Carolina Panthers

Start by watching the highlights on NFL.com that I have linked here. In this game several things stand out as reasons the Panthers lost this game. In my post game write up I lamented how little the Panthers did on the ground: The offensive line has to be the biggest disappointment as they got abused all day. Rookie LG Amini Silatolu seemed to stand out the most as Gerald McCoy ran over him constantly. The running game was seriously non-existent as the Panthers only ran for...check this out: 10 total yards. Yes, I said that right...10 total yards FOR THE ENTIRE GAME! Though the 10 yards is pitiful looking back at it the Panthers simply didn't try to run the ball. They only had 6 rushing attempts in the first half (13 for game) and instead opted to throw the ball to short routes from the shotgun. Throw in some ill-timed penalties and the result is the Panthers were out-gained 102 yards to 171 in the first half while getting shut out 13-0. On the other side of the ball the Bucs offense, while not really lighting it up was able to control the clock, limit their mistakes (no turnovers) and pound the ball with Doug Martin. The best that can be said is the Panthers defense did not give up too many big plays but instead got pounded enough in the run game to open up play action. To make my points I've picked a few plays to GIF starting with this 1st and 10 at 3:47 in the 1st quarter. The Bucs already up 7-0 and got the Panthers to bite on the play action. via assets.sbnation.com The Panthers on the other hand abandoned the run allowed the Bucs to sit back and pick their shots at Newton’s passing. All it took was for WR to not secure the pass to kill the Panthers momentum: via assets.sbnation.com In spite of all that the Panthers still had a chance to win despite being dominated in most phases of the game. They rallied from a 13-0 halftime deficit to cut the lead to 6 points yet in the end the Panthers could not overcome two things. The first was turnovers. If you watch the highlights of this game you will see both of Newton’s INTs and you will quickly notice both were passes that should not have been thrown. The first pass was into triple coverage when he had Williams’ wide open in the flat to his right. The second INT was due to Newton not looking the safety off before throwing the ball and then putting too much air under it allowing the safety to make the play. Both of the INTs came at points when the offense had momentum and had a chance to pull this game out. Throw in a blocked punt and it’s amazing the Panthers actually had a chance to pull it out. The 2nd key to this loss was the defenses’ inability to stop Bucs RB Doug Martin down the stretch. Martin rushed 24 times for 95 yards with 67 of those yards coming in the 2nd half. In particular with 2:41 left on the clock and the Panthers stalled at the Bucs 3 yard line Rivera elected to kick the FG and hope his defense could get the ball back for the offense. Instead the Panthers could not stop Martin or Josh Freeman for that matter as the Bucs ran out the clock. Here's the dagger and notice who got run over trying to stop Martin: via assets.sbnation.com So what went right? The Panthers were able to move the ball throwing it even after giving up on the run altogether. I would also add that the defense did keep the game in front of them and didn't give up many big plays. So what went wrong? As we so painfully found out over the first half of the season the shotgun-based offense weakened the running game and thereby put too much pressure on Newton. The offensive line in front of Newton also had no answer for Gerald McCoy who was a force on practically every play. Overall the offensive game plan left a lot to be desired given OC Rob Chudzinski had all offseason to plan for that game. Obviously getting a punt blocked is never good either. A terrible start for a rookie punter for sure. The six penaltie

The Panthers are one of 29 teams starting phase 3 of their organized team activities (OTAs) this week. Here are five questions they?ll be looking to answer.Click to Continue »

