"We feel like he gives us the best chance to win," Fox said after practice.
Delhomme has thrown a league-high 13 interceptions, but Fox said after watching film he's convinced Delhomme is still the best guy for the job.

Hilarious and insulting- all in the same statement. Fox kept watching game film and was convinced Jake was the man because he didn't see any other QBs in the film. Somebody please tell the coach there are a couple other QBs on the team... even if he didn't see them on the film.

When asked if Delhomme will be on a shorter leash, Fox said, "No, it's no different than any other player out there. His starting role won't be any different than anybody else."

That's a lie, plain and simple. Fox has started one player over another for a variety of reasons over the years, so he's flat out lying if he says that there are no differences.

Including the Cardinals game, Delhomme has turned the ball over 21 times in seven games and thrown only five touchdowns during that span.

Is there a worse stretch of performance anywhere else in the NFL over that period of time?

Your asking fox to think outside his box with the realization that there are other QB's. Might as well ask the aliens to come and give him a brain.

Is it really considered thinking outside the box to realize a player sucks and to play someone else?

Zero surprise on this decision.  It's consistent with Fox, and may just lead to his departure at season's end.  I hope it doesn't come to that, but Fox has already lost Steve Smith and others are almost certain to follow. 

I'm not arguing with Fox's decision.  There have always been pros and cons when it comes to Delhomme.  His interception rate does not concern me beyond the initial numbers.  And he indeed is the best QB on the roster. 

But this is more than mere roster mechanics.  It's a collective team psyche that's at stake.  There's a very real danger that the bad Jake trend can get worse, and the team is showing evidence in interviews and things not said but implied, that their head coach is looking out for hisown interests instead of the interest of the team.  If that actually happens, where players rebel, it will be the end of John Fox. 

That's why Fox's decision to stick with Jake is so disappointing.  I can imagine the disappointment is similar for the players.  Their faith in Jake has already begun to crack.  Has their faith in Fox begun to crack as well?       

I fully expect the Panthers to craft a protective package for Jake this week.  They'll run and run and run, dink and dunk.  They'll draw, screen, punt.  It'll make the offense predictable.  And it'll be hard, very hard, to score.  Against Arizona, a team who has no problem putting points on the board, sticking with the run will cause all sorts of pain in living rooms across the Carolinas. 

But at least Jake will be protected.      

Anybodyhome wrote:

"Including the Cardinals game, Delhomme has turned the ball over 21 times in seven games and thrown only five touchdowns during that span.

Is there a worse stretch of performance anywhere else in the NFL over that period of time?"

Jamarcus Russell, in 2009 (7 games), has 13 turnovers (8 INTs, 5 fumbles) and has thrown only 2  TDs. So that would be 6.5 turnovers per TD. Delhomme has a rate of 4.2 turnovers per TD. One could argue that Russell has had a worse 7 game stretch.

IMO, Russell is not a starting caliber QB in the NFL, so that's not much of a comparison.

Fox is punting by sticking with Delhomme. He's still trying to save his job and he has to hope that Delhomme will somehow pull off a miracle and beat the Cardinals. If the Panthers lose, but Delhomme plays OK, then Fox is somewhat vindicated. If Delhomme bombs (most likely outcome) and Fox has to pull him, then Fox will announce that he gave Jake every chance to vindicate himself and now he is "forced" to make a change.

If Fox goes with Moore (or Feeley), he is giving up on the season. Fox is not looking towards next year because there is no "next year" for John Fox as the Panther's head coach...

It's almost to the point that Fox's stubbornness, unwillingness to change, inability to adapt, whatever you want to call it is just sad. Everyone in football knows what needs to be done, sit Delhomme down never start him again. Yet he absolutely refuses to do it. It's almost like he WANTS to get fired.

chazestes wrote:

Zero surprise on this decision.  It's consistent with Fox, and may just lead to his departure at season's end.  I hope it doesn't come to that, but Fox has already lost Steve Smith and others are almost certain to follow. 

 

I'm not arguing with Fox's decision.  There have always been pros and cons when it comes to Delhomme.  His interception rate does not concern me beyond the initial numbers.  And he indeed is the best QB on the roster. 

 

But this is more than mere roster mechanics.  It's a collective team psyche that's at stake.  There's a very real danger that the bad Jake trend can get worse, and the team is showing evidence in interviews and things not said but implied, that their head coach is looking out for hisown interests instead of the interest of the team.  If that actually happens, where players rebel, it will be the end of John Fox. 

 

That's why Fox's decision to stick with Jake is so disappointing.  I can imagine the disappointment is similar for the players.  Their faith in Jake has already begun to crack.  Has their faith in Fox begun to crack as well?       

