Falcons hold off Panthers 28-20

Matt Ryan has a new beloved receiver. Ryan threw three touchdown passes, hooking up with Tony Gonzalez for the second week consecutively, and the Atlanta Falcons held off the Carolina Panthers 28-20 on Sunday. During his first two games with the Falcons, Gonzalez has 12 catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Just what Atlanta was thinking when it dealt for a tight end who figures to end up in Canton—and starting 2-0 is just what Gonzalez had in mind when he asked to be traded by lowly Kansas City. The Falcons already have matched the Chiefs’ win sum for all of the previous season.

Jake Delhomme played a lot better for the Panthers, looking nothing like the quarterback who had 11 turnovers in his last two games. But his 25-of-41, 308-yard passing feat was spoiled by that familiar problem—a pick with 2 1/2 minutes remaining near the Atlanta end zone—and the reigning NFC South champions are off to a 0-2 start.

Carolina VS. Washington

Carolina has started the season at 0-3 after going 12-4 last year and I expect the Panthers to start playing better now that they’ve had a bye week to stop the free fall. Winless teams (0-3 or worse) are 23-7 ATS following their bye week, so the Panthers should come out with renewed enthusiasm today and that should be enough to get past the struggling Redskins as long as they don’t continue being -2.7 in turnover margin per game. Washington lost to the Detroit team and barely beat winless teams St. Louis and Tampa Bay, thus taking a vacation should be a focused Carolina team does not bode well for the Skins.

Despite their low scoring games (29.5 total points average), Washington is actually average offensively (5.7 yards for every play against teams that would allow 5.7 yppl to the usual team) and worse than average defensively (5.1 yppl allowed to teams that would average only 4.9 yppl against an average team), so the total on this game is probably lower than it should be. The math model only favors Carolina by 2 1/2 points, but Carolina should play better than they have and I’ll call for a 4 point victory.

With Williams Wearing Pink, Panthers Ready To Run

DeAngelo Williams was a model for the NFL’s decision to allow players to wear pink cleats to raise awareness for breast cancer. Then he and the Panthers were off with a bye when the program began last weekend. Williams will be a week late wearing pink Sunday against Washington, while the Carolina Panthers anticipate the Redskins game marks the day they finally get their running game in gear and record a win – and that would be coming a full month late.

A year gone after rushing for a franchise-record 1,515 yards and 18 touchdowns, and together with Jonathan Stewart combined for the most yards rushing by NFL teammates, Williams’ numbers have declined in Carolina’s 0-3 start. Williams only has 41 carries for 180 yards and two touchdowns this season. Williams is getting 13.7 carries a game after averaging 17 a year ago. The Panthers, who last year attempted a league-low 25.9 passes a game, have been throwing it an average of 36 times this year with no success.

Cowboys Can Beat Bad Teams, Can’t Beat Good Ones

A month into this season, the Dallas Cowboys have mastered settling. They’re 2-0 against teams that haven’t had a victory, 0-2 against teams that haven’t had a defeat. They’re 2-0 when Tony Romo holds on to the ball, 0-2 when he turns it over. Cowboys have won once by throwing and once by running. Their defense keeps improving, but isn’t good enough to carry them, especially not with DeMarcus Ware still seeking his first sack.

Being stuck in mediocrity is nothing new for Dallas. Since starting 11-1 in Phillips’ foremost season replacing Bill Parcells, the Cowboys are 12-12, or 12-13 if you count a playoff defeat. After not making the playoffs last season, things were supposed to be special this time. With three-fourths of the season to go, which could still happen, but something’s going to have to change. Phillips keyed that Dallas beat Tampa Bay and Carolina by at least 10 points and went down to the wire in defeats to New York and Denver. That’s either encouraging or agonizing, depending on your perspective.

