My Steve Smith NFL Blog

Jimmy Clausen certainly seems to have the swagger of a champion. He has spent an ample amount of time saying the right things around the Carolina Panthers training sessions, and the Panthers have not said a whole lot about who will be leading the Panthers into the 2010 season. They named Matt Moore as the starter during the offseason, but that was before they used their top draft pick to draft Notre Dame product Jimmy Clausen. Since then, they have been largely quiet about who will lead the Panthers.

Moore has to be the odds on favorite to be under center on opening day, but he faces a number of challenges moving forward. Most of the problems he has are not related to his football skills. Moore is one of many Carolina Panthers starters that are to be free agents come the off season, and the Panthers clearly are not going to be able to sign them all. That group of free agents also includes all-world running back DeAngelo Williams, and the Panthers are sure to have him at the top of their list. Where does Moore fit in?

It appears that Matt Moore is going to be moving on regardless of his performance on the field. Of course, this could change with an incredible on the field performance, but it is not likely. He simply is not playing in the type of offense that allows a quarterback to put up big numbers. Sure, he has Steve Smith and some interesting rookie options at the receiver position, but the Panthers are really all about running the football. With Williams and Jonathan Stewart on the team, that is not going to change. The bottom line is, Moore is likely playing to make his trade value go up this year.

The Panthers need to recognize this, and get what they can from Moore. If they hope to make any type of trade and get something either from Moore or potentially Clausen if Moore is as good as he appears, they need to establish that Moore is their starter. They have been a bit dicey about coming out and saying so. That has to hurt Moore's confidence.

Hand Moore the football, tell him that he is the man, and then let the chips fall where they may. If the Panthers do this and Moore flops, it is easy enough to then bring in Clausen to see what he has got. There is no advantage to the Panthers to do otherwise. Moore needs to be named the starter and either win or lose the position with his on field play. By making it up in the air, the Panthers are essentially telling the rest of the NFL that Moore is not as good as they thought. That could hurt his trade value going into a tough off season next year.

Rodney Southern has been writing on the Carolina Panthers and NFL action since they first came into the league. He runs popular blogs on several players and the Carolina Panthers in general, as well as making NFL predictions weekly. If you are looking for content to be written, or just simply want to enjoy reading the hottest Panther and NFL news, then you should check out his work today.

All Carolina Panthers fans need to head on over today for the hottest Panther action and most entertaining Panthers blogs on the Internet! Come visit Carolina Panther Fanz today! Carolina Panthers rule in 2010!

Time management is a grand idea when dealing with the things in your life. It's all about organization, efficiency and getting things done. As a tool for leading people through change, however, it misses the mark. In fact, when leading change, the last thing you want to do is manage your time. Instead, invest it in the people with potential to become change leaders themselves, and the returns you get may surprise you. Following is an incredible story that illustrates the point.

A few years ago I became upset when a player on the NFL's Carolina Panthers beat up a teammate and subsequently was suspended for one measly game by the team. I felt this punishment was too lax (after all, the attacked teammate ended up in the hospital) and wrote an angry letter to the teams' owner, Jerry Richardson, expressing as much. Mr. Richardson not only acknowledged my letter after I figured it would end up in the trash but he went one giant-step further. He offered to come visit my thirteen-year-old son, who was a big fan of the team's, and me, along with the star player in question, wide receiver Steve Smith.

They made the two-hour drive each way from team headquarters to my home and stayed with us for three hours. I learned that day that Steve Smith is a good man who made a bad mistake and was willing to learn and take responsibility for his actions. I admire him greatly for that. From Mr. Richardson, I learned the power of a leader being personally invested in future leaders who can make a difference.

Jerry Richardson invested time in me that day, but more importantly he invested time and energy in Steve Smith, someone with potential to lead changes on the field of play. I can only imagine the discussions they had as they drove back and forth and the bonds they forged and then carried forward. It's no coincidence that the following season Steve Smith emerged as the team's biggest star and helped lead them to a Super Bowl appearance.

Mr. Richardson identified Steve Smith as someone I call a 'diamond-in-the-rough,' a leader of untapped potential. Then, he personally invested his time and energy to help Steve unleash his potential. You can do much the same for the uncut diamonds in your organization. Here are five tips to help get you started.

Hold yourself accountable for people development. Common comfort zones such as crunching numbers and formulating strategy have their place, but both are useless if you don't have leaders in place to execute. Therefore, hold yourself accountable for the people side of the equation too. Recognize more pressing issues will always come up, so do whatever it takes to make finding and developing people a priority. Schedule time for building relationships into your calendar. Make a list or create a spreadsheet to track your progress if you must. Set goals for people development and hold yourself too them. Identify your Steve Smiths, or your "diamonds-in-the-rough." You can't invest in your future change leaders if you don't know who they are. Some 'diamonds' are obvious. Their talent and ability dazzles and stands out, but others may require energy and effort to unearth. This may be especially true if you work in a large organization where talented people lay buried within the bureaucracy. In this case, use Tom Peters' old technique of management by walking around. Get out of your comfort zone. Visit places in your organization where you don't know as many people. Talk to at least one new person a day. Take the new guy or woman to lunch. When you visit remote sites, make it a point to meet people relevant to your line of business, then, follow up with those you meet. Once you find them, don't delegate your 'diamond' development. Certainly Human Resources and your training department have a role to play in polishing future leaders' skills and capabilities. But the savviest leaders take personal responsibility for helping people grow. Once you have identified the people you think could be future change leaders for your organization, get personally involved in their development. Jerry Richardson answered my letter and placed the initial call to me. Jerry Richardson invited Steve Smith to join him on his visit. Jerry Richardson even drove the car himself. He didn't delegate these duties; he owned them as his. Poor time management? Perhaps. But, poor time management often creates the conditions for great change leadership to occur. Polish your gems by asking questions. The best leaders ask questions - lots of them. They don't invest much time in running around telling people what to do. In fact, they don't hire people who have to wait to be told what to do. Instead, they unleash talent by presenting problems and asking for ideas versus offering solutions. They understand their job is to lead, not do. They encourage people to think. They encourage people to act. They remove organizational roadblocks that hold talent back. They ask questions versus bark orders. Explore ideas and build relationships beyond the boundaries of work. Engage people on a variety of topics beyond your common industry issues. Refining someone's leadership often means helping them look beyond the confines of their everyday world for novel solutions and product innovations they can bring back to it. Become emotionally invested too. Spend time getting to know your future leaders. Find out what matters to them, inside and outside of work. Sometimes engaging in small talk can lead to big insights. You may discover a personal situation that is holding someone down or holding him or her back, such as the illness or loss of a loved one. You may not be able to do anything tangible to help, but simply knowing that you care can be reassuring and provide a boost. If you want people to be there for you when the going gets tough, as it inevitably will when things change, you need to personally invest in them first.
A Final Word

If investing in people sounds like a 'soft' activity to you, you're right. It is. But rare is the business that can consistently return good, hard results without making soft investments in people first. People determine whether you win or lose, whether the game is football or business or life. To better lead change, stop managing your time and start investing it in people. Then enjoy as the wins pile up.

Dr. Gary Bradt is a change and leadership expert, speaker and author of The Ring in the Rubble: Dig Through Change and Find Your Next Golden Opportunity http://www.theringintherubble.com His diverse client base includes IBM, FedEx, General Motors, American Express, Marriott International, The Weather Channel, The Department of Defense, and NASA. For many years he was endorsed by Spencer Johnson as the primary speaker worldwide on Johnson?s business bestseller Who Moved my Cheese? He resides in Summerfield, North Carolina with his wife and two children.

The Carolina Panthers weren't able to build on their 12-4 NFC South title season of 2008. They won just eight games last season as quarterback Jake Delhomme held the offense back with his turnover problems. The Panthers said goodbye to their long time quarterback this offseason, and now they will turn to fourth-year signal caller Matt Moore, who led the Panthers to four wins in five games in last year's stretch run. More than anything else, the Panthers need Moore to make smart decisions with the football as running backs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams carry the offensive load.

