***SORRY ABOUT SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES IN FIRST COUPLE MINUTES***
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The Uptown Sports Show
We have teamed up with Tru School Sports to bring you a weekly video series discussing everything Hornets and Panthers! It will be full of factual gems and flavorful opinions that are sure to be entertaining for any Charlotte sports fan!
STAY TUNED FOR THE FIRST EPISODE!!!
Four Keys to Hornets Playoff Success
With the 2016 NBA Playoffs fast approaching, and the Hornets getting closer and closer to clinching a playoff spot (likely 3-6 seed), it is time that we dig a little deeper into the four keys to the Hornets being successful in the playoffs.
The Crunch Time Lineup
A crunch time lineup that Coach Clifford has run with last few games is very interesting. This lineup consists of Kemba, Lin, Batum, Marvin, and Al. Now this lineup isn’t a juggernaut defensively, but when it comes to scoring, ball movement, and creating shots, this lineup takes the cake for the Hornets. It fits Clifford’s “One in four out” philosophy (4 perimeter guys who can shoot, surrounding one big man down low). This lineup can also be interchanged for key defensive possessions, with Lee replacing Lin and Cody replacing Al.
Kemba, Lin, and Batum can handle the ball, score, and set up teammates. The three of them along with Marvin all shoot well from 3 (Kemba 38%, Lin 33%, Batum 35%, Mavin 40%), and Big Al can still do Big Al things in the post. I will be very interested to see how much Coach Clifford uses this lineup going forward, especially at the end of games, because I think it has the potential to score a lot of points.
The Bench
Lin, Lamb, Kaminsky, and Al have been a very up and down bench as of late. Some games they can either take the lead against weaker benches, but some games they give away a lead and don’t perform at their max potential. The inconsistency has been alarming however, and the individuals in the unit don’t always seem to perform well at the same time. Lin went through a rough patch before going on a recent hot streak. Lamb got benched for Troy Daniels because of his mistakes on both sides of the ball. Frank still has the rookie ups and downs. Al still seems to be getting his legs underneath him after missing a big chunk in the middle of the season. Luckily for the Hornets, the bench goes deeper besides these four. Spencer Hawes is finally healthy, and he can contribute if someone is hurt or not playing well. Also Troy Daniels always seems to play well when called upon and can light it up from downtown any game when inserted.
Clifford has tinkered with the fifth man in the rotation trying out Kemba, Batum, and Marvin, and getting mixed results game to game. The bench is going to be very key come playoff time, and if they aren’t playing at their peak, it seriously diminishes the Hornets chances of advancing in the playoffs.
Cody Zeller’s Confidence
Every fan who watches Hornets games consistently knows that Cody can be great or he can be shaky. When he is confident and is playing with confidence, he finishes strong at the rim, sprints from end to end like Usain Bolt, is a strong rebounder, and is a good rim defender (which is vital to the Hornets who lack one). When Cody is lacking confidence, he is picking up cheap fouls defensively, and he seems to get bodied offensively. A key for Cody is to get a bucket early in the game, which is something Clifford likes to do.
Cody is a huge beneficiary of Nic Batum coming to Charlotte. Many of his easy points come off great Batum passes, often off the pick and roll. Getting easy dunks, offensive rebounds, and putbacks are huge for Cody. The Hornets will need to make sure he is confident come playoff time, with likely first-round matchups of Sullinger/Olynyk, Stoudemire/Whiteside, or Horford.
Kemba and Batum
The biggest key to this team come playoff time is simple. Having the two best players on the team play like the two best players on the team. Scoring 20+ points, making plays for others, being efficient. If even one of these two has a bad couple games or a bad series, it could single-handedly sink the teams chances in the playoffs. When Kemba and Nic are firing on all cylinders, it makes life easier for the players around them to get easier shots and perform better as well.
If Charlotte can get these four things rolling come playoff time, there is no reason that the Hornets can’t advance to the second round, or even surprise some people and make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Lunch with Rich Cho
We were fortunate enough to be invited to lunch with Rich Cho (sidenote….my man LOVES his food….A LOT) last Wednesday at Upstream in Phillips Place along with At the Hive, Hive Talk Live, Trade Street Post, and Queen City Hoops. It was an extremely informative and delicious couple of hours. We spoke on all things Hornets and NBA!
