Official Game Day Thread - ARI @ CAR October 4, 2020
Oct 3, 2020 6:02:55 GMT -7
FLCardinalFan, BigRedFan, and 2 more like this
Post by End Zone on Oct 3, 2020 6:02:55 GMT -7
Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Forum’s 4th Game Day thread of 2020. Today’s Game Day thread is dedicated to the international space program.
On October 4, 1957, the former Soviet Union and the start-up rocket company OKB-1 launched into an elliptical low-earth orbit the famed Sputnik 1 satellite, setting off a space race that still exists today between the world’s major economic powers. That 23-inch polished metal sphere with 4 antennas circled the earth at over 18,000 mph and broadcast faint radio signals for 3 weeks, fascinating space enthusiasts and science fiction writers, before running out of battery power and falling back through the atmosphere by early December. Sputnik 1 also caused many folks in the US to freak out. Remember your grandpa’s house and the homemade lean-to fallout shelter in basement? The stacks of canned water and food? Nuclear warfare fears were real until the end of the Cold War in 1989.
Thanks to the Soviet’s Sputnik I success of 1957 and trillions of dollars spent since then on state-of-the-art space technologies, today’s ARI @ CAR football game is being broadcast by a network of satellites beaming 4k UHD color video signals and surround sound audio up from the 75,500-seat Panther’s Bank of America Stadium and down into our living rooms.
What is there to know about the Carolina Panthers? The team’s HC is 45 year old Matt Rhule. Matt is a former NFL player and former HC of the Temple University and Baylor University football programs. 2020 is his first year as an NFL HC. David Tepper, team owner since 2018, convinced Matt to leave Baylor’s program for the NFL on January 7, 2020. I assume that the $60M 7-year contract offer to Rhule made the convincing easier. Tepper is not shy with his checkbook. He signed QB Teddy Bridgewater to a 3-year $63M contract on March 17, 2020. QB Cam Newton was released on March 24, 2020.
The Panthers are aligned to the NFC South Division, along with the Saints, Buccaneers, and Falcons. The Falcons are the Panther’s most fierce regional rival, located at just 230 miles southwest of Charlotte. The Panthers are one of only a handful of NFL teams that own their stadium which also serves as the team HQ. The team is well supported throughout the Carolinas, playing all home games at Bank of America Stadium since 1996. During the team’s inaugural year, 1995, the team played its home games at Memorial Stadium at Clemson, SC. The team conducts spring training at Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC. Forbes estimates the team value at $2.3B in 2018. Prior to COVID-19, the Panthers sold out all games since December 2002. The Panthers football franchise competes well for fan interest and merchandise sales in a traditionally powerful college basketball landscape.
The Panthers are the NFL’s 29th franchise and began play in 1995 in the NFC West Division, moving to the South Division in 2002. Efforts to create a Carolinas-based team began in 1987 under businessman Jerry Richardson, a former Baltimore Colts wide receiver.
Compared to the Cardinals, the Panthers are a regular playoff level team. In the team’s second year, with a 12-4 record, the team made it to the NFC Championship game, but lost to the Green Bay Packers. In 2003, the Panthers won the NFC Championship game, but lost to the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XXXVIII, a game many to this day hail as the “Greatest Super Bowl of all time” due to the game’s extreme intensity. The Panthers made playoff appearances again in 2005, 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2015 (15-1 season record!), losing for a second time at the Super Bowl -- this time to the Denver Broncos and master gunslinger QB Peyton Manning. Since being established in 1995, the Panthers reached the playoffs 8 times, going to the NFC Championship game 4 times and the Super Bowl twice. The Panthers historical W/L record: 195 wins, 203 losses, and 1 tie. At the playoffs, 9 wins, 8 losses.
The Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor includes names we are familiar with: Mike McCormack (Pres/GM), Sam Mills (LB), Steve Smith Sr (WR), Jake Delhomme (QB), Wesley Wells (TE) and Jordan Gross (OT). Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrines are: Reggie White (DE) and Kevin Green (LB), and Bill Polian (GM). Former Panthers HCs include Dom Capers, George Seifert, John Fox, Ron Rivera, and interim Perry Fewell.
What is there to know about team records in 2020? The Panthers are playing their second home game on Sunday. The team’s record in 2020 is 1 win, 2 losses.
