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October 10, 2007
It's not Carr's team yet
Someone asked quarterback David Carr today if he felt like with Jake Delhomme out for the season, the Panthers were now his team.
"No, it’s not," he said. "I know I’m the quarterback out there and I’m going to do everything I can to win football games, do what I’ve done my whole life. But that’s something you just don’t hand over.
"Jake’s been here a long time; he’s done some great things. That’s tough to say."
Carr understands; he’s a member in good standing of that unofficial "quarterbacks club" that extends across team lines and throughout the league. Delhomme has gotten considerable feedback from other members since his injury was announced Monday.
"Monday and yesterday, just the messages and text messages from other guys around the league, you truly feel that fraternity," he said Wednesday. "That was great. Because so many guys, other quarterbacks, have had injuries they’ve had to come back from. They all said, 'Hey, that’s part of it, but that’s part of what we do.’. "
-- Stan Olson
Posted by Observer Sports on October 10, 2007 at 06:25 PM | Permalink
Comments
Of course its not his team....the guy has not developed any chemistry with our only major weapon, plus he's a backup who is starting because of injury.....regardless of what he accomplishes this year i dont think the guys in the lockroom will feel that its David's team. Jake means too much to those guys and im sure that the team feels Carr is just keepin it warm 'till next year.
BTW....does anyone know if Jarrett was active Sunday? i was hoping his appearance against Tampa would lead to more and more playing time.
Posted by: Da Bronx Mike | Oct 10, 2007 9:34:04 PM
Jarrett was active but did not play. Why ? i have no idea. Maybe he is having trouble getting the playbook down ? I sure would like to see what he can do. hopefully he'll get some action against Arizona.
Posted by: Zenmanship | Oct 10, 2007 10:31:43 PM
Kerry Colbert and Drew Carter have the play book down. However, they can't catch a football.
Steve Smith needs to catch a few balls to.
Posted by: pslholder | Oct 10, 2007 10:41:13 PM
Well....they way I see it is yeah jake is the leader of this team....but jake isnt here now. He's gone for the season sadly which means someone steps in to take his role. At the moment...it happens to be Carr. So until Jake comes back which isnt gonna be soon as we all know or they bench carr and put in Testaverde...Carr is QB which puts the team in his hands and makes it his.
Posted by: Dustin | Oct 10, 2007 10:55:22 PM
Hey Will, here's a copy of the email I sent to the Charlotte Obseverer executives. Frankly, I hope all racist people like you choke on your own hatred...
I enjoy reading the Charlotte Observer posts online about the Carolina Panthers to my daughter and two sons. I also enjoy reading some of the responses. However, I am completely offended by a post written by a person by the name of will. Will is a racist that is insulting the public on your website. He does this on a regular basis. I had to explain to my 9-year-old daughter how some white people and black people don't like each other and call each other names. She was very offended by this and I was completely embarassed by the conversation and by Will's comments. I have enclosed a word document in rich text format so you can see for yourself.
If at all possible, please place restrictions on Will's ability to post things on a public site. If this can not be done, please let me know where he resides so I can start a civil suit against him. I would greatly appreciate your efforts to resolve this problem as soon as possible.
Posted by: SYRPIS | Oct 10, 2007 11:11:10 PM
First, go to www.dictionary.com and learn what racism is. As many rednecks as there are, especially here in North Carolina...you don't consititute a race. Sorry.
Second, did you also explain to your little girl why daddy cheers on someone who got arrested for putting a gun to someone's head, someone who sucker punched a teammate and hospitalized them, and someone that got suspended for 1/4 the season for cheating and taking the evil, bad drugs?
Third, are you like a walking "you might be a redneck" joke or what?
You might be a redneck if you read NFL football blogs to your 9 year old daughter.
You might be a redneck if you are still using AOL.
And, best of all...you might be a redneck if you think you can take me to Judge Judy for calling you a redneck over the internet.
Posted by: Will | Oct 10, 2007 11:51:40 PM
LOL white ppl callin each other rednecks and racists are funny...lol
Posted by: LOL | Oct 11, 2007 1:00:26 AM
Can't we all just get along?(ha)
Posted by: stonymabry | Oct 11, 2007 7:26:19 AM
In the first comment above, Mike wrote "the guy has not developed any chemistry with our only major weapon". How about Steve Smith trying to develop some chemistry with Carr, or at least start catching the passes that Carr throws to him? There is a dual responsibility there, and, from what I see, Carr is doing all he can to make it work. Let's see Smith step up to the plate.
And how about Smith stepping up like a man and taking some responsibility for the team's poor offensive showing by acknowledging his dropped passes (one for a possible TD)? I have seen several quotes from Carr where he seems to be accepting all the blame for the missed passes (which we know is not true), while Smith and the other receivers are not showing any class at all by not speaking up too and taking their obvious greater share of the blame.
