Inside the Panthers

Testaverde saw glimpses of Romo's potential

As this season rolls on, it becomes more clear with each passing game that as Tony Romo goes, so go the Dallas Cowboys. Romo took down Green Bay Thursday night, and that likely wasn’t much of a surprise to Carolina QB Vinny Testaverde. When Vinny was starting for Dallas in 2004, Romo was his backup, and Testaverde was impressed with what he saw in the kid that year.

"There’s a lot of guys that have ability but not all of them make it," Testaverde said. "You have to have some intangibles, you have to have something special about you. The thing about Tony was, he was eager to learn, he just looked like he was hungry for it, just wanted to be successful.

"He was always with me, watching film and studying and asking questions. And obviously his abilities allow him to play the position like very few have."

Testaverde said it varies with different quarterbacks, but on average he believes a young QB needs three years in the league before he’s ready to be an NFL starter. Romo watched for three seasons in Dallas, then took over. Carolina’s Matt Moore, who is likely to back up Vinny on Sunday after David Carr’s recent struggles, is a promising first-year player.

STAN OLSON

Testaverde or ... who?

   John Fox has made it very clear that Vinny Testaverde (if healthy) will be the starting quarterback Sunday against San Francisco. But what if Testaverde's not healthy?

   In typical Fox fashion, he wouldn't divulge if David Carr or Matt Moore would get the nod. After last week's debacle against New Orleans, common sense would say it's no longer a given that Carr is ahead of Moore on the depth chart.

-- Pat Yasinskas

The common good: Rookie LBs

   In what has been a disappointing season for the Panthers and the 49ers, each club has had one similar bright spot. That's the play of their rookie linebackers, Jon Beason for Carolina and Patrick Willis for San Francisco. Both were first-round choices and San Francisco coach Mike Nolan said in a conference call Wednesday that the 49ers considered drafting Beason as he discussed the two rookies.

   "I think they are both very good football players," Nolan said. "We did take a very hard look at Beason and we really liked him.  He is a football player who is from the University of Miami, and, for me personally, I have had a lot of good luck and success with guys from the University of Miami. Whether it was Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, or Frank Gore more recently, and so I always take a good, hard look at those kids because a lot of times they are just football players.  From a comparison standpoint, they are both very good players but they play a little bit of a different style.  I think that both of them do
play physical. I think that Patrick has exceptional speed and quickness.  I think they are both very instinctive players and the game is very important to both guys.  I think both players are outstanding professionals and I just think that they play a little bit different style on the field, but they both get it done and that is what it's all about."

-- Pat Yasinskas

Delhomme: It's tough to watch team struggle

    Injured Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme chatted with the media today in the Panthers locker room for the first time since he had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow almost six weeks ago. He touched on a number of things, some of which will be in tomorrow's Charlotte Observer.  He's feeling great, his recovery is on schedule and he remains 100 percent behind coach John Fox, he said.

          He also talked about how tough it was to watch what his teammates are going through, as Carolina has stretched it's losing streak to five games.

         "You know what, we were going through some rough times last year," he said. "I know I was; I wasn't playing well. And you feel down for your teammates. To me, that hurts more than anything else, when you don't come through for your teammates. I know that's how I felt.  So you work even harder, if that's possible. You try too much and you don't get results."

         "And it's tough right now. I know in my mind I go back to the '04 season;  we're coming off the Super Bowl and we're expecting big, big things. And we start out 1-7; we couldn't do anything right.  I
couldn't make a throw; we couldn't make a catch."

        At San Francisco (Carolina's opponent again this Sunday), though, it all changed at halftime, after Fox ripped into the team.

    "Foxy lets us have it, and we come out and Moose (Muhsin Muhammad) and I, we hit on a couple passes, and the next thing you know, we get a win, and it's like  "Oh my gosh!" A weight's lifted off our shoulders and we started playing good football then.

          "...Right now, we're in a tough time; we've had some tough games. We want to win, we want to play well. A lot's being made of the  home-field stuff; I promise you guys, we want to win at home. There's nothing better than driving home with your family after a win.

          "We're working; it'll come."

-- Stan Olson

Beuerlein comment causes a stir

   Former Panthers quarterback Steve Beuerlein caused a stir with a comment he made during the CBS broadcast of Sunday's game between the Titans and Bengals. Beuerlein thought a commercial break was going on, but his comment, in which he called Titans running back LenDale White a "USC thug," made it on the air. Here's a link to the story:

Beuerlein comment

Fox: Report about decision to sign Carr not true

John Fox disputed a statement made by Fox television’s Brian Baldinger during Sunday’s game that signing quarterback David Carr was not the coach’s decision and that it was force on him by management.

"That’s not true," Fox said Monday. "It wasn’t said by me. Basically, we do every personnel decision around here with a process and I’m part of that process. So that’s not true."

In the same news conference, Fox also said Vinny Testaverde will be the starting quarterback Sunday against San Francisco, if he’s healthy enough to get on the field.

PAT YASINSKAS

QB excuse doesn't fly ...

As we’ve mentioned before, some members of the Panthers organization quietly have been spreading the word about how hard it is to win when you don’t have your starting quarterback. Sorry, but we’re not going to buy that. Especially not after what happened around the rest of the league Sunday.

Oakland’s Daunte Culpepper, San Francisco’s Trent Dilfer and Cleveland’s Derek Anderson, none of who were supposed to be their team’s starting quarterback at the beginning of the season, each led their teams to victory.

Oh, and this just in: A.J. Feeley, a journeyman backup, played well enough to keep the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that hasn’t been very good all season, in a very close game against the New England Patriots, who a lot of people have been calling the best team ever.

Meantime, David Carr, who the Panthers scouted the heck out of and gave a big contract to, couldn’t throw for 100 yards against a New Orleans defense that is very ordinary.

Panthers' report card

Here’s the report card from the Panthers' loss to New Orleans:

Quarterbacks: Some folks within the organization have been talking a lot about how hard it is to win without your starting quarterback. As I type this, I’m watching the Cardinals and 49ers. Trent Dilfer, Kurt Warner and Tim Rattay have been playing. A lot of points have been put up and somebody’s going to win this game. You can’t say that when David Carr’s on the field. Grade: F

Running backs: Stat of the game? DeShaun Foster, nine carries for minus-5 yards. That’s nearly a -0.6 average. Grade: F

Receivers: At least the Panthers made an effort to get the ball to Steve Smith on occasion. Grade: D

Offensive line: This group plowed the way for 43 yards on the ground. Grade: F

Defensive line: Drew Brees wasn’t sacked. He barely was touched. Grade: F

Linebackers: Jon Beason had another strong game, recording 10 tackles. Grade: D

Defensive backs: Richard Marshall got the start and had 13 tackles. But Marshall and the secondary wore down as Brees threw three touchdown passes in the third quarter. Grade: D-

Special teams: Maybe the only bright spot of the day was the fact the Panthers didn’t use the pooch punt. Grade: D

Coaching: When you’re playing against a bad team in your own stadium, shouldn’t you at least be able to come up with a game plan that will at least keep things close? Grade: F

-- Pat Yasinskas

Carr was primary target early on

On the Fox broadcast, Brian Baldinger said bringing in quarterback David Carr wasn’t coach John Fox’s idea. Hmmm, that’s pretty interesting and it sounds like somebody might be trying to pass the buck. Back at the NFL’s annual meeting in Phoenix in March, ownership, the coaching staff and the front office sure sounded like they were unanimously enthusiastic about pursuing Carr. It was made pretty clear that the opinion of everybody was that Carr was the "plum" quarterback in free agency with Joey Harrington as the only thing close to a legitimate alternative. So if it’s true that Fox didn’t want Carr, who did he want as Jake Delhomme’s backup? Chris Weinke?

