Boomer Esiason's Bigoted Top 5 NFL Overrated Players

Byron Bell's Do Over Opportunity vs Mario Williams

Oh to have a do over.  How many times in your life have you wanted one of those?  The time you didn't say the right thing, or do the right thing.  The time you froze instead of asking that pretty girl out.  Or how about that time on Saturdays where if you could just have that one golf-shot back or that one putt back and the entire round could have been different?  Well we may not get those do-overs in real life, but I know one 6-5 330 lb. Offensive Tackle for the Panthers that is so ready to get his do over next Friday.  You see this young man had a solid season in 2013 with the exception of one terrible day in Week 2 against Mario Williams and the Buffalo Bills.  I attended that game in person and was stunned at how routinely Williams (the former NC State Standout) was able to blow past Bell and get to Cam.  Without that one game last year, Bell's stats would show 4 sacks in 15 games and one that help lead a team to 14 games of over 100 rushing yards.  But you do have to count the Buffalo game where he gave up more sacks in that one game than he did the rest of the year.  Super Mario picked up 4.5 sacks against Bell and probably cut Bell's earning power in half in  one miserable Sunday afternoon that still has Josh Norman in Riverboat Ron's doghouse.

Training Camp Chronicles Part 1 Panthers And Falcons (July 29, 2014)

Can't play the embed player, try this link: https://ia902507.us.archive.org/10/items/TrainingCampChroniclesPart1PanthersAndFalcons/Training%20Camp%20Chronicles%20Part%201-%20Panthers%20and%20Falcons.mp3

Camp Chronicles Part 1: Atlanta and Carolina

LIVE 10 PM!

For Fantasy Shame or Glory?

Fantasy Football is fun. The intense moments, thrilling wins, devastating losses, and tough decisions make for a interesting and multifaceted competition.  It makes football more enjoyable to watch, it makes being a fan more involved, and it makes all the games  matter.  There's a reason it has become so popular and ubiquitous, and one rapidly growing aspect of the game that exemplifies all of these qualities is the "Shame Bet."

Gettleman's Biggest Gaff or the Ole' Boston Screw Job?

Gettleman smiling at the podium. pic.twitter.com/AonBxnI4R8
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 18, 2013

Panthers Team Depth and Surprise Cuts

Going into training camp, General Manager Dave Gettleman and Head Coach Ron Rivera will hope to fill all roster needs to have a productive camp. If that means going longer or shorter at certain positions, they will have to make those tough decisions for the benefit of the team. Because the Panthers are such a young team, Rivera doesn’t have to worry tremendously about managing veteran reps to save their bodies for the season. Let’s be honest, no one wants to see a star player go down to injury before seeing any real game action. Injuries happen, however, especially to Jonathan Stewart (injured already), and Carolina’s front office needs to be prepared for any and everything.  The will also have to mine a few unknown gems to fill a few needs offensively and defensively.

Injuries Mount in Carolina Panthers' Backfield

Every year it seems like the Carolina Panthers lose at least one guy for the year early in mini-camp. Last year around this time, it was LG Amini Silatolu. This year, it's rookie RB Tyler Gaffney. Gaffney was drafted to compete with Kenjon Barner for snaps behind Jonathan Stewart and an aging DeAngelo Williams, but Gaffney isn't the only Carolina RB that's ailing. Who is the other ailing RB you may ask? Do I really have to tell you?

Yep, it's Stewie. Jonathan Stewart could miss two to four weeks, according to early reports. I hate to say it, but isn't it just downright strange that he keeps getting dinged up....AFTER he got paid?

Panthers 2014 Fan Fest Fan Album

Panthers Fan Fest kicked with a party and ended with an impressive fireworks display.  Check out some of the C3 fan images.  More will come, but check out the first round.

Argument for Single RB Fantasy Leagues

Fantasy Football has had a massive spike in popularity in recent years, and the game has been evolving quickly.  The NFL has put less emphasis on workhorse running backs, and committees have become the new norm.  In response to this, Points Per Reception (PPR) leagues have become more and more common, and many people, including myself, feel that it is a more balanced scoring system.  But in order to form a more perfect scoring system, the cool new thing in fantasy is the Single Running Back, Two Flex, PPR league, like the one here at Carolina Cat Chronicles.

