NFC South Archive
Offensive woes continue for Panthers in loss to Steelers
The Carolina Panthers failed to score an offensive touchdown during the preseason, but that didn't seem to matter much to Coach John Fox.His preparation and gameplan for Thursday night's preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers was to give players seeking a spot on the final 53-man roster one final evaluation before cuts are made Saturday.Carpenter, Benn shine as Bucs top Texans
udy Carpenter and Arrelious Benn each had solid performances for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a win against the Houston Texans in the final game of the preseason and did all they could to notch a spot on the final 53-man roster.Carpenter completed 15 of 22 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns, while Benn was the recipient of both touchdown throws in a game where most of the starters and key backups did not see the field.Falcons fall to Jaguars 17-9 to wrap up preseason
Jacksonville outlasted Atlanta 17-9 Thursday night in the final game of the preseason with most of the marquis players for both teams sitting this one out.Coach Mike Smith of the Atlanta Falcons decided to give most of his starters the night off in the final preseason game, giving players still fighting for spots on the final roster a chance to catch his eye.All of his offensive starters watched from the sidelines, and seven of his defensive starters did not play.Saints fall in preseason finale; RB Ivory suffers knee injury
Tennessee piled up 466 yards of total offense to beat New Orleans 27-24 Thursday night in the preseason finale, but the loss could end up being much more costly for the Saints. Running back Chris Ivory, who has come on strong during camp and the preseason, left the game with an undisclosed knee injury that will [...]Morris says skill will be divider when final cuts are made
Tampa Bay will travel to Houston Thursday night in the preseason finale, and Coach Raheem Morris--like all other head coaches in the NFL--will have plenty on his mind.The fourth preseason game usually is a showcase for players that are fighting for roster spots on the final 53-man roster that needs to be finalized by Saturday afternoon.Most of the starting and second-team positions are already set in stone, but players fighting it out for spots largely as special teams contributors will get the chance to show their stuff Thursday night.Smith wants bubble players to perform at a high level against Jags
Coach Mike Smith of the Atlanta Falcons heads into Thursday's final preseason game with plenty of questions surrounding his team, but is hopeful to see some players on the bubble of making his final 53-player roster stand out and win jobs.The Falcons offense hasn't been clicking, the kicking game is a point of contention with Matt Bryant being a bit erratic, and the defense still has some lingering question marks.Most of the starters will see limited playing time Thursday against Jacksonville, which will give current players on the bubble a chance to shine.Plenty on the line for Panthers hopefuls in preseason finale
The Carolina Panthers will travel to Pittsburgh Thursday night for the final preseason game with plenty of questions still to be answered.The offense has struggled mightily without two of its top performers--running back Jonathan Stewart and wide receiver Steve Smith--having yet to see any action on the field, and new quarterback Matt Moore still seems to be trying to grasp the offense.The Panthers will take on the Steelers with several roster spots still being sorted out, and opportunities will be plenty for players to have one last shot at showing the coaching staff why they deserve to included on the 53-man roster once cuts are made.Sharper out for preseason finale
All-Pro safety Darren Sharper will not play in the New Orleans Saints preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans Thursday night, Coach Sean Payton announced Wednesday. Sharper, who had microfracture surgery on his left knee in the offseason, remains on the team's PUP list.Sharper said that his aim is to be ready to play in the season-opening game next Thursday against the Minnesota Vikings.Panthers send Wright, Taylor to IR; move Davis to PUP list
The Carolina Panthers took another hit to their already thin receiving corps Tuesday when they placed Wallace Wright on injured reserve with a shoulder injury that will require surgery.Wright was expected to be a key player for the Panthers at receiver and in return situations, but suffered the injury last Friday night in a preseason win against Tennessee.Wright signed as a free agent back in March after spending his first four seasons with the New York Jets.Talib given one-game suspension for violating Personal Conduct Policy
Cornerback Aqib Talib was suspended for the first game of the regular season Tuesday for violating the NFL's Personal Conduct policy. Aqib was also docked an additional game check and will be eligible to return to team activities September 13.The suspension stems from an incident that occurred last August, when Talib got into an altercation with a cab driver in St. Petersburg, Fla. and punched him. He was charged with simple battery and resisting arrest.