Panthers offense is hitting its stride

Panthers offense is hitting its stride
December 31
Charlotte Observer
"The Carolina Panthers are on a scoring binge that's nearly unequaled in franchise history.

The Panthers finished the regular season averaging 25.9 points, ranked seventh in the NFL and well behind the league-leading New Orleans Saints (28.9).

But in the last seven games - when the Panthers made a push that resulted in an NFC South championship and the second seed in the NFC playoffs - Carolina has rung up the scoreboard with 31.9 points per game.

Thanks to the league's top running duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, a healthy-again Jake Delhomme throwing to ever-dangerous Steve Smith (with help from Muhsin Muhammad) and a revamped line, the Panthers' offense has emerged as one of the most dominant in the NFL.

Some statistics to illustrate:

They lead the league in red-zone efficiency, scoring 93.9 percent of the time they get inside the 20. Carolina has scored 32 touchdowns or gotten 14 field goals from John Kasay in the 49 times it reached the red zone.

Williams leads the league in touchdowns with 20 - 18 rushing and two receiving.

Kasay continues to be one of the league' most accurate place kickers, making 28-of-31.

This is the second highest-scoring team in franchise history, behind the 1999 Panthers' 26.3 points per game. And this season's late burst that produced nearly 32 points a game is only matched by the 32.1-point average by the '99 team, also in the final seven games. That team finished 8-8 and just missed the playoffs.

And although this season's Panthers are peaking offensively as the playoffs begin, the plan for this kind of attack has been in the works for a year.

After averaging 16.7 points last season - fourth lowest in franchise history - coach John Fox and general manager Marty Hurney set about changing things offensively.

"That happens immediately when a season's over," said Fox.

"You evaluate your team, the changes you can make, the direction you want to go. You try to stick to it. You realize where your weaknesses are, where you need to get better. It's like that every year."

The changes were far reaching. Through free agency and the draft (as well as shifting some players to new spots), the offensive line was retooled with bigger, more physical players. Williams took on a vigorous offseason training regimen. The Panthers drafted Stewart, a running back with a bruising style, in the first round.

Muhammad left the Chicago Bears and rejoined the Panthers, giving them a legitimate No.2 receiver opposite Smith. And Delhomme fully recovered from elbow surgery that ended his 2007 season after three games."

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