10 Things to Know About C3 Mock Draft 1.0

C3 held its first mock draft this past Tuesday. We learned some things you will want to know.  If you didn’t get in this mock, keep checking in on the website.  We’ll try to run at least once a week until the big draft. Yes, we’re talking about “practice.”

Carolina Will be Serving Lots of Crow this Season

Carolina is coming off one of its best seasons in history. Expectations are running high among Panthers fans for the 2014 season. So why am I miffed as I sit here typing this post? I suppose it is because of the vitriol spewing from fans and even players from other teams. Take this little quote from the Saints “other” tight end Benjamin Watson: “I will say this about our division, one team I’m not worried about is the Carolina Panthers.” This is a total slap in the face to Panthers fans and the entire Carolina organization. Check out our podcast on the issue also! Keep reading while you listen.

C3 Podcast: NO Respect

Panthers Training Camp Guarantees to Cut Deep

Panther Nation is eager for training camp. I am  for sure! I’m taking the kids to Fan Fest on Friday 7/25, and then heading to the first practice in Spartanburg on 7/26. Fans may be excited to see the football fly, but there are 90 athletes, who now call themselves Carolina Panthers, that will be focused on making the cut. For some, this is a non issue. The Panther stars, the Luke Kuechlys, Cam Newtons, and Charles Johnsons, can breath easy, focus on their game, and enjoy the fan festivities. For many, however, this will be a grueling, high pressure opportunity to make the squad. Each dropped pass, miss blitz pick-up, or poorly run route will be scrutinized and could just make Sundays a day off, rather than
a day at the office. NFL teams are allowed to have 90 man rosters to start camp. The first cuts will occur on August 26, where the roster slims to 76. On August 31, Dave Gettleman will have to pull out the cleaver and hack the roster down to the final 53, leaving 37 guys unsure of their NFL futures.

Reasons for Optimism in Carolina

Friday (7/26), the Carolina Panthers host their annual Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium. As with most fan bases around the NFL, everyone is 0-0 right now and hope springs eternal. That is of course if you don’t listen to the media. Next Friday (7/26), the Carolina Panthers host their annual Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium. As with most fan bases around the NFL, everyone is 0-0 right now and hope springs eternal. That is of course if you don’t listen to the media.

What should the Panthers do about Greg Hardy?

Greg Hardy's knack for getting bad publicity has come to an ugly head as a judge found him guilty of assault on a female and communicating threats. Hardy has appealed for a jury trial and the legal process will continue to play itself out. The NFL will likely wait for the legal process, but the Panthers are faced with a decision concerning the future of the franchise.

Panthers GM Dave Gettleman placed the franchise tag on Hardy in hopes on working on a long term deal, but the deadline passed as Hardy sat on the stand giving his testimony of the events that transpired that fateful early morning. Hardy is due $13.1 million this season so cutting him out right as a lot of fans are calling for is out of the question.

This could possibly be Hardy's last season with the Panthers organization as owner Jerry Richardson is having flashbacks of Rae Carruth. The Hardy situation is nowhere near as egregious as Carruth, but that type of situation and the allegations facing Hardy has got to raise some eyebrows.

NFC South Quarterback Rankings

As NFL teams prepare for training camp that begins later this month, fans continue to speculate about offseason hype, frankly, because there’s nothing else.  Fans and analysts are taking statistics from previous years and meshing them into some sort of equation that is suppose to determine the fate of the 2014 NFL season. Certain teams made big splashes during free agency, while others remained quiet until the draft. Some teams, like Cleveland, searched for that franchise quarterback, while others like Dallas tried to find ways to protect their franchise guy or give him more weapons.

Odds are High this is Greg Hardy's Final Season as a Carolina Panther

I've said David Gettleman, General Manager of the Carolina Panthers, doesn't look at the short term when making his decisions. He doesn't look at "just" this year OR next; he looks at the very long-term, multi-year picture. He's a "forest" guy, not a "trees" guy like Marty Hurney was. The reason is he "gets it" as far as the salary cap goes. He knows you have to take the very long-term view into account in order to keep a talented team on the field while not breaking the bank as his predecessor did and his penny-pinching ways have this organization pointing in the right direction after last year's 12-4 season.