-- Pat Yasinskas

Moore warms up

   Well, it looks like John Fox is finally going to put Matt Moore in. Moore just warmed up on the sidelines and has his helmet on. Looks like he'll be coming in, if the defense can get the Saints off the field. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Moore can't be less

   Said it last week about this time and I’ll say it again. Why not put Matt Moore in?

   It’s one thing to be hesitant about starting an undrafted rookie. But, with the Panthers trailing 31-6 and David Carr looking horrible, there’s no sense, or logic, in playing it safe. – PAT YASINSKAS

Summing it up

     A good quote on the state of the team from guard Mike Wahle that just missed getting into today's paper...

     “When you lose four games in a row and haven’t won in a month-and-a-half, a lot of things can come into play as far as self-doubt and in-fighting; things like that," Whale said. "And I think that we’ve been pretty good about that. I think that’s a positive. But at the same time, you have to show up on Sunday’s and make it happen. It doesn’t really matter what’s going on in the locker room, positive or negative.” --STAN OLSON

Carr to start

   The Panthers just made it official, announcing David Carr will start at quarterback. Matt Moore will be the backup and Vinny Testaverde will be the inactive third quarterback. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Vinny's down

   Quarterback Vinny Testaverde (back) has been declared inactive today. That means either David Carr or Matt Moore will start. Also inactive are Chris Gamble, running back Alex Haynes, linebacker James Anderson, tackle Evan Mathis, tackle Frank Omiyale, defensive tackle Gary Gibson and defensive end Charles Johnson. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Waiting on Vinny

   Welcome to the world of the Carolina Panthers. It's a little more than two hours before kickoff and the Panthers still don't know who their quarterback will be. Team officials said Vinny Testaverde will come out and throw to test in sore back in the next few minutes. That test will determine if the Panthers will start Testaverde or if they'll have to turn to David Carr or Matt Moore. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Where to turn?

   Since we won’t know until Sunday morning if Vinny Testaverde will be healthy enough to start at quarterback for the Panthers, let’s get hypothetical. Suppose Testaverde’s out. I can’t see John (“play not to lose’’) Fox starting rookie Matt Moore, who has only taken a handful of snaps. But, how about this scenario? Start David Carr and if he plays well, great. Maybe Carr can redeem himself. But let’s say Carr goes out and struggles like he has just about every time he’s played this season. If that happens, give Carr a half and yank him for Moore. It’s approaching the point where the Panthers don’t have much to lose by playing Moore. Heck, Fox could even help his job security if the rookie shows some progress and wins a game or two down the stretch. That would at least provide some hope for the future and give owner Jerry Richardson something positive to ponder as he evaluates the state of his team. – PAT YASINSKAS

Vinny's questionable

   Just when it seemed like the Panthers had a firm starting quarterback, they don't. Vinny Testaverde's back tightened up Saturday morning and he's been added to the injury report as questionable. If Testaverde's not ready to play Sunday, the Panthers are going to face a critical choice? Do they start David Carr, who they essentially slapped in the face earlier in the week when they said Testaverde gives them a better chance to win? Or rookie Matt Moore who has never started an NFL game? -- PAT YASINSKAS

Carter the starter?

   Could Drew Carter's strong performance in Green Bay on Sunday boost him into the starting lineup? Coach John Fox isn't the type to tip his hand on possible lineup changes, but he didn't dispute that Carter, who has been playing behind wide receiver Keary Colbert all season, at least gave the coaches something to think about.

   "That's what we evaluate on, those three hours on Sunday,'' Fox said. "He obviously had a good performance Sunday and that helps in our decision making moving forward.''

   INJURY REPORT. Running back DeShaun Foster (toe) and defensive tackle Damione Lewis (shoulder) returned to practice Thursday. Cornerback Chris Gamble sat out. - PAT YASINSKAS

A look at sacks allowed by Panthers' linemen

Here are the latest numbers on sacks allowed by the offensive linemen, courtesy of STATS, followed by a bit of analysis:

Right tackle Jordan Gross, 1

Right guard Jeremy Bridges, 4

Center Justin Hartwig, 4

Left guard Mike Wahle, 3

Left tackle Travelle Wharton, 6.5

Wharton has taken a lot of heat for his pass protection and that is justifiable. But did anybody really think Wharton was a star? The more concerning thing might be the sacks allowed by the interior linemen. Oh, and don’t forget, rookie Ryan Kalil allowed three sacks when he started the first two games at right guard. Hartwig already has tied his career-worst total for sacks allowed. Bridges missed the first two games, but already has given up one more sack than Evan Mathis – widely considered a failure – did as the starting right guard last season. Even the steady Wahle already has allowed more sacks than he has in any season since 2000 when he was playing for Green Bay.

Pat Yasinskas

Saints end: We can't let Vinny stand in the pocket

Give New Orleans defensive end Will Smith credit for being brutally honest.

In a conference call with the Charlotte media on Wednesday, he was asked for his scouting report on Carolina quarterback Vinny Testaverde. It wasn’t the sanitized answer that usually follows that question.

"Testaverde is a talented guy who has been doing it for a long time," Smith said. "We know he really isn’t that mobile, but he still has a good enough arm to make the throws and make the plays. We know the key defensively is getting the pressure on him and making him move around in that pocket, which he really doesn’t want to do."

PAT YASINSKAS

No more pooch punts, please

We've likely seen the last of the Panthers' "pooch punt" play for awhile.

The play, in which Carolina would set up as if to kick a field goal and then have kicker John Kasay punt the ball and attempt to drop it deep in enemy territory, doesn't work so well when the opponent knows it's coming, like Green Bay did last Sunday.

The Packers, faced with a field goal blocking unit of almost entirely great big guys, dropped a speedy return man back and let him blow past the giants for a 94-yard TD.

One of those giants was offensive tackle Jordan Gross.

"That's worked successfully for us in the past, and we've gained a lot of field position," Gross said. "It just caught up with us, basically. They prepared for it and were ready for it.

"It's not a good matchup when you've got returners versus O-linemen. That kind of showed you what can happen there. We'll definitely have to think again about what to do in that situation; we might do something different from now on."

