Tag Archives: Carolina Panthers

Oct 19 2011

NFL Week Seven – News and Notes

Josh Freeman and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers will look to earn an impressive win in London on Sunday against the Chicago Bears!

By NoontimeSports.com 

The seventh week of the NFL is this Sunday, but before it’s officially kick-off, let’s provide some news, notes and links.

* It’s official, the Washington Redskins will indeed start quarterback John Beck this weekend against the Carolina Panthers, but according to Joe Theisman, he’s not too happy with the decision.

* The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears will play the annual London game this weekend, but unlike the team from the “Windy City,” the squad from Florida departed across the pond on Monday.

* According to a recent report on NFL.com, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was added to the AskMen.com’s most influential list.

* According to a source, the Oakland Raiders will indeed start Carson Palmer this weekend at quarterback against the Kansas City Chiefs.

* News sources have confirmed that St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford won’t miss his team’s contest against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, despite his recent high ankle sprain.

Sep 28 2011

NFL Week Four – News and Notes

By NoontimeSports.com 

Hard to believe it, but the first official NFL Sunday in October is upon us – wow! Here’s some of the recent headlines and news heading into week four of the regular season, enjoy!

* Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton finally earned his first win of the season last week, yet now comes a daunting task – the Chicago Bears. In a recent article about Newton and the Panthers, Bears head coach Lovie Smith compared the rookie quarterback to former Carolina defensive end, Julius Peppers. Yet, how does Newton and Peppers compare to one another? That seems strange, right?

* Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo admitted recently that he was tired of hearing about Tony Romo‘s heroism. Orakpo told ESPN 980′s John Thompson on Tuesday that he believed this whole situation with Romo’s injury was blown out of proportion. Certainly the Redskins and their coaches aren’t happy about the loss, but luckily they’ll get another shot at the Dallas Cowboys later this season.

* While the Buffalo Bills prepare for their fourth opponent of the season – the Cincinnati Bengals, sources have confirmed that the team is close to a new deal with St. John Fisher, which would keep their training camp at Pittsford college.

* According to a recent report via Yahoo! Sports, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer won’t be headed to Miami, Florida.

* The Indianapolis Colts recently signed former Detroit Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky due to Kerry Collins‘s concussion-like symptoms.

Sep 26 2011

NFL Week Three – Observations and Thoughts

Vick may have broken his hand on Sunday, but did the Giants also knock out his confidence too?

By Matt Noonan 

Sunday was a busy day across the NFL, as numerous spectators were introduced to the word, “parody.”

Yet, what exactly do I mean? Well, allow me explain, as I breakdown some matchups or moments that truly represent why every Sunday is a toss-up in this league.

Michael Vick vs. the New York Giants: Anytime the Giants and Eagles collide, it’s always “must watch” television. Although, this particular matchup saw Philadelphia’s quarterback, Michael Vick get knocked out for the second week in a row with a broken right hand.

“It’s just an unfortunate situation after such a great play. I felt like I got hit late [and] there was no flag, broke my hand [and] that’s it,” Vick said via the Eagles website.

Luckily for Philadelphia fans, Vick is a slinging lefty, but after sustaining a concussion in week two against Atlanta and a broken hand against New York, one might wonder if it’s time to hand the keys to third string quarterback Mike Kafka?

The Eagles have lost two back-to-back contests, and will certainly want to rebound next Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

As for the Giants, well it was a career day for quarterback Eli Manning, who registered four touchdowns against an Eagles defense that struggled to shutdown New York’s receivers.

Buffalo and Detroit are still undefeated:  OK, this wasn’t supposed to happen, right?

The Bills and Lions are both undefeated, as well as rallied to beat the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots to preserve their winning records. Both quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford and Ryan Fitzpatrick have definitely been the major reason for their team’s success, yet, how much longer can this winning trend continue?

The Bills will travel to Cincinnati next Sunday, while the Lions will head to Dallas and certainly both teams could end the fourth week of the season undefeated.

Cam Newton wins his first game: After two weeks of posting ridiculous statistics, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton finally won his fist career NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“It wasn’t a pretty win, but the last part counts, right? [You’ve] got to win and this is a confidence booster going into Chicago next week and hopefully we can get some momentum rolling [from that game too],” Newton said via his team’s website.

