QB change? Fox leaves the door open to replace Delhomme

For the first time tonight, Panthers coach John Fox didn’t follow a subpar performance by quarterback Jake Delhomme with a commitment to keeping him as the starter.

“Like all positions, we’ll evaluate it and whatever changes we need to make, we’ll make,” Fox said after Carolina lost to Buffalo 20-9 to fall to 2-4 on the season.

Pressed further on whether he’d replace Delhomme with Matt Moore or A.J. Feeley for next week’s game at Arizona, Fox said: “We just got off the field and have not evaluated the thing. I think he played the whole game. I think we moved the ball effectively. The turnovers were critical.”

 

Delhomme threw three interceptions, including two overthrows that rookie safety Jairus Byrd picked off and returned to the Carolina 7 and 27, respectively, to set up Buffalo's only touchdowns.

 

Carolina lost despite outgaining the Bills in total yardage 425-167 and topping them in first downs 20-9 -- ironically, the flip-flop opposite of the final score.

 

Delhomme said, in his heart, he’d like to believe he’s done enough to keep the job, but he understands that may not be the case.

 

“Let’s be honest -- I don’t think I’m a dummy -- when you’re not playing well offensively, you always have to look at the quarterback,” said Delhomme.

 

“I’m certainly not looking to give it up by any stretch of the imagination. But let’s be real here. Two big turnovers today really affected us.”

 

Delhomme described the loss as “disappointing, just crushing” and added: “Usually, I’m not too much at a loss for words, (but) I’m almost numb.”

 

Delhomme leads the NFL with 13 interceptions. Opponents have returned two of them for touchdowns and five more have directly led to TDs.

 

Left tackle Jordan Gross went into full protect-Jake mode in the locker room, pledging allegiance to Delhomme, who also threw five interceptions in the Panthers' playoff loss last season to the Cardinals.

 

“I went up to him at the end there and said he's our guy," said Gross. "He's won too many games here. We've been down the road of the quarterback shuffle a few years ago (2007, when Delhomme missed the final 13 games with an elbow injury) and that didn't work out too well. There's a lot of time to evaluate quarterbacks from the spring all the way through camp. It's not like there's some magic, hidden gem.

 

"I’ve got faith in our backups, but (making a change) seems like a break-glass-and-pull-the-handle type of thing if you do that. That’s not my call. But Jake’s my guy. I have faith in him.”

-- Charles Chandler