Gross knew they were in trouble when he headed down the field and saw two guys deep, awaiting the ball. He was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to catch the return man, although he made a valiant effort and came remarkably close.

"That's not my job," he said, laughing. "It better not be, or else we'll never win." -- STAN OLSON

Carr signing officially a bust

   John Fox's announcement Wednesday that Vinny Testaverde (assuming he stays healthy) will be the starting quarterback Sunday against New Orleans was a pretty strong indictment of David Carr.

   Fox said several times he plans to go with Testaverde because he gives the team the "best chance to win.'' Carr's healthy now, so that's no longer an excuse.

   That means you can officially label the decision to sign Carr to a big contract in the off-season a bust.

-- Pat Yasinskas

Rosinski draws Carolina game

   Bill Rosinski, the initial radio voice of the Panthers, will broadcast Sunday's game with New Orleans for Westwood One. Rosinski will be paired with former NFL coach Dan Reeves. The game won't be available on radio stations in the Carolinas, but can be heard on satellite radio. Also, this week's television crew is Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger, who seem to be drawing a lot of Panthers games recently. -- Pat Yasinskas

Smith's injury somewhat of a mystery

  Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith missed Sunday's game at Green Bay with a shin contusion that he suffered the week before in the Atlanta game. At the time, he didn't even realize he had injured himself.

  "I don't know what happened," he said Monday. "All I know is that I came in (the locker room); my leg was throbbing when the adrenalin came down. I put some ice on it and I woke up on Tuesday and my leg was swollen.

  "I don't remember anything; we were trying to figure it out," he said of how he received the injury. "I didn't notice it until I was actually physically getting undressed. And I didn't think it was going to do what it did Tuesday.  I could put weight on it, but I couldn't run as well as I wanted to run."

  It's the left shin, on the leg he broke in 2004. But the  injury only involved soft tissue, and Smith said he felt much better this week than he did a week ago.  Given that he was almost well enough to play at Green Bay, barring a setback expect him to play against New Orleans Sunday. -- STAN OLSON

Naming names a sign of pressure?

   Kind of interesting that John Fox named the two culprits on the pooch punt play. Singling out players for mistakes is something Fox has avoided since early in his tenure when he said Muhsin Muhammad had stopped his route on a play that led to an interception.

   Could this be a sign of a coach, who knows he's on the hot seat, trying to cover his tail? Maybe, but this was in no way as dramatic as the Muhammad incident. Jeff King, who wasn't on the field and left the Panthers a man short, already was outed as one of the culprits because replays clearly showed that King was the one man not with the field goal team, who was on the unit when the Panthers actually did attempt a field goal. It would have been hard for Fox to cover over this one. But if he really wanted to out the players, he could have done so Sunday, and he didn't.

   Fox did give up Jason Baker's name Monday, but that was in direct response to a question about who's responsible for counting the players on the field. It's pretty well-known around the league that the holder is the guy responsible for doing the counting.

-- Pat Yasinskas

Man overboard

   Coach John Fox just confirmed that the Panthers had only 10 players on the field for John Kasay’s first-quarter pooch punt that the Packers returned 94 yards for a touchdown.

   Fox admitted that tight end Jeff King was supposed to be lined up on the left perimeter next to Justin Hartwig. But King somehow was not on the field.

   Fox said it’s the responsibility of holder Jason Baker to count the players on the field. Fox said the Panthers should have either called a time out or let the play-clock expire and taken a delay-of-game penalty. – PAT YASINSKAS

Panthers shorthanded on punt?

Just got done watching the replay of the infamous pooch punt about a dozen times with a reporter from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. We’ve also had people at WCNC check their video feed numerous times. Unless the Panthers had someone line up way outside (and never come into the screen), it appears they had only 10 men on the field on the play. Again, that’s what the replay indicates. The Panthers are on a flight back to Charlotte tonight and coach John Fox will be asked Monday to clarify what happened on the play.

-- Pat Yasinskas

Mixed signals from Foster's statistics

A popular statistic used often by the Panthers was the team’s record in games in which running back DeShaun Foster got 15 or more carries. Earlier this season, that mark was 23-2. After four straight losses, it’s 23-6.

So another number was found; Carolina was 16-0 in games in which Foster had rushed for 70 or more yards. Oops; Foster gained 87 on Sunday. Make that 16-1.

STAN OLSON

Moore deserves a shot - now!

As this post is being written, the Packers just got the ball after a Vinny Testaverde interception. The score’s 28-3 and I’m watching the sidelines to see if Matt Moore might be warming up. He’s not. But maybe he should be.

This game’s over and the Panthers need to find something to jump-start their season. There are probably reasons Moore was undrafted and cut by Dallas in the preseason. But there are reasons the Panthers have struggled with Testaverde and David Carr at quarterback.

It’s time to put in Moore and at least see if he has something.

Poll: Which QB should start in next week's game?

-- Pat Yasinskas

Packers take pooch for a long run

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- It was kind of poetic justice that John Kasay’s pooch punt got returned for a touchdown by the Packers. For Carolina’s special teams, that play has become the predictable equivalent of the draw play on third-and-long or the prevent defense.

Back in the spring, I thought the Panthers should have drafted safety Aaron Rouse. They didn’t and the Packers got him. Rouse picked off Vinny Testaverde on the first series of the game.

Caught a good bit of Keyshawn Johnson on the radio during the drive from Milwaukee to Green Bay. Forgot how much he likes himself. Then again, he’s still a better receiver than Keary Colbert or Drew Carter.

Get ready to hear defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac’s name linked to the University of Michigan job. Lloyd Carr reportedly will retire Monday and Trgovac has strong links to the Wolverines. But Trgovac’s stock isn’t exactly at an all-time high with the Carolina defense looking ordinary.

-- Pat Yasinskas

Julius Peppers’ sack of Brett Favre late in the first quarter ties him for the team lead (2.5 sacks) with Damione Lewis.

Today's inactives

   In addition to receiver Steve Smith, here are today's inactives: defensive tackle Damione Lewis, quarterback Matt Moore, linebacker Done Curry, defensive end Charles Johnson, offensive lineman Evan Mathis, offensive lineman Frank Omiyale and safety C.J. Wilson. - PAT YASINSKAS

Panthers shuffle D-line

   The Panthers shook up their defensive line Saturday morning, elevating defensive tackle Gary Gibson and releasing defensive end Otis Grigsby. The move is a signal the Panthers are prepearing to play without injured defensive tackle Damione Lewis (shoulder) and plan to use Gibson as the fourth defensive tackle. - Pat Yasinskas

Davidson: Lots of reasons for offensive woes

With Carolina's offense struggling to score points, another reporter and I walked off the practice field Thursday with first-year offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson and talked about some of the team's difficulties.

Davidson, like Dan Henning before him, has caught some heat with the Panthers having scored two offensive TDs in their past three games. But he wasn't offering excuses. He did say that all the changes at quarterback have prevented the team from moving much beyond a basic offensive scheme, and that he's regularly thinking of ways to get the ball to wide receiver Steve Smith.