The Panthers typically play good defense, and their performance in 2009 was no exception, but now they are about to experience life without stud pass rusher Julius Peppers.

Offense: Bookend tackles Jordan Gross and Jeff Otah, and Ryan Kalil (center) and Travelle Wharton (left guard), are all key pieces to one of the NFL's best run-blocking units. These guys do the heavy lifting while Stewart and Williams get all the glory. Thanks in part to the boys up front, this dynamic running back duo is perhaps the best in the NFL. Last season, Stewart and Williams combined for 2,250 yards and 17 scores, and both players averaged over five yards per tote. As a result, Carolina boasted the third-best running attack in the entire league.

The running game is certainly Carolina's bread and butter, but the Panthers will have to throw the football more effectively in 2010 if they hope to improve on last year's record. The Panthers finished No. 27 in the league in passing offense in 2009, averaging just 174.9 yards per game. Delhomme was throwing interceptions at such a high rate that the coaching staff completely lost faith in the passing game.

The Panthers are hoping that Moore can pick up where he left off last season. They don't need him to be great, just good. The Panthers will certainly take his 2009 performance when he completed 62 percent of his throw for 1,053 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions in limited action.

When the Panthers do take to the air, Moore will be looking to hook up with No. 1 wideout Steve Smith. In a down year, Smith still hauled in 65 passes for 982 yards and seven scores.

Defense: Carolina was one of 11 teams to give up less than 20 points per game in 2009. Of those teams, only two failed to make the playoffs. Had the offense been better, Carolina would have had a great opportunity to punch its playoff ticket for a second straight season.

The Panthers were one of the better defensive teams on the all-important third down. They ranked No. 7 in the NFL in third down defense, only giving up the first down 35.5 percent of the time.

This Panthers could slip on third now that Peppers is in the Windy City. His pass rushing ability was crucial on that down last season. Peppers is the Panthers' all-time sacks leader. They're really going to miss a guy that recorded double-digit sacks year in and year out, especially since no one else on the roster had more than five last season.

While I'm not sure who is going to step up to provide some heat on the quarterback (maybe Tyler Brayton), I am sure that the Panthers will need even more leadership and stellar play out of Jon Beason, Thomas Davis and Chris Gamble to help make up for such a huge loss.

Prediction: 3rd NFC South - The Saints, Falcons and Panthers will all contend for the division title in what is becoming one of the NFL's toughest divisions. Any of these three teams can win it, but right now the Panthers look to be a little behind the other two. The NFL is a quarterback's league, and the Falcons and the Saints both have Pro Bowl-caliber signal callers. Be sure to check out my 2010 NFL predictions to see which team I have winning the division.

There has never been a repeat champion of the NFC South Division and the Carolina Panthers were the victims of the South curse last season, following up their 2008 12-4 record and division title with an 8-8 finish and no playoffs last year. And really that 8-8 record was a bit misleading because Carolina had to win its final three games to manage a .500 mark.

Jake Delhomme's turnover-plagued 2008 postseason continued on into 2009 leading Matt Moore, who led the mini-resurgence late in the year, to eventually replace him. Moore is now the starter until 2010 NFL Draft pick Jimmy Clausen is ready, while Delhomme is now a Cleveland Brown. The Panthers ranked just 27th in the NFL in passing last season and may not be much better this year with some major receiver questions outside of Steve Smith, who himself is recovering from a broken arm. Dwayne Jarrett seems likely to start opposite Smith.

But let there be no doubt: this will be a run-heavy team behind DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, arguably the NFL's best running back tandem. Thanks to those two, the Panthers led the NFC in rushing last year and were third overall. Stewart and Williams became the sixth pair of teammates in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in the same season.

The defense could take a big hit this season as star defensive end Julius Peppers left as a free agent for the Bears - meaning only one defensive line starter is back from last season. And linebacker Thomas Davis, the team's best pass-rushing linebacker, was lost for the season this summer with a torn ACL.

Carolina coach John Fox has never coached two playoff teams in a row at Carolina. If that streak runs to three, look for Fox to be gone and the team to try and lure Bill Cowher out of retirement.

The oddsmakers put Carolina's 2010 NFL season wins total at 'over/under' 7.5. Let's break down the 2010 Carolina Panthers schedule:

Week 1: Sunday, Sep. 12, at NY Giants, 1:00 PM

Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM

Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, Cincinnati, 1:00 PM

Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, at New Orleans, 1:00 PM

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, Chicago, 1:00 PM

Week 6: BYE

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, San Francisco, 1:00 PM

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, at St. Louis, 1:00 PM

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, New Orleans, 1:00 PM

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14, at Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, Baltimore, 1:00 PM

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, at Cleveland, 1:00 PM

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, at Seattle, 4:15 PM

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, Atlanta, 1:00 PM

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19, Arizona, 1:00 PM

Week 16: Thursday, Dec. 23, at Pittsburgh, 8:20 PM

Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, at Atlanta, 1:00 PM

This is ranked as the seventh-easiest schedule in the NFL this season, with an opponents' 2009 winning percentage of.477 (122-134). Carolina has just five games against playoff teams from last season - it helps that only one NFC South team (Saints) made it.

The Giants will no doubt be out for revenge in the grand opening of the New Meadowlands Stadium as Carolina crushed the G-Men in Week 16 last year in the final of the old Giants Stadium. The Panthers have opened as seven-point underdogs.

Carolina really needs to be strong in the next five games because that stretch likely will determine its NFL betting lines with four of the games at home and only one against a playoff team from last year (Cincinnati) although the Bears and Niners could be in 2010. Should be interesting to see what Peppers does against Panthers star tackle Jordan Gross in that Chicago game.

That next three-game stretch also isn't that bad. Sure, the Saints are defending champs, but Carolina gave them trouble last year, winning the season finale at home (when New Orleans had zip to play for). Carolina has have won 11 of its last 15 against the Saints and hasn't been swept by them since 2001. The Panthers swept the Bucs last year and are 11-3 against them since 2003. The Rams haven't won at home since midway through the 2008 season.

Baltimore will be tough to beat before the Panthers could see Delhomme when they go to Cleveland on Nov. 28, although if Delhomme plays like he did last year he'll be benched by then. That matchup with Arizona is strangely the ninth year in the past 10 these two have played. Carolina has won six consecutive regular-season games over the Cardinals.

It's clear not much is expected of Carolina considering its only prime-time schedule game is that Week 16 matchup in Pittsburgh. The Panthers aren't a very good cold-weather team so it's hard to see them winning there.

If Matt Moore is just OK, this schedule really seems quite easy. I'd say that eight wins is probably very doable and that 'over' 7.5 seems like a lock, although the NFL Power Rankings indicate this is not a playoff team.

Doc Moseman is one of the pioneers of college football and the NFL Handicapping industry. Check out his Web site for up-to -the-minute NFL Odds and his famous winning college football and NFL picks.

The Carolina Panthers are a member of the South Division of the NFC. They are based in Charlotte, North Carolina, but the team serves as a representative to both North and South Carolina. Along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Carolina Panthers history is short, as they became part of the NFL in 1995. An impressive accomplishment in Carolina Panthers history is their Super Bowl appearance in 2003, only 8 years since their inception. When the Carolina Panthers first became part of the NFL, they were a member of the NFC West division. In 2002, they were moved to the NFC south division, which was made more sense considering their location. The Carolina Panthers mascot is Sir Purr, and they are managed by Marty Hurney.

Carolina Panthers history started in the late 1980s after the approval of a professional NBA expansion team. The Charlotte Hornets, who are now the New Orleans Hornets, the basis for former Baltimore Colts player Jerry Richardson to discuss the possibility of having an NFL expansion team as well. His company, Richardson Sports, chose an uptown location in Charlotte where they would build a privately financed stadium that seated more than 70,000 fans. Everyone joined the effort to show their support for the cause, an effort to prove to the NFL that Charlotte was worthy of an NFL team. Preseason games were held in the area in 1989, 1990, and 1991, which were all sold out games, again as an effort to show support for the NFL. In 1992, expansion teams were discussed in Charlotte, as well as Baltimore, St. Louisville, Memphis, and Jacksonville. The vote was delayed until 1993, considering there was still a dispute within the league. It was on October 26, 1993 that the NFL announced that Carolina would be the 29th franchise for the NFL, which made them the first new team in the league since the 70s.

