hagan714

You can sense the Carolina Panthers regaining some of their swagger after finally winning their first game of the season last Sunday, 26-24 over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
And a lot of that has to do with Mr. Swagger himself, Steve Smith, being back in the lineup.

After scoring just 19 points in their first two games, the Panthers busted out for 26 against the Bucs. Johnson had seven catches for 97 yards and scored two touchdowns, including one on a reverse. Smith led all receivers with 112 yards on seven receptions.

"It was totally different," Johnson said of having Smith on the field. "He brings something important to the table, which is explosiveness. It opens a lot of different areas on the football field. It gives (quarterback) Jake (Delhomme) another weapon to throw the football to. He's exciting to watch, and he obviously helped us move the ball down the field."

This week, Smith should see even more action — he played 52 of 83 offensive plays against the Bucs — as the Panthers prepare to face the New Orleans Saints in a crucial NFC South division game. A win Sunday and the Panthers, who started with losses to Atlanta and Minnesota, will be within one game of the NFC South lead and pick up a very important division win.

"We have to knock them down slowly, one at a time," said Johnson. "You want to try to even things up in the division. If we get this win against them Sunday, then everyone will have a loss in the division."

Carolina's defense, however, will need to step up big.

This will be their first look at Saints running back Reggie Bush, the guy who should have been the No. 1 pick in this year's NFL draft.

Bush, whom the Saints have lined up all over the field during the first three weeks, figures to be a thorn in Carolina's side for years to come since they'll have to deal with him twice a year.

"He's involved in the return game as well as at tailback," coach John Fox said. "He does as good of job receiving the ball as he does running the ball. Even coming out (of college), people likened him to Marshall Faulk, and he's that kind of talent. They're using him in those types of roles."

Panthers cornerback Ken Lucas is hoping some of the emotion the Saints played with on Monday night will wear off this week.

Making it even tougher, the Saints are coming off a short week.

"It's hard from week to week to try to be that high every week," Lucas said. "If you are that high one week, it's really hard to come back the next week and try to be that high again. That's going to be a challenge for them. I don't think they went into that game only off emotions, though. They had to go in there prepared to play. They are a good team, a good talented team, and we are going to have to have our A game to beat them."

SERIES HISTORY: 23rd meeting. Series tied 11-11. The Saints seem to like Carolina cooking, having won five of the last six games at Bank of America Stadium including last year's regular season opener. In that game, the emotionally charged Saints opened up with nearly a nine-minute drive to take the life of the home crowd and went on to win 23-20 on a last-second field goal by John Carney just days after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast region.

NOTES, QUOTES

—While the rest of the football world was abuzz over the ever-changing Terrell Owens saga on Wednesday, the Panthers were aware of the ongoing situation but weren't able to follow much of what was happening because they were busy preparing for the Saints.

"I know what you know. I can't help you," said wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who was replaced by Owens in Dallas earlier this year. "If it's something in this locker room, I can help you out. But with that? I have no idea."

—In the no-surprise-here category, Panthers kicker John Kasay was named the NFC's Special Teams Player of the Week after becoming the first kicker in NFL history to convert four field goals of 46 yards or longer in the same game.

"I'm glad he got named that," Fox said. "He did a great job for us. When guys step up like that, they get honors, and I'm happy for him."

—Panthers safety Mike Minter was shocked when informed the Panthers have been installed as 7 1/2-point favorites this Sunday, despite the fact the Saints have not lost this season and have won four of their last five games in Carolina.

Minter found the odds a little hard to believe.

"How are we going to be 7 1/2 favorites? I mean this is a good football team, they beat us in the first game last year," Minter said. "We can only go off of that. The bottom line is we've got to play these guys and they are going to come in here ready to play. So for anyone to say we are 7 1/2-point favorites, I don't know what they are looking at. By Sunday it will probably be down to even."

The early line on the game listed the Panthers as 8 1/2-point favorites, but the line has shrunk some.

—A native of Louisiana, Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said he was touched by the re-opening of the Superdome on Monday night, a little more than a year after it was torn apart by Hurricane Katrina.

"I've tried to explain it," said Delhomme, a native of Breaux Bridge. "I know the Hornets are there now and the Jazz were there for a couple of years, but it's just football. Football is king in Louisiana. That's just the way it is. As a high school athlete, your dream was to play in the Superdome, because that meant you were playing in the state championship. That's imbedded in you from early on."

—For the first time in recent memory, the Panthers used simulated crowd noise machines at practice before a home game. The loud speakers pumped noise on to the field when Carolina's defense was on the field.

Fox figures Sunday's game has a chance to get pretty loud and with a few newcomers on defense he wants them to get used to working in a loud arena.

"I don't know if it's the first time but I know it was requested," Fox said. "Unfortunately, we didn't get our crowd too loud the last time we were at home (against Atlanta). But I think when we get things get going it does become a factor for the defense, so we had it out here."

