With the beginning of the Hornets season coming quickly we are preparing our blog to carry the large amount of information that will be flooding in.

If you see how we have constructed our Panthers pages there is a section called “4th and Growl”, currently written by Austin Stallings, who is handling the game previews and the “X’s and O’s” side of the game. We also have “Monday Morning Quarterback” which is a play on Peter King’s series but is focused on the Panthers. This is a raw, emotional, fanatical response to the game that happened the day before intended to spur debate and discussion. This is written by David Gabriel.

NOW, for the Hornets. We have a section that is called “Buzz Weekly” that will be focused on giving our audience a recap of the previous weeks events and a synopsis of what you can expect in the following week. This will provide everything from Player News to Upcoming Fan Events. This will be kick started around the time of the Charlotte Hornets “Buzz Fest“.

We are currently looking for a writers who knows the “X’s and O’s” of basketball. Somebody who knows what a triangle offense is and would have fun attempting to explain it to their friend. Obviously you must know the Charlotte Hornets. We only ask that you be able to commit to writing at least one blog post a week.

If you send us a sample please have it bee about the Hornets so we can get a feel for your knowledge of the team you will be writing about.

***Email us a writing sample at BringBackTheBuzz@gmail.com***

***Use Subject Line “BBTB Writing Sample” so we don’t miss it*** 

please understand that this is not a paying position. This is a great way for a writer to get their work seen by thousands of fans. We do it for the love.

(Written by David Gabriel)

MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK!! So I was totally wrong thinking me smashing a little Prius bumper with a Pittsburgh sticker on it was some kind of foreshadowing. Luckily no one was injured in the accident. But as far as that Steelers bumper goes…check anywhere on Ballantyne Commons for that junk.

Offense started slow again just like the Lions game. Field goals will not win games. Didn’t we find that out against San Fran last year in the playoffs?

Also Philly Brown will not win you any games. Who? Yes Philly Brown from I have no idea where but he wears the black and blue so I support. What can Brown do for you? He can drop a punt in the 4th quarter right after the defense gets a very quick 3 and out with 11 minutes left in the game down 10 and we need scores. Well Mr. Brown drops the punt and it goes all the way into the endzone recovered by Pittsburgh for a TD and the game was done after that. I’m not blaming the L on Brown at all.

Defense got a nice wake up call. Offense needs Deangelo and Stew out there and maybe some WR that can help Kelvin Benjamin. I think that guy could have been Ted Ginn Jr. Guess who would of been back there last night returning that punt Philly just couldn’t seem to handle? That’s right Ted Ginn. Who knows what if he houses it and Panthers are down 3 instead of 17! Minor details but so costly.

The final score says it all we got beat, bad. However it could have been a different game with a successful punt return or just catching the damn ball!

I have wonderful family members who live in Pittsburgh so I am not generalizing all steelers fans here but at least the people around me last night were the prime time example of a fair weather steelers fan and the lack of class fanmanship was just embarrassing for you and your “fans.”

HOWEVER PANTHER NATION it is only ONE game. Maybe we needed this. A good ol kick in the rear to fire us up and bring us down to Earth.

Apparently there will be blood and guts on the field next week…. I know 89 was my favorite player but this week he’s on the other side. My advice for you 89 ice up before and after the game. You heard it hear on MMQB Smitty will have no more than 50 yards and 0 ZERO touchdowns. Next week we need a strong rebound vs a good AFC North team in a hostile environment.

Like I said it was only one game, luckily there are 13 left. KEEP POUNDING Panther Nation!

(Written by Austin Stallings)

In their week 2 victory over the Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens were able to use multiple Tight End sets to move the ball, convert critical 3rd downs, and complete 2 touchdown passes. The combination of tight ends Dennis Pitta and newly signed Owen Daniels proved to be a matchup that the Steelers defense struggled with. Here is a film breakdown of what the Ravens did and how the Panthers will look to emulate that Sunday Night

On the first of Owen Daniels’ 2 touchdown receptions, the Ravens are lined up on the 2 yard line, in a 3 Tight-End 2 Back set. They motion the full back to the strong side of the formation where they have their dual tight ends lined up. This is the side they will run the fake to.

