Testaverde or Carr?? Or a little of both....
| 14
|
by FatMan
Charlotte, NC (10/25) - John Fox told the press early in the week that the QB starter would be decided after Wednesday's practice, so who has he named?? A little guy we like to call TBD. TBD can take on many forms. He can take the form of a stylish, surfer-like dude coming off a back injury who proclaimed his fitness by telling the Media yesterday, "My back is OK. Not great. I need to shake off the rust, but it felt good to run a bit." This version of TBD isn't exactly chomping at the bit.
Another form of TBD is an aging, hobbled life form who just two and a half weeks ago was watching "Dancing with the Stars" on Monday Nights looking for a possible appearance in the next season. He sounded confident on Wednesday when he said, "If David is healthy, he will be the starter." Who is going to take the bull by the horns??
The last form of TBD is the one you'll most likely see. It will feature both previous forms utilized in different game situations. We saw it at play a couple weeks ago in Arizona when Ken Whisenhunt used the grizzled veteran Kurt Warner to direct some no-huddle drives in a victory. We also saw it utilized by Steve Spurrier this past weekend as the South Carolina Gamecocks tallied an impressive 6 points against Vandy using this progressive QB-switching tactic. So which one will we see Sunday? Part of it might depend on the Indianapolis defense lining up on the other side of the ball. I believe John Fox has realized that tipping his hand on a starter might put the Panthers at a larger deficit than they might already be facing. So for now we will wait, look to the tunnel at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, and see which form of TBD ambles out.
Sunday's Game:
Who: Colts at Panthers
When: Sunday, October 28, 1PM EST
TV: CBS Regional Coverage
Expected Weather: 62 degrees, 30% chance of light showers
The undefeated Colts will take on the NFC South leading Panthers. At 4-2, the Panthers have a chance to solidify their lead, while the Colts have to guard against a letdown before facing the Patriots next week. John Fox varied the preparation during the bye week by giving the players 3 days off instead of the usual one day. This allowed some of the players to get out of town last week, but it also helped give some down time for those who have had injuries.
When the Panthers have the ball look for whomever is behind center to focus on getting Steve Smith as many touches as possible. There will be screen passes to him, end arounds, and the occasional deep pattern. Also look for DeAngelo Williams to get more action, as his speed matches up well against the Colts defensive front.
When the Colts have the ball, look for Manning to utilize the downfield passing attack as usual. The Panthers defensive backfield has been inconsistent all year, and with Harrison, Wayne, and Clark as downfield threats, they are ripe for another tough outing.
Quick Hitters:
- Nick Goings, possibly the toughest player on the offensive side of the ball was placed on IR yesterday, meaning he will miss the remainder of the year. Goings has had post-concusson syndrome after getting repeatedly battered on kickoff returns. The Panthers will miss his versatility.
- Partially as a result of the Goings move, the Panthers worked out 11 players in the past couple of days. Among them were former Georgia safety, Greg Blue, who never was able to parlay his collegiate success at the professional level, due to a lack of speed. And Drew Olsen, former UCLA QB who could be signed as insurance in case of another injury at the position. Also working out was WR/KR Jeremy bloom, medalist in snowboarding, and former Colorado star. Bloom could be signed to handle return duties, assuming he doesn't have any eligibility issues still hanging over him from the nefarious NCAA. Also further complicating his signing is a report that David Carr may not like being challenged for "Panther Most Likely to Appear in GQ".