Last week, the Panthers won on the road at SoFi Stadium, CA, beating the Los Angles Chargers, 21-16. Carolina eked out a shocking win. Statistically, the Chargers were by far the superior team. Panthers v. Chargers stats: first downs 14 v. 26; rush / yards 21 for 81 v. 23 for 117; pass / yards 22 of 28 for 235 v. 25 of 49 for 330; 3rd down conversions 3-12 v 10-15. The Panthers main rushing attack was led by Mike Davis, 13 carries for 46 yards. Teddy Bridgewater demonstrated passing accuracy and ball control, playing a dink and dunk game to the Panther’s advantage. His longest pass to a receiver plus YAC was 38 yards. Bridgewater sprayed the ball around all day, hitting Davis, Anderson, Samuel, Moore, and Roberts for 45, 55, 45, 65, and 16 yards respectfully. Bridgewater ran just twice, for 12 yards total. He likes the pocket now. The longest Panther drive was 10 plays, the shortest 2 plays. It is worth noting that in this game THE CHARGERS HAD 4 TURNOVERS while THE PANTHERS HAD 0 TURNOVERS.
The Panthers can score, putting up 68 points so far in 2020; NFL ranking is 24th. That’s a bit worse that the Cardinals ranking, 17th. The Panther’s defense is the weaker side, giving up 81 points, ranking 18th. In all head to head match ups, the Panthers beat the Cardinals at 12 of 17 games since 1995, easily winning the last 4 games. The Panthers have a 4-game win streak going against the Cardinals now. The longest Panthers win streak against the Cardinals is 5 games, from 2003 to 2008.
On September 22, 2019, the Panthers clipped the Cardinals wings, 38-20. Kyler Murray passed to both Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson for 1 and 3 yard TD passes respectfully. Panther’s backup QB Kyle Allen demonstrated pinpoint accuracy while the Cardinals defense seemed to again take the afternoon off during a home game at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ. Interestingly, the Cardinals do not score well against the Panthers either on the road and at home, not topping 20 points during the last five games played since 2013, when the Cardinals last beat the Panthers, 22-6. The most points the Cardinals ever scored against the Panthers is 33 in 2009 at the NFC Division playoff game. And at that Division playoff game, WR Larry Fitzgerald demonstrated his dominance, catching 8 passes for 166 yards. However, it would be unfair to Panthers' fans and some Cardinals antagonists to not also mention the next playoff game in 2015, where Larry Fitzgerald was held to just 30 yards and Cam Newton torched the Cardinals for 335 yards in a lopsided playoff win, 49-15. That is the head to head game most Cardinals fans remember and it will not be erased by the passage of time. A a reciprocal stomping must be delivered to assuage the 2015 playoff scars. I need to mention that across all 17 games, the Panthers scored 415 points. The Cardinals scored just 320 points--not a shining example of offensive prowess in today's offensive happy League!
The fewest Cardinals points scored is 7 at Clemson Stadium on November 19, 1995, the first time the two teams played each other. CB Aeneas Williams blocked a Greg Davis FG try. Aeneas ran the ball back for 6 points in the second quarter. Extra point was good. If not for the blocked FG and TD, that would have been the first and only shut out game between the two teams. Cardinals QB was Dave Krieg, hitting on 14 of 25 passes for 106 yards! He also was sacked 6 times for 44 yards losses. Final score, Cardinals 7, Panthers 27.
HC commentary. The two head coaches, Rhule and Kingsbury, dueled twice in their coaching history. In the Big 12, Kingsbury’s Texas Tech Raiders beat the Baylor Bears in 2017. In 2018, Rhule returned the favor to Kingsbury. Just 60 minutes after the loss, Kingsbury was fired by Texas Tech. In a text between the two men, Rhule expressed sadness that he might have contributed to Kingsbury’s firing. The two men have developed a solid friendship since their Big 12 days.
Other facts of interest. As of Saturday morning, the game over/under is 51.5 points. The Cardinals are giving -3.5 points average at the Vegas lines. Takeaway differentials: Cardinals -3; Panthers +2.
Injuries. Hurts have really hobbled the Carolina Panthers. Hurts are starting to affect the Cardinals roster as well.
Panthers on IR: Christian McCaffrey, Eli Apple, Keith Kirkwood, Jordan Mack, Michael Palardy, Omar Bayless, and Christian Miller.
Cardinals on IR: Maxx Williams, Jalen Thompson, Brett Toth, and Robert Alford.
