What do we know about Carolina?

Carolina is a team I haven't really watched a lot this year. Why would anyone, really? I mean, I saw them lose to a BAD Steelers team on national TV. I saw them tie a slumping Bengals team (which I guess I should give them some credit for). But, really, that's about all I know.

I've heard their defense is a shell of its former self. That seems unimaginable to me. Hardy's absence cant be contributing to their abysmal pass AND run defense, can it? Anyone have a clue what gives there? My fear is their defensive decline is an anomaly, like the Rams front not having sacks, and they'll get it corrected this week.

Offensively Benjamin seems to be as advertised, but some of that has to be related to Cam, IMO. But, Benjamin types never hurt the Hawks anyways. From what I've seen, Cam is pretty much carrying that entire offense and is playing phenomenal. He's being thrown out there with minimal supporting cast, is grinding through some obvious pain, and at least making them respectable. He's running a lot also, at least from what I've seen.

Speaking of Cam, I'm not sure how you play him this week? It's a matchup issue. I fully expect a slight change at OLB (KPL stands and Irvin puts a hand down), but where does Pete send the pressure? Does he send Bruce through A or B gaps and trust the edge's contain? Is blitzing worth it since Cam's throwing well?

Thoughts? Recriminations? Tell me to get ebola and die?

I say we put Sherm on Benjamin, KJ on Olson and make them find other way of beating us. The thing that scares me about blitzing Cam is if he breaks out he can easily beat us with his legs.

The play of our LB's this Sunday will either win it or lose it for us.

Olsen is having a monster year for them - it will be key to shut him down. Yeah the implosion of that defense is interesting, would love to hear from a Carolina fan about what has gone wrong.

iigakusei":3aw80pyg said:

Olsen is having a monster year for them - it will be key to shut him down. Yeah the implosion of that defense is interesting, would love to hear from a Carolina fan about what has gone wrong.

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I'm working on getting a Carolina blogger over here. He's pretty sharp, we follow (and make out with) each other on twitter.

pehawk":3jju8on7 said:

I've heard their defense is a shell of its former self.

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Sounds familiar. I know nothing about them either except that if it comes down to an offensive shootout I like us better.

Their RBs are all banged up to some degree, and their O-line has been struggling.

Their secondary was underwhelming last year and hasn't changed this season.

However, Benjamin, Olsen, and Newton are still studs and their front seven are solid even if they're underperforming this year.

volsunghawk":crotdq3a said:

Their RBs are all banged up to some degree, and their O-line has been struggling.

Their secondary was underwhelming last year and hasn't changed this season.

However, Benjamin, Olsen, and Newton are still studs and their front seven are solid even if they're underperforming this year.

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Oh Jesus, here come's war eagle, just chalk full of Auburn love. Traitor! We all know your allegiance will be torn this Sunday. I mean, you did wear your Tre Mason jersey last Sunday.

Seriously, have you watched them? A front 7 with Luke can be THAT bad against the run? It makes little sense.

I thought I saw Colin Cole playing DT for them when I looked at the Packers game. I saw Star lining up next to him but I thought they had another young stud DT playing there. Hardy is a DE, right? Anyway, I was surprised to see Lacy and Starks getting good runs on the inside. Lynch could have similar success, but I think it is fools gold to read too much into other teams success against your upcoming opponent. Has you thinking, well such-n-such stomped them, our team should be able to do the same.

I see they have Roman Harper playing safety for them, he even had an interception a couple weeks ago. Looks like the Packers got a fast start on them with the 21 first quarter pts. They played better in the second half. Really not sure what is up with their uneven play, but it isn't like Rivera hasn't had problems in the past getting these guys started. It has been their M.O. He was reported to be on the hot-seat last year until he turned it around in the 2nd quarter or so of the season.

Look forward to the Panthers blogger's input.

pehawk":11qterg7 said:

volsunghawk":11qterg7 said:

Their RBs are all banged up to some degree, and their O-line has been struggling.

Their secondary was underwhelming last year and hasn't changed this season.

However, Benjamin, Olsen, and Newton are still studs and their front seven are solid even if they're underperforming this year.

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Oh Jesus, here come's war eagle, just chalk full of Auburn love. Traitor, we all know your allegiance will be torn this Sunday. I mean, you did wear your Tre Mason jersey last Sunday.

Seriously, have you watched them? A front 7 with Luke can be THAT bad against the run? It makes little sense.

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Hey, I wore my Richard Sherman jersey OVER my Tre Mason jersey. That trumps it, right?

But yeah, I'm not sure what's going on with the Carolina D vs. the run. Then again, I'm not entirely sure why we're not getting turnovers this year, so maybe I'm just an idiot.

As for this Sunday, I'll be rooting for big games from Norwood and Carp, and for 4 INTs from Newton. And I'll try to keep my Auburn twitching to a minimum.

