turnover-fest to wrap up the quarter. He’d miss Jarius Wright badly downfield, rewarding yet another layup to Kazee for his second interception.

Those four giveaways, added with the four from Week 10, have now given Atlanta eight of their 14 takeaways on the campaign. Oh, and they’ve given them half of their wins thus far, too.

Unfortunately, this is who the Carolina Panthers currently are and have been without a healthy Cam Newton under center, making today’s early report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that much more perplexing.

Since sustaining what is believed to be the major blow to his throwing shoulder on a hit from Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt a year ago, Newton has been playing with some sort of injury, whether it be to his arm or foot, since Week 10 of last season. The Panthers have gone 6-13 during that time.

With this latest defeat, Carolina has gone 0-4 against the Falcons over the last two seasons, bringing their NFC South record to 3-8 since 2018. If you expand that another year back and include their divisional round-loss to the New Orleans Saints in 2017, that record drops to 6-12.

The Panthers are now carrying a five-game losing streak on their backs, the second such streak over these last two dreadful, regrettable seasons.

[lawrence-related id=615395,615324]

[vertical-gallery id=615334]

Panthers CB Donte Jackson questions defensive play-calling: ‘Horrible calls’

Jackson has a fair point about the zero blitz call.

It’s difficult to imagine a Panthers defender publicly questioning former head coach Ron Rivera’s play-calling, even following a humiliating loss like this one. Second-year cornerback Donte Jackson wasn’t shy about calling out interim head coach Perry Fewell’s decisions, though.

According to Scott Fowler at the Charlotte Observer, after the game Jackson called two of the defensive coaching staff’s calls horrible, especially on a 93-yard touchdown pass from Matt Ryan to Olamide Zaccheaus on a zero blitz call that backfired in the worst possible way.

Jackson has a fair point about the zero blitz call. It’s worth mentioning that Jackson got beat on the play though. He also made a bad mistake earlier in the game by abandoning his assignment which led to an easy touchdown for Calvin Ridley.

This is not a good look and not the first time for Jackson.

[lawrence-related id=615324]

[vertical-gallery id=615334]

4 takeaways from another humbling loss for the Panthers to Falcons

Here are a few takeaways from another humbling loss.

The Carolina Panthers got dismantled by the Atlanta Falcons for the second time this season, losing on the road, 40-20.

Here are a few takeaways from another humbling loss.

The Panthers’ run defense is still terrible

Devonta Freeman
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

New coach, same results. Devonta Freeman came into today’s divisional matchup averaging just 3.4 yards per carry for the year. The Panthers were unable to contain him, though. Freeman started hot and kept on hammering them throughout the afternoon. In the end, Freeman posted 84 yards on just 17 carries (4.9 yards per run) and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season. Later, Brian Hill replaced Freeman in the lineup and continued the punishment. He averaged 6.9 yards per rush and added another score.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Panthers Highlights: TE Ian Thomas scores his first touchdown of 2019

The Panthers are getting the full Ian Thomas experience today.

The Panthers are getting the full Ian Thomas experience today. Watch the second-year tight end catch his first touchdown of the season and finally break the team’s streak of embarrassing failures at the goal line. Thomas also showed off some of his run after catch ability earlier in the game by bullying Ricardo Allen for some extra yards.

However, he also dropped a beautiful pass from Kyle Allen that was intercepted. Thomas has caught three of six targets, totaling 30 yards and a score.

The Falcons responded with another field goal by Younghoe Koo to close out the second quarter. They lead 13-10 at halftime.

[lawrence-related id=615321,615329]

[vertical-gallery id=615133]

Panthers Highlights: WR D.J. Moore passes 1,000 yards for the season

Coming into today’s game against the Falcons, Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore needed just 20 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the season.

Coming into today’s game against the Falcons, Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore needed just 20 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the season. Moore passed that milestone on this 39-yard ball from Kyle Allen. Moore is the first Carolina player to reach the mark since tight end Greg Olsen in 2016 and the first wide receiver since Kelvin Benjamin in 2014.

The Panthers trail the Falcons 10-3 late in the second quarter.

[lawrence-related id=615329]

[vertical-gallery id=615133]

Panthers Highlights: TE Ian Thomas pushes for extra yards vs. Ricardo Allen

One exception was this catch and run by tight end Ian Thomas, who used his size to bully Falcons safety Ricardo Allen for some extra yards.

The first few series for the Panthers’ offense with Scott Turner calling the plays left much to be desired. Atlanta doubled up Carolina in yardage and time of possession in the first quarter. One exception was this nice catch and run by tight end Ian Thomas, who used his size to bully Falcons safety Ricardo Allen for some extra yards.

The score is tied 3-3 after a 46-yard field goal from Joey Slye.

[lawrence-related id=615305]

[vertical-gallery id=615133]

Report: Panthers owner David Tepper interested in 2 Steelers executives

According to a report by Adam Schefter at ESPN, team owner David Tepper has his eye on two Steelers executives.

The Carolina Panthers have a division game to play in about an hour. Today’s big stories are all about the future of the franchise, though. This morning, Ian Rapoport at NFL Network reported the team is expected to trade Cam Newton this offseason, provided they can get a large enough return in the deal. Now, we have reporting on who may be joining the new-look front office in 2020.

According to Adam Schefter at ESPN, team owner David Tepper has his eye on two Steelers executives.

“There are those around the league who believe that Tepper is eyeing Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, whose contract is up after this season, and/or vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan, according to league sources.”

Tepper has a lot of connections to Pittsburgh as he’s a minority owner there. He will have to sell that stake as part of buying the Panthers, though. Nevertheless, at some point Tepper was going to lean on his experience with the Steelers. This could be the first real step in that direction.

If the idea is to follow Pittsburgh’s blueprint, then Tepper has the right idea. One thing the Panthers organization needs is consistency. They have never compiled two winning seasons in a row. Meanwhile, the Steelers are a model of continuity: they have only employed three head coaches since 1969 and haven’t had a losing record since 2003.

This season, they’re in the middle of a wild card race despite a series of disasters at the quarterback position, punctuated by Ben Roethlisberger’s season ending injury. Pittsburgh’s decision to trade a first-round draft pick to the Dolphins for Minkah Fitzpatrick has paid off in a huge way. That’s the kind of bold move that can keep teams competitive despite being limited by serious injuries – and it’s an element that’s been missing in Charlotte for too long.

The question is if qualified candidates like Colbert and Khan will be willing to take a position that is subordinate to Carolina’s current general manager Marty Hurney. Based on Tepper’s public comments over the last few days, Hurney’s job sounds completely safe.

[lawrence-related id=615287]

[vertical-gallery id=615133]