And other observations on the Panthers’ disaster in Minnesota.

  • This is the second time in four years that Trgovac refused to pressure a limited Gus Frerotte and took the L as a result. Pressure comes both along the line and in the defensive backfield where press coverage forces a QB to be sharp. The Panthers just simply refused to play tight on Viking receivers, to the point where several first-down catches were not contested. Trgovac gambled, again, that Frerotte would sooner or later up and throw the ball to the wrong guy. Didn’t happen, doesn’t happen all that often in the NFL where you must force the other team into mistakes. Trgovac does not believe in doing that, plays it “safe,” and as a result the Panthers will always disappoint in getting off the field on 3rd down.
  • Thomas Davis may be an excellent tackler with great closing speed. But he remains an absolute disaster in pass coverage. His late illegal contact penalty on a TE allowed the Vikings to convert a third down when they were set to try a 40-yard FG. As a result of the penalty, Minnesota ran another minute off the clock and kicked a 32-yarder. I’d seriously take a look at rookie Dan Connor at this point, who was considered a first-round talent by some scouts.
  • Jordan Gross is not an elite tackle and should not be paid elite tackle money. Gross is a nice starter, that’s it.
  • Jeff Davidson needs to stop going to Nick Goings. In fact, if he used Jonathan Stewart more on first and second down, he could cycle DeAngelo Williams in more that third-down back role. Williams may not like that, but too bad. No way Stewart should get only 7 carries in a close ballgame.
  • Have the Panthers set some kind of record by being up two scores in a game and then losing? Seems to happen a lot in the John Fox regime.

I’ll stop there for now, but must note that the Falcons will not be the speedbump some expected them to be this season. Either the Panthers show up and play 4 quarters or they will lose.