What's the difference between 1-4 and 4-1?
Oct
9
Written by:
10/9/2011 11:32 PM
Sitting here on the evening of October 9, the Carolina Panthers have the same record at the Philadelphia Eagles. Now had I told you before opening weekend that the Panthers and Eagles would have the same record after five games, most Panthers fans would have taken that in a second with the expectations the Eagles had with all of their offseason signings. Jimmy Johnson made a point on the FOX OT show today and I think it may be the best point I have ever heard regarding NFL football: It’s not how many good plays you make in a game, but how few bad plays you make in a game that make the difference. This is very similar to a saying I heard from a PGA golfer that it is not the quality of your good shots but the quality of your bad ones that can be the difference. Watching the Panthers each of these first four losses, it is fairly simple to pick out those bad plays from each of the losses. .Beginning in week one, the 89-yard punt return allowed to Patrick Peterson late in the game and then failing to score after having the ball deep in Arizona territory late. In the home opener against the Packers, the Panthers jumped up big at home, but did leave some points on the field early. In the second half, the Panthers were stopped on a fourth down play inside the Packers 10, and after the change of possession, the Packers had an 84 yard touchdown to make it a two possession game. Last week in Chicago, the 69 yard punt return by Devin Hester was a killer for the Panthers. Today, the first pass of the day by Cam that was an interception and then the timeout called by Rivera right before halftime, allowing the Saints to kick a field goal were the big game changers. Understanding that hindsight is 20-20, this 1-4 record could be much different had a couple of these plays gone in the Panthers favor.
One of my former co-workers used to have a saying that is perfect right here: If if and buts were candy and nuts, then everyday would be Christmas. The 2011 Carolina Panthers is a complete one eighty from the 2010 version. The 2011 version, while 1-4, has been in every game with a chance in the fourth quarter each week, something that could not be said in 2010. Cam Newton continues to play at a level that many, self included, did not envision prior to the start of this season. The NFL is so geared for offenses and quarterback driven, and now the Panthers appear to have a quarterback that can lead them to many winning days in the future. The future may not be 2011, but 2012 and beyond could be very entertaining and positive for the Carolina Panthers.
OTHER RANDOM THOUGHTS
- I mentioned the Eagles earlier, but did anyone think that they would be 1-4 with a loss on the road to a 4-1 Buffalo Bills team? Maybe between the Miami Heat and now the Philadelphia Eagles, general managers should take a look at these and realize that, “Dream Teams,” are just that, dreams.
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- It felt very fitting to see the Raiders win this weekend after owner Al Davis passed away. The silver and black and Mr. Davis will always be synonymous with each other in my mind. Just win baby was a way of life for him and something more professional owners should live by, as almost all fans live this way.
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- Now that the Yankees and Phillies are both out of the baseball playoffs, who do the executives at FOX want in the World Series?