Panthers Questionable October 4th: Jeremy Quinn (S), Donte Jackson (CB), Kawann Short (DT), Dennis Daley (OL), and Russell Okung (T).
Cardinals Questionable October 4th: DeAndre Hopkins (WR), Mason Cole (C), Christian Kirk (WR), Chris Banjo (S), and Budda Baker (FS) – now listed as Doubtful as of last information.
Game kickoff is at 1:00pm, EDT. Watch on FOX and NFL’s Red Zone. Listen to local AZ radio and mobile devices at Sirrus FM. The game is not broadcast nationally. The stadium will be mostly empty today, and there will be no home field crowd advantage. Expect piped-in crowd noise to enhance the fan’s game experience. The Panther’s mascot is “Sir Purr,” a black cat wearing number 00. Sir Purr is a regular at children’s hospitals and special events throughout the Charlotte, NC, area. The team’s cheerleaders are the “Carolina Topcats,” a group of 24 women that also support charity and corporate events.
I’m not going to spend any time recounting last week’s embarrassing Arizona Cardinals loss versus the Detroit Lions. The cause of that dumpster fire is well documented at the Forum and other NFL and Cardinals sites. It is enough to say the Cardinals did not prepare and did not execute across all levels of the team, from coaches to players, last Sunday. An entirely different level of team effort and intensity is expected at the Arizona Cardinals versus Carolina Panthers game on October 4th. A very hard-fought game is 99.99% guaranteed. Carolina is looking for its first home game win and a return to Division respectability. The Cardinals are looking toward resuming their winning ways and regaining positive National attention. Both teams are seeking NFL ascendancy following 2019 season turmoil.
Game Day weather at NC will be nearly perfect at the 1pm kickoff. Expect a high temperature of 72F, partly sunny skies with cloud cover at 50%, and light winds at 5 mph. Chance of rain is just 2%. The stadium turf is natural grass. Ron Torbert will be the NFL Referee (White Hat) for the game. He is a respected Referee, working games since 2010.
Let’s all have a fun and entertaining game at North Carolina on Sunday. This is the 1st of 3 road games for the Cardinals. No major injuries to any players. The NFL will highlight social justice issues and the players will acknowledge current events at the start of the game. Otherwise, it’s GAME ON!
QB Kurt Warner v. the Carolina Panthers defense. Click the image enlarge for a the Hi-Def copyrighted image.
On October 4, 1957, the former Soviet Union and the start-up rocket company OKB-1 launched into an elliptical low-earth orbit the famed Sputnik 1 satellite, setting off a space race that still exists today between the world’s major economic powers. That 23-inch polished metal sphere with 4 antennas circled the earth at over 18,000 mph and broadcast faint radio signals for 3 weeks, fascinating space enthusiasts and science fiction writers, before running out of battery power and falling back through the atmosphere by early December. Sputnik 1 also caused many folks in the US to freak out. Remember your grandpa’s house and the homemade lean-to fallout shelter in basement? The stacks of canned water and food? Nuclear warfare fears were real until the end of the Cold War in 1989.
Thanks to the Soviet’s Sputnik I success of 1957 and trillions of dollars spent since then on state-of-the-art space technologies, today’s ARI @ CAR football game is being broadcast by a network of satellites beaming 4k UHD color video signals and surround sound audio up from the 75,500-seat Panther’s Bank of America Stadium and down into our living rooms.
What is there to know about the Carolina Panthers? The team’s HC is 45 year old Matt Rhule. Matt is a former NFL player and former HC of the Temple University and Baylor University football programs. 2020 is his first year as an NFL HC. David Tepper, team owner since 2018, convinced Matt to leave Baylor’s program for the NFL on January 7, 2020. I assume that the $60M 7-year contract offer to Rhule made the convincing easier. Tepper is not shy with his checkbook. He signed QB Teddy Bridgewater to a 3-year $63M contract on March 17, 2020. QB Cam Newton was released on March 24, 2020.
The Panthers are aligned to the NFC South Division, along with the Saints, Buccaneers, and Falcons. The Falcons are the Panther’s most fierce regional rival, located at just 230 miles southwest of Charlotte. The Panthers are one of only a handful of NFL teams that own their stadium which also serves as the team HQ. The team is well supported throughout the Carolinas, playing all home games at Bank of America Stadium since 1996. During the team’s inaugural year, 1995, the team played its home games at Memorial Stadium at Clemson, SC. The team conducts spring training at Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC. Forbes estimates the team value at $2.3B in 2018. Prior to COVID-19, the Panthers sold out all games since December 2002. The Panthers football franchise competes well for fan interest and merchandise sales in a traditionally powerful college basketball landscape.