Carolina Panthers history during the 1995 Season; Dom Capers was appointed as the head coach, and they acquired their team through a newly formed method of drafting. Aside from popular draft picks like Rod Smith, Mark Carrier, and Kerry Collins, the Carolina Panthers were also entitled to use the free agency process. A notable aspect of Carolina Panthers history is that they won their first game of their career, playing the Hall of Fame Game against the Jaguars, who was also a new team that year. Of course this game was known as the "Battle of the Big Cats", we'll let you figure out why. The Panthers new stadium was still under construction, so all their home games were played at Clemson University.

Carolina Panthers history was rough in the late 90s; Rae Carruth was sent to prison for conspiring to murder his pregnant girlfriend. At that same time, Kerry Collins was cut from the team due to problems with alcoholism and accusations of making racial slurs about his teammates. Fred Lane, who had traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2000, was killed by his wife shortly after trading teams. During this time, the team made no notable appearances on the field, and Dom Capers was let go after the 98 season. In 1999, George Seifert was hired to replace him, as he had won two Super Bowl titles with the 49ers. However, his time with the team was disastrous, and he was immediately let go in 2001. The Panthers attempt to acquire Steve Spurrier and Tony Dungy in 2002 were unsuccessful. So they chose John Fox as their head coach, who was a former defensive coordinator for the Giants. In 2003, Carolina was a much better team, landing them in Super Bowl XXXVIII, which they ended up winning! Considering their short history, this Super Bowl appearance was a great accomplishment and something notable to go in Carolina Panthers history!

Copyright (c) 2009 Matthew Love

Matt Love FootballCollectibles.com http://www.footballcollectibles.com/CarolinaPanthers.html
Carolina Panthers History, Blogs, Articles, Shopping and Memorabilia.

Who would have thought that the Carolina Panthers would start out the 2009 football season with an 0-2 record? This is the team that finished last year at 13-3, and looked better and better with each week that passed.

The Carolina Panthers were a dangerous football team in 2008. Armed with one of the best wide receivers in the game (Steve Smith), a great quarterback (Jake Delhomme), and arguably the best running back in football in 2008 (DeAngelo Williams), the Panthers were dangerous. Add a potent defense to the mix that no team wanted to face, and Carolina had the makings of a team with legitimate Super Bowl potential.

Hopes were equally high for the team entering the 2009 season. Nearly everyone was back from the year before, and things looked to pick up exactly where they left off in 2008.

For some reason, things haven't worked out this way thus far. In week 1, the Carolina Panthers were embarrassed by the Eagles on their own field. They lost this game by a score of 38-10. Their defense was pitiful, and Jake Delhomme looked just as dreadful at the quarterback position.

Week 2 looked somewhat better, but as they say, a loss is a loss. The team traveled to Atlanta for a matchup against the Falcons, and lost this game 28-20. While they looked a little better than they did in week 1, Delhomme was still less effective than usual, and the team failed to show the defensive dominance they exhibited week in and week out in 2008.

The Panthers travel to Dallas for a week 3 Monday Night Football game. Is an 0-3 start in the cards?

Enjoy an awesome Carolina Panthers forum, at RootZoo Sports, home to the best sports articles online.

The Carolina Panthers are coming off a good season all things considered in 08' with a 13-3 record. The Panthers playoff performance against the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Divisional game, losing 33-13, was something they would like to forget obviously. Jake Delhomme's threw for 5 interceptions in an awful day.

The 09' season hasn't started off like the Panthers would hope for - they are a team in disarray and the terrible game against the Cardinals seems fresh in their minds. The Panthers offense is one of the lowest ranked in the NFL - with a WR like Steve Smith one would assume that couldn't happen. The Panthers are underachieving greatly and time is not on their side to turn things around quickly. Their competition in the NFC South is the Atlanta Falcons and the high octane offense New Orleans Saints.

The Panthers haven't shown up as of yet, they rank in the lower 3rd of every defensive category besides passing yard defense. The last several years shown that it is very hard to repeat as division winners in the NFC South - 02' Tampa Bay Buccaneers 03' Carolina Panthers 04' Atlanta Falcons 05' Tampa Bay Buccaneers 06' New Orleans Saints 07' Tampa Bay Buccaneers 08' Carolina Panthers. The chances are good that the Carolina Panthers won't repeat as division champs.

Jake Delhomme did take the Carolina Panthers to a Super Bowl and gave the Patriots all they could handle. Jake Delhomme is a solid quarterback who is struggling. WR Steve Smith is one of the best play-makers in the NFL but has been forgotten and seemingly an after thought. The Panthers made their name by running the ball in 08' - if they are going to have any success this year the Panthers must run the ball again with the same authority.

Check out the Carolina Panthers forum and over 60,000 trivia questions at RootZoo.

Steve Smith was born on May 12, 1979 in Lynwood, California. Although Smith did not have the easiest life as a young child, he worked as hard as he could to be a success on the football field. And even though he has made it big in the NFL, this has not stopped him from working hard day in and day out. This is one of the main reasons that Smith has become known as one of the top wide receivers in the league.

After high school Smith decided to attend Santa Monica Jr. College. Although he did not attend a four year college right out of high school, again, this did not stop him from working for his goals. After two stellar years at Santa Monica, Smith caught the eye of the coaching staff at the University of Utah. Although he had a great career at Utah, it was not until an impressive performance at the Blue-Gray All Star Game that he started to receive attention from NFL scouts.

In the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft the Carolina Panthers chose Smith. Although he did not get to play a lot of wide receiver during his first season, he did make his mark on special teams. Smith led all rookies with nearly 2,000 net yards on kick and punt returns. Not only was this top for rookies, but it also put him at the top of list among everybody in the league.

In 2002, Smith earned a spot as a starting wide receiver, and since then he has been showing up opposing defenses. Smith has been named to the Pro Bowl three times, and is sure to see many more of these as his career moves forward.

With plenty more years to play, Steve Smith has the chance to be one of the best wide receivers in NFL history.

Bob writes for DraftDayPicks.com and 2GoAllOut.com.

After winning the NFC South divisions of the NFL in 2008-09, the Carolina Panthers finished with an 8-8 on NFL Picks in 2010-11, 3rd in the division. The Panther had high expectation coming into last season but quarterback Jake Delhomme had a less than spectacular season and that got him a one way ticket out of Charlotte. Last year the Panthers offense struggled, especially in the passing game, averaging only 174.9 and that was 27th in the National football League, The running game was very good, the tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart was 3rd in the entire NFL averaging a little over 156 yards per game, Stewart led the team with 1,133 yards. Carolina scored 19 points per game which was not exactly spectacular. The Carolina Panther defense gave up 315.8 yards per game, 8th in the league, the pass defense was the units strong point as opposing quarterbacks threw for 191 yards per game and that was 4th in the entire NFL, the run defense led by linebacker Jon Beason gave up a 124.8 yards per game. As far as the team was for sports bettors, they were 9-7 against the spread, going over the betting odds total 6 times and under 10 times.

Panthers coach John Fox and the Panthers will be faced with Delhomme, the quarterback who led the team to their first and only superbowl appearance. Incumbent Matt Moore played at the end of the season and performed admirably but this sports handicapper doesn't think he is the answer and apparently neither does the Panthers management, the team drafted high profile quarterbacks Jimmy Clausen from Notre Dame in the 3rd round and University of Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike in the 6th round. Carolina is strong up front on the offensive line and the team may have the best tandem of running backs in all of football with Williams and Stewart, the tandem will be even better this season and we really believe Jonathan Stewart will have a breakout season, becoming one of the best backs in the NFL. Wide receiver Steve Smith will have another great season, there is no problem with his confidence and he will back it up every time.