C3 Audio Podcast: Reacting to Hardy Verdict and Forecasting Training Camp Cuts

ORDER IN THE TWITTER COURT! The Crew reacts to the Greg Hardy guilty verdict and the circus surrounding it!  We've brought in +PantherNasty aka @Begasu26 to discuss the Panthers training camp roster and preview the cuts to come.  The reactions are raw and immediate and the analysis is a must listen.

C3 Video Podcast: Camp Cuts

Live 10 PM Tonight! 

(7/15)

The C3 Crew discusses who needs to have a strong camp to avoid being cut and some of the positions that have an abundance of players, which may lead to an unexpected roster cut.  C3 contributor and TTC member +PantherNasty aka +Willie Perry  will be poppin through the show to give everyone the low down on training camp expectations. 

What does Jimmy Graham's MegaDeal Mean for NFL Tight Ends?

#459963931 / gettyimages.com

Today we've learned that New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham and the team came to terms on a contract worth $40 million over 4 years - or $10 million per season - with half that total coming guaranteed.

Graham just set a new benchmark for tight ends and people like Vernon Davis are smiling wide right about now.

Awaiting Avant

"I Like McNutt And I Cannot Lie"

The Panthers are going to have to have a wide receiver emerge from anonymity if 2014 is going to be special.  David Gettleman says the answer is often on your roster, well he had better be right or this 2014 team could easily go 8-8.  But I’m here to tell you that the answer is very likely on the roster and he was born on the Fourth of July in 1989.  Marvin McNutt is who I like to be what Victor Cruz was to the Giants a few years back.  This young man is 6’3, 195 lbs and is the all-time yardage leader for Iowa.  He averaged 17 yards per reception and racked up 28 TDs in his college career.  A man with that size and runs a 4.42 40 has the God-given ability to be special. Sometimes you just need a chance and this young man is going to get his.

The Fatal Five - Who can the Carolina Panthers Least Afford to have Injured in 2014?

#463263827 / gettyimages.com

We hate to think of any NFL player being injured, let alone a serious one. When it's a player on your favorite team it seems ten times worse, and when it's a key player, it often is.

Look at what happened last year when the Green Bay Packers lost AR-12 for almost half the season when he broke his collarbone. They were quite beatable and if memory serves, went 2-5 during that stretch. It wasn't until Rodgers got back on the field and led a game-winning drive against Chicago to seal their division crown that they were back to their "old ways" once more.

As for the Carolina Panthers, I've made a short list of players that are the biggest keys to repeating the NFC South division crown....and the order might be a little surprising.

C3 Podcast: Fantasy Football Extravaganza (7/8/14)

The Crew this week is anticipating the coming 2014 season and will delve into fantasy football in relation to the Carolina Panthers.  Fantasy writer Matt Haithcock will join the show at 10:15 and we will be unveiling a little fantasy surprise for Panther fans afterward.



Links to different formats...same awesome podcast!!!

https://ia802506.us.archive.org/7/items/C3FantasyFootballExtravaganza/C3%20Fantasy%20Football%20Extravaganza.ogg

https://ia802506.us.archive.org/7/items/C3FantasyFootballExtravaganza/download%2FC3FantasyFootballExtravaganza%2FC3FantasyFootballExtravaganza_vbr.m3u

5 Things the Panthers Must Replicate From 2013 To Make 2014 Special

Touchdown Tony Dunn recently wrote a great piece about the 5 stats that have to improve for the Panthers next season.  It got me thinking as to what we have to replicate from 2013 in 2014.  Sometimes in football, as in life, a break here or there makes all the difference in the outcome.  A fumble on opening day, a breakdown in coverage on the final play in Buffalo, a dropped TD against Arizona all were single plays that could have made our season historic, or at least 15-1.  But on the other side of the coin, if Brady had connected on that last play on Monday night, or if Hixon had dropped that fateful pass against New Orleans or had we not picked up 4th and forever against Miami, we would not have made the playoffs.  So here is a look at 5 things we must try to replicate if 2014 is going to be special.

