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October 16, 2007
QB controversy, or Fox being Fox?
Read whatever you want into coach John Fox declining to say who will be his starting quarterback for the Oct. 28 game with Indianapolis. That’s Fox being Fox. The bottom line is that if David Carr gets his back healthy and can go through a full week of practice next week, he’ll get the nod over Vinny Testaverde.
Perhaps the more interesting and intriguing thing is that Fox declined to say if rookie Jon Beason will stay at middle linebacker, if Dan Morgan is healthy after the bye. We’ll repeat the part about if Dan Morgan is healthy after the bye because that’s always a big question.
But sliding Beason back over to the weak side (if Morgan is healthy) may not be automatic. Beason’s played very well in the middle the last two weeks and there’s little doubt his long-term future lies at that position.
Just a thought here and we’ll see how it all plays out: But how about putting Morgan on the weak side and making him a two-down linebacker? It might reduce his exposure to future injuries and it would only speed up Beason’s development.
-- Pat Yasinskas
Posted by Observer Sports on October 16, 2007 at 01:32 PM | Permalink
Comments
I think that this commentary is about sums it up, per Steve Reed:
David Carr is not a lock to start at quarterback when the Carolina Panthers host the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts following a bye week.
Coach John Fox is contemplating sticking with 43-year-old Vinny Testaverde after he led the Panthers to a 25-10 win over the Arizona Cardinals this past Sunday despite practicing with the team only three times last week.
When asked whether a healthy Carr would start against the Colts, Fox replied Tuesday, “I think right now we’re going to evaluate it as we go. We have options. We didn’t have these same options a week ago or really the last couple of weeks. I’m not going to commit to it now. A lot of it is based on what we see in practice or whoever gives us the best chance to win.”
The Panthers paid Carr $3 million a season to be Jake Delhomme's backup and to have around in case things went wrong.
That's why it's amazing to think Testaverde, a guy who wasn't even on a team up until last week, might be the quarterback to lead this team for the rest of the year.
But with the way Testaverde played on Sunday, it might be hard for Fox to sit him down.
Part of that could be that Carr hasn't looked all that sharp in his three games. He's completed 32 of 62 passes for 330 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions while being sacked five times. His quarterback rating is 64.6.
Testaverde, despite joining the Panthers last Wednesday and going through only three practices with the team, completed 20 of 33 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown in his first start Sunday.
He did not throw any interceptions.
Posted by: mattdaddy | Oct 16, 2007 2:09:11 PM
John Fox needs to be congratulated for having good instincts for picking up Vinny Testaverde as a quaterback. The Panthers fans need to give him some credit, look at what kind of good old boy circle Fox has to work with under the direct hand picking of the team's owner, as we all know him...
Posted by: CJ | Oct 16, 2007 2:13:56 PM
John Fox needs to be congratulated for having good instincts for picking up Vinny Testaverde as a quaterback. The Panthers fans need to give him some credit, look at what kind of good old boy circle Fox has to work with under the direct hand picking of the team's owner, as we all know him...
Posted by: CJ | Oct 16, 2007 2:14:06 PM
i like where ya heads at on this one son!
Posted by: RightOn | Oct 16, 2007 2:14:43 PM
cj. foxy mentioned it was hurneys idea to sign vinny in a az postgame interview. made him look like a gooru!
Posted by: RightOn | Oct 16, 2007 2:18:54 PM
"Just a thought here and we’ll see how it all plays out: But how about putting Morgan on the weak side and making him a two-down linebacker? It might reduce his exposure to future injuries and it would only speed up Beason’s development.
-- Pat Yasinskas"
Hey Pat!!! I called, I want my news back!!
Posted by: Yesterday | Oct 16, 2007 2:20:51 PM
The Panthers need consistancy from Foster, Williams, and Colbert and Dan Morgan NEEDS TO STAY OFF THE FIELD!!!!! If those things are done, I'm not really concerned who the quarterback is.
