Can Team Win Without Steve Smith?

Shapecity · Sep 6, 2008

CHARLOTTE – When the Carolina Panthers suspended wide receiver Steve Smith for the first two games of the regular season the team’s fan base was furious.

Many were angry at Smith.

Others were angry at management.

And a few misguided individuals were actually upset at Smith’s victim Ken Lucas, as if it was somehow Lucas’ fault that his nose got in the way of Smith’s fist.

But I'm betting most fans would agree that they were angry because they know, simply put, the Panthers are a different team without him.

The Panthers without Smith is Green Lantern without his power ring.

The power just isn't there.

Since Smith’s arrival in 2001, the Panthers are 7-13 without him. That means they've won 35 percent of their games, and 35 percent isn't going to get you into the playofs.

The last time Smith missed the start of the season was 2006. He sat out with a pulled hamstring.

The results were predictable.

The Panthers lost their first two games to Atlanta and Minnesota, managing just 19 combined points.

When Smith returned in Week 3, so did Carolina’s offense. The Panthers won their next four games, averaging 22.5 points per game during that span.

When asked what he learned that year from playing without Smith, coach John Fox simply said, "It wasn't much fun.”

But Fox feels the Panthers are better equipped to handle Smith’s absence given their new emphasis on running the football and the upgrades they've made this off-season on the offensive line and at wide receiver.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme, who has a handle on the team’s personnel better than anyone, backed up Fox’s statement.

“Oh, we are light years ahead (of 2006),” said Delhomme, pausing and almost laughing to emphasize just how strongly he feels about that statement.

“Now, we could go lay an egg on Sunday and you will laugh at me, but it’s not even close. Not even close. Receivers-wise, I’m not trying to knock anybody who was here, but it’s different. It’s just different than two years ago.”

The talent in the backfield seems better, too.

Running back DeAngelo Williams has improved immensely since his rookie season and first-round pick Jonathan Stewart looks like the real deal. Both averaged more than 7 yards per carry in the preseason.

Muhammad, even past his prime, is better than Keary Colbert or Drew Carter, while D.J. Hackett also seems to represent an upgrade, although he’s coming off a toe injury. Dwayne Jarrett is a budding talent on the cusp of becoming a producer.

That said Smith is still the only receiver on the roster who has the speed necessary to truly stretch the defense.

The problem with losing Smith in the past has been that it not only affects the passing game, but the running game, too. Opposing defenses regularly walk an extra safety into the box to give them an extra man to stop the run because they don't have to worry about the big play.

That’s what happened in 2006.

The Panthers averaged 106.2 rushing yards per game in the 14 games with Smith but only 86 without him.

“They may try to take a different approach,” Delhomme said. “But with most teams it’s like, ‘OK, who’s the No. 1? That’s 89. We have to find a way to control him.’

"So who knows what wrinkle we’ll see. It’s week one, as I said the pencils are sharp. You never know what kind of wrinkles some (defensive coordinator) might come up with.”

When asked if he expects to see some extra Chargers near the line of scrimmage, fullback Brad Hoover admitted, “Probably so.”

But then he added, “It's not like we don't have other receivers who can come in and do well, do the things asked of them. We're going to try to hang our hats on being a physical, hard-hitting, run-oriented football team, so it doesn't really matter to us what they do."

The Panthers enter the game with only three receivers with game experience – Muhammad, Jarrett and Hackett.

But each comes with his own question mark.

The fear is that Muhammad, 35, is too old; Jarrett, 21, is still too young and Hackett is too hurt, missing nearly a full month of practice and all four preseason games before returning to work Wednesday.

Regardless, Williams thinks those three should take it as an insult that people are talking them down.

“We're preparing to play football like we would with or without Steve,” said Williams. “I don't think they're going to do anything different without him in the lineup. We've still got some great receivers, in D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad and DJ, so they've just got to pick their poison. Either they stack the box or play our wide receivers.”

Without Smith, the Panthers will be a little limited in what they can do on offense, according to Delhomme

That’s because Smith can do so many things other mere mortals can’t.

For instance, Smith is great on the smoke route, a play where Delhomme takes the snap from center, takes a one-step drop and fires the ball out to the side and lets Smith do the rest. That play has worked time and time again over the years and it worked for touchdown against Washington in the preseason.

“He’s a play-maker; he’s a big part of our offense,” Hoover said. “For him to be out, I don’t want to say hurt, but it does affect some of the things we do sometimes.

"Because he is such a big part of things, and he can change games in the snap of a finger. But at the same time, we have to go on without him, have to be able to win without him. That’s the bottom line.”

And who knows, maybe Smith will let Hackett borrow his power ring while he's away -- just in case.
Click to expand...

Source: CarolinaGrowl

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Can Team Win Without Steve Smith?

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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Can Team Win Without Steve Smith?

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