PatsFans.com Menu
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans

The Myth of the Panthers D-Line


Status
Not open for further replies.

PonyExpress

In the Starting Line-Up
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Messages
4,659
Reaction score
78
I thought this absurd myth was laid to rest in SB 38 when they were man-handled by the Pats. Then I thought it was put to rest the next year when they went 7-9. Then I thought it was put to rest when Jenkins was out for the 2nd straight year. And yet these no-nothing announcers persist in hyping this nauseatingly overrated unit. I'll take Peppers and trade the rest in for a dozen boston cream donuts and keg of beer. Spare me more about the Carolina D-line.
 
PonyExpress said:
I thought this absurd myth was laid to rest in SB 38 when they were man-handled by the Pats. Then I thought it was put to rest the next year when they went 7-9. Then I thought it was put to rest when Jenkins was out for the 2nd straight year. And yet these no-nothing announcers persist in hyping this nauseatingly overrated unit. I'll take Peppers and trade the rest in for a dozen boston cream donuts and keg of beer. Spare me more about the Carolina D-line.

I'm with you a little. I think the Panthers themselves, being perennial NFC favorites, have been slightly overhyped. But it's their defense that's done it for them. In fact, last season they had the 4th ranked rushing defense in the league. Not to mention they stuffed the Pats pretty darn easily last year too (held NE to under 40 yards rushing that game).
 
I don't know. Watching them tonight I thought they were solid (althought against a suspect O-line) across the board. Peppers always seems to have the production even though I think sometimes he's all hype. Everytime Jenkins is healthy he's a one-man wrecking machine. Mike Rucker is underrated and killed Matt Light in last year's game.

I always want to downgrade them , but I think it just comes down to the Pats having unbelievable blocking in Superbowl 38 and throughout the playoffs in 03. Light, Hochstein, Ashworth and Graham were all particuraly impressive during that run. All we heard the week before the superbowl was how great their DL was. Then we didn't allow any sacks and Brady passed for 300+ yards. Our opinion of the Panther's D-line probably will never change from that first impression.
 
I guess when your first impression was the Super Bowl, and you watched Hochstein and Ashworth pancake those pretenders play after play, you get a bit prejudiced. What an absolute snotglobbering domination that was.
 
PonyExpress said:
I guess when your first impression was the Super Bowl, and you watched Hochstein and Ashworth pancake those pretenders play after play, you get a bit prejudiced. What an absolute snotglobbering domination that was.

Yeah, we crushed those pansies by 3 points. I think it was a case of the O-Line really playing incredibly well and over their heads. I believe we didn't give up a sack in any of the 3 playoff games, pretty awesome.
 
Jenkins was great but I doubt he'll ever be the same now that's he's been hurt. Peppers is amazing though.

The loss of Witherspoon will hurt the defense, but Gamble is going to be a shutdown corner. A healthy Deshaun Foster will help their offense, Delhomme is a heck of a QB, and Steve Smith makes him even better. Their team will do very well this year.
 
Last edited:
scott99 said:
Yeah, we crushed those pansies by 3 points. I think it was a case of the O-Line really playing incredibly well and over their heads. I believe we didn't give up a sack in any of the 3 playoff games, pretty awesome.
The offense ran up 481 yards and held the ball for 40 minutes. If the victory was only by 3 points, I blame the Vinitraitor, who gave 9 points away on shoddy kicking (1 short FG blocked, another missed, and a half-assed kickoff before halftime).
 
PonyExpress said:
The offense ran up 481 yards and held the ball for 40 minutes. If the victory was only by 3 points, I blame the Vinitraitor, who gave 9 points away on shoddy kicking (1 short FG blocked, another missed, and a half-assed kickoff before halftime).

Not to mention the two injuries at safety. Those went a long way towards making that a close game.

And yes, their defensive line is greatly overhyped.
 
PonyExpress said:
I thought this absurd myth was laid to rest in SB 38 when they were man-handled by the Pats. Then I thought it was put to rest the next year when they went 7-9. Then I thought it was put to rest when Jenkins was out for the 2nd straight year. And yet these no-nothing announcers persist in hyping this nauseatingly overrated unit. I'll take Peppers and trade the rest in for a dozen boston cream donuts and keg of beer. Spare me more about the Carolina D-line.

You do know that Steve Smith missed basically that entire season right? They also started 1-8 to finish 7-9 which is a pretty nice end to a season I might add. That Carolina front 4 is close to the top of the league if not the best.
 
Aqua4Ever04 said:
You do know that Steve Smith missed basically that entire season right? They also started 1-8 to finish 7-9 which is a pretty nice end to a season I might add. That Carolina front 4 is close to the top of the league if not the best.

Yeah but they still had Muhsin Muhammad who led the league in receptions so it's not like they had no one at WR after Smith went down.
 
The panthers DL is one of the best, but so is the pats DL. Both are considerd to be one of the best alibet semour is rated the best DL men the NFL:cool:.

The panthers front four are good and no one should take that away from them.

I am a true diehard pats fan and i believe that the pats have the best in the NFL, but lets not kid our selfs by saying that the panthers DL is overratted. they are far from that. so lets not put down a good DL just to boost our team.:)
 
Kinda OT but if BB ever decides to retire, I'm sure John Fox would merit serious consideration.
 
PonyExpress said:
The offense ran up 481 yards and held the ball for 40 minutes. If the victory was only by 3 points, I blame the Vinitraitor, who gave 9 points away on shoddy kicking (1 short FG blocked, another missed, and a half-assed kickoff before halftime).


Vinatieri isn't to blame for the 'half-assed kickoff'. It's called a squib kick and it was a coaching decision. Vinatieri also isn't to blame for the shoddy tackling angles that the coverage unit took, allowing a ten+ yard run-back. Vinatieri also isn't to blame for the draw play that went directly after his quib that allowed the Carolina offense to set up the fieldgoal or the two long bomb TDs that the D allowed (one over Wilson on a play in which he injured his groin, one on Poole where he had good coverage but the pass was perfect and Wilson was late getting over to help out).

That was a great superbowl and both offenses were the units to step up in the final quarters of each half, and both Ds dominated the initial quarters of each half. Vinatieri should have put up an additional 6 points, it's true, but somehow I still think it'd have ended up a barnburner, it was just that type of game. Great memories, SB 38. Probably my favorite one. :D
 
Last edited:
Aqua4Ever04 said:
You do know that Steve Smith missed basically that entire season right? They also started 1-8 to finish 7-9 which is a pretty nice end to a season I might add. That Carolina front 4 is close to the top of the league if not the best.

And they had a collection of running backs carrying the rock that made the jags the Pats had last year look like Hall of Famers by comparison.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.


MORSE: Patriots QB Drake Maye Analysis and What to Expect in Round 2 and 3
Five Patriots/NFL Thoughts Following Night One of the 2024 NFL Draft
Friday Patriots Notebook 4/26: News and Notes
TRANSCRIPT: Patriots QB Drake Maye Conference Call
Patriots Now Have to Get to Work After Taking Maye
TRANSCRIPT: Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo After Patriots Take Drake Maye
Thursday Patriots Notebook 4/25: News and Notes
Patriots Kraft ‘Involved’ In Decision Making?  Zolak Says That’s Not the Case
MORSE: Final First Round Patriots Mock Draft
Slow Starts: Stark Contrast as Patriots Ponder Which Top QB To Draft
Back
Top