I'm also tired of the talk that implies that Carr is not throwing to Smith as much as Jake. I advise everyone thinking that to take a close look at the Atlanta game. Smith had not caught one single pass in that game before Jake was injured. Smith's only catch of the day was from Carr in the short time he had to play, and, if I'm not mistaken, Smith also dropped one of Carr's passes in that same game.
Now would be a good time for Smith to revise his self-centered goal of a 2000-yard season to a team goal of doing all he can to help the team win 10 games or more this season. As a team leader, Smith should also make every effort to rally the team around Carr because Carr's success will be the team's success. This effort should be vocal, both privately and publicly.
Now, having said all that, I think Smith is a great player, one of the best in the NFL at his position. More than anything else, I admire his drive and fire and his desire to win. He can be a very key player in bringing the other players together in an all-out effort to play up to their full capabilities as a team. His role in helping lead this team to a successful season will be a true measure of his greatness.
Posted by: NewPantherFan | Oct 11, 2007 8:03:16 AM
I have a strong feeling that if Smith had over 2000yds receiving, the team would win ten or more games. He knows that. Its not self centered for him to want that becuase he knows this teams success so often depends on his success and him getting the ball.
Posted by: mattdaddy | Oct 11, 2007 10:20:07 AM
What Mattdaddy says defintely has some truth to it. Look at the Panthers success when Smitty won the triple crown (TDs, Receptions and Yards) in 2005. That year we also got to the championship game vs Seattle. The really shame is that so far (STILL!) we havent had a clear #2 WR. After watching Drew Carter in the 1st game of the season against St. Louis, i was hoping that he would be the #2 but that really hasnt materialized yet. The Panthers got alot of issues to work on but they can be fixed. Go Panthers !!!
Posted by: Zenmanship | Oct 11, 2007 10:58:42 AM
matt,
I would turn that around. He would have a better chance of getting 2000 if the team won 10 games. He is not a one-man team. And he might have a better chance of getting the 2000, not to mention the team winning games, if he would just catch the balls thrown to him. Carr has been in less than 2 and a half games, and Smith has already dropped two long passes from Carr, one a likely TD.
It's absurd to say that the team would win 10 games if Smith had 2000 yards. First of all, 2000 yards is an unrealistic goal.
It would be completely impossible for Smith to even dream of getting 2000 yards if the defense cannot stop the opposing teams' offense (like the Saints' 10-minute march -- that's one-sixth of the entire ballgame in one drive!!!). Smith can't catch balls if the offense is not on the field.
Smith cannot roll up big yardage without being a part of a complete offensive unit, starting with the line. For Smith to be successful, the following must be in place:
-- the line must open up the running game so that passing situations will not be obvious to everyone in the stadium
-- the other receivers must also pose a threat to defenses, including not dropping passes, so they cannot afford to load up on Smith
-- the line must give the QB consistently at least 4 or 5 seconds to get set and check his receivers, and even more seconds to allow time for receivers to get open if first routes are covered.
No, Smith's success depends completely on the whole team's success, not the other way around at all.
Posted by: NewPantherFan | Oct 11, 2007 11:10:32 AM
I think even more than Smith's success contributing to wins is Fosters succes; i forget the state, but the panthers winning percentage is huge when foster gets over 15 carriers again or runs for 100 yards. I know that all depends on the defense and oline too, but ultimately foster is the one who makes the runs.
Posted by: mattdaddy | Oct 11, 2007 11:33:16 AM
I think the current situation is a golden opportunity for Smith to step up and show some real leadership on this team. Jake is out, and Carr is too new. No one plays harder, fights harder, and wants to excel and win more than him.
I think Jenkins' blast was good, a much-needed slap in the face that had some impact. But Smith's role could be different and on a more positive note. Rather than rip the team for not performing, Smith could speak up and inspire the players to do their best for the success of the team, just as he shows by his own example. There is no one on this team who could question Smith's credibility to assume this leadership role. He needs to become the team's biggest cheerleader, on the field and off the field. Leading, pushing, cajoling, inspiring them all to do their very best on every single play.
It was not my intent to criticize Smith for setting a high goal for himself, but the goal he set is realistic only when playing for a highly successful winning team, which appeared to be a possibility at the start of the season. At this stage of the season, his goal should simply be to help the team have a winning season, and let the yards take care of themselves.
Posted by: NewPantherFan | Oct 11, 2007 12:47:27 PM
Yea i think after he recorded 10 yards against atlanta that goal in my mind was buried. As for the Smith-Carr chemistry your right, but it doesnt help that Smith had 22 looks from jake in the first 2 games, and with Carr over the last 2 he has 15 looks. Now Smitty has 4 drops this season....so how many of those 15 looks from Carr were drops? I can count 2...So i think it does lay more heavily on carr's shoulders to get Smith the ball more often. Also another thing i liked last week was Colbert catching everything thrown to him...he deserves some credit for staying with Moore's throw and hauling it in.