Good news: Amini Silatolu improved greatly down the stretch. That means that there is a very good chance that the left side of the Panthers' offensive line will actually be an asset on offense with Pro Bowler Ryan Kalil at center, the former Pro Bowler and still very much above average Jordan Gross at LT and the aforementioned Silatolu at LG. The left side of the line is where teams line up their best pass rushers, and it also means that the Panthers can call a lot of their running plays and roll-outs with Cam Newton to that side of the field to take advantage of that strength. Right?Problem: the right side of the line is likely to struggle. (I am presuming that the Panthers don't sign Eric Winston, Brandon Moore, Demetress Bell or a starting caliber player who gets released for salary purposes on June 1.) Byron Bell can get better, Edmund Kugbila can be a quick study and validate the opinions of the scouting team, or maybe Hangartner or Garry Williams will improve (though I still have Williams, a former undrafted free agent who for some reason was given a contract extension while on injured reserve 2 years ago, as a likely June 1 cut) but this will still be one of the worse right sides of the OL in the NFL. So, how about flipping Silatolu from LG to RG? Whether it is Hangartner or Williams, they still benefit from playing between Gross and Kalil. And Silatolu still benefits from playing next to Kalil. You sacrifice having a great left side of the OL and instead get a left side that is average and a right side that is ... almost OK. A pair of 1st round picks ought to be able to find holes on both the right and left sides of the line, and it will force defenses to defend both. Granted, pass blocking isn't the strength of Silatolu's game right now, but the goal is that by having him over there, the right side doesn't become a swinging gate for pass rushers. Look at it this way: Hangartner isn't great, but at least part of his problems have been due to playing next to Byron Bell. Also, playing next to a guy who doesn't have the most ability in the world in Hangartner hasn't helped Bell out much either. But put Silatolu's athleticism, temperament and 320 lbs. on the right side next to Byron Bell's 340 lbs and if nothing else they might be able to just maul people. And Hangartner, who if nothing else is an experienced veteran with a lot of starts under his belt, would benefit from not being asked to do as much when playing between two superior players. Of course, for this to be even viable Silatolu will have to build on his improved play down the stretch and make a huge jump between his rookie and second season. But if this happens, the Panthers have to strongly consider it. Hopefully by next season the Panthers will either have a long term solution at RT or Kugbila will be ready to step in at RG. (Since re-signing or replacing Jordan Gross will be the main priority on offense after this season along with finding an heir to Steve Smith, the latter is more likely than the former, and the Panthers will have to abide Byron Bell at RT at least one more season.) But this might be something that can help the Panthers get through this season. Of course, I am not buying that moving Silatolu from LG to RG and then back to LG will stunt his development. It is not as if he is being asked to play C or OT or anything ... he will still be a guard. Good news: Amini Silatolu improved greatly down the stretch. That means that there is a very good chance that the left side of the Panthers' offensive line will actually be an asset on offense with Pro Bowler Ryan Kalil at center, the former Pro Bowler and still very much above average Jordan Gross at LT and the aforementioned Silatolu at LG. The left side of the line is where teams line up their best pass rushers, and it also means that the Panthers can call a lot of their running plays and roll-outs with Cam Newton to that side of the field to take advantage of that strength. Right?Problem: t

Organized Training Activities (OTAs) are voluntary. Fines are not issued for absences, and players missing these sessions are not viewed as disruptive. There is no direct contact permitted but OTA sessions include on-the-field coaching. Helmets and elbow and knee pads are allowed but OTAs are not "fully padded" practices. Basically, players can bump into each other, and incidental contract isn't a worry. Players cannot compete against each other in a 1-on-1 manner, i.e. a cornerback against a receiver or a running back blocking a linebacker in a drill specifically designed for that purpose. Practices run on the field for no more than two hours, and no more than six hours per day can be spent on team activities. Teams must film all OTAs, and keep that film on file through the end of October. According to the CBA, a team and its head coach "are jointly responsible for any conduct in violation" of offseason workout rules, and fines can be levied by Commissioner Roger Goodell if necessary. For a first upheld violation, head coach can be fined up to $100,000, with a club fined as much as $250,000. However, the commissioner can wave fines or impose smaller penalties depending upon the nature of the violation. In the event of a workout rules breach, a team will lose its "next scheduled week of OTAs," per the CBA. A second workout violation in the same league year will cost a club a fourth-round pick in the next draft as well as another week of OTAs.