The Panthers are the NFL’s 29th franchise and began play in 1995 in the NFC West Division, moving to the South Division in 2002. Efforts to create a Carolinas-based team began in 1987 under businessman Jerry Richardson, a former Baltimore Colts wide receiver.
Compared to the Cardinals, the Panthers are a regular playoff level team. In the team’s second year, with a 12-4 record, the team made it to the NFC Championship game, but lost to the Green Bay Packers. In 2003, the Panthers won the NFC Championship game, but lost to the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XXXVIII, a game many to this day hail as the “Greatest Super Bowl of all time” due to the game’s extreme intensity. The Panthers made playoff appearances again in 2005, 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2015 (15-1 season record!), losing for a second time at the Super Bowl -- this time to the Denver Broncos and master gunslinger QB Peyton Manning. Since being established in 1995, the Panthers reached the playoffs 8 times, going to the NFC Championship game 4 times and the Super Bowl twice. The Panthers historical W/L record: 195 wins, 203 losses, and 1 tie. At the playoffs, 9 wins, 8 losses.
The Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor includes names we are familiar with: Mike McCormack (Pres/GM), Sam Mills (LB), Steve Smith Sr (WR), Jake Delhomme (QB), Wesley Wells (TE) and Jordan Gross (OT). Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrines are: Reggie White (DE) and Kevin Green (LB), and Bill Polian (GM). Former Panthers HCs include Dom Capers, George Seifert, John Fox, Ron Rivera, and interim Perry Fewell.
What is there to know about team records in 2020? The Panthers are playing their second home game on Sunday. The team’s record in 2020 is 1 win, 2 losses.
Last week, the Panthers won on the road at SoFi Stadium, CA, beating the Los Angles Chargers, 21-16. Carolina eked out a shocking win. Statistically, the Chargers were by far the superior team. Panthers v. Chargers stats: first downs 14 v. 26; rush / yards 21 for 81 v. 23 for 117; pass / yards 22 of 28 for 235 v. 25 of 49 for 330; 3rd down conversions 3-12 v 10-15. The Panthers main rushing attack was led by Mike Davis, 13 carries for 46 yards. Teddy Bridgewater demonstrated passing accuracy and ball control, playing a dink and dunk game to the Panther’s advantage. His longest pass to a receiver plus YAC was 38 yards. Bridgewater sprayed the ball around all day, hitting Davis, Anderson, Samuel, Moore, and Roberts for 45, 55, 45, 65, and 16 yards respectfully. Bridgewater ran just twice, for 12 yards total. He likes the pocket now. The longest Panther drive was 10 plays, the shortest 2 plays. It is worth noting that in this game THE CHARGERS HAD 4 TURNOVERS while THE PANTHERS HAD 0 TURNOVERS.
The Panthers can score, putting up 68 points so far in 2020; NFL ranking is 24th. That’s a bit worse that the Cardinals ranking, 17th. The Panther’s defense is the weaker side, giving up 81 points, ranking 18th. In all head to head match ups, the Panthers beat the Cardinals at 12 of 17 games since 1995, easily winning the last 4 games. The Panthers have a 4-game win streak going against the Cardinals now. The longest Panthers win streak against the Cardinals is 5 games, from 2003 to 2008.
On September 22, 2019, the Panthers clipped the Cardinals wings, 38-20. Kyler Murray passed to both Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson for 1 and 3 yard TD passes respectfully. Panther’s backup QB Kyle Allen demonstrated pinpoint accuracy while the Cardinals defense seemed to again take the afternoon off during a home game at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ. Interestingly, the Cardinals do not score well against the Panthers either on the road and at home, not topping 20 points during the last five games played since 2013, when the Cardinals last beat the Panthers, 22-6. The most points the Cardinals ever scored against the Panthers is 33 in 2009 at the NFC Division playoff game. And at that Division playoff game, WR Larry Fitzgerald demonstrated his dominance, catching 8 passes for 166 yards. However, it would be unfair to Panthers' fans and some Cardinals antagonists to not also mention the next playoff game in 2015, where Larry Fitzgerald was held to just 30 yards and Cam Newton torched the Cardinals for 335 yards in a lopsided playoff win, 49-15. That is the head to head game most Cardinals fans remember and it will not be erased by the passage of time. A a reciprocal stomping must be delivered to assuage the 2015 playoff scars. I need to mention that across all 17 games, the Panthers scored 415 points. The Cardinals scored just 320 points--not a shining example of offensive prowess in today's offensive happy League!
