Cowboy from New York
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,852
- Reaction score
- 236
JACKSONVILLE -- The Jaguars may be done with training camp and halfway through the preseason schedule, but their workload may be getting heavier.
One area was expected: right in front of Byron Leftwich.
The second was not: the other side of the ball.
It wasn't that Jake Delhomme efficiently paced Carolina to a 17-10 victory against the Jags at Alltel Stadium on Saturday night.
It was the ease with which the Panthers moved the ball on the Jags' reportedly fierce first-team defense. And it was the routine plays the Jaguars (1-1) could not make.
While Leftwich was relieved to find his rhythm despite spotty blocking, Jacksonville's defense showed plenty of signs that more steps are needed before the regular season -- and its difficult first month -- get here.
Carolina (2-0) settled for a 22-yard field goal to cap the game's first series, but the Panthers cut through the Jags for 75 yards in doing so. The Panthers came out crisp. Jacksonville did not.
"We didn't do well," said safety Deon Grant, who, along with Rashean Mathis, dropped potential first-half interceptions. Mathis' would have ended Carolina's first drive with a touchback.
"We started the game and let them drive all the way down the field," Grant said. "We are not comfortable with that.
"That's not our defense."
That defense surrendered 10 quick points to Miami in its first preseason game.
This time, the deficit by the first-team defenders was only 3-0.
Carolina, with Delhomme playing all the first half, led 17-3 at the break after backup cornerback Scott Starks interfered in the end zone to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Nick Goings and -- 23 seconds later -- the Panthers' defense racked up a touchdown.
Julius Peppers stripped the ball from No. 2 passer David Garrard, and Mike Rucker returned the fumble 31 yards with 3 seconds left in the half.
"We gave up a couple big plays, but we stood up big in the red zone where it counted," defensive tackle Marcus Stroud said. "We can build on that."
For the second week in a row, Jacksonville has to build from offensive-line mediocrity. Jags quarterbacks were harassed constantly. Jacksonville gained 95 yards rushing, most in a reserve-flooded second half.
Saturday's silver lining came courtesy of oft-maligned receiver Reggie Williams. Shoved into the starting lineup because of Matt Jones' ankle injury, Williams showed off the kind of quarterback-to-receiver chemistry erstwhile first-round draft picks are supposed to have.
Williams caught a team-high three passes for 54 yards, proving perhaps he can help provide big-play life in Jacksonville.
"We did a lot of good things. We were better than we were last week," said Leftwich, who completed all four of his passes for 52 yards. "We played a lot better, and that's what we wanted to accomplish."
One area was expected: right in front of Byron Leftwich.
The second was not: the other side of the ball.
It wasn't that Jake Delhomme efficiently paced Carolina to a 17-10 victory against the Jags at Alltel Stadium on Saturday night.
It was the ease with which the Panthers moved the ball on the Jags' reportedly fierce first-team defense. And it was the routine plays the Jaguars (1-1) could not make.
While Leftwich was relieved to find his rhythm despite spotty blocking, Jacksonville's defense showed plenty of signs that more steps are needed before the regular season -- and its difficult first month -- get here.
Carolina (2-0) settled for a 22-yard field goal to cap the game's first series, but the Panthers cut through the Jags for 75 yards in doing so. The Panthers came out crisp. Jacksonville did not.
"We didn't do well," said safety Deon Grant, who, along with Rashean Mathis, dropped potential first-half interceptions. Mathis' would have ended Carolina's first drive with a touchback.
"We started the game and let them drive all the way down the field," Grant said. "We are not comfortable with that.
"That's not our defense."
That defense surrendered 10 quick points to Miami in its first preseason game.
This time, the deficit by the first-team defenders was only 3-0.
Carolina, with Delhomme playing all the first half, led 17-3 at the break after backup cornerback Scott Starks interfered in the end zone to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Nick Goings and -- 23 seconds later -- the Panthers' defense racked up a touchdown.
Julius Peppers stripped the ball from No. 2 passer David Garrard, and Mike Rucker returned the fumble 31 yards with 3 seconds left in the half.
"We gave up a couple big plays, but we stood up big in the red zone where it counted," defensive tackle Marcus Stroud said. "We can build on that."
For the second week in a row, Jacksonville has to build from offensive-line mediocrity. Jags quarterbacks were harassed constantly. Jacksonville gained 95 yards rushing, most in a reserve-flooded second half.
Saturday's silver lining came courtesy of oft-maligned receiver Reggie Williams. Shoved into the starting lineup because of Matt Jones' ankle injury, Williams showed off the kind of quarterback-to-receiver chemistry erstwhile first-round draft picks are supposed to have.
Williams caught a team-high three passes for 54 yards, proving perhaps he can help provide big-play life in Jacksonville.
"We did a lot of good things. We were better than we were last week," said Leftwich, who completed all four of his passes for 52 yards. "We played a lot better, and that's what we wanted to accomplish."
