Morning update; QB Ryan on Panthers' D

While it's cold this morning, rest assured that coach John Fox likes this weather much better than last Thursday, when it rained and the Panthers had to move some of their workouts indoors. That's never Fox's first preference.

He can keep the team outdoors today, plus practicing in the cold will be good rehearsal for the weather they'll likely encounter when they play at Green Bay next week.

Most likely, reserve offensive lineman Jeremy Bridges will return to practice today. He did exercise drills only yesterday as a continuation of precautions related to the irregular heartbeat that kept him out of last Sunday's game against Detroit. For more on this, be sure to read David Scott's story from today's paper.

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Each Wednesday during the season, reporters covering the Panthers have teleconference calls with a player and the coach from the upcoming Carolina opponent. Here's what Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan had to say yesterday about the Panthers' defense he'll try to dent Sunday in the Georgia Dome.

"I think their defense has been playing well all year. They played well against us when we played them (in) week four. I think they continue to do a great job with their front seven. Julius Peppers is one of the best players in the game and does a good job in terms of his pass rush. He has a number of sacks this year. Beason, a middle linebacker, does a great job also. In the secondary I think they are tough as well. Gamble and Lucas do a really good job. They were tough against us the day we played them. I think we have our work cut out for us. In terms of scheme I think they do a couple of different things but really at the core I think they are the same defense that we played against week four."

Much like Colts' QB Peyton Manning, Ryan is a quarterback who studies lots of film and knows opponents' tendencies well before a game. As you could tell there, he didn't give out any trade secrets, but he showed a sound knowledge of the Panthers' defense.

He's already playing well as a rookie, but could become a real thorn in the Panthers' side for years to come if he continues to develop as expected.

-- Charles Chandler