But he refused to blame any one player or thing for Carolina's scoring problems.

"I think that where we are offensively is not about any one guy," Davidson said. "Every approach we've had to each play is, we've got 11 guys who have to perform better. So whether it's an offensive lineman blocking a little bit longer, a receiver running a cleaner route, the ball being delivered better, all those things come into play.

"There is no one thing that we have to put our finger on that's been an issue. It's been a number of things; we've got to clean 'em up and we work on them each day.

"I would say that inconsistency is a word that we've used a number of times. It's unfortunate, but that is where we are right now. We have to ways to get ourselves out of that, and it starts with me." -- Stan Olson

Vinny: Favre's durability streak trumps Ripken's

Panthers quarterback Vinny Testaverde is impressed with everything Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre has done, but to Vinny, one record in particular stands out – those 246 starts without missing a game.

"As physical as this game is and everybody trying to put the quarterback out, especially a guy like Brett, who’s as dangerous as he is, it’s amazing," Testaverde said Thursday, standing in front of his locker after practice.

"It’s one record that I think will never be broken, and it’s one record that I think will never be touched in any sport. You can compare it to other sports, like baseball with Cal (Ripken), but I think this even surpasses that."

Vinny said he doesn’t know Favre well personally, but he likes what he’s heard about him. And finds interesting the fact that in the likely event that he and Brett face off Sunday, they will have the oldest combined age (82) of any two quarterbacks ever to start in the same NFL game.

Testaverde, in fact, thinks he might have been part of the former record, saying he went up against Steve DeBerg when the latter was 44 and Vinny 35.

STAN OLSON

Peppers: I feel like I'm struggling right now

It’s usually hard to find defensive end Julius Peppers in the Carolina locker room during those 45-minute sessions when we’re allowed in, but he stopped by and answered questions for a big chunk of that time today.

It might have simply been that he wanted to put some rumors to rest; he hasn’t been sick, he said; he hasn’t been injured. He feels fine. He doesn’t think Carolina’s defensive scheme has hurt his production. But he also understands that, with 1.5 sacks and few of the game-changing plays we’ve come to expect from him, fans are wondering what’s going on.

"I feel like I’m struggling right now to do some things, and I have been," he said. "Everybody struggles. It’s going on longer than usual; longer than expected. But at some point, hopefully, I’m going to break out of it. I would like to think I would."

There will be much more on this in tomorrow’s Observer.

STAN OLSON

Fox not a showman

Had an e-mail from a reader, blasting John Fox for being more interested in making television commercials than coaching football.

   You can bash Fox all you want for the decisions he makes on the field. But I hope this perception of Fox being a showman isn't making the rounds because it's flat-out wrong.

   If you know Fox at all, you know he doesn't like that kind of stuff. Yeah, Fox and his wife shot a television commercial back in the summer, long before training camp started.

   But do you know why Fox shot that commercial?

   It was required in his contract. He's done some other stuff like that in the past and that also was required by his contract. If you want to blame someone for that, blame the team. It's the nature of business in the NFL and coaches have to do what they're told by the business side to promote the team.

   Now, you can go back to taking all the shots you want at what Fox does on the field. - Pat Yasinskas

Some backup QBs can get the job done

It's kind of interesting to see how some people at Bank of America Stadium quietly are trying to remind everybody how tough it is to win when you lose your starting quarterback.

That's what happens when the seat starts getting hot for a coach and/or a general manager. There are a lot more people whose jobs are on the line if a change is made at coach and/or general manager.

   Although Earl Morrall's name pops to mind, the point has validity. Damon Huard and Jeff Garcia did nice jobs with the Chiefs and Eagles, respectively, in recent years, but it generally is tough to win with your backup quarterback.

   The Panthers lost starter Jake Delhomme early in the year (and they lost projected No. 3 quarterback Brett Basanez in the preseason), but here's where you can at least shoot holes into the theory. The Panthers knew they had to find a strong backup for Delhomme after Chris Weinke struggled in that capacity last season.

   They went out and watched a ton of film on David Carr and talked to a bunch of people who'd been around him in

Houston

and in college. Then, they went out and signed him to a deal worth more than almost all backups (and some starters) get.

   The thinking was that if anything happened to Delhomme, the Panthers wouldn't have to wave a white flag on their season. Yet, it kind of looks like that's happening.

   In fairness to Carr, he's been banged up, but he hasn't produced when he's been in the lineup. Neither has 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde, except for one glorious and bizarre day in

Arizona

.

   Maybe it was only one game, but the Atlanta Falcons found a way to win a game with their version of Carr when they beat the Panthers (in Bank of America Stadium) on Sunday. Joey Harrington, who the Panthers passed up to sign Carr, led the Falcons to victory.

   Harrington was supposed to be Michael Vick's backup before all the off-field stuff started. Yes, Harrington did at least go through training camp with him getting the first-team work, but he lost his job to Byron Leftwich. Then, Leftwich got hurt and Harrington got put into the lineup.

   Yeah, the Falcons are 3-6. They're also not nearly as talented as the Panthers at a lot of the 21 other positions. But, hey, the Falcons did find a way to squeeze out a win with a messy quarterback situation. - Pat Yasinskas

Fox: Peppers' struggles not physical

    Coach John Fox firmly said Monday there's nothing physically wrong with defensive end Julius Peppers.

   Peppers has produced only 1.5 sacks and hasn't made the kind of big plays he often did in the past. That's led to some speculation that Peppers may have an illness of some sort, but Fox said that's not true. Assuming that's the case, you have to wonder what else might be going on with Peppers.

   And you have to wonder if team owner Jerry Richardson's challenge to Peppers to be the team leader might have backfired because he was asking Peppers to be something he's not.

-- Pat Yasinskas

What if Basanez were healthy?

Hate to play the "what-if" game, but it seems like that’s what this season is coming down to. So, what if Brett Basanez hadn’t injured his wrist in the preseason?

Maybe this is a stretch for a guy who came undrafted out of Northwestern in 2006 and has thrown 11 NFL passes. But I think the season might have an entirely different look – or at least some hope.

Let’s say Jake Delhomme still went out with an elbow injury and David Carr still had back and concussion problems. If Basanez stayed healthy, he’d be starting and Vinny Testaverde might still be living on Long Island or maybe he’d be here as a mentor for Basanez.

Again, it’s all hypothetical, but Basanez is young and has some intangibles. He had been in the offense throughout the off-season program and he had become a favorite of a coaching staff that was quietly singing his praises before the injury.

He could have gotten an opportunity and, although there might have been some growing pains, Basanez could have been well on his way to being the second coming of Jake Delhomme by now.