Now in an unbalance formation, the Ravens will draw most of the Steelers defense to the right with the fake to Bernard Pierce – while the lone tight end on the weak side, Owen Daniels, leaks out to the left.

After selling the run, both backs stay in to block and Daniels is able to get behind the defense on the weak side.

Daniels finds himself wide open for an easy touchdown, while the linebacker finds himself in a defender’s worst nightmare. Even worse, he had to re-live it the following day in the film room.

The Panthers like to run similar goal line concepts, like this Cam Newton touchdown pass in week 8 of 2013. The Panthers are on the 2 yard line, in a 2 TE 2 RB set. They motion full back Richie Brockel to the strong side of the formation, where they have dual tight ends Greg Olsen and Ben Hartsock lined up.

They will run a run fake to Mike Tolbert to the strong side, sending Richie Brockel out to the right flat, and keeping the entire Tampa defense pursuing to that side. Greg Olsen, the inside tight end, will leak out the the left side and find open space. Hartsock will do the same but position himself behind the linebackers who are stepping up in their run responsibility.

As Newton and Tolbert sell the run, the linebackers are frozen in their run-stop priority,allowing Olsen and Hartsock to get by unnoticed.

At this point Newton just has his choice between his two wide open tight ends. The Panthers have significantly upgraded their pass-catching tight ends this offseason, acquiring Ed Dickson from Baltimore and developing former basketball star Brandon Williams. After seeing the success the Ravens had in multiple tight end sets, this will surely be a matchup they will try to exploit Sunday night against the Steelers.

(Written by Austin Stallings)

Six days after dismantling the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, the Detroit Lions were faced with an entirely different animal in the Carolina Panthers. Coming off a decisive victory in which they posted 35 points, the explosive Detroit attack only managed to score once in Charlotte – against a defense that learned it would be

playing without one of it’s stars just 90 minutes before kickoff. Carolina’s depth on the defensive line proved to be valuable as the unit showed that it can be dominant even without Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy, who was deactivated before the game. The Panthers’ front seven kept quarterback Matthew Stafford on the run, getting to him often and tallying 4 sacks. Defensive end Mario Addison, who saw added playing time in Hardy’s absence, more than doubled his sack total from last season with 2.5.

The Panthers secondary also stepped up, holding a receiving weapon referred to as ‘Megatron’ to 83 yards, and no scores. He snagged a would-be touchdown catch late in the second quarter, but wasn’t able to hold on as safety Roman Harper closely trailed, keeping the Lions scoreless in the first half. He was also targeted on a deep pass in the fourth – Passes that often end up putting defensive backs on Megatron posters – but a tip by Thomas Decoud led to a Melvin White interception, helping seal the victory for the Panthers. While no member of the rebuilt secondary matches up physically to Calvin Johnson, the unit did an exceptional job of limiting the best receiver in football to a relatively quiet afternoon.

Offensively, Cam Newton and the Panthers were able to overcome a slow start, which gave the Lions most of the possession in the first quarter. In his first start of the season, coming off ankle surgery and a rib injury, Newton managed to move the ball enough for 2 Gano field goals and a halftime lead. After Detroit battled back to take the lead at 7-6, the offense really began to hit it’s stride. Newton responded with a 72-yard drive that was capped off by a precisely-threaded touchdown pass to Jason Avant. He later drove the team down to the 1-yard line with a diving effort to the pylon, resulting in Jonathan Stewart’s first touchdown run since 2012. (Pro-Football Reference).

              Newton finished the game 22-of-34 for 281 yards and a touchdown, but his most important stat of the day was his zero turnovers. Facing a relentless front seven, he was frequently flushed from the pocket, sacked 5 times, and hit many more – but was able to maintain his composure and protect the football, earning him a passer rating of 100.2. That is the mark of a maturing quarterback, one who has learned how to manage a game just as well as he can define it with highlight-reel plays. Carolina’s +3 turnover ratio proved to be the difference in the 24-7 win, and the young quarterback continues to prove his leadership ability.

