Remember the Carolina Panthers that many skeptics felt had no business being in the Super Bowl this past January? A little late, the reigning NFC champions are starting to prove the doubters may have had a point.
Less than nine months after nearly upsetting the New England Patriots in Houston, the Panthers are no longer on the prowl.
Instead, they are at 1-3 and if the Vegas odds are to be believed, in serious danger of making that 1-4 tomorrow.
Every so often during the season, the NFL schedule maker throws fans a bone. When the 2004 calender was released this past spring, tomorrow's Panthers-Philadelphia Eagles seemed like a juicy one.
Juicy for the revenge-minded Eagles who were physically demolished by the Panthers in a humiliating 14-3 NFC Championship loss in their own stadium.
The Eagles have gone forward at high speed since the loss, cruising to a 4-0 record and are 81/2 point picks for tomorrow's rematch at the Linc.
The Panthers are struggling for any type of a win and are in danger of losing touch with the Atlanta Falcons (4-1) in the NFC South.
"Right now, we're just focussing on getting ourselves right," safety Mike Minter said. "We're not focussing on this as a rematch or anything like that. Right now we're not getting it done. We have to come out in every game like it's the Super Bowl."
Merely mentioning Super Bowl and Panthers in the same sentence sure sounds absurd at this point. The Eagles are coming off a bye week and have never lost after a week off (7-0) under head coach Andy Reid.
The Panthers, meanwhile are missing wide receiver Steve Smith, tackle Chris Jenkins and running back DeShaun Foster to major injury. Also gone is the magic that helped them drive to the brink of a championship.
VICK AND THE PICK
When the San Diego Chargers face the Atlanta tomorrow it marks a notable meeting between the two biggest names of the 2001 NFL draft.
The Chargers traded the rights to Michael Vick opting instead to scoop up running back LaDainian Tomlinson.
The sad-sack Chargers were roundly criticized at the time, though at 3-2 this season the tune is changing.
"How can you pass on the guy?," then Chargers running back Fred McCrary said prior to the draft. "It's like taking (Sam) Bowie over Michael Jordan. It's not going to happen."
It may be years before we can evaluate which team got the best of the deal which came less than 24 hours before the Chargers were to be on the clock. Still, it will be fun to compare when the two teams clash tomorrow.
"I never thought about it since the trade happened," Vick said this week. "I was just happy to be a Falcon. I think (the Chargers) made their decision and never looked back, and I went my way and never looked back."
Still, Vick admits he keeps track of Tomlinson, arguably the most dynamic back in the league. "How could you miss the guy?" Vick said. "He is on SportsCenter every week making an incredible run or catch. I keep up with LaDainian, that's my home boy. We came out of the same class and I always thought he was a great player."
Tomilinson holds Vick in similar regard and feels both players will have a lasting impression on the NFL.
GOADING GARCIA
In San Francisco, the skirmishes between quarterback Jeff Garcia and receiver Terrell Owens were often big news. In Cleveland, the former CFL star has been getting into it with his new coach, Butch Davis.
The Browns haven't scored a touchdown in the first half of any game this season, which has brought plenty of heat on the Garcia-led offence. The knocks have included Davis questioning Garcia's scrambling.
"You can't be skittish, you have to sit in the pocket, make the throws and let the routes come open," Davis said.
Rather than take the medicine from his coach, Garcia barked back. "I don't have a reaction to that," Garcia said. "Until (Davis) plays the quarterback postion, then he can't understand where I'm coming from."