Newton and the Panthers finished the day with 265 total offensive net yards and only one offensive touchdown. Carolina will certainly want to resort back to their explosive ways from weeks one and two, where they complied five offensive touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers.

Yet, despite Sunday’s weather conditions in North Carolina, I think it’s fair to say, a win is a win, so let’s hand the game ball to Mr. Newton.

Sep 22 2011

Daily Noontime – September 22, 2011

Is there any chance this current losing streak will end?

Happy Thursday to everyone! The weekend is almost here, but in the meantime, here’s some headlines and news, enjoy! 

Headlines: 

* Well, once again, the Boston Red Sox lost, as the Baltimore Orioles won three-of-four games at Fenway Park this week.

* For the 17th time in their franchise history, the New York Yankees clinched the American League East division title, as they beat the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.

* Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert will kick-off his NFL career on Sunday, as he was recently named the starter for his team against the Carolina Panthers.

* The New York Giants wants the banged-up Philadelphia Eagles quarterback to play on Sunday, yet it isn’t certain that Michael Vick will be under center.

* According to various reports, some believe that the Dallas Cowboys shouldn’t risk starting quarterback Tony Romo on Monday against the Washington Redskins, but instead back-up, Jon Kitna.

* Former NBA star Yao Ming has decided to join the fight against “the fin trade to 30 of China’s richest businesspeople.”

Games to Watch: 

* New York Mets at St. Louis (MLB) – 1:45pm eastern 

* Tampa Bay at New York Yankees (MLB) – 7:05pm eastern 

* San Francisco at L.A. Dodgers (MLB) – 10:10pm eastern 

Video of the Day: 

Watch this video and ask yourself, was that really necessary? 

Sep 21 2011

NFL Week Three – News and Notes

Why did Jay Cutler admit that he might not last the entire season? Does anyone have an answer?

By NoontimeSports.com 

It’s the middle of the week, as well as Wednesday, which means it’s time to unveil another edition of the “NFL – News and Notes” post. Here’s some of the latest news from around the league.

* According to various reports on Wednesday, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler admitted that he might not be able to finis the season, especially if his offensive line doesn’t protect him. Yet, as of recently, ESPNChicago is reporting that offensive coordinator Mike Martz‘s system would be the downfall for the gunslinger.

* For the second week in a row, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady earned the AFC Player of the Week Award, however, the humbling signal caller told the media that it’s his offense, which has helped him enjoy two weeks of great success.

* According to NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks, he believes that Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has been awesome, yet still has a lot to learn, especially as a rookie this season.

* It’s not certain, but it seems that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick could play against the New York Giants on Sunday. However, does that seem like the right move for the Eagles?

* Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte admitted to the media recently that he thinks his team and organization doesn’t consider him an “elite” player.

Sep 20 2011

Expect Great Things to Come for Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers

Have you been impressed by Cam Newton this season? If so, why?

By Matt Noonan 

Cam Newton has been quite impressive this season and it’s only been two games.

The rookie gunslinger currently ranks second in the NFL behindTom Brady with 845 passing yards, and has also tossed three touchdowns and four interceptions too.

“Going into the game, coach asked us as a quarterback, [what are] the things that it’ll take to win and I don’t think I followed the number one rule and that was protect the football,” Newton said via the Carolina Panthers website.

OK, he may not be the second coming of Joe Montana or Brett Favre 2.0, but all in all, he’s been quite impressive these past few weeks despite not earning a single win in the standings.

Against the Arizona Cardinals in week one, Newton registered three touchdowns, two in the air, and one on the ground, while his defense struggled against Kevin Kolb’s offense. Also, Newton complete 24-of-37 passes for 422 yards, but again, his team didn’t win.

This past Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, Newton helped the Panthers earn an early lead before it was erased by Aaron Rodger’s offense. Newton struggled in the second half, as well as recorded three interceptions. Although, while he showed his first-year true colors during the Panthers second game of the season, he did admit that he can’t turn the ball over or make decisions that’ll hurt his team.

