Carolina’s offense is in line to get better

By Chris Cluff  |   Monday, June 11, 2007  |  Comments( 3 )

Carolina Panthers
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The Carolina Panthers' offense has done nothing but get worse over the past two seasons, and last season quarterback Jake Delhomme took a lot of heat for it and offensive coordinator Dan Henning got fired because of it. Now the team has a new offensive coordinator, Jeff Davidson, and a new backup quarterback, David Carr, who could replace Delhomme if the Panthers can't move the ball well enough to finish better than the 8-8 record they tallied last year. Some have said that Delhomme's job is on the line, and that just happens to be the position group that most needs to improve.

Part of Davidson's new offense is a zone blocking scheme, which should make things easier on a front five that has undergone a lot of turnover over the past few years. When Delhomme first arrived in Carolina in 2003, his line consisted of, from left to right, Todd Steussie, Jeno James, Jeff Mitchell, Kevin Donnalley and Jordan Gross. Gross is the only lineman remaining from that squad, which lost in the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots.

In two of the past three years, Gross has had to move from his natural right-tackle spot to left tackle because of injuries. Last year, he moved to the left side in Week 2 after Travelle Wharton was lost for the season with torn knee ligaments in the first game.

Wharton wasn't the only injury problem the line had up front in 2006. Center Justin Hartwig, signed to replace the retired Mitchell, suffered a major groin injury in the opener and also was finished for the year. The two early injuries put a major kink in the line as Gross moved to left tackle, inexperienced Geoff Hangartner took over at center and newly signed Jeremy Bridges took over at right tackle after Todd Fordham didn't show well in Week 2. Those late changes - and the loss of left guard Mike Wahle for the final three games -- were a big factor in the Panthers dropping to 24th on offense.

The new blocking scheme -- as well as the experience earned by guys like Hangartner, Bridges, rookie left guard Will Montgomery and second-year right guard Evan Mathis -- should help the line significantly in 2007.

As Delhomme told the team's website recently, "I think up front is going to be a big thing. Hopefully we don't have injuries. And if we don't, I really believe having (offensive line coach Dave) Magazu is really going to be a big feather in our cap. Everybody's on the same page, which is good.

"One thing about last year, too: When you lose a guy like Jeff Mitchell, that hurts you under the radar. He was somebody who ran that O-line. ... He was always that calming influence. Last year Justin comes in and gets hurt right away. Hangartner had to get ready. You have to understand: Last year was just his second year, and he didn't hardly play his first year. That was a big deal, too. Having veterans up front helps."

After so many guys played last year, the team has plenty of veterans up front now. With Wharton back at left tackle, Gross has moved back to his spot at right tackle. Wahle is back at left guard, and Hartwig is trying to hold on to the center spot as he receives challenges from Hangartner and Ryan Kalil, the team's second-round pick out of USC. There is some thought that Kalil could win that spot, which could move Hartwig to the right-guard position currently held by Mathis.

While a healthy unit would help greatly, so will the new offense - a blocking scheme that has been used to great success particularly by the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons, who are consistently among the league's leading rushing teams.

"We're all really excited about it," Wahle told the Panthers' website. "We love what's going on. We're installing new things, and everyone's excited about the opportunities we have in front of us. It's up to us to go out there and execute them."

Davidson, who came over from Cleveland, said the zone-blocking scheme is simpler and that it is just about understanding what is legal and what is not, as well as getting the unit to think as one.

"There are a lot of rules that we have to work through and make sure everybody is on the same page with. That's the biggest thing," Davidson recently told the Gaston Gazette: "As long as the guys who are working next to each other are thinking the same thing, we'll be great. If we've got one guy thinking one thing and the other guy thinking something else, then we've got a problem. That's the thing they have to grow into the fastest."

Running back DeAngelo Williams, who has expressed great excitement over the new running game, which will allow him to use his superb cutback ability, likes the potential of the Panthers' linemen because they are an athletic bunch.

"We've got big, strong, agile guys up front," Williams told the team's website. "They're not just the big, sloppy, 6-8, 400-pound guys. These guys can move out there."

And if they can help Delhomme and Williams move the ball, the Panthers might make a move back to the playoffs again.

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About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding,...
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CommentsComments: 3  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
jeremy		12:57 PM
06/11/2007
i would say put D Carr in.Jake Delhomme has had his chance to lead that team.I watch them play and he is not the same QB he was...
No.2
Hampton		10:23 AM
06/28/2007
It's great that we have a back up plan for Jake in Davud Carr. However Jake Delhomme is the greatest QB to put on a Panthers...
No.3
Hampton		10:24 AM
06/28/2007
It's great that we have a back up plan for Jake in Davud Carr. However Jake Delhomme is the greatest QB to put on a Panthers...
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