PAT YASINSKAS

Panthers report card

Panthers report card from Sunday's loss to Atlanta:

QUARTERBACKS. You have to admire Vinny Testaverde’s courage. There’s no doubt he played through pain and he didn’t make any major mistakes. He just didn’t do anything very positive, and you have to start to wonder if the Panthers will get anything positive out of this position before next season. GRADE: D

RUNNING BACKS. So much for all that talk about how DeShaun Foster has dominated against the Falcons. He gained 59 yards on 20 carries. By the way, Foster and DeAngelo Williams combined for one catch for 5 yards out of the backfield. GRADE: F

RECEIVERS. Common sense would suggest that if Steve Smith is getting double (and, sometimes triple) coverage on every play, Drew Carter, Dwayne Jarrett and Jeff King might be able to take advantage of it. They didn’t. GRADE: D

OFFENSIVE LINE. There were times when it seemed like the Panthers intentionally left John Abraham unblocked. There were times when it seemed like the line wasn’t blocking anybody. GRADE: F

DEFENSIVE LINE. Mike Rucker got his first sack of the season, which puts him only .5 behind Julius Peppers. The run defense wasn’t bad, except for a 30-yard touchdown by Warrick Dunn on the opening drive. GRADE: C-

LINEBACKERS. If there’s been one bright spot (and you have to look long and hard) to this season, it’s the play of rookie middle linebacker Jon Beason. He might have the most secure future of any player (or coach). Beason had 11 tackles and Na’il Diggs produced a sack. GRADE: B-

DEFENSIVE BACKS. Ken Lucas picked up a fumble and returned it for a touchdown and had a solid all-around day. But safeties Chris Harris and Quinton Teal (playing for an injured Deke Cooper) somehow got blocked by a referee on the game-winning touchdown pass to Alge Crumpler. GRADE: C-

SPECIAL TEAMS. Return man Ryne Robinson had his best game yet. GRADE: C

COACHING. Even with a bunch of banged-up quarterbacks, you have to be able to beat the Falcons, especially at home. And those draw plays on third-and-long are the sign of a desperate team. GRADE: F

-- Pat Yasinskas

It's heating up for Fox, Hurney

Observations from the Panthers’ loss to the Falcons on Sunday:

-- That hot seat we’ve all talked about that John Fox and Marty Hurney are on? It jumped up about 20 degrees Sunday. It doesn’t matter who your quarterback is or how many defenders teams are putting on Steve Smith. You have to be able to squeeze out a win at home – at least once a calendar year.

-- Also, as long as we’re talking Fox and Hurney, they’re a package deal. If one stays, they both stay. If one goes, the other goes.

-- Now, we see why the Panthers have been so hesitant to put rookie receiver Dwayne Jarrett on the field. Hope he takes a look at himself on film.

-- Interesting development when safety Deke Cooper went down with an injury in the third quarter. Instead of sending in veteran Marquand Manuel, who once flopped in a chance to claim a starting role, the Panthers turned to undrafted rookie Quinton Teal.

-- Mike Rucker had his first sack of the season. Seriously.

-- Apparently, Dan Henning didn’t get the patent rights on the draw play on third-and-long. Jeff Davidson and Hue Jackson sure seemed to like it.

-- Got to respect the heck out of Vinny Testaverde for getting out there and playing a gutsy game. But how long can this last? Watching Testaverde trot out to start a series brings back memories of Robert Parish at the end of his career.

-- It’s been well-documented that Julius Peppers isn’t having a good season as a pass rusher. But he’s not doing well as a run defender, either. Just about every time the Falcons had a third-and-short, they ran right at Peppers and it usually worked.

-- Pat Yasinskas

Lewis leaves game

   Defensive tackle Damione Lewis, who, believe it or not, is the team's sack leader, just left the field. Lewis was taken to the locker room with what appeared to be an arm injury.  -- PAT YASINSKAS

QB or not QB

  While watching the Vinny Testaverde/Joey Harrington, and now, Chris Redman, shootout, it's hard not to look down on the sidelines and realize there are four better quarterbacks standing in Bank of America Stadium right now. Sadly, Jake Delhomme, Byron Leftwich, David Carr and Brett Basanez aren't wearing uniforms. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Vinny's on the field

   Believe it when you actually see the first snap, but Vinny Testaverde is on the field. He made it through warmups and just came back out of the locker room with the rest of the team. He's throwing and it looks like he'll start. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Vinny update

   Here's the latest: Vinny Testaverde is on the field and going through warmups. Conventional wisdom says that should mean he's the starting quarterback. But conventional wisdom goes out the window when you're talking about a quarterback who's going to turn 44 in a couple of days and has chronic pain in his Achilles tendon. If Testaverde makes it through warmups, he'll start. If not, Matt Moore will get the nod.

   ON DECK? Just scanning the headlines on Charlotte.com and saw something about "Hasselbeck gives birth to son''. That's television talk show host Elizabeth Hasselbeck, whose husband, Tim, and brother-in-law, Matt, have played quarterback in the NFL. The Hasselbeck's haven't announced the newborn's name yet, but he could be signed by the Panthers within a couple weeks. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Looks like Vinny to Jarrett

   If you haven't seen the breaking news on Charlotte.com already, it looks as if Vinny Testaverde will be the starting quarterback. The Panthers haven't officially said that yet, but they tipped their hand by designating Drew Olson as the inactive third quarterback. That means Testaverde likely will start with Matt Moore as the backup. One other interesting note on the inactives: Receiver Keary Colbert (foot) is inactive and rookie Dwayne Jarrett will be active (like it matters). Also, the other inactives are quarterback David Carr, tackle Evan Mathis, tackle Frank Omiyale, Charles Johnson, Dante Curry and Otis Grigsby. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Wharton's not on a pretty pace

   In a contract season, left tackle Travelle Wharton isn’t putting up the kind of numbers that will get him a big deal – with the Panthers or elsewhere. According to STATS Inc., Wharton has allowed a team-high 6.5 sacks. At the halfway point of the season, Wharton is on pace to shatter the 8.5 sacks he allowed in 2005. It's not unusual for a left tackle to lead a team in sacks allowed because he usually is matched up against the best opposing pass rusher. But Wharton would pretty much have to not allow a sack the rest of the year to have a real strong season.

   Here are the sacks allowed numbers on the rest of the offensive linemen: Justin Hartwig, 3; Ryan Kalil, 3; Mike Wahle, 2; Jeremy Bridges, 2; Jordan Gross, 1. – PAT YASINSKAS

Panthers elevate QB Olson

   With the health status of quarterback Vinny Testaverde very uncertain for Sunday's game with the Falcons, the Panthers made a precautionary move this morning and signed rookie quarterback Drew Olson off their practice squad. A final decision on Testaverde probably won't be made until Sunday morning. If Testaverde can play, he'll start with Matt Moore as the backup and Olson as the No. 3 quarterback. If Testaverde's not ready, Moore will get his first start and Olson will be the backup. Olson, a UCLA product, joined the practice squad Tuesday. The Panthers released rookie fullback Billy Latsko to create room for Olson. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Peppers fined $5,000

   Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers was fined $5,000 for unnecessary roughness in Sunday’s loss at Tennessee, a league official said Friday. Peppers was fined for striking an opponent in the face area on a pass play. Peppers was involved in several incidents during a very physical game and was flagged twice for personal fouls. – PAT YASINSKAS

Matt Moore? Single wing? What will Panthers do?

