First-round bye affords time to heal
December 29
Charlotte Observer
"The Carolina Panthers will gladly take next weekend off. Nobody's happier about that than those banged-up offensive and defensive lines.
The Panthers, who clinched the NFC South championship and the conference's second seed with their pulsating 33-31 victory Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at the whacked-out Superdome, won't play again until Jan. 10 or 11 in an NFC semifinal at Bank of America Stadium.
"It's huge," said center Ryan Kalil. "You want to win every game you're in, but when you can get a bye out of it, too, it really makes a difference. Looking back, it was a really big deal and we're going to need it."
Kalil's offensive line, beset by injuries all season, came up with two more against the Saints. Right tackle Jeff Otah left the game in the second half with a hurt toe. Right guard Geoff Hangartner - starting in place of Keydrick Vincent, who's missing the rest of the season with a groin injury - was already out with an ankle injury.
That forced the Panthers into reshuffling mode. Jordan Gross, moving from left tackle to Otah's spot, was replaced by backup Frank Omiyale. Jeremy Bridges took Hangartner's place. Only Kalil and left guard Travelle Wharton stayed put.
Until last week, Vincent had been the only offensive line starter to play every game, so Sunday's injuries were really nothing new to the Panthers. Still, the line has been part of a franchise-record ground attack and has also allowed just 20 sacks of quarterback Jake Delhomme.
"We've played the offensive-line shuffle this year," said Kalil. "It's a testament to the depth we have at those positions."
Said Gross: "We talk about it every week, what ifs. So I don't think anybody caught off guard too much."
But Kalil, who calls the offensive plays along the line of scrimmage, added that it's not easy."
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