Panthers Coach Fox Has Overcome Poor Start Before

Carolina Panthers coach John Fox’s head is full of cliches and cheesy motivational sayings used to calm, motivate and educate his players. Some, like, “It’s not where you start the race, it’s where you finish it,” have been in vogue in the past week. And while only three teams since 1990 have recovered from the Panthers’ current predicament of 0-3 to reach the playoffs, Fox’s words hold some weight. He was part of the biggest 360 degree turn in the modern age, serving as an assistant in San Diego in 1992 when the Chargers started 0-4 only to win 11 of their final 12 games to win the AFC West.

Fox was 37 when he left a job as Pittsburgh’s secondary coach to take the same job for new Chargers coach Bobby Ross. San Diego hadn’t reached the playoffs in a decade and went 4-12 a year before. The Chargers then scored only 29 points in their opening four games in 1992, including a 27-0 loss to Houston that had them to 0-4. Turning things around in Carolina won’t be simple. The Panthers have a minus-8 turnover margin, are allowing 182.7 yards rushing per game and can’t seem to tackle anybody. So maybe Julius Peppers can direct his inner O’Neal, who recorded 17 sacks in 1992 and maybe a rookie can make an impact like Seau.

McNabb Returns to Practice, Expected to Start

Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb returned to practice Monday and is anticipated to start Sunday when the Eagles host the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McNabb has been away since breaking his rib in the first game of the season. He missed two games before the Eagles had their bye last weekend. Coach Andy Reid was not made accessible to the media Monday and is not anticipated to tell until his scheduled news conference on Wednesday morning. Running back Brian Westbrook, who was also out their last game with a knee injury, was back at Monday’s short practice. McNabb was hurt scoring a rushing touchdown Sept. 6 in a victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Wide receiver Kevin Curtis and backup cornerback Dimitri Patterson also returned to practice Monday. The only player who did not practice was left guard Todd Herremans, who is out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his foot. He is hoping to return with the team by the Oct. 26 which is their Monday night game at Washington.

For Carolina Panthers, It’s Game Over Man, Game Over

This game against the Cowboys proved that the Panthers are unable of whipping good teams. The defense, mainly due to Dallas penalties, held the Cowboys in the first half. They were able to get pressure leading to sacks. The Panthers finished the half on a high note with a wonderful two minute drive offense capped off by a 25 yard TD pass to Dante Rosario. But for the third time in the last four significant games, the Panthers fell apart after scoring first. The Panthers offense was three and out in the 1st 4 drives of the second half, while the Cowboys ran up the scoreboard slowly. Drive after drive the Panthers D unsuccessfully made a big play. Despite all of this the Panthers were only down 13-7 but of course like the 0-3 team we are we made a mistake, a miscommunication on a passing route that led to an interception.

The Panthers are now 0-3, they’ve been incoherent at best, and absolutely awful at their worst. Their cruising to a 4-12 season, and except for some astonishing season changing experience where we somehow make the playoffs, there will be gigantic changes in Carolina.

Cowboys’ D Leads the Way in Victory

The Cowboys’ D doesn’t have to give themselves all the praises, they have to save some for Jake Delhomme by making costly turnovers, thus, giving the Cowboys the victory. With 5:07 left, Terence Newman returned an interception for 27 yards to stretch the Dallas lead, then rookie linebacker Victor Butler got two sacks and forced a fumble on the next series, sending Dallas to a 21-7 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Monday night.

With Dallas trailing 7-0 at halftime, the fans have booed them off the field. Although the defense was playing sound and running backs Felix Jones and Tashard Choicewere lessening the load on Romo, the quarterback was being so cautious to stay away from the mistakes that condemned the Cowboys the previous week that the offense struggled to turn long drives into scores. When Romo threw a pair of incompletion from the 1-yard line halfway through the fourth, Dallas was up by only six. Then Newman stepped in front of a pass to Steve Smith, darted to the right corner of the end zone and dived for the touchdown. Butler capped the night with his pair of sacks and the turnover, giving the Cowboys three of each after going without the two weeks prior. Maybe the Cowboys need the D to lead the way to victories and not Romo.

