Why the Panthers Are 0-2

Buck was not worried about the Carolina Panthers’ two losses to open the 2006 NFL season. He knew that they had everyone fooled, lulling other teams into a false sense of security with a series of "unexpected" losses at the start of the season. Steve Smith's fake hammy injury was a brilliant ploy, and coach John Fox was a genius. Buck could only shake his head and smile in admiration of the beauty of the plan. They would open the season 0-4, then head to Cleveland and start bashing heads. Sure, three of their first four games were against division opponents, and that would make it extremely difficult to win the division. But winning the division had never been the plan. Since when had Carolina ever been an effective team as the favorite? No, they needed to be the underdogs. They needed to be disrespected in the press, fueling a visceral rage demanding release through brutal, repeated hammerings delivered with hot-blooded fury against any players unfortunate enough to try to stand in their way. Only then would the world witness true Carolina football.

“The botched punt return,” he typed, trying to make himself believe his own nonsense, “says it all. They had the Vikings on the ropes, but the score was still reasonably close. Then they tried to execute a trick special teams play deep in their own territory. Such risky tactics are not characteristic of John Fox football. Yet the evidence available through a simple perusal of the post-game interviews indicate that Chris Gamble’s ill-fated pass attempt was not something the usually reliable player improvised on the spur of the moment. The play was called from the sidelines.”

Buck concluded that since the trick play was too unlike anything John Fox was prone to call under the given circumstances, and since Gamble normally executed well, the play and its poor execution must have been intended to throw the game away. After that it was a simple matter to act fooled by the fake field goal that Minnesota used to throw a touchdown pass.

His buddy Al saw the situation differently. They’re overrated, he quietly explained to Buck, and what’s worse, they believed the hype about themselves in the press. The truth is that when people assess this year’s Carolina squad, they’re remembering the 2003 Superbowl team and have failed to recognize several key differences between that great team and this one:

1. The 2003 squad had a solid offensive line that both protected Delhomme and allowed the establishment of an up-the-middle rushing game. They were successful because the line consisted of the right personnel who happened to have been working together for multiple seasons. Familiarity is critical in an O-line. The new line doesn’t have it yet, and with Travell Wharton out the situation has only gotten worse. So Delhomme, who can thread the eye of a needle (but only when the game is on the line), will continue to be forced into making bonehead decisions.
2. The 2003 squad was doping up, and this year's squad (presumably) is not.
3. In '03 they had both Steve Smith AND Mushin Mohammad. A speedy, elusive guy for breaking tackles after the quick catch, and a big guy completely unafraid to extend himself vertically in heavy traffic and sustain the inevitable post-reception bruising hits. This combination of players was perfect for a hot-headed and sometimes shaky QB like Delhomme.
4. Ricky Manning. Sometimes suspect, but always great for a few big defensive takeaways. Of all the teams he could go to, did it have to be the Bears? Like their defense needed the help.

I got news for you buddy, Al said with real sympathy, Carolina’s going 0-4 to start the season, then they’ll finally get a win against the Browns. After that, the Ravens will knock the hope right out of them, and Cincinnati and Dallas will bury them, leaving them at a dismal 1-7 when their divisional rivals from Tampa come calling. Maybe they’ll win that game and the next one against the Rams, but at best they can hope to win only half of the remaining games, so they’ll be making their January vacation plans well in advance of ending the season 6-10.

Buck couldn’t believe his ears, but he rarely listened to Al anyway. True, Buck had never really believed his own inane story of the Panthers throwing the game, but he chose to remain bullish on his favorite team’s chances. They had played well, after all, but they’d blown a few plays late in the game and that had made the difference. The season was still young, though. There was still hope.

And Steve Smith wouldn’t be out forever.