It was rumored on Twitter last week that Ryan Kalil may not be ready to go for Organized Team Activities. Eight months ago Ryan Kalil suffered a broken bone in his foot at the hands of some lady named Liz Frank in the closely contested loss against the Seattle Seahawks. Who is this Liz Frank and why was Pete Carrol allowed to use this pit bull as a means to injure Pro Bowl Hog Mollies? I decided to track down this diabolical she-devil and bring her to justice. Update: So...it's spelled Lisfranc and it's not a lady at all. Who knew? Well, now that I'm slightly more informed on Lisfranc injuries maybe I can help shed a little light on to why our amateur psychic Ryan Kalil is still not able to go eight months after a bone fracture. Per the ever-reliable Wikipedia, The Lisfranc injury is an injury of the foot in which one, or all, of the metatarsal bones are displaced from the tarsus. Lisfranc injuries are caused when excessive kinetic energy is applied either directly or indirectly to the midfoot. Basically, Kalil isn't simply dealing with a fractured bone rather he's dealing with a seperation of 1-5 bones from another. I came across some painful-looking pictures of this injury that I won't share, but I encourage a quick trip over to your preferred search engine if you are curious. While the injury requires a longer recovery time than a simple bone fracture, it is not a career-ender. Dwight Freeney suffered this injury in 2007 as well as Matt Schaub in 2011. Last year alone Maurice Jones-Drew, Santonio Holmes and Cedric Benson along with Kalil fell victim to the vicious Ms. Frank, I mean Lisfranc. The good news is the tweet also speculated that Kalil will be ready to go for training camp in Spartanburg. With Amini entering year two and Kugbila going into his first NFL training camp it will be crucial that the seasoned All-Pro is there to not only provide guidance but build the chemistry that an O-Line relies on for strength.

If you're a draft junkie who has date lines marked on your bedroom wall to count down the days before the draft like you see prisoners do in movies, you probably won't like this news. Adam Schefter is reporting that the NFL and NFLPA are in the process of moving the date of the NFL Draft to sometime in May. They are also considering moving up the start of the league year to sometime in February, before the start of the NFL Combine. Here's a tweet from Schefter with the details: NFL and NFLPA are on verge of pushing back draft to May and moving up start of league year to before combine, per sources. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 20, 2013 This doesn't really move the radar for a lot of fans, but for some it will be torturous to see the draft moved even further back from the completion of the Combine. The current system with a little over a month between the events is painful enough, but in a way it does make sense to have the draft a little closer to the start of OTA's so teams don't have to wait as long to get their rookies out on the field. If you're adamantly against this change, keep in mind that the NFL and NFLPA are currently in the "discussion" stage. Nothing is set in stone as of yet, so it's still possible that they decide not to do this. As always, stay tuned to CSR for any breaking updates to this story.

CHARLOTTE – When last seen, defensive tackle Colin Cole was helping the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a 7-9 record shock the world by knocking off the reigning Super Bowl cha...

We've grown accustomed to Newton getting slighted in the national media. Marc Sessler is the latest writer to place Newton below less accomplished QBs who instead had winning seasons last year. I guess having the best two first seasons by a QB in NFL history is not worth a mention, simply that his 'physical tools' is apparently all that he has going for him: Ranking the NFL quarterbacks - NFL.comThe future, Part II 10. Colin Kaepernick 11. Russell Wilson 12. Cam Newton Gregg Rosenthal informs me that I've given too much love to the newbies. I disagree. Last year's rookies -- and the schemes they operated -- altered the game. Wilson is a thing of beauty: technically clean, a fiery leader, never cowed by the moment. Kaepernick won me over during that chaotic first half of the NFC title game. He never panicked. Nothing about either player tells me they'll regress. Newton -- entering a huge year three -- sits at No. 12 because his physical tools are insane. So much pure ability. Cam can chart his fate, for better or worse. Will Newton ever get the respect he deserves? Probably not if the Panthers don't ever put together a winning season. Obviously I'm very hopeful this is the year we get back to the playoffs, ten years removed from our improbable Super Bowl run in 2003. I guess my biggest gripe is ranking Newton is the second group of 'The Future' where Luck and RG3 are in the first group. We've well chronicled the fact the Colts played the softest schedule in the NFL which was proven when they got roundly pummeled in the playoffs. Newton and the Panthers beat Redskins and RG3 straight up in week 9 but that win obviously didn't count for much. We just need to get over this lack of respect right? Win 10 to 12 games and the respect will come you are probably thinking. Maybe so but I'm betting Newton will have to string together several winning seasons to get the respect already being upon these younger players.