 

I fully expect the Panthers to craft a protective package for Jake this week.  They'll run and run and run, dink and dunk.  They'll draw, screen, punt.  It'll make the offense predictable.  And it'll be hard, very hard, to score.  Against Arizona, a team who has no problem putting points on the board, sticking with the run will cause all sorts of pain in living rooms across the Carolinas. 

 

But at least Jake will be protected.      

HOW can you say that?  He is currently the 32nd best QB in the NFL.  Are you saying that Matt Moore would be worse?  Are you saying that Matt Moore, had he played all season.....would have 13 ints???  I just don't believe that.   Perhaps Jake could move the ball better than Moore......but Moore wouldn't have the turnovers....and right now...the turnovers are killing this team.  Jake is much more likely to lose games than Moore would be. 

PantherJoey wrote: I have to agree with Fox, If you look at those INTs everyone is happy to lay at Jakes feet. The tipped Balls are on the wr's not jake. The last pick-6 he threw in the bucs game. They showed it again and it clearly showed Jake getting hit from the right side with his arm 80% extended. That would be a protection problem. and as mad as everyone was at the bills lose. Jake had good protection for part of the game. The 5WR sets he was getting killed. Thats on the o-line. Now knowing none of you or myself has a copy of the playbook, You have NO idea how many INT's go to blown or incomplete routs. So to say Fox and his crew can't look at game film and know whats going on is crazy. I post on a number of boards and I do understand once some people get stuff in their heads they will not see what happens in a game they are watching they just refuse to see whats going on ,all they want to see is what they have in their head. So keep an open mind.

PJ, I try to keep an open mind, but Jake is killing us.  There are no two ways about it.  Yes, there is poor play calling, maybe a route cut off occasionally, but the constant is that Jake is turning the ball over left and right.  Watch that Bills game again.  Those interceptions were terrible.

There is something to be said for throwing good balls. As an NFL quarterback, 90% of the passes you throw should be good balls. I couldn't hit a speedy receiver 30 yards down field in stride, but I'm not an NFL QB. Jake does not throw good balls consistently. I catch myself saying "nice throw" 2-5 times during a Panthers game with Jake throwing them. He doesn't hit recievers in stride, on the correct side of their body or between the numbers with anything resembling consistency. If he's got an open receiver and said receiver stretches for a ball, it tips his fingers and is picked. I'm pinning that on Jake, especially considering his current trends on this throws. If we're talking Brady, Manning or Brees, perhaps I'd change my tune. But that's because they make good throws consistently all game. Jake has trouble throwing good balls on 6 yard curl routes. Our receivers are always having to make tougher catches than they should...always.

Maybe Jake gives us  the best chance to win, but it is also offset by the best chance to give the game away.  Moore could not make it any worse than it already is.  And what about next year?  we have to start to understand what we have.  Its not like we can draft a QB high.

Panther007 wrote:

There is something to be said for throwing good balls. As an NFL quarterback, 90% of the passes you throw should be good balls. I couldn't hit a speedy receiver 30 yards down field in stride, but I'm not an NFL QB. Jake does not throw good balls consistently. I catch myself saying "nice throw" 2-5 times during a Panthers game with Jake throwing them. He doesn't hit recievers in stride, on the correct side of their body or between the numbers with anything resembling consistency. If he's got an open receiver and said receiver stretches for a ball, it tips his fingers and is picked. I'm pinning that on Jake, especially considering his current trends on this throws. If we're talking Brady, Manning or Brees, perhaps I'd change my tune. But that's because they make good throws consistently all game. Jake has trouble throwing good balls on 6 yard curl routes. Our receivers are always having to make tougher catches than they should...always.

Agreed 100%

Panther007 wrote:

There is something to be said for throwing good balls. As an NFL quarterback, 90% of the passes you throw should be good balls. I couldn't hit a speedy receiver 30 yards down field in stride, but I'm not an NFL QB. Jake does not throw good balls consistently. I catch myself saying "nice throw" 2-5 times during a Panthers game with Jake throwing them. He doesn't hit recievers in stride, on the correct side of their body or between the numbers with anything resembling consistency. If he's got an open receiver and said receiver stretches for a ball, it tips his fingers and is picked. I'm pinning that on Jake, especially considering his current trends on this throws. If we're talking Brady, Manning or Brees, perhaps I'd change my tune. But that's because they make good throws consistently all game. Jake has trouble throwing good balls on 6 yard curl routes. Our receivers are always having to make tougher catches than they should...always.

Very good point.  I'm not a racing fan but I know if I have a slower car than everyone else then I don't give myself much change to win.  In the same tokey if Jake doesn't throw good passes a high percentage of the time then ALLLLL the other things that can go wrong, do so at a higher rate than they should.