Panthers season ends in misery, what next for Peppers?
Jan 12, 2009
If there was one playoff game this weekend I would have safely picked and bet my house on, it was the Carolina Panthers over the Arizona Cardinals. I would have lost my house so lucky for me I didn't put it on the line.
Jake Delhomme had a game that mimicked his performance at Oakland earlier this season. He threw five picks and was stripped for an early fumble that led to an easy touchdown. The defense wasn't much better as they let the best player on the field (Larry Fitzgerald) run wild for most of the game.
As I was in the press box watching this game I just couldn't get over the feeling of shock at the Panthers horrible effort. They took a 7-0 lead instantly on the first drive and after that I would have called you insane if you told me a couple hours later it would be 33-7, Arizona leading.
I give the Cardinals a ton of credit for the win, but I chalk this one up to the Panthers giving the football away six times. Arizona benefited from one of the worst playoff performances by a decent quarterback you will ever see. Good luck dreaming up Donovan McNabb playing that poorly - not going to happen.
I got the chance to talk to players in the losing locker room after the 33-13 loss and like most rooms after a home loss after a first-round bye in the playoffs, the players were pretty devastated.
Defensive end Julius Peppers could be an unrestricted free agent in February if he isn't signed to a long-term deal. He could have a franchise tag slapped on him that will give him a nice one-year tender, worth around $17 million. It seems like good money, but players want long term deals, and he stayed mum on making it known that he wants to finish his career in Carolina.
I understand he doesn't want to talk with the media about his contract talks, but I don't see the problem in making it known that you are hoping a deal gets done. I think if he was really happy with his time in the organization he would have said so. I was there in the locker room looking right at the guy and he really didn't want to talk about it, but did his best to flick away the questions. He sounded like a man who doubted his future with his current team, if there is one.
Head coach John Fox stood by Jake Delhomme as a solid quarterback who had a good year for the team, but would not say for sure that he will be the quarterback next year.
"I can't predict what's going to happen," Fox said. "That's kind of what my thinking is, but it's a little early to be talking about next year, I'd like to get through this one first."
The funny thing about his quote there is that he just did get through this season ... minutes earlier when he got hammered 33-13 by the Cardinals. He did say his thinking was Jake Delhomme for next year, but who really knows.
I know that following a first-round bye and a division title with a 20-point loss and six turnovers doesn't help your cause.