 

Looking Ahead:

The Panthers, who are off to their first 2-0 start in the Rivera-Newton era, will now host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. The Steelers were unimpressive in their Thursday night game in Baltimore, falling 26-6 to their division rivals. But they’ve had the advantage of an extended week, a live-film session of the Panthers-Lions game, and the championship experience of Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger. Like Detroit, they too will face the best defense they’ve seen thus far – regardless of Greg Hardy’s status, which remains unknown. They will also have to stop a physical Carolina ground game, which is something the Steelers have struggled with in their first 2 weeks.

The Carolina secondary will face a different kind of test this week in wide receiver Antonio Brown, who threatens with his speed and elusiveness rather than mega-size. Brown is one of the best in the league after the catch, and is also a special teams weapon at punt returner —

(Punter Brad Nortman will be on high alert for the hurdle-kick).

 

Cornerbacks Melvin White, Antoine Cason, and Bene Benwikere did well to stop the larger receivers of the Buccaneers and Lions, but will need to play fast and work together to contain Brown and second year standout Markus Wheaton.

The front seven’s gameplan for Big Ben will be similar to that of Matt Stafford’s last week. Both quarterbacks present a large frame, a rocket arm, and an ability to escape the pocket and extend plays when needed. To slow down a Roethlisberger passing attack that gashed Cleveland for 365 yards, the Panthers’ trademark pass-rushers will need to collapse the pocket and keep him from developing a rhythym. Much like with Stafford, it won’t just be about how many times he is sacked, but how often he is pressured and hit. To fill the void of inactive defensive ends Greg Hardy and Frank Alexander, the defense will need Charles Johnson to be dominant and role players like Addison and Kony Ealy to contribute. A second round draft pick, Ealy is an elite pass-rushing talent but has yet to have his breakout moment in the NFL. The Panthers boast a highly talented defensive line with unmatched depth, and will need to show it in primetime to help the secondary stay on Brown.

Offensively, the Panthers will look to emulate the success of Baltimore’s ground game as they were able to rack up 157 rushing yards against the Steelers. This is good news for dynamic duo DeAngelo Williams & Jonathan Stewart, who should see more work than they did in week 2. While Williams was inactive due to a sore quad, he should be back in the lineup Sunday and primed for a big night. The offense will be facing a key contributor to Carolina’s 2013 success in strong safety Mike Mitchell. Mitchell brings a hard-hitting approach to the game that resonates well with the Steelers culture, but has been known to give up plays through the air. Something to watch in this game will be Carolina’s use of tight ends Greg Olsen and Ed Dickson. The Ravens were able to complete 2 play-action touchdown passes to their 2nd tight end, Owen Daniels. The Panthers have made it known they want to run more 2 tight end sets this season, so this is something they may try to exploit. For an in-depth breakdown on this matchup, check out my film breakdown of Daniels’ touchdown.

 

 

The Series:

            In five regular season meetings, the Panthers are 1-4 against Pittsburgh, with their lone win coming in the franchise’s second season. This matchup will be the first season game the teams have played in the Rivera-Newton era, and the first time since reigning DPOY Luke Keuchly has anchored the Carolina defense.

 

Season	Location	Result
2010	Heinz Field (Pittsburgh, PA)	Loss (3-27)
2006	Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)	Loss (3-37)
2002	Heinz Field (Pittsburgh, PA)	Loss (14-30)
1999	Three Rivers Stadium (Pittsburgh, PA)	Loss (20-30)
1996	Ericsson Stadium (Charlotte, NC)	Win (18-14)

 

The Football Database

 

 

Fans have had quite a while to marinate over these Beeautiful New Hornets Uniforms. We are curious as to which one in particular is your favorite. Very interested to see which one Buzz City prefers!

We would like to start this off by saying that by no means are either one of us “gamers”. We have no idea how this works, if it works for your system etc. All we know is that we are a Hornets fan page and we try to provide you guys with as much cool content as possible. 

While searching the internet i stumbled across these 2 sites where you can supposedly download the New Hornets Court and Uniforms onto 2K14! They looked so cool we just had to share. The first link is for the court. the second is for the Uniforms & Warm-Ups. Good Luck. I Hope It Works. And If it does please share it with us on Twitter @BringBackTheBuz so we can help others enjoy it. Thank You!

(Court Link)

(Uniforms & Warm-Up Link)