Carolina Blues for Peppers

The Carolina Panthers has made major moves in the last few weeks which can have long term effects on its on field play. Firstly, they placed upon defensive end Julius Peppers with the franchise tag. This is a controversial move as the four time Pro Bowl defensive end has signified his intent to play for another team the next season. This came moments after signing left tackle Jordan Gross to a deal worth $30 million for the next six years. With Gross under wraps, the Panthers placed the tag on Peppers who has said that he would seek to be traded in this situation.
The move was expected according to Carl Carey and that he will continue to work for a resolution to the situation. With the franchise tag, Carolina offered a one year guaranteed contract priced at $16.7 million to Peppers which would count against the salary cap. If Peppers signs for any offer made by other teams, the signing team would surrender two first round draft picks to the Panthers. This makes for more leverage for the Panthers to keep Peppers rather than let the All Pro end just walk away without anything in return.

Cards’ Boldin Hopes to Play Sunday Against Eagles

Anquan Boldin is one of the most dynamic WR in the league and he is one of the reason why the Arizona Cardinals is no going to face the upbeat Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game on Sunday. But the problem is he didn’t play against the Carolina Panthers when his Cardinals triumph over the NFC leading Panthers, so now, Boldin is hungry to be a part of the team when that face the Eagles at home on Sunday. He wants to play and he finally practiced on Wednesday which boost his chance to play in the NFC Championship bout.

He said that his trip to Dallas for a chiropractor has been successful treatment for his strained left hamstring. When healthy Anquan Boldin proves that he is one of the most dangerous WR in the league and together with WR Larry Fitzgerald they form the most explosive WR duo in the league, there is no telling how they will be able to make a big run to stop the surging Eagles.

Cardinals Shows Off Offense to Beat Panthers

Charlotte, NC – The Arizona Cardinals offense was no fluke. I know that they missed Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin the half of their talented Receiving duo due to injury but Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald picked up the slack to give the Cards a ticket to the NFC Coference championship (Final Score Arizona Cardinal 30; Carolina Panthers 13) that will await for whoever wins on the Philadelhia Eagles vs. New York Giants game. The Cards offense was clicking all cylinders as WR Fitzgerald (8 Receptions, 166 yards and a TD) and veteran Quarterback Kurt Warner (21/32 passing for 220 yards, 2 TD and 1 intercerption) was the difference maker for this game.

The Cards goes in this game as underdogs, with one of their top offensive threats, WR Anquan Boldin was officially out for the game. Although a lot thought that the offensive weapons of Carolina Panthers would do their damage in this game, it seems like the underrated defense of the Cardinals made more damages than anyt eam has to the Panthers. Pantehrs QB Jake Delhomme threw 5 interception and had 1 fumble for acconting on 6 turnovers for the Panthers. Their running game was under the weather as their top RB DeAngelo Williams runs 12 times but only had 63 yards and Rookie RB Jonathan Stewart had 3 carries for 12 yards and a TD. Their receiving game wasn’t there as WR Steve Smith had a TD with only 2 receptions for 43 yads with WR Muhsim Muhammad had 5 receptions for 55 yards.

The Arizona Cardinals defense showed something that we haven’t seen all year as their secondary was clicking with 5 interceptions as said earlier (FS Antrel Rolle with 1, CB Roderick Hood with 1, DE Antonio Smith with 1, DB Ralph Brown with 1 and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie also have 1 his second straight playoff pick). Veteran RB Edgerrin James had a TD for 20 carries and only 57 yards. Rookie RB Tim Hightower have 12 carries for 76 yards a TD and also having 1 reception for 3 yards which resulted to a TD. It was a very good offensive gameplanning by Arizona Cardinals that really outplayed the Carolina Panthers, now we they will be waiting on who’s going to face them in the NFC Conference championship game.