Posted by: Da Bronx Mike | Oct 11, 2007 1:52:58 PM
Colbert made a great catch on that play and he played a good game last week, but that only means that he will drop about 3 balls this game. Once he puts together 3 or 4 good games then he will get some credit
Posted by: DevinDaDude | Oct 11, 2007 1:57:53 PM
Hey, Mike, do the math. Smith was with Jake for almost 3 games, an average of a little over 7 looks per game. He's been with Carr for 2 games, an average of a little over 7 looks per game. Looks about the same to me. Now also consider the fact that Smith's played with Jake for YEARS, both practice and live games, compared to TWO GAMES and very little practice with Carr. Give the guy a chance.
But I agree with you completely. There's nothing I would rather see than Carr-to-Smith being the hottest ticket in the league. Not on looks, but on completions.
I'd still like to see Jarrett in there too. I don't know who called that pass to Colbert, but I think the coaches thought it would catch the Saints not looking. Even though there was pretty tight double coverage, Moore threw it anyway. They dodged a bullet on that one -- it could just as easily have been an interception.
Posted by: NewPantherFan | Oct 11, 2007 2:25:30 PM
NewPantherFan,
After Jenkins went public, I heard Smitty on WFNZ and he specifically pointed out his own drops and gave that as his reason for not calling anyone else out. His view of leadership is to go back and work on what he's doing and improve his own play, rather than criticizing others. So, he addressed that concern already.
As for the chemistry... I heard an interesting comment this week. Jake makes throws to Steve that everyone criticizes, but he makes those force in throws because he has confidence in Steve's ability to go after those balls and win the battle most of the time. Carr hasn't learned that yet, he appears more reluctant to make those throws. It's part having that raport with Steve, but it's also part having the confidence and "gun slinger" mentality that Jake has. Jake will throw an interception and then go right back out next possession and make the exact same throw, in the exact same way, to the exact same coverage and get the completion or the touchdown. That's a confidence that Carr does not yet have... and he's the only one who can develop it.
People underestimate what we have with Jake... last year he took a lot of grief and only now do we learn that his elbow was already hurting and that most of those late-game interceptions were Keyshawn breaking off patterns. Only now do we learn that had a lot to do with Key being released... only now, do we start to hear that Fox wanted to explain that last season and Jake wouldn't let him.
Jake's a class act, and that's why this is his team.
Posted by: skyking | Oct 11, 2007 3:56:27 PM
I think we can see a lot about who Carr is by reading Warner's comments about replacing Leinart.
------------------------
On being the starting quarterback following a season-ending injury to Matt Leinart: I'm just excited. I feel good; I feel healthy; I feel young. I feel like my body and my arm are in good shape. I feel really good and comfortable in the offense. Anytime that you get in the position that I've been in the last few years, in a back-up role, and then you're thrust back in there where you feel like you belong, it's just exciting. It brings a little bit of life back into your day. You know that here I am, back to where I feel I should be. I think anybody knows it's a good place to be and it keeps you smiling. It makes everything a little more fun.
-----------------------------------
IMO, Kurt's showing a complete lack of class by saying he's back where he "belongs". Warner seems to believe he's still the heart of the team. Carr at least understands what Jake means to the Panthers and he accepts his role as a temp. Maybe Carr becomes the heir apparent to the Panthers someday. But for now, he knows who is, and that ain't the lifeblood of the team. Warner could learn a lot from Carr.
BTW, nice post skyking.
Posted by: Chris | Oct 11, 2007 4:43:24 PM
skyking,
I appreciate your good post. Jake is a class act. See my post on that at the new blog topic "Carr optimistic he'll be ready".
I was unaware of Smith's acknowledgment of his own negative contributions to the offense, but happy to hear it. I think his great overall record speaks for itself, and he should not be inhibited in spurring on the team. As I pointed out above, his leadership should be on a positive level, inspiring and cheerleading.
I think you can easily understand why Carr wouldn't be pressing plays like Jake did, particularly at this early stage. But that comes with great familiarity (and playing experience) to build that level of confidence both ways. Carr just got here.
What you wrote reminded me of Terry Bradshaw. How many times did we see him do exactly that?! He was confident and fearless.
Posted by: NewPantherFan | Oct 11, 2007 4:58:20 PM
i keep hearing about the panthers not having a # 2 reciever. they do, his name is jeff king !!! bought time we got a good tight end here. we have not had a good tight end since wesley walls left. look at all the winning teams in the nfl,and the one thing they all have in common is a good,reliable tight end.
Posted by: panther guru | Oct 13, 2007 1:45:18 PM
most weeks you can hear steve smith on wfnz sports talk show with that poser,tool gary williams and jim salania aka ron burgundy. smith usualy calls in on monday or tuesday mornings to talk to the guys for a few minutes. he acknowledges when he plays bad and drops passes and doesnt perform well. if you are a twork you can go to wfnz.com and listen on the internet
Posted by: panther guru | Oct 13, 2007 1:48:29 PM
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