Image via Charlotte Observer
1. How do you think Al will feel about coming off the bench in the future? (Bring Back the Buzz)
You know I haven’t really talked to him about it right now because I don’t really want to talk about the future with any of the guys yet until the exit interviews. I want them focused on this season and not have any distractions but that is something I am sure will talk about at the end of the season.
2. Going back to the Courtney Lee deal, did Memphis approach you? Did you approach them? (At the Hive)
In fairness to them, I’d rather not talk about the inside stuff because I really wouldn’t want other teams talking about the inside dealings. In general, some trades materialize fast and some trades can take 6 months to develop. I would say the (Courtney Lee trade happened) on the faster side, I would have to go back and look and see what day MKG got hurt but that was one of the catalysts for looking around and trying to find a wing player.
3. Can you tell us what it is like leading up to the trade deadline? What are your experiences day to day? And how has it changed throughout your career doing this….if it has changed at all? (Hive Talk Live)
The trade deadline is one of the busiest times of the year. The activity really depends on where you are as a team….how many injuries you have , how much depth you have, where you are in relation to the standings, whether or not your team feels like they can really make a push or you know lets try and regroup during the summer and maybe try and gather some assets. It really depends on the state of the team and how you feel like you can finish off the year. And obviously, whether or not you do a trade depends on how much you are willing to give up. You might be dying to do a trade but the other teams around the league want too much. The last two weeks of the trade deadline it is all trade deadline stuff. The week before that you are fielding calls but nothing gets really serious until the week before.
4. Charlotte seems like one of those teams that you do not hear a word until that week and then it is a flood of things that either happens or it was dead 4 weeks ago and it finally came out. (Trade Street Post)
Yeah, I don’t like stuff getting out. I just don’t think there is a lot of upside there. Like the Courtney Lee trade, you didn’t hear about that until after. The same with the Batum trade. The same with the Lamb deal. Like, lets say I am after Courtney Lee and it gets out and another team sees that and they are like ” Well s%&t, I’ll give up more than 2 seconds and PJ & Brian” and they call them and they are like “hey, we’ve got something we like better.” Well, then that’s not good for us. That is why I like to keep stuff on the low down
5. Do you think a lot of teams put it out there? There seems like there is always a trend with a lot of teams where the story always breaks out way early….do you think some of them leak that? (Bring Back the Buzz)
Yeah, to generate interest but what I don’t like is if I am dealing with another team and they get it out there that “Oh yeah, Charlotte offered so and so for their guy”. That doesn’t help us because then I have his agent calling “hey, are you guys trading so and so?” and then I gotta kinda have to weave through that.
*Laughs* That sounds like an awkward conversation (Bring Back the Buzz)
Yeah…well, like, I don’t want to lie to the agents but I can’t give him everything either. I can’t give him everything because he could call the other team and be like ” Gerald Henderson doesn’t want to come to Portland…you know he isn’t coming or Noah Vonleh doesn’t wanna come there” and then the other GM is like “How does that s*%t, why are you guys telling the agents…etc”. Then if you end up not doing the trade (it was all for nothing). That is why I don’t think it is productive to have things out there.
6. What has it been like for you watching Kemba’s growth this season? (At the Hive)
It has been great, Kemba has really taken another step in his productivity and it is really a testament to how hard he has worked these past few years….especially this past summer. I am really happy to see his game grow. He is playing terrific.
7. What are the moments during the season where you sit back and are like “yeah, this is a really great job?”…..or is it just all really stressful. (Hive Talk Live)
I don’t know if I have those moments *everyone laughs*. I think that in this job there is a lot of scrutiny….you’ve got fan scrutiny, you’ve got media scrutiny, you’ve got ownership scrutiny and I think it is important to not get too high with the highs and too low with the lows. Because there is a going to be a lot of ups and downs in the season and it is important to stay even keel and not overreact to losses or poor play. Also on the flip side, if you are playing really well it is important to stay humble.
8. Since it is such a stressful job what do you do to keep calm and manage the stress? (At the Hive)
I play a lot of tennis. I play a lot of hoops. I am not really a guy that gets too stressed out in the first place. But I would say it is a stressful job.
