Sep 7, 2007, 16:47 GMT
- Scott Linehan is expecting further improvement as he enters his second season as the St. Louis Rams' head coach. For John Fox, the goal is to bring his Carolina Panthers back to the level they reached during his second year as a sideline boss.
Fox and Linehan will send their respective squads to the Edward Jones Dome this Sunday in the NFL season opener for a pair of teams with high hopes for 2007.
Linehan's Rams did make good strides in his first season at the helm, as the 2006 edition of 'The Greatest Show on Turf' rebounded from 2005's six-win disappointment to post a respectable 8-8 record. Leading the way was a potent offense that showcased the talents of Steven Jackson, one of the league's elite all-purpose running backs, and Marc Bulger, quite possibly the game's most unheralded top-flight quarterback.
St. Louis' well-oiled offensive machine churned out the fourth-most passing yards and the 10th-highest point total in the NFL last season, numbers which at times helped to overcome the club's significant shortcomings on the defensive side. The Rams rarely failed to deliver on offense during the course of the year, save for a 15-0 shutdown by the Panthers in Charlotte last November.
Unfortunately for Carolina fans, that victory was probably the highlight of a 2006 campaign that began with so much promise but concluded with an 8-8 mark that was as bland as the team's stodgy offensive attack. That .500 record was perceived as a giant letdown for a franchise coming off an appearance in the NFC Championship Game the previous year and considered the favorite by many preseason prognosticators to represent the conference in the Super Bowl.
The Panthers' problems were a mirror-image of St. Louis' woes. Carolina once again fielded the ferocious defense we have been accustomed to witnessing under Fox's direction, but too many times the team was bogged down by an offense plagued by injuries, predictability, and an off year by normally- reliable quarterback Jake Delhomme.
But if recent history is any indication, the Panthers should be ready to roar again in 2007. Four years ago, in Fox's second season at the helm, Carolina went from a mediocre 7-9 to a surprising Super Bowl run, then followed that lofty accomplishment with another seven-win season in 2004. The Panthers rebounded to make the playoffs the following year before continuing the good- to-mediocre trend last fall.
SERIES HISTORY
Carolina leads the all-time regular season series with St. Louis, 9-7, extending its advantage with the above-noted 15-0 home blanking of the Rams in Week 11 of last season. The Rams last defeated the Panthers in 2001, when they swept a home-and-home with their then-NFC West rival. Carolina's most recent regular season win in St. Louis came in 2000.
In addition to the regular season series, the teams have met once in the postseason, with Carolina taking a 29-23 double-overtime victory in a 2003 NFC Divisional Playoff, en route to a Super Bowl appearance.
Fox is 3-0 in his career against the Rams, including the playoff win. Linehan is 0-1 against both Fox and the Panthers as a head coach.
WHEN THE PANTHERS HAVE THE BALL
Expect Carolina to attack a Rams defense that ranked next to last in the NFL against the run in 2006 via the ground game. The Panthers piled up a franchise-record 242 rushing yards in last November's victory over St. Louis, with backup back DeAngelo Williams (501 rushing yards, 33 receptions, 2 TD in '06) amassing a career-best 114 on 20 carries after replacing injured starter DeShaun Foster in the second quarter. Foster (897 rushing yards, 3 TD, 32 receptions) had 63 yards on only nine attempts before being forced out due to a hyperextended elbow.
The Panthers were not usually that successful running the ball, however, finishing a paltry 24th overall in that category a year ago. A contributing factor to that low figure was a rash of injuries across the line, as left tackle Travelle Wharton and center Justin Hartwig missed virtually the entire year and standout left guard Mike Wahle suffered a season-ending torn labrum in December. The healthy return of all three players should make this a more effective unit in '07.
Carolina also needs a bounce-back season out of Delhomme (2805 passing yards, 11 INT), whose 17 touchdown passes were his lowest number in his four years as the team's starter, and a reliable receiving target to emerge opposite the explosive Steve Smith (83 receptions, 1166 yards, 8 TD) in order to improve on its meager 16.9 points per game average of 2006. With the steady Keyshawn Johnson now in the broadcast studio, inconsistent holdovers Keary Colbert (5 receptions) and Drew Carter (28 receptions, 3 TD) will have to step up their production, and former USC standout Dwayne Jarrett will also seek to make an impact as a rookie.
Defending the run was obviously a major problem for the Rams last year, but the team took a step towards correcting that area of weakness with the first- round selection of defensive tackle Adam Carriker in the 2007 draft. The Nebraska product will be lining up beside six-time Pro Bowl honoree LaRoi Glover (38 tackles, 5.5 sacks). St. Louis' other notable offseason acquistion on defense was ex-Lions end James Hall (24 tackles, 5 sacks), whom the club hopes will ease the burden on pass-rusher extraordinaire Leonard Little (58 tackles, 13 sacks).