    So what do they do now?
          With quarterback Vinny Testaverde's status for Sunday's game with Atlanta questionable, the first thing the Panthers better do is cross their collective fingers. If Vinny's right Achilles remains balky by gametime, Carolina's options at the position will have dwindled to a precious few.
         We already know for certain that David Carr, who would normally start in Testaverde's absence, is a no-go. The team doctors are taking no chances with last week's concussion, and Carr has been ruled out for Sunday. Coach John Fox said today that Vinny was sore after practicing the past two days. Whether he goes Sunday will depend on whether the injured tendon feels ok by then, literally making this a game-time decision.
         If he can't go, Carolina must turn to rookie free agent signee Matt Moore, who has played briefly in three games this year, taken a total of 13 NFL snaps and completed three of seven passes. The fans who
were screaming for Moore after Carr's struggles last week will get their wish.
        His backup will be Drew Olson, who will be promoted from the practice squad by tomorrow because their are no other options.
        But in such dire straits, Carolina could try something like that single-wing look they used on the Falcons last year, with running back DeAngelo Williams at the controls.  All that would be is a momentary
change of pace, though; you have to practice something regularly for it to work.  And despite what two guys suggested in emails, don't expect to see Steve Smith back there;  Carolina won't have its most valuable property crushed by giant defensive ends.
     With no Vinny, look for  Moore -- a whole lot of Moore -- come Sunday.

--Stan Olson

Falcons return tickets, 400 available at box office

   As far as television blackout purposes, Sunday's game with the Falcons is a sellout. But Panthers ticket director Phil Youtsey just reported that 400 tickets were returned by the Falcons and are available at the Bank of America Stadium box office on a first-come, first-served basis.

-- Pat Yasinskas

Carr feeling no pain, but still must pass cognitive test to play

If you're wondering why quarterback David Carr didn't practice again today despite feeling fit and ready to go, it was because his doctors told him not to. For one thing, they delayed the baseline cognitive tests he is supposed to take from Wednesday until later today.

"I think they want me to pass," Carr said of the delay, and he was grinning. "They're giving me as much time as possible. They're giving me an extra day to heal up."

Carr, who suffered a concussion in Sunday's loss at Tennessee, feels fine; no headaches, no nausea, no nothing. But the NFL is considerably more cautious with concussions these days, and the Panthers have had considerable experience with them recenlty.

"I spent most of the day yesterday trying to convince people that I feel fine," Carr said. "It's not really that; it's just that even though you feel great, there are still things healing up in there. I feel awesome; but it's a different deal. That's why they needed to explain it to me six times."

In addition, probable starter Vinny Testaverde seems recovered from his Achilles' tendonitis and practiced for the second straight day, meaning that the Panthers can afford to be extra cautious with Carr.

Carr wants to be out there, but understands that caution.

"I don't want to have the same intellectual level as my seven-year-old right now," he said. "That's serious stuff." -- Stan Olson

Rosinski in the house for Falcons-Panthers

  Bill Rosinski, the former radio voice of the Panthers and Falcons, will be broadcasting the meeting of his two former teams Sunday. Rosinski will broadcast the game for Westwood One along with former NFL coach Dan Reeves. The game won't be available on  stations in the Carolinas, but will be carried nationally in other markets. The broadcast also is available on satellite radio.

   Rosinski said he also expects Westwood One to assign him to broadcast the Nov. 25 game with New Orleans.

-- Pat Yasinskas

Good chance Vinny plays Sunday

You get the feeling it will be Vinny at the controls Sunday against Atlanta.

Panthers quarterback Vinny Testaverde practiced today, and although he said he took it fairly easy, he also said the tendinitis in his right Achilles tendon is much improved.

He’ll try to do a little more tomorrow, hopefully moving slowly toward complete recovery.

If that happens, expect him to get the call, because he was quarterbacking the last time Carolina won, at Arizona before this two-game losing streak.

David Carr remains an option. Although he didn’t practice today, it was because his doctors suggested he not do so before he has the baseline cognitive tests that the NFL suggests for concussion victims. He suffered the second concussion of his career at Tennessee on Sunday.

Carr said today that he feels fine and doesn’t expect the concussion to be a problem going forward.

And while Matt Moore is also available, coach John Fox almost certainly would prefer a veteran in Sunday’s important game. If Vinny can play, expect him to be the man.

-- Stan Olson

Pro Bowl shutout possible for Panthers

   Some random thoughts:

• Back at the start of the season, it would have been safe to assume that defensive end Julius Peppers and receiver Steve Smith would be locks to make the Pro Bowl. The sad reality is both might miss the all-star game. Peppers' disappointing season hasn't gone unnoticed by anyone. Fans, who count for one third of the vote, will look at Peppers' sack total (1.5 right now) and write him off. More significantly, coaches and players, who make up the rest of the vote, will do the same. There's lots of talk about Peppers around the league and none of it is flattering. That old knock about taking plays off is coming up a lot, teams are abusing him in the running game and Peppers doesn't even draw a lot of respect by getting double-teamed much these days. Smith still gets plenty of respect because he's one of the most talented receivers in the game. But his numbers are off because he's had to play with four different quarterbacks. There are a bunch of receivers around the NFC who are putting up big numbers.

• So what Panthers will make the Pro Bowl? The pickings are slim. But defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and punter Jason Baker are the best bets and really the only possible Panthers, unless voters consider the difficult situation Smith's been put in and give him a trip to Hawaii. A lot of people were surprised when Jenkins got in last year, and that included Jenkins. He didn't have a particularly strong year, but past reputation but him over the top. Jenkins is having a much better season this year, even though he's getting some  of the double-teams that used to go to Peppers. Baker is as solid a punter as there is in the league, but not a lot of people notice. Unless somebody has ridiculous stats, the Pro Bowl punter usually comes from one of the conference's best teams.

• David Carr was thrilled back in training camp when he talked about how the Panthers were letting him go back to throwing side-arm, something he did as a kid and in high school. Letting a guy do what's comfortable seemed like a decent idea at the time. But Carr seems to have reverted back to his high school habits in too many ways. Did you notice how bad his mechanics were in Sunday's loss to Tennessee?

• Everyone's assuming rookie Ryan Kalil will get the nod at center if starter Justin Hartwig can't play with a broken right thumb. That's entirely possible. But don't be surprised if the Panthers turn to Geoff Hangartner. He's a favorite of the coaching staff and Kalil's preseason starts at center and two regular-season starts at guard didn't go very well.