Carolina also parted ways with longtime defensive end Julius Peppers, who has a much talent as anyone at the position has ever had, I mean anyone and Peppers is not that old, this will hurt Carolina. Middle linebacker Jon Beason is becoming one of the best in the National Football League, he's just a tad behind Ray Lewis when it comes to intensity and hitting, this guy can flat out play. cornerback Chris Gamble is the stud in the defensive backfield but the guy on the other side isn't bad either, Richard Marshall could easily have a pro bowl season. The Panthers lack of experience at the quarterback position will be the only thing holding them out of the 2010-11 playoffs.

Greg C Nelson

A native of Lynwood, Calirornia and born on May 12, 1979, Stevonne L. Smith currently plays as a wide receiver for the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Standing 5'9" and weighing less than 200 pounds has not prevented Smith from breaking more tackles than any wide receiver in the NFL. In the early days of his career, Steve Smith struggled somewhat, but has since improved his running routes as is evident by his 2005 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

An only child who grew up in a single-parent household, Steve Smith attended University High School in Los Angeles where he was a popular football star. He was selected for the All-California Interstate Football and All-Metro League teams. During his collegiate years at Santa Monica College, where he remained for two years prior to transferring to the University of Utah, Steve Smith achieved second team All-Western State Conference South during his sophomore year. Upon transferring to Utah, Smith made the All-Mountain West Conference team during the two years that he was enrolled. He soon began receiving attention from NFL scouts and decided to put his name in the running for the 2001 NFL Draft.

During the third round of the NFL Draft in 2001, Steve Smith was drafted by the Carolina Panthers. His rookie season led to an appearance at the Pro Bowl. In the 2002 NFL season, Smith played an important role in the team's effort to reach the Super Bowl XXXVIII. In 2004, a broken leg kept Steve Smith off of the field and on the injured reserve during the season. By 2005, however, Smith was ready to regain his position on the field and did so by leading the NFL with 1,563 receiving yards. In 2006, he was selected for the Pro Bowl and certainly earned his Comeback award.

In addition to his many accomplishments on the field, Steve Smith and wife Angie believe in giving back to the community. The Posey Foundation, which was established in 2004 by the couple, is designed to promote friendship amongst underprivileged and abused children in the Charlotte area. The foundation provides an outlet for fun and recreation, which also often features special events involving Steve Smith and his NFL Carolina Panther teammates.

Bob writes for fanfrenzyzone.com and GoAllOut.com.

The Carolina Panthers haven't started out their 09' season as well as they hoped for undoubtedly. Nothing has gone according to plan, Jake Delhomme isn't productive, the wide receivers haven't impressed much, the defense isn't what it was before, the whole team is in the dumps. As strong as the NFC South is now with the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints, they better start making things happen before they are looking at a 6-10 season.

The Panthers second half of the season schedule is brutal - at New England Patriots, at New York Giants, at New York Jets, and at New Orleans Saints. While the Carolina Panthers weren't the over whelming favorites to win the NFC South, no one expected them to play this badly and unorganized. When teams start out this dreadful, they will struggle the rest of the season to catch up to the leaders in the division.

Can the Panthers turn their season around? Yes they can because they do have the talent to do so. The Panthers need to create more turnovers on defense and give Jake Delhomme more chances to use WR Steve Smith, as of now, Steve Smith isn't even on the radar as one of the best wide receivers in the league. It was just a couple years ago when Steve Smith was a MVP candidate.

If the Panthers expect to compete in the division they must improve on defense or otherwise quarterbacks Drew Brees and Matt Ryan will destroy the Panthers defense.

The Panthers either have had great seasons or terrible seasons - looking back over the course of their history since 1995. Panthers fans hope the 09' season won't be disaster but a season of redemption. Jake Delhomme can not keep throwing interceptions and putting his team in a hole if they hope to win football games.

Talk more about this situation at the Carolina Panthers forum and play some fantasy football at RootZoo.

The strength of these two teams is in their defense but what is most impressive is the strength of their rush defenses. Carolina is the number 4 rush defense in the league, allowing just 91.6 yards per game and the Seahawks are number 5 in the league allowing just 94.4 yards per game on the ground.

Seattle devotes a lot of its offense to its running game and they will be tested by the Carolina rush defense. Carolina is not a big rushing team nor are they really a big passing team. They have a mediocre offense and being on the road against the Seahawks, that can spell a lot of trouble.

The Seahawks can feel safe in their defensive scheme because these Panthers are not going to blow anybody out. The Seahawks on the other hand will need to establish their running game at some point. They will probably establish it by passing the ball early. Getting the ball out for short yardage plays will ease up the Carolina rush defense and they should be able to spread the ball in a way Carolina will have trouble doing.

Carolina relies on Steve Smith too much. They got by the Bears because the Bears had a poor game plan but you can expect the Seahawks to be prepared for it. If the Seahawks can contain Steve Smith and establish a balanced offense, there is no reason to believe they will lose this game at home.

The Carolina Panthers played an uneven season in 2007, finishing with a final score of 7-9. Though they had an exciting introduction, as the months passed they suffered defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons, the Jacksonville Jaguars and other teams, though they upset the 49ers and the SeaHawks towards the end of the season. They missed the playoffs and now in their 14th season they hope to capitalize on some changes to play a more competitive game.

Some roster losses have already happened, including the loss of cornerback Patrick Dendy, linebacker Dan Morgan and safety Marquand Manuel, along with eight other losses. One of the biggest news items was the team's signing of offensive tackle Travelle Wharton to a six-year contract extension, which kept him off the free agent list. The team also signed extensions for safety Chris and defensive tackle Damione Lewis. Looking into the new year team management as well as quarterback Jake Delhomme stated that the team was looking for another playmaker capable of helping out wide receiver Steve Smith. Additional needs include a tight end and a power running back. Going into 2008, the Panthers would be left with Dwayne Jarrett and Ryne Robinson, which was big risk, especially with the departures of Dwayne Jarrett and Ryne Robinson.

Everyone's eyes were on the 2008 draft, to see who the Panthers would pick for a playmaker this year. The team started off the draft by choosing running back Jonathan Stewart from Oregon, followed by offensive tackle Jeff Otah from Pittsburgh. The team also signed cornerback Charles Godfrey from Iowa and Penn State linebacker Dan Connor. Louisville's Gary Barnidge was chosen as a tight end, along with defensive tackle Nick Hayden, linebacker Hilee Taylor, offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz and offensive guard Mackenzy Bernadeau.

What was the critical reaction to the team's draft strategy? It was expected that the team would look for a first-round running back, and with Jonathan Stewart, this was the second time in three years the team would do so. Some wondered if Stewart was truly 1st round draft material, especially with other big names available. However, Charles Godfrey was well received, as was Dan Connor. In fact, some believe Connor was good enough to be drafted in the first round. What was most surprising was that the team didn't choose a quarterback this year, which a considerable risk given Jake Delhomme's past injury. The team also neglected to choose another pass rusher, which puts added responsibility on the underachieving Julius Peppers.

While the Carolina Panthers have their fan base and still the respect of a few experts in the game, they are not winning any one's confidence with their draft picks. Experts stated that the team's biggest problem last year was in two key positions: quarterback and pass rush. Since these issues have not been resolved, what will the future hold for the team? Head coach John Fox, the team's choice since 2002, remains confident that the team has addressed the biggest concerns and will play a more competitive season in 2008.

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New Orleans Saints
Projected Record: 11 - 5

If there has ever been a city or team that deserved to win the Superbowl it would be New Orleans. With the things that the city has had to endure since hurricane Katrina and now the oil spill, a Superbowl Champion is the least that the city deserves. I think what I like best about the Saints organization is the how the players and coaches have embraced the challenge to rebuild New Orleans both on and off the field.

With Drew Brees completing over 70% of his passes the Saints didn't need a whole lot of help offensively. But, the Saints were able to add rookie tight end Jimmy Graham from Miami who has the size and potential to be a big time play-maker in this league. Jeremy Shockey is near the end of his career but can still be productive when healthy. Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and Robert Meachem are a nightmare match up for secondaries around the league and will continue to produce big plays this season. Reggie Bush may have kicked it with the Kardashians last season, but Pierre Thomas kicked it into high gear rushing for over 5.4 yards a carry last season.