C3 Podcast: Panthers Fantasy Football Alert

 Live Tuesday at 10 PM!

The Crew this week is anticipating the coming 2014 season and will delve into fantasy football in relation to the Carolina Panthers.  Fantasy writer Matt Haithcock will join the show at 10:15 and we will be unveiling a little fantasy surprise for Panther fans afterward.

5 Stats the Carolina Panthers Need to Change in 2014

1.             29^th in Passing: The non-existent air attack of 2013 will have to be improved upon if Carolina hopes to repeat as NFC champs against the high powered New Orleans “Ain’ts” and the big body Tampa Bay “Sucs.”  Carolina averaged only 190 yards/game in the air last year.  This wasn’t because of inconsistent quarterback play either.  Cam Newton completed 61.7% of his pass attempts with only 13 INTs. Carolina was simply one dimensional in 2013, and that dimension was the defense.  Carolina’s defense will keep the Panthers in games this season, but the offense will need to win some as well.

No Receivers, No Problems for the Carolina Panthers: Are the Backs Poised to Breakout in 2014?

By Dan Rawlinson, UK
Dan writes for UK sports site, the Sports Breakfast. You can find his work also at http://danrawly19891.wordpress.com/

The Carolina Panthers offseason has been dominated with negative talk about their lack of a certified wide receiver, but what of the running backs? At one time, the Panthers running corps was a well oiled touchdown machine. However through a mixture of injury and offensive style changes, its numbers have dwindled slightly over the past few seasons. Could this season be the year they reaffirm their status as one of the best backfields in the NFL? I'm here to explain why it could just be.

Back in 2008 & 2009 Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams earned themselves the nickname 'Double Trouble'.  In 2009, they both rushed for more than 1,100 yards and scored 17 touchdowns between them. Fantasy players even took to drafting both as at least one of them would always get you a touchdown. Since 2009, the pair’s numbers have declined, with neither hitting the 1,000 yard mark again. In fact, in the four seasons since 2009, their combined figures make 4,820 yards. In 2008 and 2009 their combined figured were 4,601 yards. So why do I believe that this downward trend will stop this year?

Panther Offensive Players due for a Breakout 2014 Season

#158374630 / gettyimages.com

Through my knowledge of Panther football I’ve generated a list of players who I feel will have a year that will propel their name to a higher tier. This list consists of a variety of players, some who a few Panther fans aren’t too familiar with and others you guys might feel shouldn’t be on here. I wanted to put some big name players on the list because I’ve been keeping an eye on their offseason and believe like these guys could possibly register one of their most productive seasons yet. A few rookies even made the list.

C3 Podcast: Was Cam Newton Lucky He Outranked Luck in the NFL Top 100?

The C3 Crew brings on Drafttek.com's Rick McGlothlin aka ColtsDrafter and Jake Arthur, Editor/Indianapolis Colts Beat Writer for @IndySportsRep, to tackle the question. Let the fan debate continue as we anticipate this upcoming season.  The guys will also discuss the Colts and Panthers 2014 outlook in relation to the two young quarterbacks, Andrew Luck and Cam Newton.  

How Do The Panthers Make You Feel?

We’ve spent time over the past week discussing our disdain for other teams and we’ve discussed curses.  Bottom line is that we wouldn’t care about any of that if we didn’t love our team.  So why do we love the Panthers?  Cool colors?  Nice guys on the team?  No, though those things do help, I love my team for   how they make me feel.  The recently departed and much respected Maya Angelou said it well when she said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  So below are two games that without research I didn’t remember the score or the yards or who the starting 22 players were, but I certainly remember how they made me feel.  I’d love to hear a few from you, PantherNation.

My Take on Cam Newton's Ranking in NFL Network's "Top 100"

#155489922 / gettyimages.com

NFL Network's Dave Dameshek actually, finally made some sense for once and lifted himself out of the role I had slotted him into since I knew the man existed - that of the network's clown. 

More on that in a moment.