• If the season ended today, you'd have to assume the Panthers would be picking somewhere in the middle of the draft. But what position would they target? A lot depends on if they re-sign tackles Travelle Wharton and Jordan Gross, and that could put that position high or low on the list. Quarterback's a possibility (but John Fox, assuming he's still here, doesn't like to draft quarterbacks in the first round because he thinks they take too long to develop. Running back would have to be a consideration and wouldn't it be nice to get a first-round receiver (presumably one who watches film, instead of talking to the media) to complement Smith. But, if I had to pick one spot today, it would be defensive end. Mike Rucker's in the last year of his contract and, quite possibly, the last year of his career. The Panthers need to get at least one defensive end who can rush the passer.

- Pat Yasinskas

Panthers ready to put Morgan on IR?

  In his weekly segment on Sirius NFL Radio this morning, coach John Fox strongly implied the Panthers are on the verge of putting middle linebacker Dan Morgan on the injured-reserve list, which would end his season.

   Fox said Morgan, who hasn't played since Week 3 because of an Achilles tendon injury, isn't going to be able to play anytime soon. Fox said the Panthers have injuries at other positions and may need Morgan's roster spot.

   Putting Morgan down for the season hardly is a surprise. He's never made it through a full season. But the question I have is, why have the Panthers waited this long to shut him down?

   This move could have been made weeks ago and the Panthers could have had a healthy player at some position who would know the system by now.

   The other question that comes to mind is, does this mean the end of Morgan's career with the Panthers? Probably so. The team has gone out of its way to keep Morgan, who's had a long history of concussions and other injuries. That was very nice because Morgan truly is one of the best human beings the Panthers have ever had and he's been a great player when he's been healthy. But he's never really been healthy for very long. Rookie Jon Beason already has shown he can play the middle at a high level. It's sad, but it's time to move on.

-- Pat Yasinskas

Drew Olson signing wouldn't mean much

    If Carolina signs former UCLA quarterback Drew Olson today, don't read too much into it. Olson would be added to the practice squad as insurance, giving the Panthers enough bodies to get through practice
this week if Vinny Testaverde and David Carr, their current potential starters, can't work out.
    Carr will be tested Wednesday before practice to make sure all of his cognitive functions are in order after suffering the second concussion of his career Sunday at Tennessee, not surprising in a game in which he was sacked seven times. Testaverde is trying to recover from tendonitis in his right Achilles' tendon. There's no word yet on his status for this week's game against Atlanta at Bank of America Stadium.
          If neither player can practice Wednesday, third quarterback Matt Moore, who has somehow remained healthy among all the carnage, would probably take all of the first team snaps and some with the second unit, while Olson would get some second team work and all of the scout team duties. Olson was undrafted coming out of college in 2006.

- Stan Olson

New QB's in town

   If you haven't already seen it: http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/350024.html. It's Drew Olson, but don't get too carried away. He's probably going to be signed to the practice squad Tuesday, just to help with the reps in practice this week. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Broken thumb limited Hartwig

While there are no excuses for the play of Carolina’s offensive line (seven sacks allowed) in Sunday’s 20-7 loss at Tennessee, you might consider giving center Justin Hartwig a pass.

He broke his right thumb in the first quarter, but stayed in the lineup and played the rest of the game with the aching digit.

This afternoon, it was swollen to almost twice its normal size.

"A lot of pain," he said of playing through the injury. "I had trouble gripping the ball and I had problems grabbing people. I was kind of just stabbing at people. So it definitely wasn’t helping my game out."

Hartwig thought he might have caught the thumb between helmets during a pile-up at the line of scrimmage.

Hartwig had talked at length after the game, but never mentioned the thumb.

"It’s one of those things you deal with," he said. "The adrenaline kind of carried me through the game, and afterward I told the trainers about it. It is what it is right now."

If it still "is what it is" come Sunday, veteran Geoff Hangartner or rookie Ryan Kalil would start in Hartwig’s place.

-- Stan Olson

It might be time to recheck QB list

A few weeks back, the Panthers had a quarterback controversy. Now, they’ve got a full-fledged quarterback crisis. Vinny Testaverde was listed as the third quarterback in Sunday’s loss to Tennessee, but he didn’t even put on a uniform and stood on the sidelines. There’s no telling if Testaverde’s Achilles tendinitis will allow him back in the lineup for any extended time and he’ll turn 44 in less than two weeks.

David Carr got the start Sunday and had a dismal day. The Panthers might not have any choice other than to stick with Carr because of Testaverde’s condition. But you’ve got to wonder if the Panthers have any confidence left in Carr after a day in which he threw for 107 yards and was sacked seven times. You also have to wonder if Carr has any confidence left.

The other extremely remote alternative is undrafted rookie Matt Moore. If you saw his final pass after he relieved Carr late in the game, you’ll know why the Panthers can’t turn to Moore.

We might be getting way ahead of the game here, but let’s say Testaverde can’t return or can’t hold up for any extended period and the Panthers have serious doubts about Carr’s ability to turn things around. This is all hypothetical, but maybe the Panthers need to bring another quarterback into the mix.

This isn’t the ideal time of year to be looking for a guy off the street (the trading deadline has passed), but it could come to that. Below is a list of every quarterback still registered as active with the NFL Players Association (although guys like Drew Bledsoe and Tommy Maddox may have decided to retire, but haven’t done the paperwork). Some of the other guys probably don’t even merit consideration by NFL teams.

But there’s still a very large haystack, and there just might be a needle on this list:

Jared Allen

Dustin Almond

Tom Arth

Jerry Babb

Tony Banks

Dalton Bell

Jeff Blake

Drew Bledsoe

Josh Booty

Corey Bramlet

Aaron Brooks

Travis Brown

Lang Campbell

Timmy Chang

Tim Couch

Sonny Cumbie

Rohan Davey

Koy Detmer

Ty Detmer

Derek Devine

Ryan Dinwiddie

Ben Dougherty

Kevin Eakin

Brett Elliott

Bret Engemann

Bruce Eugene

Jay Fiedler

Jason Fife

Cullen Finnerty

Doug Flutie

Jeff George

Luke Getsy

Andrew Hall

Josh Harris

Drew Henson

Cody Hodges

Justin Holland

Sam Hollenbach

Phil Horvath

Nate Hybl

Omar Jacobs

Doug Johnson

Rob Johnson

James Killian

Shaun King

Kliff Kingsbury

Kurt Kittner

Joel Klatt

David Koral

Enrique Tobias Korrodi

Craig Krenzel

Chris Leak

Stefan LeFors

Tommy Maddox

Shane Matthews

Matt Mauck

Mike McGann

Mike McMahon

Adrian McPherson

Erik Meyer

Todd Mortensen

Jeff Mroz

John Navarre

Craig Ochs

Drew Olson

Jeff Otis

Jesse Palmer

Jordan Palmer

Preston Parsons

Perry Patterson

Paul Pinegar

Quinton Porter

Casey Printers

Jonathan Quinn

Dave Ragone

Bryan Randall

Reggie Robertson

Rod Rutherford

Jeff Smith

Kent Smith

Jeff Smoker

Bryson Spinner

Kordell Stewart

Brian Symons

Drew Tate

Zac Taylor

Jeff Terrell

Kevin Thompson

Paul Thompson

Bradlee Van Pelt

Marcus Vick

Chris Weinke

Troy Woodbury

Brian Wrobel

Jared Zabransky

-- Pat Yasinskas

Panthers report card

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Here’s the report card on the Panthers after their 20-7 loss to the Titans:

QUARTERBACKS. Wanted to give David Carr the benefit of the doubt until I saw him play a game healthy. All indications are, he was close to that at the start of the game. His mechanics were terrible and the word "skittish’’ might best summarize his demeanor. GRADE: F

RUNNING BACKS. Remember all that preseason talk about how the running game was going to be so much better because the new scheme was perfectly suited to the talents of DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams. Yeah, like that matters. They combined to average 3.5 yards a carry and I dare you to remember a run that mattered. GRADE: D-

RECEIVERS. The Titans threw all sorts of coverage at Steve Smith. But other teams did that the past couple of years and Jake Delhomme still found him a way to get him the ball. Carr didn’t. GRADE: D

OFFENSIVE LINE. Seven sacks and no running game. What more needs to be said? GRADE: F

DEFENSIVE LINE. A few of the defensive linemen got pressure on Vince Young, but Julius Peppers wasn’t one of them. GRADE: C

LINEBACKERS. Jon Beason had 11 tackles and recovered a fumble. GRADE: C+

DEFENSIVE BACKS. Ken Lucas and Deke Cooper each had interceptions. The Titans had only 110 passing yards. GRADE: B

SPECIAL TEAMS. John Kasay missed a field goal attempt. Ryne Robinson didn’t do anything special, but he at least looked like a legitimate NFL return man for the first time in his career. GRADE: C

COACHING. At least the Panthers played hard. But the offensive game plan was a disaster. Maybe Dan Henning wasn’t the problem, after all. GRADE: D

Pat Yasinskas

Today's inactives

   NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Here are the inactives for today: Linebacker Dan Morgan, guard Evan Mathis, defensive end Stanley McClover, Frank Omiyale, receiver Dwayne Jarrett, defensive end Charles Johnson and linebacker Donte Curry. Vinny Testaverde has been designated as the third quarterback. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Panthers could be headed for prime time

   NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- If the Carolina Panthers can come up with a victory today, they might put themselves on a national stage in two weeks. A win against the Tennessee Titans could cause a shift in the start time of the Nov. 18 game at Green Bay. Word is the NFL and NBC are considering that matchup strongly for the Sunday night showcase game. The Panthers and Packers currently are scheduled to play at 1 p.m. But the potential for a matchup between two first-place teams has officials considering the possibility of putting that game in place of the scheduled matchup between Seattle and the disappointing Chicago Bears at 8:15 p.m. If the Panthers lose today, the Green Bay game almost certainly will remain an afternoon game. If they win today, an announcement on a shift could come Monday or Tuesday. -- PAT YASINSKAS

Not so fast on 'a bust' label for Carr

NASVHILLE, Tenn. -- A few random thoughts from the Music City.

• It's unfair to say David Carr's a bust yet because hes been healthy for precisely one quarter in the time he's played. Carr's finally healthy. So start judging away. If he doesn'€™t produce in the next few games, the bust label might fit.

• Speaking of Carr, if he wants to succeed, he needs to get the ball to Steve Smith. Quarterbacks are taught not to force passes into coverage and that'€™s usually wise. But one area where Jake Delhomme excelled was taking chances when defenders were around Smith. That may go against everything Carr has been taught, but Smith has a knack for coming away with the ball even when he's covered.

• Have to wonder if defensive tackle Kris Jenkins would have gotten a $7,500 fine, or any fine at all, if his hit had been on any quarterback besides Peyton Manning.

• We'€™ve all talked a lot about Carolina'€™s defensive line. We'€™ll talk about it a lot more in Sunday'€™s paper. We'€™ll have a story in there that shows the Panthers'€™ pass rush is on pace to make NFL history and it'€™s not pretty history. We'€™ll also detail exactly how much of the team'€™s salary-cap space the four starters on the defensive line are taking up. It'€™s a shocking percentage of the team'€™s overall cap.

-- PAT YASINSKAS

Carr gives his take on Jarrett's struggles

With all the talk about wide receivers Steve Smith and second-round draft pick Dwayne Jarrett, another opinion of someone closer to the situation than we are seemed like a good idea. So David Carr, who is expected to start at quarterback for Carolina Sunday at Tennessee, was asked for his take on the rookie.

          "Coming from USC, they didn't ask him to do a whole lot," Carr said this week. "When you come here and you're trying to break into a top group, you've got to know everything. You've got to know everyone's (all the receivers) position. Getting that down so you can just go out and play, that's the hardest thing. If you throw a deep ball to him, he's going to go make a play on it.

          "If you give him a chance and don't give him too much, he's a good player. He's just struggling a little bit trying to process everything right now. He might be a little bit overwhelmed."

          Carr, by the way, was a bit limited by his sore back in throwing the deep ball last week against Indianapolis. That has been improving daily, and should not be an issue Sunday.

-- Stan Olson

Remember Rashad Butler?

   He's the offensive tackle the Panthers wasted a third-round pick on last season. They hung onto him last year and quietly urged him to bulk up. That never really happened and the Panthers released him in training camp.
   He's surfaced in Houston and the Texans expect to activate him Sunday.
   "He's come a long, long way," Texans coach Gary Kubiak told the Houston media. "I expect to go into the game with him as our swing tackle. He's been that good in practice."
   So how did Butler go from a bust to a steal in such a short time?
   It turns out there's a lot more to his story.
   Butler revealed to the Houston media that he has ulcerative colitis, which would explain his inability to keep weight on. Butler said the illness was first diagnosed after he went home to Florida following June workouts with the Panthers. Butler said he advised the Panthers of his condition when he reported to training camp, but he still had trouble keeping his weight up.
   He began taking medication (seven pills each morning), but said he didn't really start to get relief until after he signed with the Texans.
  "Soon as I went to the doctor out here, he attacked it a lot stronger than it was attacked when I was at home or in Carolina," Butler said. "Once he talked to me and everything, I kind of knew I was going to be on the rebound upward and everything."
   Butler said he's added about 15 pounds and said last year was a miserable experience.
   "Oh, man, it was hard because I just didn't have energy, really didn't have any strength," Butler said. "I mean, I was losing weight daily. At one time, I got down to about like 275, 270 -- you can't play O-line at that weight. I haven't been 270 since I want to say maybe like junior year in high school or whatever.
    "So I mean it was hard practicing, (getting) real tired easily, but I'm happy I got it under control now because that's something I don't want any athlete to ever go through."
   Kubiak said Butler has earned the respect of the coaches and his new teammates and that's why he'll be active this week.
   "The kid was very light," Kubiak said. "... He's out here playing extremely well in practice. Our players want him up. They want him up because of the way he's practicing, so he'll get his chance this week. He'll be up."

-- PAT YASINSKAS