The Rams also have some concerns in the secondary, where starting cornerback Fakhir Brown (66 tackles, 3 INT) will miss the season's first four games for violation of the league's substance abuse policy. That puts third-year pro Ron Bartell (25 tackles, 3 INT) on the hot seat as the fill-in starter, with journeyman Lenny Walls (27 tackles) to handle nickel duties. St. Louis surrendered the eighth-fewest passing yards in the NFL last season, a deceiving number considering the opposition's preference to run the ball on its defense.
WHEN THE RAMS HAVE THE BALL
Although St. Louis has showed more balance under Linehan's direction than pass-happy predecessor Mike Martz, the Rams still do most of their damage through the air. Bulger established career highs with 4,301 passing yards and 24 touchdowns while throwing just eight interceptions during an excellent 2006 campaign. The two-time Pro Bowl selection will have a plethora of weapons at his disposal, as tight end Randy McMichael (62 receptions, 3 TD) and wide receiver Drew Bennett (46 receptions, 3 TD) were brought in over the spring to join the dangerous duo of Torry Holt (93 receptions, 10 TD) and 14th-year veteran Isaac Bruce (74 receptions, 3 TD).
Jackson is also a focal point of the passing game, as the 24-year-old led all NFL running backs in catches (90) and receiving yards (806) while adding an impressive 1,528 yards on the ground along with 16 total touchdowns. He was not a factor against the Panthers last season, though, as Carolina held Jackson to season-lows of 27 rushing yards and seven attempts. The fourth-year pro's heavy workload of 2006 may be reduced slightly with the addition of versatile rookie Brian Leonard, the Rams' second-round pick in April.
On the injury front, Holt was limited in the preseason as he recovered from knee surgery performed over the winter, but the All-Pro wideout is expected to be near 100 percent for Sunday's tilt. Bennett should also play despite missing some practice time this week with a sore quadriceps, but starting right guard Richie Incognito is questionable due to a high ankle sprain.
Carolina's defense ranked seventh overall in yards allowed last season, and boasts one of the NFL's most feared front lines, highlighted by disruptive end Julius Peppers (57 tackles, 13 sacks) and three-time Pro Bowl tackle Kris Jenkins (41 tackles, 3 sacks). The front seven will be even more formidable provided middle linebacker Dan Morgan can stay healthy, but the Panthers are keeping their fingers crossed on that one. The 28-year-old has endured at least five concussions during his career, including one which forced him out of all but one game last year. Morgan's presence and the addition of 2007 first-round draftee Jon Beason, who's slated to start on the weakside, should improve a linebacking corps that was a liability at times last fall.
The Panthers have more questions in the secondary, where longtime free safety Mike Minter abruptly retired during training camp and his projected heir apparent, Nate Salley (4 tackles, 1 INT), has been slowed by a knee injury. Deke Cooper, who was out of the league for most of last season, will likely start the year at Minter's old spot. Carolina acquired Chris Harris (54 tackles, 2 INT) from Chicago to serve as the strong safety, but he's had a shaky preseason.
FANTASY FOCUS
Jackson's subpar totals against the Panthers in last year's meeting shouldn't deter his owners from playing the franchise back this week, or any other game this season in which he's healthy. Holt presents more of a dilemma, as it's unclear whether he'll be coming into Sunday's game at full strength and Carolina possesses a trio of quality cornerbacks. Bulger, who had three or more touchdown passes in four of St. Louis' eight games in 2006, should be a good play, but it may be wise to slightly downgrade any Ram receiver because of all the available options the team has in the passing game.
Smith, who caught a 62-yard touchdown pass in last November's win over the Rams, is a must-start against a St. Louis secondary that will be without one of its top two corners. However, owners of the Carolina defense shouldn't expect such a dominating result as the unit delivered in last year's encounter. Therefore, sit the Panthers if a more favorable defensive matchup is available this week. The possibility of Foster and Williams splitting carries in the backfield could negate a potential big day for either player.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
In a game between two seemingly evenly-matched teams like these two, turnovers could very well be the determining factor in the final outcome. Look for Bulger and St. Louis' high-quality group of receivers to find some soft spots in the back end of the Carolina defensive backfield, and Delhomme to make one costly mistake that winds up being the difference in a tight game. With payback for last year's drubbing fresh in their minds, the Rams won't be shut down this time around.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Rams 23, Panthers 17
© 2007 The Sports Network
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