They may have made some mistakes early on but they seem to have their act together now,
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/panthers/story/349378.html
Panthers' punt coverage team making its mark
Unit, led by dedicated group of reserves including Marshall, ranks second in the NFL in return yards allowed per punt.
By David Scott
dscott@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Friday, Nov. 14, 2008
It wasn't long ago that the Carolina Panthers' punt team was best known for its uncanny ability to have Jason Baker's kicks blocked.
Those days are gone.
Now, that segment of the Panthers' special teams has evolved into one of the NFL's best. Carolina is ranked second in the league in return-yardage allowed (4.8 per punt) and is coming off a game against Oakland in which the Raiders managed just 2.4 yards per return.
The punt return team features a group of players only one of whom – linebacker Na'il Diggs – is a regular starter. Others, like defensive backs Richard Marshall and Dante Wesley, tight end Dante Rosario and linebacker Donte Curry, are backups who get the bulk of their playing time on special teams.
“We have guys who understand how much being great on special teams can really mean,” said Baker. “Like Richard Marshall. He could probably be a starting cornerback anywhere else in this league. But he approaches covering a punt like he would covering (star Indianapolis Colts receiver) Marvin Harrison.
“On some teams, fourth down is that necessary evil. You have backup running backs who are annoyed that they've got to go cover a punt. Not here. We've got guys like Donte Curry, who plays a much smaller role on defense. But he understands that he gets that paycheck because he's on special teams.
“It's kind of a contagious thing. If you have a couple guys on the wrong side of that, it draws guys that way.”
Marshall might not start on defense, but he does get his share of plays as the Panthers' fifth defensive back in “nickel” coverage and he's got seven career interceptions to prove how effective he is.
In addition to a bone-rattling tackle of Raiders punt returner Johnnie Lee Higgins, he also killed an Oakland drive with an interception in the end zone.
The longest punt return allowed by the Panthers this season has been an 18-yarder by Chicago's Nathan Vasher. In that game, the Bears blocked a Baker punt – the start of an inglorious (but brief) trend of three blocks in five games.
These days, the punt coverage team is more about running down the opponent's return man.
Marshall and Wesley – two of the fastest Panthers – line up wide. It's their job to shed blockers quickly and get to the returner, forcing him to run toward the sidelines.
“If we can make him run sideways, that gives us enough time for the core guys in the group to get down there and make the tackle,” said Marshall.
Baker said the coverage team's performance was more impressive in Oakland because he didn't have his best day (his 41.3-yard average on nine punts was down from his season's 45.5 mark).
“That didn't matter,” said Marshall. “The first one (a 46-yarder to Higgins), I had to slow down and let him catch it before I tackled him.”
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