Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule needs to make this statement in his first game
Matt Rhule needs to make a statement Sunday afternoon that football is going to be fun again in Carolina.
You only get one debut game as an NFL head coach, and for good or bad, it’s a game that your fans will always remember.
Ron Rivera’s first game in 2011 is remembered for rookie Cam Newton throwing for 422 yards, albeit in a loss. John Fox’s first game in 2002 is remembered for the debut of a suddenly stingy Panthers defense that keyed a 10-7 win.
Dom Capers’ first game in 1995 is remembered for Capers attempting to go for two points at the end of the game to win it outright in Atlanta — a fun call that never happened because a Carolina offensive lineman jumped offside just before the two-point conversion. Capers should have gone for it, anyway, but decided to kick the extra point after the penalty and lost in overtime.
For a first game, you want to win. But win or lose, coach it with some pizzazz.
As Doc Brown said in the original “Back to the Future” when asked by Marty McFly why he built a time machine inside a DeLorean: “The way I see it, if you’re going to build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?!”
Exactly. That applies to debut NFL games, too. If you’re going to coach one — especially for a team that hasn’t won a game in 315 days — go for a fourth-and-7. Run a couple of gadget plays, or a seven-man blitz, or a fake punt. And say something heartfelt afterward.
Do it with some style.
▪ We’ve seen games without fans in a lot of other sports by now, but not at Bank of America Stadium.
But the Raiders-Panthers season opener will be the first game since the stadium opened in 1996 to be played in front of no fans. At least the Panthers’ first three games will all be played in empty stadiums.
The Tampa Bay Bucs and Los Angeles Chargers host the Panthers in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively, and both those teams are also going without fans at home games in the early part of the season. Carolina’s home game against Arizona on Oct. 4th may or may not have fans.
▪ Raiders quarterback Derek Carr had an older brother, David, who started four forgettable games at quarterback for Carolina in 2007.
David Carr was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft — Houston chose him one spot ahead of Carolina picking Julius Peppers — but never quite panned out in the NFL. For Carolina, Carr went 1-3 in those four starts and was released a few months later. Carr always looked jittery in the pocket here, which was more understandable when you realize that he was sacked more than any other NFL quarterback during three of his five seasons in Houston. Trivia note: Carr is also the only Panthers QB who always wore a glove on his throwing hand.
▪ It’s remarkable that the Panthers still have never drafted a player from Clemson. The Raiders seem to draft a couple every year.
▪ Prediction time. I picked the Panthers to go 4-12 this season in my annual preseason picks column, which was published this week. I’ve got this one penciled in as one of the 12 losses. My pick: Las Vegas 27, Carolina 23.
This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 9:55 AM.