Carolina Panthers: Those Dirty Birds
The Carolina Panthers will face an Atlanta Falcons team that put together an offensive identity last year twice this season.
If there is one team that is cited as the Carolina Panthers true rival then that must be the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are the only divisional foe that the Panthers have a losing record to over the history of the franchise. The Falcons are also the only team that beat the Panthers in the regular season last year.
The Falcons looked like they might be pretty dangerous last season too. They kept pace with the undefeated Panthers in the early going before losing six straight and falling out of the playoff race despite their perfect season spoiling victory over the Panthers at home.
The success of the Falcons relied on accepting the model of their new coach Dan Quinn. Quinn came over from the Seattle Seahawks where they ran the ball and played good defense. The Falcons had gotten away from those things under previous coach Mike Smith but more due to injury than philosophy.
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Quinn also found something that Smith did not have: a running back. The arrival of Devonta Freeman allowed the Falcons offense to achieve some balance, loosening up secondaries to be exploited by a healthy Julio Jones. The Matt Ryan throws it to Julio and prays that it works play was still there, but Freeman made the offense look like an offense.
The Falcons brought in some new linemen over the off season to bolster that running attack and try to give Ryan more time to throw. Jones lost Roddy White as his partner in crime but gained Mohammed Sanu from the Bengals. Of course East Carolina fans are ready to see more Justin Hardy action as well.
To defend against losing Ryan, the Falcons brought back Matt Schaub. The former Virginia quarterback’s career has now come full circle since he began as Michael Vick’s backup all those many years ago. Duke’s Sean Renfree remains the third string guy.
For all the offensive talk, Quinn is a defense first coach in a division with Cam Newton and Drew Brees. He needed to add some spice to the defense. While Clemson’s Vic Beasley enters his second season, the Falcons went and got Derrick Shelby from the Dolphins to bolster that line depth. Quinn knows firsthand how useful line depth can be.
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The linebackers saw the addition of Courtney Upshaw but don’t be surprised if rookie Deion Jones sees action sooner rather than later. The secondary also welcomes a rookie as the Falcons hope Keanu Neal will become a mainstay at that position from his very first year. Further down on the depth chart lurks former Panther Charles Godfrey.
From the changes it seems that the Falcons are assuming their team is closer to the one that started the year than the one that finished it. They have got more players to do what Quinn wants to do, it is just too early which ones are going to be the stars that he needs.
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The Panthers should ready for the Falcons though. This is one of two teams that they can mark down for revenge performances this upcoming year.