Ha! Forgot about Colin Cole being there. Good for him, I always liked him (as a human more than player).

We'll see on the blogger, I haven't heard yet. I reached out to a smart Panthers fan as well, just in case.

I do have a great Raiders guy for next week.

pehawk":gpn51x6a said:

I do have a great Raiders guy for next week.

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Will he be able to post from jail?

JSeahawks":u00309vw said:

pehawk":u00309vw said:

I do have a great Raiders guy for next week.

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Will he be able to post from jail?

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I was wondering who's WIFI connection he would be stealing to get online

OP sounds like it could be about Seattle.

Underwhelming defense, trying to find someone to step up on the Dline, and two loses that shouldn't have happened.

This is a HUGE game for both teams, because a win this week puts the loser in a big hole to climb out of....barring the out come of divisional foe's games of course.

Here's to AZ getting smashed. :thirishdrinkers:

For starters, Ray Rice delivered a haymaker (pun intended) to the Carolina Panthers. Hardy was only put on the inactive list after the video came out, and his loss is a huge one. His backups were somewhat effective against the Bears and Lions because they abandoned the run game. He truly is a difference maker in the pass AND run game, and is currently making 700K a game while sitting on his couch, taking up 13.1 mil of the cap. Without him, teams can pay more attention to Johnson and Lotulelei and there is an obvious trickle down effect. Kawann Short has been the best DL, but even he has either mildly disappointed in spurts or has gotten fewer reps than his often stellar play has justified. DE Frank Alexander was also going to provide a least some spark but is yet another example of how stupid these young athletes can be, notching another drug suspension. Johnson and Davis have had nagging injuries as well, and while no one knows who Josh Norman and Bene Benwikere are, their losses are big ones as well to a secondary full of second tier or has been players that are slightly worse than last year's second tier or has been players.

Jimbo Fisher said Benjamin would have been a top 3 pick if he stayed an extra year and he's right. Olsen is a solid player but not a game breaker and the OL had 4 of 5 players last week that were UDFA. Awful would be too kind. The RBs have predictably been a MASH unit although Washington native Jonathan Stewart has shown his usual flashes in the rare times he's healthy, as he appears to be this week. Which brings us to Cam. The OP is right, with a new WR corps, no OL, and multiple injuries, not enough has been said about how impressive he has been this year.

Although Rice connected flush on the Panthers season that already came into the year filled with all the experts doubting them, the awful division keeps them from being out for the count. Cam's play at least has them on one leg, and Hardy's (and to a lesser degree Tolbert, Williams, Benwikere, and Norman) eventual return may make them dangerous in January in a best albeit glass half full scenario.

As for Sunday's game, if I was a betting man I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

Good stuff, thank you! And thank you!

I had no clue Hardy was beastly against the run too.

I'd be focused on Greg Olson this Sunday a lot. I'm sure they will try to line him up to create mismatches with our depleted secondary. If we can contain him to minimal yardage and catches I think the Hawks have a good chance of controlling the game.

pehawk":1cvko228 said:

Good stuff, thank you! And thank you!

I had no clue Hardy was beastly against the run too.

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Quite welcome Sir. Best wishes and here's hoping for an injury free game!

kmedic":hqvx7kew said:

I'd be focused on Greg Olson this Sunday a lot. I'm sure they will try to line him up to create mismatches with our depleted secondary. If we can contain him to minimal yardage and catches I think the Hawks have a good chance of controlling the game.

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+1.

Teams know Seattle has a chink in the armor when it comes to defending against good/experienced TEs. Wonderhow many more we face this year...

SouthSoundHawk":76k8mh6x said:

kmedic":76k8mh6x said:

I'd be focused on Greg Olson this Sunday a lot. I'm sure they will try to line him up to create mismatches with our depleted secondary. If we can contain him to minimal yardage and catches I think the Hawks have a good chance of controlling the game.

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+1.

Teams know Seattle has a chink in the armor when it comes to defending against good/experienced TEs. Wonderhow many more we face this year...

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I don't think it's TE's as much as it's defending against patient QB's, willing to check down. And "patience" needs a run game before it can become a virtue in a quarterback.

If Simon and Maxwell can play it should help defending Olsen. The could put a DB on him in obvious passing downs, if they chose.

I've pretty much given up trying to draw conclusions from an upcoming opponent's performance this year, since we repeatedly get burned.

The narrative is always something like, "well, the Rams run defense is terrible so we'll be able to gash them," and then our backs net 65 yards for 2.95 YPC.

Or it's "We have the #1 rush D so I'm not worried," then Dallas drops 162 (4.4 YPC) yards on us, with Randle averaging 10.2 on 5 carries.

Or "our ST is our rock right now," then we give up 200+ yards on ST against STL.

Don't get me wrong, I wish none of that had happened, and it's not all bad anyway. But the narratives this season line up with what actually happens so little, it's not even worth predicting.