Defensively, the Saints thrived on turnovers. Their secondary routinely jumped routes and baited quarterbacks into making poor decisions. Veteran safety Darren Sharper and cornerback Tracy Porter return to lead a Saints secondary that made several game changing plays in the postseason. Linebacker Johnathan Vilma will continue to make plays and protect the middle of the field for the Saints defense. Will Smith led the team with 13 sacks last year and will continue to get pressure on the quarterback.

As far as the NFC South is concerned I don't think the other teams (Falcons, Panthers, Bucs) have caught up to the Saints just yet. Look for them to repeat as division champs. However, the big question is: Can The Saints Repeat As Superbowl Champs? I think they have the talent offensively, but I think their defense will give up more big plays and force fewer turnovers and that will cause them to fall short of repeating.

Atlanta Falcons
Projected Record: 9 -7

Last season the Falcons finished 9-7 which marked the first time in their franchise history that the team had back to back winning seasons. Unfortunately, for the Falcons their 9-7 record was not good enough to qualify for the postseason in the NFC. Quarterback Matt Ryan returns for his third season as the Falcons starter and is looking to make the leap to the upper echelon of quarterbacks. He was up and down last season and will need to improve his consistency, particularly on the road if the Falcons want to make the postseason.

The Falcons running game struggled last season due to injuries to starter Michael Turner and backup Jerious Norwoord. They should both be healthy to start the season so look for the Falcons to try to reestablish the ground game that brought them so much success in the 2008 season. Receivers Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, and Tony Gonzalez give Matt Ryan a solid trio of targets at the wide receiver position.

The Falcons struggled a bit in the secondary last year and they are hoping free agent pick up Dunta Robinson will help with their secondary woes. The Falcons drafted linebacker Sean Witherspoon and defensive tackle Corey Peters with their first two draft picks in the hope of adding talent and depth to a defense that was plagued by injuries and inconsistency last season. Defensive end John Abraham can still rush the passer when healthy but his snaps have to monitored so he doesn't wear down over the course of the season.

The Falcons have enough talent to snag a wild card spot in the NFC. Their success will largely depend upon the continued maturation of Matt Ryan into an elite level quarterback and the improvement of a defense that gave up far too many big plays.

Carolina Panthers
Projected Record: 7-9

I've always liked John Fox. But I think last season his loyalty to Jake Delhomme cost him a season where the Panthers could have been a playoff team. A year later Delhomme and the current quarterback, Matt Moore, and quarterback of the future, Jimmy Clausen, are ready to lead the Panthers into the 2010 season.

Matt Moore showed some flashes in his limited starts last season, so the Panthers are confident he can get the ball to their play makers. It should be relatively easy for him to hand off to DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart who are one of the best running back duos in the league. Steve Smith still remains a threat at wide receiver and can still take the short pass for big yards when his team needs it most. Carolina drafted, former Appalachian State star quarterback, Armanti Edwards. He will likely play receiver and potentially add more explosiveness to the position.

Defensively, Carolina lost defensive Julius Peppers via free agency. The Panthers drafted defensive end Greg Hardy, not to replace Peppers, but, to be part of a rotation that can collectively make up for the loss of such a dynamic player as Peppers. Linebacker John Beason still wreaks havoc against offenses and makes those around him better. The secondary still has talent with cornerbacks Richard Marshall and Chris Gamble roaming the defensive backfield.

It's tough to get a good read on the Panthers. They don't have a proven quarterback and their best player on defense left in the off season. Add that to the fact they don't have a solid receiving option behind Steve Smith lead me to believe the Panthers are not a playoff caliber team.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projected Record: 4-12

In his rookie season, head coach Raheem Morris did everything you weren't supposed to do. He fired his offensive coordinator right before the start of the season and he fired his defensive coordinator before the season ended. Morris may have saved his job with a late season win at New Orleans, as well the development of Josh Freeman, but he will need to hold on to his coordinators this season so that the Bucs can build some continuity for the future.

The Buccaneers really stocked up on defense in this years draft. They drafted defensive tackle Gerald McCoy with their first round pick. Many scouts have compared McCoy to a young Warren Sapp. They also drafted defensive tackle Brian Price with their second round pick. The Bucs are hoping McCoy and Price can anchor the interior of their defense for years to come. Ronde Barber is the elder statesmen in the Bucs secondary, but Aquib Talib is the younger more athletic corner who is starting to make a name for himself. Linebacker Barrett Rudd still makes plays all over the field and is one of the leaders on a Buccaneers defense looking to become dominant again.

Josh Freeman showed some positive signs last year as a rookie. He made the typical rookie mistakes, but he showed good leadership and decision making towards the end of the season. The Bucs drafted Arrelious Benn to provide Freeman with more weapons through the air. Michael Clayton and Kellen Winslow are veteran receivers who Freeman can rely to get open and make plays. Running backs Carnell Williams and Derrick Ward need to stay healthy so that the running game can keep all the pressure from falling on Freeman.

Last year the Bucs went 3-13. This year I could see them winning 1 or 2 more games. The Bucs are improving and if they can develop Josh Freeman into a playmaker at quarterback, and reestablish the identity of their defense, you could be looking at a legit title contender in a couple of seasons.

Frank Turner is a primary contributor for Frank Football. For more season previews, fantasy football news, and game picks visit Frank Football.

We're not sure if Carolina actually played a legitimate NFL team this past Sunday. The Vikings are pathetic this year. Everyone on the team is to blame. The only thing we can hope for now is a decent pick in the draft.

We're actually at a loss for words to explain how the Vikings could improve. We don't think there's much room for improvement with this group of underachievers. The team suffered another blowout and this time it was at the hands of the Panthers.

So what went wrong?

1) Fred Smoot talked a good game prior to playing the Panthers and attempting to cover wide receiver Steve Smith. Prior to game time, Smoot provided some trash talk against Smith. Smoot should have stayed home.

Smoot couldn't cover the broad side of a barn on Sunday and Smith demolished the incompetent Smoot. Steve Smith put up over 200 yards receiving against Smoot and made him look like an amateur.

Smoot better refrain from trash talk in the future. I'm not even sure if he could cover a snail.

2) Duante Culpepper is injured. Culpepper suffered a knee injury early in the first half of Sunday's game. Culpepper will be out for the remainder of the year.

We're not sure that the QB position will actually suffer in his absence. Brad Johnson an NFL veteran will replace Culpepper.

Johnson won't be under pressure because he's not expected to perform at Culpepper's level (Which was terrible this year). Johnson also inherits a terrible record from a terrible team.

3) The rest of the team is inept. There isn't a bright spot on this team. Last week, Edinger kicked a 56 yard field goal. This week he was back to his regular form of missing chip shots.

The Offensive Line is atrocious. They seem unable to block and protect the Quarter Back. This has been a problem for a couple of seasons but things seem to be getting worse every game.

4) Mike Tice is the most to blame. He runs the team and seems as if he hasn't prepared for his weekly games. Tice seems to be overwhelmed by his opponents. Tice's team had a good week against the 1-6 Green bay Packers and then fell to the depths of inferiority this week.

It seems the Vikings get worse every week. Just when you think that they've hit rock bottom, they find a way to amaze us by doing even worse.

This year has been an awful year as a fan. The Vikings have put an inferior product on the field and have even found a way to embarrass themselves off the field.

Sunday's game was terrible and it looked like the Panthers weren't facing an NFL caliber team. We think that a high school team would have done better on Sunday.

Then only thing left for fans is to hope that the Vikings get a good draft pick and send Tice packing at the end of the season.

Anthony B. is the founder and owner of ItsTheRightWay.com/ a news, political and sports commentary website.