As some have probably noted, I've been a little quiet since the draft, but now that everything is finally starting to cool off, I've had time to really sit down and reflect on what the Panthers have done and how they are looking as we move into the early off season. Strength at Defensive Tackle With one swooping draft, the Panthers look to have solidified their interior for the first time since Chris Jenkins was sent to the New York Jets. Fua and McClain were nothing if not underwhelming and never really developed into solid contributors for this team, but by all accoutns it appears that our new double-down on DTs looks to be cut from a different cloth. Before his heart scare, Star Lotulelei was considered by many to one of if not the best draft prospects overall. Likewise, Short is also an added pick up whom I expect to see contributions from early on in the season by the 4th week, if not sooner. In any event, a previous weakness now looks to be a strength. Runningback Quandry... or lack thereof As some of you may have noted, about the only thing I've really spoke up recently on is the status of DeAngelo Williams in the future of our offense. Personally, I was really inclined to believe that the drafting of Kenjon Barber in some way spelled the end of DeAngelo Williams's time in Carolina. Quite frankly, Barber is not a poor man's DeAngelo Williams and to think that the new 6th round pick could be replacing the best RB in Panther's history is a long shot by far. No, I think Barber is more likely a project who can step in for to special teams roles, particularly PR and KR after Ginn leaves. As it stands, I really don't think there is any changing of the guard here at RB. Williams finished the season on a strong note, proving that he is more than capable still of being the lead back. The benefit of having Stewart was always that they were great compliments to each other. I think we'll be keeping the status quo of an equal split between double trouble, and that's really the way it should be. Each back is talented enough to be used in any package on offense we throw at them, but last season we saw both pigeon holed into very specific roles, which really made them less effective. Besides, DeAngelo's restructure makes it a lot harder to cut him because his base salaries are really low. He'll be with us for the long haul. And speaking of Williams's restructure... Let's Re-sign the Kraken Not only should this be a priority, but we can actually do it. In conjunction with a few moves, some of which might not be so tasteful, it would be really easy to lock up Greg Hardy. He is young, productive, and positively insane. Quite frankly, I like that. Besides, who doesn't wanna see a Hardy Short Star Johnson defensive line for the next 5 years? To do this, there are likely going to be some more deals that need to be addressed similar to what DeAngelo received. In particular, Jon Beason is going to have to accept a diminished role in our defense and take a pay cut that is equivalent to said role. If not, he's probably the best option to trade going into next season. I wouldn't cut him, but I'm sure there are many teams out there would would love to acquire a Pro-Bowl MLB if Beason is unwilling to do what it takes to stay with Carolina. We need another WR Speaking of personnel moves and their team salaries... Why are we paying a 34 year old WR $7 million a year when even he says he wouldn't pay one that much? Steve Smith is perhaps the best Panther in franchise history, but like Jon Beason, he's just a little too expensive for the services he provides. If I had one thing I disliked about this past draft, it would be that we did not attempt to address the deficiency at WR. In the event that Brandon LaFell goes elsewhere next season, we're left with a lot of really unproven and underdeveloped WRs... Unless you really think that Ted Ginn Jr is finally going to make that leap. Doubtful. So we're going to really

Writers from NFL.com and CBSSports.com have Panthers QB Cam Newton ranked among the best quarterbacks in the NFL. CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco ranks Newton as the 10th-best QB and 67th-best overall NFL player.  "He really came on strong in the second half when the Panthers used less of the read-option," Prisco writes. "I think he make huge steps last season. Some will say this is too high. Watch." Sessler ranks Newton as the 12th-best signal caller, putting him in a group labeled "The Future, Part II." Sessler puts Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III in the first group and has Newton with Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson in part two. "Newton -- entering a huge year three -- sits at No. 12 because his physical tools are insane," Sessler writes. "So much pure ability. Cam can chart his fate, for better or worse." Both lists rank Aaron Rodgers as the top quarterback in the league, and both have Drew Brees and Matt Ryan--two NFC South foes--ahead of Newton.  Is Newton ranked too high? Too low? Agree or disagree with what the writers have to say? Comment below.  --Jonathan Jones