Steve Smith
 

How can you let this dude get open so much. For real, I probably watched one other Panthers game this year, but he's like a machine. Either he's a great WR and teams are too stubborn to triple team him all day, or he's tecmo Jerry Rice.

Delhomme had a great day and the Bears refused to switch Vasser to his side. If you play that cover 2 and don't get pressure look out.

And Smith is good.

By saying he's Tecmo Jerry Rice, Its like he's 5 steps faster than everyone, and unguardable.

That sure sounds like Steve Smith to me.

He's quickly become an elite WR in the league. Heck, maybe even MVP this year.

I've watched every Panther game this year, some teams have refused to double cover him, and he's simply torched them, the Vikings was the best, and most entertaining example of this. But even when he is double covered, even when Colbert can't catch, even when Stephen Davis was averaging 2 yards a carry and there was zero offense other than Delhomme to Smith, Smith still somehow would catch 8 passes for 100+. It's been a hell of a season to be a Panther fan with NFL Sunday Ticket really :)

Am I remembering wrong or is he the same Steve Smith that beat the fuck out of one of his teamates a few years back? Had some serious anger management issues?

I'm fascinated by teams with one really effective wideout and nobody else who can catch the ball. It seems like it would be very easy to guard... but that must be oversimplified. Last year, down the stretch, Muhsin Muhammad showed signs of being this kind of guy, too -- I wonder if there's something in the scheme that quietly brings their best guy free more than you'd expect.

Anyway - I love this guy.

He was Journey's best drummer. Great all around drummer. Smokin chops!

As someone else has already brought up, Carolina was able to match Smith up against the #2, #3, and sometimes the #4 CB most of the day. I don't remember a play where it was Vasser and Smith match up one on one. I am not sure if the Cover 2 allows for a CB mirroring a WR all over the field but I think not matching Vasser up on Smith was the biggest mistake of the day for the Bears. Good scheme by Carolina to get those preferable matchups all day long.

Chicago never switched the cb sides all season. They refused to adjust at the half and left Tillman on him.

Vasher

Not to belabor the point... but:

-Okay, so Chicago refused to adjust to him being so dominant, and he burned them... but in theory couldn't teams adjust, and get their best cover man on him, or else double up to shut him down a bit?

-And if Chicago has such horrid talent at CB, how did they get so far with so little this year? I didn't watch more than half a game of their all year -- but it was basically great defense, right? These guys can't be that bad, can they?

Smith did it two them twice. I guess if I had to guess the Bears thought that they could let Smith get his and still win since that's exactly what happened in the first meeting.

As to why teams don't adjust it could be that either

a. they are incapable of adjusting in the secondary and picking up new assignements....particularly in a zone I'm told it is more difficult.

b. they refuse to adjust and hope to get more pressure on the qb.

Rivera (DC) & Smith (HC) appear to believe that the system is the most important thing. To do what you suggest would have meant breaking out of the Cover 2 they were running for the purpose of addressing one person. They've seemed unwilling all year to do this.


Chicago has good to great talent at CB. Vasher is a stud and Tillman is usually very good but has a brain fart or two a game.

The key to Chicago's success, however, has been that they can rush 4 and put consistent pressure on the QB. When teams have either been able to stop the pass rush, or adjust to the pass rush (shorter throws, quicker routes), they've generally been able to pick apart Chicago's Cover 2. Generally, though, teams haven't been able to do this.

I got the sense that the Bears were very cocky. The amount of trash talking they were doing was enormous...even when they were down. The 8 sack win against Carolina didn't help them get ready for this contest.

Chicago has very good defensive backs. I don't think the problem was necessarily the matchup against Smith, but the lack of pressure they got on Delhomme. Smith is a great receiver and against any corner in the NFL, he'll get open given enough time. Most of his yards came on deep throws and that indicates to me a problem with the pass rush. I think Carolina's offensive line really deserves a lot of credit for the job they did pass blocking in the game and I haven't heard a lot of people talk about that.

It doesn't. That's one of the weaknesses of the Cover 2.

I believe your thinking of Michael Westbrook, who went off on Stephen Davis in the 'Skins training camp.

Don't remember hearing anything like that about Smith.

Damn. You beat me to it. :D

Well, I feel relatively confident in saying that I expect Smith to see an awful lot of Marcus Trufant this weekend. If Seattle tries matching Herndon or Dyson up with him, well, Boulware better be a constant part of that scenario as well (and should be even if it's Trufant covering him).

His 3pt shot isnt what it used to be.