2007 Carolina Panthers Picks & Predictions
May 21, 2008
The Carolina Panthers were one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL last season. With the talent and pressure to perform, can they make a run at the Super Bowl in 2007? Find out Dave Price’s take in his 2007 Carolina Panthers predictions.
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With expectations sky high entering the 2006 season, the Carolina Panthers, who were heavy Super Bowl favorites after falling a game short the previous season, fell flat on their faces from day one.
All-Pro wide receiver Steve Smith’s injured hamstring on the first day of training camp set the tone for the season — one of bleak things to come. Injuries destroyed the offensive line, and defensive starters Dan Morgan and Mike Rucker suffered season-ending injuries as well. Offensive coordinator Dan Henning and two assistant coaches were axed after the disappointing season as management was looking for a way to send a message in a hurry. Now head coach John Fox and General Manager Marty Hurney are starting to feel the heat for the first time, and if they aren’t, they should be.
Plenty of talent remains on the roster for a double digit win season and a playoff run, but age is beginning to sneak up on the Panthers and the window for winning a Super Bowl with this unit of players appears to be close to shutting.
The Panthers are counting on new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson to turn around a unit that slumped last season because of injuries along the line and inconsistent play from QB Jake Delhomme. Davidson, who came to the Panthers after serving as the Patriots’ and Browns’ offensive line coach, also will be charged with fixing a ground game that finished 24th in rushing last season. Davidson prefers a between the tackles rushing attack which is something John Fox favors and has wanted in Carolina since the Panthers made their Super Bowl run in 2003. Davidson also plans to bring more balance to an offense that became too pass happy at times with wide receiver Steve Smith the past two seasons. If Foster is in the Pro Bowl this season, it will likely mean that the Panthers made a run in the playoffs. That’s how important a running attack is to this team.
Mike Trgovac’s defense is the one unit that did not disappoint last season. It kept the Panthers in every game the offense tried to give away. Carolina finished in the top 10 behind a career year from defensive end Julius Peppers and a brick wall interior line consisting of defensive tackles Kris Jenkins, Maake Kemoeutu, and Damione Lewis. The linebacker corps is the only area that really needs to be addressed. It remains in flux because it has not found a replacement for weak side linebacker Will Witherspoon, who left in free agency last offseason, and middle linebacker Dan Morgan’s career continues to be silenced by injuries. The Panthers like their trio of corners: Ken Lucas, Chris Gamble, and Richard Marshall. These boys are like Bruce Bowen playing defense on their oppositions star receivers. They are fast and capable of making big plays. The safety position is safe for at least one more year. But when Mike Minter leaves after this season, the Panthers will have some big shoes to fill.
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