As another Panthers preseason mercifully concludes Thursday night in Pittsburgh, here are the top ten things that I think Panther fans should keep a bloodshot eye on:
-- How terrible can Roman Harper look?
While every safety has looked terrible so far, it will be interesting to see how god awful the two-time Pro Bowler will fare after battling a terrible case of gout. It's unknown how long Harper will play, but presumably the coaching staff would want to give him plenty of reps after an extended absence. While it's hard to imagine him being any shittier than Anderson Russell or Robert Lester, gout is quite an ordeal.
-- Godfrey back at safety.
Who knew that a barely starting caliber safety, who was coming off of an injury, would struggle at cornerback? It seemed like a terrific idea. At least Rivera had the decency to spare us from watching that train wreck for an entire season. Not that things will go much better at safety, but we all knew Godfrey at cornerback was a bad idea and it happened anyway. That has to make you feel great about the direction of the team.
-- Punt returner - what the fucking shit?
It appears to be Philly Brown's job to lose, but if he bombs in his final audition, I'd expect the Panthers to sign a professional returner before the start of the regular season. Whatever. Just find somebody who isn't going to completely fuck things up.
-- Final running back
It's down to Fozzy Whittaker or UDFA Darrin Reaves. Extremely unlikely that both would make the 53 man roster. This is one of the few roster battles on the team that won't be won by default, as both players have looked pretty good when given the opportunity. I'd be happy with either guy, but Fozzy's apparent versatility probably gives him the edge. And his name is Fozzy, for fuck sake.
It is funny how Whittaker has looked more like Sproles than Barner ever did. Is that why we gave him #43? Good save, Gettleman.
-- Will Derek Anderson play?
I guess we'll find out how seriously he really takes this shit. Either way, he's the #2. I don't believe Webb will be on the roster when Cam is healthy. It would make some since if we were cross-training him at WR, but that doesn't appear to be the case. So, if he does start, this is him auditioning for another team. How exciting for us.
-- Mike Tomlin's swagger
I love that motherfucker. Steeler fans, the next time you complain about anything, look over at Thousand Yard Stare Ron and appreciate how good you have it.
-- Greg Olsen's backup
Will it be Dickson or Williams? To my chagrin, Dickson appears to be leading the competition despite superior performances by Williams. It's not a big deal, but it's always annoying when a coaching staff favors seniority. Mike McNeill and D.C. Jefferson are unlikely to make the team, unless teacher's pet Richie Brockel suffers a long-term injury.
-- Can Bersin continue his ascent?
I can't fucking believe I'm actually asking that, but frankly the guy has been our second best WR of the summer. Cotchery and Avant are useless. I'd rather watch Cam throw passes to John Bobbitt's ballsack. Bersin at least appears capable of making a catch when he's covered, albeit against back-ups to this point. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Benjamin and Olsen need to stay healthy.
-- Backup OL jobs up for grabs
How bad do you have to be to not make our roster as an offensive lineman? The starters appear to be set, not that they were ever challenged, but the back-up spots remain a mystery. Fuck it, who cares? A trademark of a shitty roster is when you're just saying "fuck it" when it comes to the final cut.
-- Do the Steelers have cheerleaders yet?
The answer is no. Does that city have some kind of embargo against attractive women. I'm tired of having to close my eyes every time the broadcast scans the crowd. Just keep the cameras on the field so I can pay better attention to Mike Rucker's expert analysis.
No comments:
Post a Comment