Anthony has over 7 years of experience as a business professional

As training camp has emerged creating a vast set of emotions of both hope for rookies and redundant routines for veterans, it is never to early to began the rampant speculations surrounding the issue of how the teams will look in the standings come season end. Through my knowledge of the sport and teams, as well as careful analysis of recent off-season acquisitions and losses, I have come up with a forecast of how I expect each team to finish in its respective division. Continuing with the presence of challenging divisions as seen by the NFC East, the NFC South also provides a dilemma in terms of deciding the rankings.

When looking at the Carolina Panthers, the first idea that springs to me is the incredible year Jake Delhomme is going to have. I have always been a firm supporter of him and look for an incredible season stats wise which will put Delhomme in contention for the MVP title. With the addition of Keyshawn Johnson, who I deem as underrated, and possibly the best receiver in the game in Steve Smith, Delhomme is going to have all the necessary weapons to have a breakout season and surprise many doubters. However, while Delhomme will prove his elite status in terms of quarterbacks, I do have some doubts about the rest of the team. With a hard schedule facing the Panthers in the midst of the NFC South as well as no real running back, there are some questions whether the Panthers can continue to have another playoff season. Due to the lack of a serious running back, a lot of Delhomme's success will come through such an attribute but will also seriously wear him down during the duration of the season causing the Panthers to lose a few games. Nevertheless, I still expect a strong season from this team making a serious run at a wildcard spot.

Like I predicted the Washington Redskins to fall in my NFC East predictions article, I expect a similar type of season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While his father may tend to disagree with me, I am not a strong supporter of Chris Simms regardless of the few aberrations he may of have last season. I do like Carnell Williams but also expect him to go through a sophomore slump during the duration of the season unable to perform any miracles. Tampa's wide receivers are also mediocre as I believe Joey Galloway, who is injury prone to begin with, had a breakout season and will not match his production of last year. While the team has a decent defense, I cannot see it carrying the Buccaneers to a succession of victories with such a sub par offense. With a hard schedule also in hand, John Gruden may be facing unemployment at season's end when Tampa Bay is far out of the playoffs.

The team that may surprise football fans the most this season is the New Orleans Saints. Decimated last year due to Hurricane Katrina, the Saints, like the Eagles, will ride this season on the basis of emotions. While the team may not have the necessary tools to make it to the playoffs, the Saints will definitely be in the hunt all the way up to seasons end. With the addition of Reggie Bush and Drew Brees, two powerhouses, an already potent offense will get even stronger added to the likes of Mcallister, Horn, and Stallworth. I also like the change in coaching as it was time for Jim Haslet to leave beginning a new era for this club. While the defense is still mediocre at best, again this season is going to rely on the chemistry and emotions shared between players and fans; this will be a season that all of New Orleans will be proud about.

Like the Eagles, Rams, or Packers of last season, the Atlanta Falcons seemed to have faded by missing the playoffs with a team similar to the one that went to the NFC Championship game a year prior. While it can be argued that the team had a tough schedule, it seemed that there were a lot of intangibles that yielded such a disappointing season. With Michael Vick having problems with his offensive nature and even to have claimed to be not playing to the best of his abilities one game, such a situation can be argued to be grim news for Falcons. However, as Vick has come out and said he is going to improve this team next season, I firmly believe such a sentiment with increase the moral of his team and will look for a great season for the Falcons. I am a believer in Jim Mora, and with key additions such as John Abraham to an already bolstered defense, the Falcons should recoup like the Eagles, Packers, and Rams and make the playoffs.

Final NFC South Season Standings (*demonstrates making the playoffs):

1.*Atlanta: 11-5

2. Carolina: 10-6

3. New Orleans: 8-8

4. Tampa Bay: 4-12

Dennis Biray presents advice on all kinds of topics ranging from finance and investing to fitness to sports. For more information email him at dbiray@gmail.com, or to view other articles written by him visit http://www.biraynetworks.co.nr/.

I could probably write a book (or at least a mini one) with all of the fantasy football surprises of 2009. There have been some great overachievers this season, and I wouldn't be surprised to see many of them stick around for a few years as top fantasy football options. Let's have a quick look at some of the better surprise players of this 2009 fantasy football season thus far. I'm only going to discuss three, but you know as well as I do that there are many more.

1. Steve Smith, New York Giants wide receiver. Did anyone ever think that Steve Smith would be an elite wide receiver through the first several weeks of the 2009 NFL season? Maybe the Steve Smith on the Panthers, but not this guy. People have quickly forgotten that Plaxico Burress was ever a New York Giant, thanks to Steve Smith.

2. Austin Collie, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver. Collie was an unexpected surprise who really only received the playing time he's gotten since Anthony Gonzalez is out for the season with injury. Still, the rookie WR has risen to the occasion, scoring several big TDs and grabbing a bunch of receptions each game.

3. Rashard Mendenhall. There was a great deal of hype surrounding the RB Mendenhall in his rookie season last year, but an injury led to a disappointing year. He's bounced back in a big way in 2009 and has fully taken advantage of the absence of Willie Parker. A new star is born.

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Carolina Panthers have hired Jeff Davidson as their offensive coordinator after Dan Henning was fired. Davidson was the Cleveland Browns' assistant head coach / offensive line coach.

Panthers also announced that Dave Magazu would be taking over as offensive line coach after they fired Mike Maser. Magazu was the tight ends coach since 2003. Panthers have had a disappointing season and failed to make it to the playoffs with 8-8. These changes in the coaching is perceived as a shakeup.

With Davidson's inclusion in the Panthers, coach John Fox is giving indications that he would now want the Panthers to concentrate on the running game. Davidson is 39 years old and before he joined the Cleveland Browns, he spent eight seasons as the tight end / assistant offensive line coach with New England. During that time, Corey Dillon rushed for 1,635 yards with the Patriots winning the Super Bowl in 2004.

In 2005, Davidson joined Cleveland as the offensive coordinator for the last 10 games of the season. However, earlier in January 2007, Davidson handed over the mantle to Rob Chudzinski who he took as his replacement.

Dan Henning was constantly criticized for being too conservative and not involving receiver Steve Smith enough in offense. The Panthers averaged just over 16 points a game which is eight less than what they averaged in 2005 when they lost to Seattle in NFC championship game. Besides this, the Panthers have been coping with a lot of injuries.

Davidson, who wrested the job from Panthers quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback coach Ken Zampese, said that he was extremely excited about joining the Panthers and is looking forward to the challenge.

About the writer: Nigel Kerry is an American free lance writer born in Los Angeles, California. Kerry writes among others for Sportus.com - sports betting Odds and sportsbook, as well as Filmzone.com, a site dedicated to texas holdem poker

What a weekend of football. What started as two decently thrilling games on Saturday led to the best two games of this year's playoffs on Sunday. We were all stunned at how the Colts couldn't get it going early, how the Panthers dominated the Bears defense, how the Seahawks survived without Shaun Alexander, and how the Broncos finally handed Tom Brady his first postseason loss. Let's start with the Saturday games.

Washington Redskins vs. Seattle Seahawks

From the start of the game, it looked like the Seahawks were ready to take over. Matt Hasselbeck made some nice throws on the opening drive and the Seahawks were ready to punch the ball in for six. Then, Shaun Alexander lost his second fumble of the season - and second in two football weeks for Seattle. When Alexander left a few minutes later, I knew right away that he would not return from a concussion. Things almost got worse when Darrell Jackson had to leave the game, but thankfully he was able to return rather quickly.

The Redskins did not play a bad football game. They were underdogs on the road against arguably the best team in the NFC. After an embarrassing offensive performance against the Buccaneers, the Redskins somewhat returned to their potential. Although Mark Brunell was off-balance on many of his throws, the Redskins were able to get the ball to Santana Moss and Chris Cooley enough to stay in the game. Clinton Portis never really got things going, but Washington kept themselves in the game and almost made it 20-17 late in the game. After that, who knows if an onside kick would have worked or not.

The Redskins clearly need another receiver next year to go along with Moss. Brunell isn't the best quarterback, but he rebounded with an outstanding season by his standards after not showing up in recent memory. The Seahawks survived without Alexander, the MVP of the league. It would have pained me to watch Hasselbeck lose another game in the postseason in the final seconds of the game. It'll be tough to beat Seattle, especially with how loud their stadium can get.