Posted by: mattdiddy | Oct 16, 2007 2:32:34 PM
Why is one just Fox being Fox, and not to read anything into it, and the other one interesting?
Posted by: BigKahuna | Oct 16, 2007 3:08:28 PM
I believe they've talked about Morgan at WLB before to cut down on injury. It's time to put him there for good. Beason is the team's future. God, I wish we'd released Morgan and kept Witherspoon - what any sane GM would have done.
Posted by: Authority on Everything | Oct 16, 2007 3:22:00 PM
I suck.
Posted by: Jordan Gross | Oct 16, 2007 3:28:08 PM
Exactly right "Bigkahuna" you said "Sane" GM we are talking about M. Hurney a complete idiot! the same guy that didn't resign moose..but brought in keyshawn only to cut him after one season the same guy that didn't resign spoon but resigned morgan..the same guy that wouldn't re-sign McCree and cut Buckner! to sign Sean Gilbert (I mean Kemo) but what's the difference?
Posted by: Cheven | Oct 16, 2007 4:58:48 PM
didnt hurney get Smith to sign an extension. Why would he re-sign Moose for $10 Million? Didnt he draft Richard Marshall? Didnt he sign Bridges?? I"m not saying he isnt full of mistakes, but he's made some good, smart moves in his time here.
Posted by: mattdiddy | Oct 16, 2007 5:09:18 PM
What I want to know why have'nt the Panthers try to make a trade before the trade deadline for a player or players I mean the Bucs got a running back a desperate need the Charger got a WR chris Chamber by the way a pro bowler from their own conferene why can't the Panthers make a idea to get Santana Moss or Javon Walker for a 2008 2nd Round pick and get Safety John Lynch or Darren Sharp for a 3rd round I mean we're still tied with Tampa for the lead and or competition not getting any easier an with both are QBs going to need extra weapons to take us to the playoff and we have a bye so the playes could learn the playbook , I mean we should take a risk the Cowboys and Patriots did it don't look like it hurted them , GM Marty Hurney want to be known as a good GM he has to make some moves even if Coach Fox won't ask for it that his Job and you never Know we could get Alge Crumpler teams will make trade you might not thought they won't but you got to ask and see GM Marty Hurney step up and ask and do your JOB.
Posted by: panther hopeful | Oct 16, 2007 5:34:24 PM
The Panthers love to have draft picks, they've already traded away their 5th rounder for Chris Harris so I really dont see them trading any more of them.
And who says John Lynch, Darren Sharper, Javon Walker, and Santana Moss are on the trading block?? It makes no sense for any of those teams to trade away their players.
Posted by: mattdiddy | Oct 16, 2007 5:39:30 PM
I'm a fumbler, what can I say?
Posted by: Deshaun Foster | Oct 16, 2007 7:00:52 PM
The biggest no brainer here is keeping Beason at linebacker.....put Morgan on the weak side, he can still make plays as the WLB!!
GO CATS!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Scott Hinson | Oct 16, 2007 8:29:18 PM
NO you are incorrect...
The biggest no brainer in the history of earth is our ability to convert your ARM to a Fixed with no closing costs or fees.
That, sir, is the truth.
Posted by: Magellan Mortage | Oct 16, 2007 10:01:35 PM
I love the idea of Beason staying in the middle. Its too logical not to do. Morgan doesnt deserve preferential treatment anyway because he can't stay on the field. Put him at weakside where all he has to do is worry about TE's and FB's blocking him instead of the Center or Guard always coming after him. This is one case where Fox should let down his loyalty to "his" players and do the smart thing - keep Beason in the middle.
Posted by: Mike G | Oct 16, 2007 10:36:30 PM
I was thinking about the yesterday and hoping Fox would keep this in mind. Goes to show he is thinking about the team. I guess we'll see what will happen in two weeks.
