Sucking Out Loud
Posted October 30, 2006, 11:26 AM ET

"Paging John Fox. Has anybody seen John Fox?" If anyone sees the coach of the Carolina Panthers, please have him report to the team headquarters immediately.

The Carolina Panthers are on life support. After one of the worst performances in Panthers history (and that's saying something), the preseason Super Bowl champs are hanging on for dear life. I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with the Panthers...and if somebody has an idea, please let John Fox know about it - because it is quite obvious that he doesn't have a clue.

The Panthers have entered the halfway point of the 2006 NFL season with an ugly 4-4 mark. It might be a safe assumption that the next time somebody mentions the Super Bowl around here, go ahead and smack 'em...at this point, this team will be hard-pressed to make the playoffs.

The Dallas Cowboys rolled into Charlotte with a half-assed offensive line and a quarterback looking to make his debut, and proceeded to beat up the Panthers. After spotting the home team a 14-0 lead, the Cowboys destroyed Carolina 35-0 in front of another dismayed home crowd.

Speaking of winning at home, please go back and read my blog entry on August 13th ("An Order of Home Cooking"); the Panthers proved once again that they are the worst big-time team at home in the entire NFL. Already, the Falcons and Cowboys have strolled into the land of Khakis and Cole Hans and kicked the Panthers in the teeth. Jerry Richardson's team has now lost four of their last six home games...and that includes two pivotal December losses last year to Tampa Bay and Dallas.

There are so many issues with this team that is tough to narrow it to just a couple. Let's first start at the top....John Fox has done a lousy job at the midway point. Everybody and their brother knew that his team was going to have a target on its back and you had to realize that every team in the NFL wanted to punch the preseason Super Bowl champs in the face.

The Panthers play with no sense of urgency and they look flat almost every single week. That starts with the head coach, and the Panthers have looked the same since getting smoked at home in the season opener against the Falcons. The addition of Keyshawn Johnson should make life easier for everybody, including Steve Smith, but it just hasn't materialized on the scoreboard.

Steve Smith's August getaway hasn't helped matters, either. Whether it was a bad hamstring (or two), an ingrown toenail, or whatever ailment du jour, the all-world wide receiver has had a bad case of The Drops in 2006. The good news is he is the type of player who could catch fire and return to his all-world status....let's hope so.

The Panthers have been brutal on third-down conversions...in fact, they are by far the worst in the NFL. DeShaun Foster has proven that he was way overpaid by Fox and Marty Hurney, and the offensive line has been a work-in-progress all season.

The biggest disappointment has been on the defensive side of the ball. Even though Julius Peppers has taken his game to another level, the rest of his mates have slipped considerably. The next time I hear a TV commentator talk about the Panthers' D-line being one of the elite, I think I'm going to scream. This team refuses to blitz or cause any discomfort to the opposing quarterback....just ask Tony Romo.

It has been a maddening first half of the NFL season. The expectations were high, and deservedley so...unfortunately, the Panthers have succumbed to the pressure of being one of the hunted. It has been remarkable to watch how poorly they have handled that label.

Looking at the second half of the season, it is imperative that this team finds ways to close the deal at home. The games include teams like Tampa Bay, St.Louis, Pittsburgh and the NY Giants. The Panthers have had problems in this area in the past, but they must win every single home game remaining if they want to talk about being playoff-bound. The road won't be easy, either...trips to Washington, Philly, Atlanta and New Orleans loom, too. At least the Panthers have displayed an ability to play better away from home.

If Carolina is going to make it to the postseason, a 6-2 record in the second half is a must. I'm not sure a 9-7 record with losses to possible wild card playoff teams like Minnesota and Dallas will be enough. And, if it turns out the Panthers fail to make the postseason, it will go down as easily the most disappointing season in Panthers history.