New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos

With all due respect to the Broncos, I still think the Patriots should have won this game. Both teams were very evenly matched and were playing competitive football until Kevin Faulk fumbled under two minutes. Granted, Faulk fumbling is the Patriots fault. The pass interference call on New England is what really bugged me. I know that the referees are human, but there was not even the slightest appearance of interference on that play, and the referee was standing right there. No, that doesn't mean he had a better "look", it just means he made a horrible call. If that absurd penalty is not called, the Broncos probably would have kicked a field goal and gone into the half 3-3.

After the half, the Patriots would not have panicked. They would have played like themselves still, Brady would not have thrown a long interception play in all likelihood, and New England would have gone on to win barely. However, you have to give all of the credit in the world to the Broncos for executing. Anytime the Patriots gave them an opportunity to make a play, they put points on the board. New England's defense pretty much shut down the Broncos in the first half, and the Patriots' offense pretty much had their way with them as well. When it came down to the critical moments though, accepting the fact that the penalty had to happen before the half, the Patriots blew it. Ellis Hobbs fumbled, Troy Brown fumbled, and Brady threw a pick that basically went the distance.

By the way, what a hustle by Ben Watson. I'm pretty sure that the fumble he caused went out of the end zone for a touchback, simply based on logical reasoning. However, since the cameras did not show a clear shot of that occurring, I have to agree with the referee's decision. In the end, I'm still not convinced that the Broncos are better than New England. The victory is what counts though, as we found out during Sunday's first game.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Indianapolis Colts

I'm not trying to make excuses, but I really do believe this: if the Colts had played a meaningful game one week before facing the Steelers, they would have won this game. Granted, the Steelers brought the best gameplan they could against the Colts and Troy Polamula is one of, if not the, most exciting defensive player in football. The pathetic display of offense that the Colts showed throughout the first three quarters simply looked like a team that never played together though. Part of it was the Steelers blitzing, but when Manning throws somewhere and the receiver doesn't look, they're not in sync.

In that fourth quarter, I saw the Colts true offense. I know the Steelers played somewhat conservative, but Manning and his receivers were on the same page. If that was the case from the get go, the Colts could have scored three touchdowns in the first half if they wanted to. One thing you can't excuse is the Colts' defense though. Ben Roethlisberger was simply amazing and took the Steelers offense to a new level. The Steelers know that Big Ben has his best success early, so they wanted to jump ahead early and postpone their running attack until later. When the Colts got hot, what did the Steelers do? They ran the football, what was it, 11 straight times it seemed? That is where the Colts were definitely out-coached by Pittsburgh.

It seemed to be all over when Manning got sacked at the two-yard line on fourth down. I couldn't believe my eyes when Jerome Bettis carried the ball. I anticipated him heading into the end zone, when all of a sudden Nick Harper scooped up the ball and ran down the field. Why he did not continue running outside I'm not sure, but Roethlisberger sent his team to the AFC Championship with his tackle. The Colts should have been able to move the ball for a touchdown so that they didn't have to rely on Vanderjagt, who missed big time. Before I finish talking about this game, I want to mention the Troy Polamula "called-back" interception. As much as I wanted the call to be overturned, I knew Dungy was challenging simply out of desperation. What? It was overturned? That was the most shocking overturned call I've ever seen, but it only added to the most exciting playoff game thus far in the 2005-2006 playoffs.

Carolina Panthers vs. Chicago Bears

When I made my pick for this game, I was dying to predict it would be a shootout. I was somewhat influenced by the general consensus that it would be a defensive game though, so I went in the middle and predicted average offense by both teams. Although the game contained plenty of defense, this game was a shootout more than anything. The Panthers passing game couldn't be stopped, and the Bears passing game did surprisingly well.

Is it just me, or would Jake Delhomme rank up their with Tom Brady as the best postseason quarterback in today's age? He has not struggled in a single postseason game and always torches the opposing defense. His only playoff loss came in the Super Bowl two years ago, and he was amazing in that game too. It helps that he has some of the best chemistry in the league with Steve Smith, though. It was ridiculous how open Smith was after the Bears' defenders fell down, but why wouldn't you double cover him to begin with? The other Panthers' receivers didn't do too bad, but do they really concern you that much that you don't double Smith? The Panthers moved the ball with ease all day against the best defense remaining in the playoffs, even after losing Foster.

Rex Grossman impressed me. After falling behind by two possessions, I felt Chicago had no chance to come back. Grossman fired the ball downfield all day long to any receiver he could find, showing his potential for next year. Although he was unable to lead a game-tying drive to end the game, he was simply brilliant at times. The Panthers defense performed better than the Bears overall, but the most credit may have to go to the Panthers offensive line. After Delhomme was sacked eight times by Chicago earlier this year, pressure was not even an issue for him.

Final Thoughts

This week, we'll have the Steelers taking on the Broncos and the Panthers challenging the Seahawks. I seriously believe that two wildcard teams can make the Super Bowl for once, but all four of these teams seem so evenly matched. Both games should be competitive and thrilling to watch. Stay tuned to PFCritics.com by bookmarking our site or signing up to our free newsletter. We will bring you exclusive previews of the AFC and NFC Championship over the next few days.

Chris Pokorny owns and operates Pro Football Critics, and Purely Wrestling, http://www.purelywrestling.com/. He writes for KFFL and was the lead administrator at the former wrestling games website, Gaming Ring.

The Carolina Panthers head into the 2010 season off an 8-8 record and third place finish in the NFC South. It was a disappointing finish, as the Panthers came into the 2009 season with high expectations after finishing 12-4 in 2008. A big reason for the Panther's drop off in 2009 was the play of quarterback Jake Delhomme, who started only 11 games before being benched. The Panthers will not be able to put the blame on Delhomme this season, as they cut Delhomme this past offseason. The Panthers are trying to get younger at a number of positions, and here is a look at what they will send onto the field this season.

Offense:

The Panthers will likely start the season with Matt Moore at quarterback, as Moore really impressed the organization with his play over the final five games, leading the Panthers to four wins in his five starts. The Panthers did draft Jimmy Clausen in the second round, and he will compete right away in training camp for the starting job with Moore.

The strength of this unit is the running game, as the Panthers have a deadly 1-2 punch in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. In 2009 Stewart led the way with 1,133 yards, but Williams was right behind him with 1,117 yards. The first time two backs from the same team both rushed for more than 1,100 yards. This duo will have to be even better in 2010 if this team is going to win the NFC South.

Luckily for the Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith will likely be ready for the start of the season, after breaking his arm playing flag football this offseason. Smith is the only proven weapon the Panthers have in the passing game, and they need him to bounce back with a big time season in 2010. The Panthers drafted LSU wide out Brandon LaFell, and he will battle Dwayne Jarrett for the No. 2 spot.

The Panthers have one of the top offensive lines in the NFL heading into the 2010 season. Left tackle Jordan Gross is coming off a broken leg from last season, but is expected to be ready to go for training camp. The only change up front will come at right guard, as Mackenzy Bernadeau is expected to take over for the departed Keydrick Vincent.

Defense:

The Panthers biggest lost this offseason was defensive end Julius Peppers, and there is no question that this team is going to miss his production this season. With Peppers gone it leaves the Peppers pretty weak at the defensive end position. Veteran Tyler Brayton is back after starting 15 games in 2009, but he will have plenty of competition for his job from Everette Brown and Charles Johnson. The Panthers also lost starting defensive tackles Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis. That leaves Louis Leonard, Tank Tyler, Corvey Irvin, and Nick Hayden fighting for playing time at the demanding positions inside.

The Panthers have one of the top middle linebackers in the game in Jon Beason, but will likely be without starting outside linebacker Thomas Davis for most of the upcoming season, and the team decided not to bring back 2009 starter Na'il Diggs. Heading into camp it looks like Jamar Williams and James Anderson have the early edge to start.