Posted by: Ryan H | Oct 16, 2007 11:02:55 PM
I was one of the people who thought Vinny's avvy and experience would pay off against the Cardinals. Now we're talking the Colts. If Vinny is not protected (or is protected in the style Carr has grown accustomed to), then that's just one more QB sidelined. I think you start Carr and if the first quarter produces no positives from him, then you bring Vinny in. In any event, I think it is going to be problematic that either of these guys can be expected to put up with the meat grinder that the NFL season has turned into anymore. That leaves the 22 year old kid with the legs to Monty Python it out there..."run away, run away, run away...."
Posted by: jimhat | Oct 17, 2007 3:39:02 AM
The way Beason has played in the middle I see no reason to put him back at weakside even if Dan Morgan is healthy after the bye. Morgan has proven over and over that he doesn't have the body for the NFL. He might actually last longer at the weakside position.
I thought Vinny looked alot more comfortable with the offense than Carr has. He sure did make the throws. My concern with him is can he take the physical pounding.
DeAngelo Williams deserves more playing time. That long run of his against the Cardinals was a back breaker.
Posted by: Dangerous Dan | Oct 17, 2007 8:54:01 AM
I think Morgan needs to stay where he's at. It's time for the team and him to admit to themselves that he's never going to be able to produce consistently in this league and being consistent is exactly what this team needs to do. Sure, he looks real good on paper and the guy has been a monster on the field in some past games but he's an injury waiting to happen. If he goes back out there, you mark my words, he'll get hurt and be out for the rest of the year. He just needs to stay on the sideline, help Beason where he can and then either retire or be cut at the end of the season. I wish we would have kept Witherspoon as well but we didn't. We have two very solid and young LB's currently and if we can sign a consistent non-injury prone veteran to be back there with those guys, I think the sky's the limit for our LB corps. I think you have to go with Carr for the start against Indy. If he starts to suck and the offense isn't moving...yank him! Worked out for the Cards before Leinart (& Warner now) got hurt. If Leinart was sucking...they threw in Warner and he produced. I think we can do the same thing here. Either way, we all can agree that our QB of the future isn't on the roster. So Mr. Hurney, could you please sign a frickin' QB that we can build our offense around? I know Jake had a great season this year but the Tommy Johns surgery is no joke and he's approaching his mid-thirties already. Steve Smith is not getting any younger either so our time to start making championship runs and using Smith to his fullest isn't going to last forever. DeAngelo looked good in the last game but just because he busted a big run against a defense that had been on the field the majority of the day doesn't mean he deserves more touches than Foster. Overall this year, Foster has looked like the much better back. He just had a bad game...short runs and he dropped that pass from Vinny early that might have been a TD.
Posted by: JT | Oct 17, 2007 9:44:27 AM
lets face it- dan morgan is done. he was done last year, and giving him a new contract was REALLY stupid. especially when we had spoonie love on the line!!!
Posted by: bmasch | Oct 17, 2007 11:57:02 AM
Ok, here we go. I loved to see Vinny fresh and throwing well against the Cardinals D-Fense. That was actually amazing to see. Carr has been struggling and not really proving his comfort to stay in the pocket. Even when the greats are pressured in the pocket, they hold their ground and make the play. They move with the blocks to make the pass. Carr just takes off running. Which is all well and good. But not if he isn't moving upfield. I hate Jake as a starter and I am very glad we are trying new things. But we are still in a dilemma of having a stable spot. Vinny will not keep his cool all season. Let's go back to his most recent starting spots and look at those numbers. Dallas Cowboys was his last full starting job for a season in 2004...17 TDs 20 int QB rating: 76.4!!!!!! This is not stable. That was 3 years ago when he was younger. I loved the fact that he went in and took care of business. But he can't take hits or scramble. If our O-Line isn't holding what is he going to do? Where have all the QB's gone? Where are the young guns that we here about in college? We need you.
As far as the Dan "The Glass Man" Morgan. He is a bad ass when he is healthy no doubt. But that is the position that gets most of the action. Beason was a great pick up and Nial Diggs is looking good. (or at least he did at AZ) Keep Morgan on the weakside.
As far
Posted by: Adam | Oct 17, 2007 2:46:03 PM
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