The Charlotte Observer
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Posted: Friday, Dec. 24, 2010
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PITTSBURGH - DECEMBER 23: Jimmy Clausen #2 of the Carolina Panthers is sacked by Brett Keisel #99 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the game on December 23, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)PITTSBURGH The Carolina Panthers have been playing football since 1995. In how many of those games do you think they've had the better quarterback?
They didn't Thursday at Heinz Field and, of course, they weren't going to. The Steelers won with embarrassing ease, beating the Panthers 27-3.
The three came with 8 minutes, 32 seconds remaining and sliced Pittsburgh's lead to 24. The NFL Network televised the game. It made you wonder what the NFL has against the NFL Network.
Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger was as good as he had to be. He found receivers, found room to move, found opportunities to exploit the Carolina defense. He hit 22 of 32 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown.
Rookie Jimmy Clausen began well for the Panthers, throwing careful passes and leading them into Pittsburgh territory on his first two drives.
On the first drive he was four of five for 27 yards. On the second he was two of two for 21.
He has not been heard from since. The Pittsburgh Steelers rolled Clausen up, and the longer the game went the more insignificant he became.
Maybe he'll emerge. I've been writing since training camp that he would. Perhaps I was wrong.
Look at the NFC South. New Orleans has a franchise quarterback in the great Drew Brees. Atlanta has an exceptional young franchise quarterback in Matt Ryan. Tampa Bay appears to have a young franchise quarterback in Josh Freeman.
Every time the Panthers play their NFC South brethren, they have to be better at several other positions to compensate for the mismatch at quarterback.
The only good part of 2010 for Carolina is 2011. Unless Denver snakes down and steals the No. 1 pick in the draft, the Panthers will own it. And if Stanford redshirt sophomore Andrew Luck turns professional the Panthers have the opportunity, for the first time in history, to take a franchise quarterback of their very own.
I've talked to two people who know Luck. One knows him from afar, from the bleachers and tape. One has worked with him.
They share a trait. They talk about Luck the way a proud parent talks about a son.
No, talk is the wrong word. They gush. They cite Luck's arm strength, intelligence, toughness and his quick decisions. They say he seamlessly processes information and rapidly assesses options. They say he is willing and able to make tough throws.
And in his spare time, he walks old ladies all the way across the street.
Why do teams such as New England and Indianapolis avoid slumps? Because a superior quarterback can lift and guide and inspire them.
It is difficult to conceive, frankly, of the Panthers having a special quarterback. They've had gritty quarterbacks and passionate quarterbacks.
But they have never had a quarterback who would cause a defensive coordinator to see Carolina on the schedule and think, "Oh, no, we have to go against him."
Such a player is not in their DNA.
The Panthers, however, are the worst team in the NFL. And the currency of the downtrodden is hope. Because if you don't think you're going to improve, what keeps you going?
What keeps the Panthers going is 2011. This season is nothing more than what you have to go through to get there.
tsorensen@charlotteobserver.com
Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/12/24/1932713/there-is-joy-for-panthers-fans.html#ixzz192QDSE8p
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