Midseason Report

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Carolina Panthers

You'd have to say coach John Fox, who came into the season on the hot seat, did exactly what he wanted in the first half. His team ran it and they played great defense. That's the Fox style. He felt they got away from that last season and made getting back to it a priority. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have done a nice job in the running game. Jake Delhomme has done a nice job taking shots down the field when presented with them. It helps to have a strong running game. The defense is the strength of the team. Defensive end Julius Peppers, who struggled last season, is back to his old ways, creating havoc for opposing defensive tackles. The linebackers have played well and the secondary, led by corners Ken Lucas and Chris Gamble, have really played well. The style they love has them off to a good start, but with Steve Smith now hitting stride they should start to throw it a little more. At some point, that has to be better -- even if Fox prefers to pound the football. Midseason Grade: B


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