“I’m going to get it,” Newton said. “The more I see it the more I know that it’s not college no more and it’s no gimmicks in this league, especially playing good teams. We played an excellent team in the Packers and they capitalized each and everyone of your mistakes.”

Newton and the Panthers will eventually get their first win of the season and while they may not win a lot of games this year, it certainly seems that Newton will continue to improve, as well as excel under the guidance of head coach Ron Rivera.

“Our coaches do an excellent job of getting us in the best play possible and it’s my job personally as a quarterback to make everything right. Whether it’s throwing the ball deep – throw it to the man or just checking the ball down. [You] can’t be greedy in this league and it’ll come back to bite you every single time,” Newton said.

Newton and the Panthers will look to earn their first win this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars at home and who knows, maybe the rookie gunslinger will rack up yet another 400-yard day.

Sep 12 2011

Daily Noontime – September 12, 2011

Once again, Tony Romo failed to win a game in the fourth quarter!

Good Monday morning, and welcome into yet another awesome edition of the Daily Noontime! Here’s the headlines and news of the day! 

Headlines: 

* Unfortunately, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo couldn’t hold onto the ball in the fourth quarter, as he gave away his team’s lead and the game to the New York Jets.

* Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton may have not led his team to their first victory of the season, yet managed to throw for 422 yards and two touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals.

* The slumping Boston Red Sox lost again, as the Tampa Bay Rays swept the weekend series on Sunday.

* Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed to the media on Sunday that he doesn’t want his wide receiverDez Bryant to return kick-offs or punts.

* This is quite fascinating news – Stephen Strasburg pitched only three innings on Sunday, which might be a head scratcher, right?

* How bad were the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday? Well, one thing is certain, they need quarterback Peyton Manning under center.

Games to Watch: 

* New England at Miami (NFL) – 7:00pm eastern 

* Tampa Bay at Baltimore (MLB) – 7:05pm eastern 

* Detroit at Chicago White Sox (MLB) – 8:10pm eastern 

* Oakland at Denver (NFL) – 10:15pm eastern 

Video of the Day: 

Wouldn’t it be cool to play against Darth Vader in fantasy football? 

Sep 8 2011

NFL 2011: NFC South Predictions

Expect another quality season from "Matty Ice!"

By Brian Willwerth 

1.) Atlanta Falcons [13-3] – A lot of people still have a hard time believing this team went [14-2] last season and ended up with the best record in the NFC. That’s probably because the eventual Super Bowl champs walked into the Georgia Dome and blew them out of the playoffs. But this is a very talented team led by quarterback Matt Ryanand running back Michael Turner. They addressed their defense in the offseason with the signing of Ray Edwards.

2.) New Orleans Saints [11-5] – When you think of the Saints, probably the first name that comes to mind is quarterback Drew Brees. He has been sensational since coming to New Orleans, and that will likely continue in 2011. Reggie Bush is gone. Mark Ingram is now in the backfield. But the defense must improve if the Saints are to advance far in the playoffs. New Orleans still has a sour taste in its mouth, after losing to Seattle in the Wild Card round last year.

3.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers [9-7] – The Bucs were one of the best surprise stories of 2010, turning in a 10-win season and just missing the playoffs. For the first time in forever, it is the offense leading the team instead of the defense. Quarterback Josh Freeman had an outstanding first full season as the starter while wide receiver Mike Williams made an instant impact out of Syracuse. But the big question on this team is the defense. The Bucs really struggled to get any sort of a pass rush going. They hope their first-round pick, defensive end Adrian Clayborn, will help fix that.

4.) Carolina Panthers [4-12] – Let the Cam Newton era begin in Carolina. The Panthers made him the first pick in the draft, and he will start immediately in Week 1. It’s difficult to expect anything more than 3 or 4 wins from a team starting a rookie quarterback, but we shall see.

Aug 31 2011

NFL Preseason Week 4 – News and Notes

Troy Aikman and Skip Bayless apparently aren't seeing eye-to-eye these days!

By Matt Noonan 

Week four of the NFL preseason concludes on Thursday, which means the regular season is right around the corner

Here’s a couple of headlines and news from Wednesday afternoon and evening, which you’ll certainly enjoy.