In the secondary the Panthers welcome back the starting duo of Richard Marshall and Chris Gamble at the two corner spots, but the Panthers will have to make a change at free safety after trading Chris Harris back to the Bears. Sherrod Martin figures to take over for Harris, with Charles Godfrey back at strong safety.

Prediction - 3rd NFC South: I know there are some that believe this team has enough to win the South this season, but I don't think they are better than either the Falcons or Saints heading into the 2010 season. I think the offense will be just fine with either Moore or Clausen at quarterback, but I just think there are too many changes on the defensive side for this team to stop the high powered passing attack of New Orleans or the running game of the Falcons.

For a complete look at the upcoming season check out our 2010 NFL predictions. If you plan on betting the NFL this season, make sure to check back before each week for our live NFL odds feed that ensures you the best possible odds for every game.

This weekend the Carolina Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in an amazing show of run offense by the Panthers. Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart came together as an unstoppable run offense combo. Deangelo Williams broke away for big runs all day and Jonathan Stewart pounded into the in zone. It's becoming apparent that every NFL team is going to have to start having two NFL starter quality running back's to be effective in the NFL anymore.

Steve Smith was active in the game, he caught a touchdown pass. His explosiveness kept the Cardinals on their heels all day. The past few weeks Steve Smith was saying that he didn't feel like an asset to the Carolina Panthers anymore. He is one of the biggest reasons that the Carolina Panthers have such an effective run game. He is so fast and so great at the wide receiver position that it takes a safety and a corner back to cover him and in some situations it takes a outside linebacker.

If the Panthers can get their confidence back up the Panthers will have a good season and maybe even make a run at a wild-card spot in the playoffs. What everyone wants to know is, who is going to be the quarterback for the Carolina Panthers next year? I don't believe anybody believes it will be Jake. Jake Delhomme is too inconsistent and throws too many interceptions. During the off-season if John Fox has the opportunity to sign a better quarterback he should take it. If you look at the past two years the Carolina Panthers had the opportunity to sign Brett Favre, Michael Vick and how many other rookie all-star quarterback's? Yet the Panthers are still sticking with Jake Delhomme.

What was going on with John Kasay the Kicker for the Panthers this weekend? He missed two 40 something yard field goals. John Kasay usually is effective even past the 50 yard line. Maybe it was just an off week for the field goal kicker. John Kasay is the last original Carolina Panther and he is one of the best kickers in the NFL.

The Panthers have ALMOST all of the tools they need to be a dominate team in the National Football League. With so many tools on offensive and defense it is time to evaluate the quarterback position for the Carolina Panthers.

It's time for the Panthers to fill in the missing piece.

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Panthers roll call requires answers from a host of players including James Anderson (50), Jason Baker (7), Gary Barnidge (82), Jon Beason (52), Mackenzy Bernadeau (65), Tyler Brayton (96), Jeremy Bridges (73), Jason Carter (11), Dan Conner (57), Donte Curry (55), Thomas Davis (58), Jake Delhomme (17), Na'il Diggs (53), Chris Gamble (20, Gary Gibson (91), Charles Godfrey (30), Nick Goings (37), Jordan Gross (69), D.J. Hackett (18), Geoff Hangartner (63), Chris Harris (43), Nick Hayden (78), Brad Hoover (45), Dwayne Jarrett (80), Charles Johnson (95), Landon Johnson (54), Mark Jones (84), Ryan Kalil (67), John Kasay (4), Maake Kemoeatu (99), Jeff King (47), Jason Kyle (56), Damione Lewis (92), Rhys Lloyd (5), Ken Lucas (21), Richard Marshall (31), Josh McCown (12), Kenny Moore (3), Muhsin Muhammad (87), Frank Omiyale (76), Jeff Otah (79), J'Vonne Parker (98), Julius Peppers (90), Ryne Robinson (10), Dante Rosario (88), Nate Salley (25), Adam Seward (59), Steve Smith (89), Jonathan Stewart (28), Hilee Taylor (66), Quinton Teal (26), Keydrick Vincent (68), Darwin Walker (93), Dante Wesley (23), Travelle Wharton (70), DeAngelo Williams (34) and C.J. Wilson (27).

The coaches include head coach John Fox, tight ends/quality control-offense coach Geep Chryst, special teams coach Danny Crossman, offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson, linebackers coach Ken Flajjole, secondary/safeties coach Mike Gillhamer, special teams/assistant strength and conditioning Matt House, secondary coach Tim Lewis, offensive line coach David Magazu, quality control/defense coach Sam Mills II, strength and conditioning coach Jerry Simmons, assistant head coach/running backs Jim Skipper, defensive line coach Sal Sunseri, defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac and wide receivers coach Richard Williamson.

When it comes to their top 10 plays, the Carolina Panthers have quite an interesting line up of accomplishments:

* Tenth - Chad Cota intercepts in the end zone against the Steelers in 1996.
* Ninth - Steve Beuerlein made the winning 5-yard touchdown against the Packers in 1999.
* Eighth - Sam Mills pulled off a 24-yard return against the Cowboys in 1997.
* Seventh - Ricky Proehl scored a 12-yard, game winning touchdown against Jacksonville in 2003.
* Sixth - Sam Mills intercepted and ran a 36-yard touchdown against the Jets in 1995.
* Fifth - Kris Jenkins blocked an extra point against Tampa Bay in 2003.
* Fourth - Ricky Manning threw a one-handed interception that won the game against St. Louis in 2004.
* Third - DeShaun Foster completed a one yard touchdown with four broken tackles against Philadelphia in 2004.
* Second - Muhsin Muhammad made an 85-yard touchdown against the Patriots in 2004.
* First - Steve Smith's 69-yard touchdown won the game against St. Louis in 2004.

With a history of accomplishments that include such fabulous plays, fans and opponents alike can expect more great footwork and ball-carrying feats from the Panthers in the season ahead. Even Owner/Founder Jerry Richardson has the brakes off to get to the next season. Richardson was recently released from the hospital just 12 days after having heart transplant surgery. Although still recovering, one can imagine that he's still got plenty of love for his Panthers.

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Things are really looking up for the Panthers. Not only did they have an outstanding 2010 NFL draft, but they are also in prime position to surprise some folks in the NFC. Many of the experts are saying that the Panthers are going to be average at best, and nothing could be further from the truth. The Panthers are at or near the top of the heap in the NFC South, in spite of the Super Bowl champion Saints residing there. The Panthers are ready to roll in 2010.

Jordan Gross is back from injury and healthy as ever, and both of the great running backs that the Panthers have cultivated are entering the primes of their careers as running backs. That is a scary proposition for the rest of the NFL, as they were already among the best in the league. Williams had yet another 1000 yard season, and has learned to catch a few passes out of the backfield. Stewart is now beyond the rookie jitters and looks about as dominant as one could hope for in only his third year. Both are ready to have huge years.

The Panthers are also likely to benefit from a renewed quarterback position. Not only is Matt Moore playing like a man possessed, they actually have some depth behind him to push the competition. Jimmy Clausen is as talented as any NFL rookie in the league and could end up being the steal of the draft. He fell all the way to the Panthers in the second round of the NFL Draft, and will likely be the quarterback of the future.

What is really exciting in Carolina is the potential of the new set of receivers. Steve Smith will continue to anchor the unit, but new draft picks Armanti Edwards and Brandon LaFell will also give the Panthers some new targets. Who will end up being the primary target is not likely in question, but all the other positions are wide open. The Panthers also have some of the most improved tight ends in the NFL with Dante Rosario in tow.

For those that are overlooking the Carolina Panthers, they might want to look in the rearview mirror. The Panthers will be coming up fast, and could end up being the New Orleans Saints of 2010 - Super Bowl Champions from out of nowhere. (You read it here first)

Rodney Southern has been writing on the Carolina Panthers and NFL action since they first came into the league. He runs popular blogs on several players and the Carolina Panthers in general, as well as making NFL predictions weekly. If you are looking for content to be written, or just simply want to enjoy reading the hottest Panther and NFL news, then you should check out his work today.

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