9. In hindsight, why don’t you think the trade with Lance Stephenson worked out and what was the biggest reason why it didn’t work out? If there is anything you could’ve done differently what would it have been? (Bring Back the Buzz)
First of all, it is important to realize not every trade works out. It’s like, all you guys have worked at different companies over the years and you bring in a new employee. Your HR department has done research on the employee, they interviewed great, you feel like that person is going to be a great fit and then for whatever reason it’s not a great fit and for whatever reason that employee moves on. It’s not that much different when we brought in Lance we really thought it was going to work out well and obviously it didn’t. I think the important thing to focus on is that we were able to turn Lance into Spencer and Lamb. In a way were almost able to sell high.
10. Lin seems to almost have come in and do what we hoped Stephenson would do. He has been a good counterpart to Kemba. I know you said you don’t like to talk about the future of players too early but is Lin, someone, you think you would like to hold on to? (Bring Back the Buzz)
I can’t really talk about free agency but you know we like Jeremy and I think he has done a good job for us.
11. What are some pieces of advice or pieces of wisdom that you have picked up along the way and hold close? (Hive Talk Live)
One was don’t get too high with the highs and too low with the lows. I have a couple general philosophies or quotes we try to live by. One thing is, I am huge on teamwork. A few years ago I got this tour of the Bill Gates foundation in Seattle, it is an amazing place. There was this big mural on the wall that said: “If you want to go fast go alone if you want to go far go together”. I wrote it down right away and brought it back to my staff for our scouting retreat the following year. Another quote is a Wayne Gretzky quote that we have at the bottom of out database “while everyone is looking at where the puck is I am focusing on where the puck will be”. That speaks to thinking outside the box and looking ahead.
12. Is there a particular D-League team that runs the Hornets style offense? (In reference to Aaron Harrison) (Queen City Hoops)
It is more a matter of open spot this time of the year. We are getting a D-League team next year and one of the big reasons is so we can run the same style offense and it can be a seamless transition with what we are doing here in Charlotte and what we are doing in Greensboro. We can’t really expect these other D-League teams to run our style of offense but when we have our own team we will do that. This particular assignment is kinda tough because a lot of teams are in the playoff hunt and they want to make sure their continuity is not upset and their coaches are used to their players.
13. With the China trip, the Greensboro Swarm, the All-Star Game, recent success, do you think we are slowly turning the corner of having the “small market stigma” and would that attract other players that wouldn’t normally come to a market like this because they’ve had this perception of us being some place the business side of their career couldn’t flourish? (Bring Back the Buzz)
I think we are really fortunate because Charlotte is a great city, maybe some players around the league aren’t as aware of Charlotte as they could be but I think all that exposure that you talked about definitely helps. At the same time, we have also shown that we can get some free agents….Big Al signed here, Lance signed here as a free agent even though it didn’t work out, Gordon Hayward signed as a free agent…obviously, Utah matched but that was really positive that he chose to sign here. I think that we can attract free agents, it is just a matter of getting the right ones.
Checking in on the Hornets
The Hornets head into the home stretch of the season looking to secure a playoff spot in the tight East. Charlotte is currently in the middle of the pack at the six seed. 
(NBA.com)
The team has been hot lately, winning eight of their last ten games. The winning streak has also included an impressive road trip where the Hornets picked up two wins in Indianapolis, along with victories in Milwaukee, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia.
HORNETS WIN AGAIN!! pic.twitter.com/U53lUYfA9i
— Bring Back The Buzz™ (@BringBackTheBuz) March 3, 2016
Charlotte missed an opportunity to climb up in rankings when they fell short against the Hawks in a game which took place on February 28 in Atlanta. The Hornets came out cold in the first quarter, scoring just nine points compared to the Hawk’s twenty five. Charlotte came storming back in the 4th, cutting the lead to just two, but their efforts fell short, and Atlanta took the game 87-76.
After the loss, Charlotte quickly bounced back at home in a contest with the Phoenix Suns. The struggling Suns came into town winning only one of their last fifteen games. Luckily for the home team, Phoenix continued their losing ways, dropping the game 126-96. The entire Charlotte roster got in on the fun, as all 13 players scored on the night. Four Hornets finished in double figures including Kemba Walker, Nic Batum, Al Jefferson, and Jeremy Lamb. It was also Nickelodeon night in the Queen City, Charlotte donned Rugrat themed gear.
Take a look at @FSKPart3 rocking the #HornetsNickNight tee before tonight’s game! pic.twitter.com/n9jcKOf7rl
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) March 1, 2016
The 90’s themed night featured a visit from Kel Mitchell, star of Kenan and Kel and Good Burger.