* According to a recent report, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman admitted on the radio that the next time he sees ESPN’s Skip Bayless, he might take a swing at him. Yet, what exactly prompted Aikman to say these fine words? Well, because Bayless stated in his book, Hell Bent that Aikman was gay. Of course, this statement is incredibly false, so obviously, Aikman does have the right to be angry, however, shouldn’t Bayless apologize for his error? Who knows, but seriously, this isn’t exactly football news, but instead, juicy commentary and gossip.

* The Washington Post published an interesting piece on the Redskins head coach Mike Shannahan, who apparently isn’t “Mr. Nice Guy.” Although, what exactly does that mean? Shannahan didn’t experience the greatest amount of success last season, especially since defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth stole a majority of the headlines before quarterback Donovan McNabb threw a tantrum in October and November. Shannahan knows how to win, so hopefully, this is a sign that things are turning around because otherwise, he, as well as his team will falter, again.

* New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker won’t play on Thursday against the New York “Football” Giants due to a recent head injury, which he sustained after a tackle in Detroit last weekend. Although, Welker admitted that the decision to play falls on the shoulders of head coach Bill Belichick and the training staff. Keeping Welker out of Thursday’s game is probably a good decision, especially since it’s the least important preseason game.

* Last Wednesday, I mentioned an interesting story about Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and his starting job. Well, once again, he’s another important figure this week, especially since Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers will decide his role with the team. Yet, no matter the outcome, expect Newton to play a majority of the second half of the upcoming regular season, especially since they’ll have to play him at some point this year, right?

Aug 27 2011

Noonan: Cleaning Off the Noontime Sports Desk

Nothing better than cleaning off the Noontime Sports desk, right?

By Matt Noonan 

Cleaning off the Noontime Sports desk before Hurricane Irene – always a good time.

* Currently, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees remain in a heated AL East division crown race; however, they’ll be able to duke it out on Tuesday, which is when the Bronx Bombers invade Fenway Park for a three-game series. Anyone else somewhat excited for this mid-week clash?

* Does anyone else believe that Tim Wakefield doesn’t have “Lady Luck” on his side? After six starts, Wakfield hasn’t earned win number two-double-zero. Of course, some believe that the Red Sox organization shouldn’t feel bad, but as a fan, it’s easy to sense some sort of emotion, especially for the oldest player in the MLB currently. Eventually the knuckleballer will earn that significant victory, but exactly when will it happen remains a mystery. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for Mr. Wakefield, as well as pray for the Sox offense to produce some runs too.

* According to a recent report, Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera plans to start rookie quarterback Cam Newton during the team’s final preseason contest. Yet, is this a good or bad decision? Rivera has jostled this young man over the past few weeks, as well as given him false hopes that he’d be the starting signal caller this season. However, should Rivera really be saying this stuff? Seriously, haven’t we endured enough Cam Newton drama? In all honesty, I’d expect Newton to be the starting quarterback this season, but wouldn’t be surprised if Derek Anderson gets the nod, especially since Jimmy Clausen recently sustained a knee injury.

* If you’re a supporter of the Indianapolis Colts, how’re you feeling these days? Are you convinced that Kerry Collins is “your guy?” What’d you think of Reggie Wayne’s recent comments? In all honesty, it’s probably a “dark” time in Indianapolis. Perhaps the local economy will tank because of Peyton Manning’s absence? Hey, it happened in Cleveland when LeBron James traded in his winter jacket for flip-flops. Yet, without Manning, the Colts are a completely different team, so hopefully the Blue and White fan-base will have something to cheer about this season because otherwise it’ll seem as if Jim Mora is roaming the sidelines. Anyone remember his famous, “playoffs” rant?

* Brandon Davies was reinstated to the BYU basketball team on Friday after serving a season ending suspension in March. Yet, what exactly did he do? Well, he broke a rule and didn’t exactly respect the school’s honor code. In fact, have you read BYU’s honor code? It’s rather intense. Davies is the team’s top scorer and rebounder, so I am sure his teammates are happy to have him back on the roster. Although, one sure hopes that he’s learned his lesson and won’t have premarital sex again, especially since it’s forbidden on that particular college campus.

Well, that’s enough pondering. Enjoy the rest  of your weekend and of course, please be safe, especially those in New England!