BY THE NUMBERS: 1 — Touchdown passes this season by Jake Delhomme. With Steve Smith back in the lineup, expect those numbers to rise significantly in the next few weeks.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I was physically sick. I think anybody that knows my personality, they know I don't want to go out there and do any damage to anybody. A lot of guys, believe it not, are a lot different off the field and I'd like to believe that I'm a compassionate guy. I don't want to jeopardize anybody's health that way." — Panthers DE Al Wallace upon hearing that Bucs QB Chris Simms had to have his spleen removed. Wallace delivered one of the big hits on Simms, but it's not necessarily the one that injured his spleen.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Dan Morgan will miss at least another week of action stemming from a concussion he suffered in this year's regular season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

Morgan is listed as "out" on the team's injury report released Wednesday, meaning he will miss his third straight game on Sunday when the New Orleans Saints come marching into town.

Panthers coach John Fox again refused to set a target date as to when Morgan might return to the football field.

"He seems to be doing fine just talking to him," Fox said. "He's working out. He's involved. He's in meetings. He's doing everything that all of the injured guys are doing."

In the meantime, Chris Draft, a knowledgeable and reliable veteran will continue to take his place at middle linebacker.

—The Panthers signed offensive lineman Rob Droege to the practice squad.


PLAYER NOTES

—QB Jake Delhomme was not all that impressive last year in two games against the Saints, completing 32 of 52 passes for less than 400 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Look for a better outing this week if he can get some protection.

—LT Jordan Gross was a turnstile last week against Simeon Rice and figures to have another tough game this week against Saints DE Will Smith.

—WR Steve Smith practiced on Wednesday and is expected to play this week as long as he doesn't suffer any setbacks with his hamstrings. Smith is listed as probable, but looks fine in practice. Smith had 14 receptions for 223 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Saints last year. He also scored another touchdown on a reverse.

—MLB Dan Morgan is listed as out for this week's game against New Orleans. He is still recovering from a concussion.

—SS Shaun Williams will likely miss Sunday's game with a foot injury. Williams will likely need at least another week to rest his injured foot.

—SS Colin Branch is expected to start in place of the injured Shaun Williams. Branch was the team's starter in 2004, but spent all of last season on injured reserve and started last week against Tampa Bay.

—RT Jeremy Bridges is expected to start again this week as Todd Fordham was added to the injury report as questionable. Bridges allowed one big sack late in the third quarter against the Bucs and was removed from the game. Still, you have to cut him a little slack since he had only six practices with the Panthers prior to being thrown into the starting lineup last week.

—RG Evan Mathis will be back in the starting lineup for Carolina this week.

GAME PLAN: With Steve Smith back in the lineup, look for the Panthers to spread the Saints by using three receiver sets. In fact, last December the Panthers even used four receiver sets against the Saints — the only time offensive coordinator Dan Henning did that all year. That means Drew Carter could see a lot of action. If Smith can get back to full healthy, Carter will get a lot of one-on-ones down the field with opponents paying more attention to Smith and Keyshawn Johnson.

Defensively, the Panthers have to take Reggie Bush out of the game, but still not let Deuce McAllister beat them as they did in last year's season opener. Mike Trgovac is getting some criticism for being too conservative, so don't be surprised to see him set the dogs loose on quarterback Drew Brees and gamble a little more than in past weeks.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Panthers CB Richard Marshall vs. Saints RB Reggie Bush — At some point, the Saints will probably try to get Bush lined up on the outside against Carolina's rookie cornerback, who plays out wide in the team's nickel defense. After the Panthers drafted Marshall out of Fresno State, he was asked about seeing Bush twice a year in the NFC South. Marshall replied by saying, "That has nothing to do with it. Reggie Bush has to see me twice a year. Receivers better bring their A game, because I'm bringing mine." The Panthers haven't seen a multi-faceted player like Bush since they played in the NFC West against Marshall Faulk, so it should be interesting to see how they defend him.

—Panthers LDE Julius Peppers vs. Saints OT Jammal Brown — Brown held Peppers without a sack in both games last year. There was some bragging by the Saints that Brown didn't need any help "chipping" on Peppers after the Saints win in the season opener, which seemed to get under Peppers' skin. Clearly Brown had more help in the second game and the Panthers won that contest. The way Peppers is playing right now, the Saints would be wise to give him added attention on Sunday. They can probably afford to because we haven't seen much of fellow DE Mike Rucker so far this season.

INJURY IMPACT: All-Pro receiver Steve Smith practiced on Wednesday and looks fine. Expect him to play this week against the Saints and see plenty of action as long as his hamstring doesn't start to bother him.

—The Panthers will be without tight end Mike Seidman, who suffered a knee sprain during Carolina's 26-24 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. Look for Michael Gaines or Kris Mangum to start in his place.

—Three other players are listed as questionable and did not practice on Wednesday — center Justin Hartwig (groin), safety Shaun Williams (foot) and offensive tackle Todd Fordham (shoulder).

—Running back Nick Goings did practice and should play.

—Cornerback Ken Lucas did practice Wednesday and will start against the Saints and probably draw Joe Horn.


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/footb...thers/home.htm

I like it so far. I hope the coaches in Carolina are thinking the same way. WATCH OUT FOR BUSH. If Drew gets the time he will pick them apart and keep the panthers defense on the bench. If not watch Bush finally put up some serious numbers.

LKelley67

good read, I like no respect. can't be but another win or so and they will have to give it