The fewest Cardinals points scored is 7 at Clemson Stadium on November 19, 1995, the first time the two teams played each other. CB Aeneas Williams blocked a Greg Davis FG try. Aeneas ran the ball back for 6 points in the second quarter. Extra point was good. If not for the blocked FG and TD, that would have been the first and only shut out game between the two teams. Cardinals QB was Dave Krieg, hitting on 14 of 25 passes for 106 yards! He also was sacked 6 times for 44 yards losses. Final score, Cardinals 7, Panthers 27.
HC commentary. The two head coaches, Rhule and Kingsbury, dueled twice in their coaching history. In the Big 12, Kingsbury’s Texas Tech Raiders beat the Baylor Bears in 2017. In 2018, Rhule returned the favor to Kingsbury. Just 60 minutes after the loss, Kingsbury was fired by Texas Tech. In a text between the two men, Rhule expressed sadness that he might have contributed to Kingsbury’s firing. The two men have developed a solid friendship since their Big 12 days.
Other facts of interest. As of Saturday morning, the game over/under is 51.5 points. The Cardinals are giving -3.5 points average at the Vegas lines. Takeaway differentials: Cardinals -3; Panthers +2.
Injuries. Hurts have really hobbled the Carolina Panthers. Hurts are starting to affect the Cardinals roster as well.
Panthers on IR: Christian McCaffrey, Eli Apple, Keith Kirkwood, Jordan Mack, Michael Palardy, Omar Bayless, and Christian Miller.
Cardinals on IR: Maxx Williams, Jalen Thompson, Brett Toth, and Robert Alford.
Panthers Questionable October 4th: Jeremy Quinn (S), Donte Jackson (CB), Kawann Short (DT), Dennis Daley (OL), and Russell Okung (T).
Cardinals Questionable October 4th: DeAndre Hopkins (WR), Mason Cole (C), Christian Kirk (WR), Chris Banjo (S), and Budda Baker (FS) – now listed as Doubtful as of last information.
Game kickoff is at 1:00pm, EDT. Watch on FOX and NFL’s Red Zone. Listen to local AZ radio and mobile devices at Sirrus FM. The game is not broadcast nationally. The stadium will be mostly empty today, and there will be no home field crowd advantage. Expect piped-in crowd noise to enhance the fan’s game experience. The Panther’s mascot is “Sir Purr,” a black cat wearing number 00. Sir Purr is a regular at children’s hospitals and special events throughout the Charlotte, NC, area. The team’s cheerleaders are the “Carolina Topcats,” a group of 24 women that also support charity and corporate events.
I’m not going to spend any time recounting last week’s embarrassing Arizona Cardinals loss versus the Detroit Lions. The cause of that dumpster fire is well documented at the Forum and other NFL and Cardinals sites. It is enough to say the Cardinals did not prepare and did not execute across all levels of the team, from coaches to players, last Sunday. An entirely different level of team effort and intensity is expected at the Arizona Cardinals versus Carolina Panthers game on October 4th. A very hard-fought game is 99.99% guaranteed. Carolina is looking for its first home game win and a return to Division respectability. The Cardinals are looking toward resuming their winning ways and regaining positive National attention. Both teams are seeking NFL ascendancy following 2019 season turmoil.
Game Day weather at NC will be nearly perfect at the 1pm kickoff. Expect a high temperature of 72F, partly sunny skies with cloud cover at 50%, and light winds at 5 mph. Chance of rain is just 2%. The stadium turf is natural grass. Ron Torbert will be the NFL Referee (White Hat) for the game. He is a respected Referee, working games since 2010.
Let’s all have a fun and entertaining game at North Carolina on Sunday. This is the 1st of 3 road games for the Cardinals. No major injuries to any players. The NFL will highlight social justice issues and the players will acknowledge current events at the start of the game. Otherwise, it’s GAME ON!
QB Kurt Warner v. the Carolina Panthers defense. Click the image enlarge for a the Hi-Def copyrighted image.