Tag: Panthers preseason

Matt Rhule not happy with Panthers receivers after first joint practice with Colts

Wide receiver is supposed to be the Carolina Panthers’ deepest position and greatest strength on offense.

Wide receiver is supposed to be the Carolina Panthers’ deepest position and greatest strength on offense. Things didn’t go well in their first experience with live competition this year, though. Yesterday the team held a joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts and coach Matt Rhule was unhappy with the way they performed.

Here’s what Rhule had to say after the practice, per Darin Gantt at the team website.

“Not real happy with our receivers today. Not a lot of discipline in terms of route running, wrong depths, a lot of missed assignments today. Put a lot of pressure on quarterbacks to adjust to guys not running routes at the right depth.”

To be fair, it’s only one practice. The Colts also have one of the toughest defensive units in the NFL, which caused problems for more than just Carolina’s receivers. The makeshift offensive line also had plenty of issues containing Indy’s pass rushers.

That said, it’s not a great look with only a couple days to go before the Panthers’ first preseason game. Hopefully today goes better so they have more momentum going in.

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Panthers vs. Colts: 2021 preseason game information, TV info

Here’s all the info on how to watch and follow the game.

Football is back! The Carolina Panthers kick off their 2021 preseason schedule this coming Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts following a couple of joint practices this week.

Here’s all the info on how to watch and follow the game.

Preseason Week 1

When

Sunday, Aug. 15, 1:00 p.m. ET

Where

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

Watch

The game will be broadcast live nationally on NFL Network. Gamepass also carries live preseason games. In Charlotte, the game will be on ABC.

Stream

You can also stream the game on FuboTV.

Listen

WBT 1110 AM is the team’s local radio station.

History

The Panthers have done well against the Colts in the past, going 5-2 in their seven matchups. Indianapolis won the most recent meeting though, a 38-6 blowout back in December 2019. Nyheim Hines scored two touchdowns on punt returns, while Christian McCaffrey was held to just 54 rushing yards.

What’s at stake?

After last year’s preseason was cancelled, Carolina didn’t get to see what P.J. Walker or Will Grier could do before the season began. This year, these games are even more critical, as coach Matt Rhule says he’s not sure if the team will keep two or three quarterbacks on the roster. Whoever performs better against the Colts could gain the upper hand in the QB2 battle.

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Panthers’ first preseason game will be broadcast on NFL Network

The league has announced that 23 preseason games will be broadcast live on NFL Network this year.

It’s been a long six months, but very soon Carolina Panthers football will be back on your TV. The league has announced that 23 preseason games will be broadcast live on NFL Network this year. One of the matchups to be featured will be Carolina’s first preseason game on the schedule against the Indianapolis Colts.

The game against the Colts will take place at the normal time for a regular season game on Sunday August 15 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Before they meet on the field, the two teams will be holding a pair of joint practices on the Thursday and Friday leading up to it.

There will only be three preseason games for each team this year.

After visiting Indianapolis, the Panthers will be hosting the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday the 21st at 7:00 p.m. ET. They close out their preseason campaign at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday the 27th at 7:30.

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Panthers say Steve Smith will call 2021 preseason games

Frequently abrasive on the mic, Smith’s savage wit seems to make him more popular.

Panthers fans are in for a treat this summer. While the preseason can be notoriously boring, there’s something special to look forward to this year. The team just announced the franchise’s all-time receiving leader Steve Smith will be calling preseason games this year as a TV analyst. Smith will pair with Taylor Zarzour, who he’s worked with before on local radio station WFNZ.

In his playing days, Smith was pound-for-pound the toughest wide receiver in the league. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro during his remarkable 13-year run in Charlotte. After a few seasons with the Ravens, Smith retired and went to work at NFL Network. It’s a given that next year he’ll be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

Frequently abrasive on the mic, Smith’s savage wit seems to make him more popular. Hearing his commentary on the rookies and roster bubble players should make for some exceptional August entertainment.

With the expansion to a 17-game regular season, one preseason game was cut from the schedule, so Carolina has three preseason opponents this year. First, they visit the Colts, then they host the Ravens and then finish at home against the Steelers.

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Panthers also discussing preseason joint practices with the Ravens

According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, they’re in talks.

The Panthers have finalized a couple joint practice dates with one team and are in talks with another. Yesterday, head coach Matt Rhule confirmed that his team will hold two joint practices with the Colts before their preseason matchup in August – the first of the year.

Apparently, Carolina is also looking for a few with the Ravens, their next opponent on the preseason schedule. According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, they’re in talks.

“The Panthers might have joint practices the following week, as well. They’re talking with the Ravens about practicing together in Charlotte or Spartanburg heading into their Aug. 21 exhibition at Bank of America Stadium, according to a source.”

Rhule has one of the youngest teams in the league, so it makes sense that he wants to get as many live reps as possible this summer.

Baltimore should provide a challenge that few teams around the NFL can match. In Lamar Jackson they have a former MVP and one of the sport’s most dynamic athletes. The Ravens have won at least 10 games every year since they drafted him and since John Harbaugh took over as coach in 2008, they’ve had a losing record only one season.

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Panthers coach Matt Rhule: Preseason joint practice dates with Colts finalized

Heading into that matchup, they will take the field for a couple of joint practices.

The Panthers begin this year’s three-game preseason schedule in Indianapolis against the Colts. Heading into that matchup, they will take the field for a couple of joint practices.

The Athletic reported several weeks ago that joint-practice discussions were ongoing. Yesterday, they became official when Carolina head coach Matt Rhule said that the dates are finalized. The joint practices will be held on Thursday, August 12 and Friday August 13, followed by a rest day before the game on Sunday the 15th.

Indianapolis went 11-5 last season – good for second place behind the Titans in the AFC South – then lost to the Bills in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Not long after, starting QB Philip Rivers announced his retirement. To replace him, the Colts traded a couple picks to the Eagles for Carson Wentz, who is expected to start.

Starters rarely see much of the field in the first preseason game of the year, though. Coach Frank Reich will likely try to get a better look at his backups like Jacob Eason and rookie Sam Ehlinger.

As for the Panthers, Sam Darnold has taken Teddy Bridgewater’s place at QB1, but we’ll probably be seeing a lot of P.J. Walker and Will Grier.

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Carolina Panthers 2021 preseason schedule: Dates and times finalized

Here are the dates and times for all three preseason Panthers games this year.

The Carolina Panthers and the rest of the NFL released their regular season schedule a few weeks ago. That included a couple preseason matchups, but the specifics for Carolina’s first game against the Indianapolis Colts had not yet been released. Now, we have all the information for that matchup so the entire 2021 preseason schedule is set.

Here are the dates and times for all three Panthers preseason games this year.

Panthers in talks with Colts about holding joint practices before preseason matchup

According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, the team is in discussions with the Indianapolis Colts about holding joint sessions prior to their preseason game.

The Carolina Panthers are probably looking forward to the preseason returning this year. At the moment, Carolina is tied for the second-youngest roster in the NFL, so they’ll need all the experience they can get.

One way that teams mix things up late in the summer is by holding joint practices with their preseason opponents. That may be in the cards for the Panthers this year. According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, the team is in discussions with the Indianapolis Colts about holding joint practices prior to their preseason game.

“The Panthers are expected to have a nice change-up to camp this year, as they’re in discussions with the Colts about holding a pair of joint practices before the teams’ preseason game in Indianapolis, according to a source.”

The preseason game will be held in Indy, although a date and time has not yet been determined by the league.

The Colts are coming off an 11-5 season and a major change at quarterback. Following the retirement of Philip Rivers, they traded two picks to the Eagles for Carson Wentz. While Wentz’s game has dropped off in a major way since his ACL injury in 2017, the idea is that he’ll get back to his old game under the guidance of coach Frank Reich, who previously worked with him at his peak in Philadelphia.

The Panthers went 5-11 and they’ve also made a big move at QB, trading in Teddy Bridgewater for Sam Darnold. We may not get to see either Darnold or Wentz under center in the first preseason game of the year, but a series or two is not out of the question.

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NFL to cut 2020 preseason in half: What it means for the Panthers

The NFL is cutting two of its four preseason games from the 2020 schedule, according to a report by Kevin Seifert at ESPN.

The NFL is cutting two of its four preseason games from the 2020 schedule, according to a report by Kevin Seifert at ESPN. Here’s how he explains it.

“In essence, the league canceled Weeks 1 and 4 of its original preseason schedule. It had previously canceled its Aug. 8 Hall of Fame game. Most players will still report to training camp on July 28, but the first preseason games won’t be played until Aug. 20-24. The second week of preseason games is scheduled for Aug. 27-31. Each team will play one home game and one on the road.”

For the Panthers, this means they won’t be playing the Jaguars Week 1 or the Steelers Week 4 as originally planned. However, they will be keeping the two far more compelling preseason matchups on their schedule.

First, they’ll have to compete with a familiar face when they visit Cam Newton and the Patriots at Foxboro on Thursday, Aug. 20.

The Panthers will also get some national exposure when they host Lamar Jackson and the Ravens on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, Aug. 30.

The driving force behind these changes is of course the pandemic and the havoc it’s wreaked on teams’ offseason schedule. New coaches like Matt Rhule haven’t had any in-person time to get to know their players and install their playbooks.

Teams are still scheduled to start training camp on July 28, with rookies reporting one week earlier.

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Panthers release info for first preseason game of 2020

At long last, we have all the info for this year’s preseason schedule.

At long last, we have all the info for this year’s preseason schedule. The Carolina Panthers just released the date and time of the first game of the year. It starts Thursday, Aug. 13, when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars at Bank of America Stadium.

This year’s slate also features a nationally televised game against the Baltimore Ravens. Here is the complete 2020 preseason schedule:

Week 1: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Thu, Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m. ET

Week 2: at New England Patriots: Thu, Aug. 20, 7:30 p.m. ET

Week 3: at Baltimore Ravens: Sun, Aug. 30, 8:00 p.m. ET (NBC)

Week 4: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Thu, Sep. 3, 7:30 p.m. ET

These games will be important for the Panthers, who have a challenging road ahead and need as much preparation as they can get.

To recap, Carolina has an almost totally remade coaching staff, a new playbook, a new franchise quarterback, three new starting offensive linemen and will probably have to play four rookies on defense. To make matters worse, they are projected to have the worst defensive and special teams units in the league to go with the hardest schedule.

Matt Rhule comes into the NFL as one of its most handsomely-paid coaches. He’ll have to earn every penny in year one.

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