Hornets have brought in Kel Mitchell for “90s Night” pic.twitter.com/7oXnOBjI2z
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 1, 2016
There have been multiple contributors to the Hornet’s recent success, but lets take a look at some of the players who have stepped up as of lately.
Kemba Walker
A large part of the Hornet’s success this season has been due to Kemba, as he is easily having the best season of his career. In the past three seasons he has averaged 17 points a game, this year though the PG is dropping 20 a night. Walker’s increase in scoring can be attributed to his much improved shooting, last year he shot 30% from three, while this year he is shooting 37%. Kemba has also become the go-to guy for Charlotte, someone you can count on to give you a bucket late in the game. The Hornets often find themselves in close games and Kemba has been the difference maker in a lot of them. 
If the Hornet’s want to make a run in the playoffs, Walker’s scoring and leadership are crucial to the teams success. Kemba has led the team in scoring in seven of the last nine games. 
Jeremy Lin
Although he may not be putting up numbers like he did a couple years back in New York, it seems that Linsanity has found a new home in Charlotte. Lin has been very beneficial off the bench for the team and has added some much needed scoring to the second unit. In the last six games, Jeremy has finished in double figures four times. Having a solid second point guard is huge for the Hornets as it takes pressure off Kemba and it’s nice to have another guard who can score. Steve Clifford has experimented with playing both Walker & Lin at the same time, perhaps we will see more of that as the playoffs come closer.
Marvin Williams
Forward Marvin Williams has been doing a little bit of everything for Charlotte this year, defense, shooting, passing, rebounding. Williams has been doing it all, quietly filling up the stat sheet for the Hornets, while adding a lot of heart and hustle. In a recent game with the Pacers, Marvin came up big with 26 points and 13 rebounds in a slim victory. It’s seems like when no one else is making shot’s, Williams can get one to fall. Looking forward, Marvin’s experience will be beneficial to the team as the playoffs approach.
What’s next?
On Friday the fourth, the Hornets start an eight game homestead. Multiple Western Conference teams will come to town including the Timberwolves, Pelicans, Rockets, and Mavericks. The Hornet’s next game is tonight, March 4, against the Pacers. Charlotte looks to sweep the season series as they won the two previous meetings against Indianapolis. Hopefully the Hornets can continue their hot streak and finish the season strong and lock up a playoff spot.
Beer, Basketball, & BBQ is BACK!
After the first was a huge success we have decided to BRING it BACK!
Where? Good Bottle Co.
When? Tomorrow! (Feb 24th) 4pm-9pm(end of the game)
Why? Enjoy FREE Basketball & BBQ. Also, enjoy some AMAZING craft beer…including the new BRING BACK THE BUZZ HONEY PALE ALE by Sycamore Brewing
Free BBQ by “Q for a Cause”, Free Basketball (Hornets v Cavs) and a few of the early arrivers will receive free BBTB/Good Bottle beer glasses from our previous event (there are only a few left) Everything is free but donations will be accepted and all proceeds will go to benefit Most Valuable Kids Charlotte-Metro.
We are VERY happy to announce that we have partnered with Sycamore Brewing and will be tapping/serving “Bring Back the Buzz Honey Pale Ale” for the first time tomorrow at the event!
***Also, The Buzz Shop will be open! We will have CrownTownBasketball shirts & hats, as well as Charlotte VS Everybody shirts!***
What’s the Buzz? Second Half Sit-down
By Trace Walker (Follow @Trace937)
After a slow start to the season, the Hornets won eight of their last eleven games leading into the break. The hot finish leaves the team sitting at 27-26 entering the All-Star break.
The first half of the season was filled with many ups and downs. Before the start of the second half of the season, lets take a look at the current state of Buzz City.
Standings
The Hornets strong finish has them currently resting at 8th place in the East. Luckily, the Eastern Conference is wide open for the taking. There are merely five games in between the Celtics who are in third place and the tenth place Wizards.
Injuries
It seems like every player on the Hornets has had to sit the bench at some point throughout the season. The biggest blow to the team is the loss of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, again… After returning from shoulder injury, MKG showed major improvements in his shooting and was a much needed addition to the Hornet’s defense. In Kidd-Gilchrist’s seventh game back this season, after taking a fall whilst driving to the basket, a Pacers player fell on his shoulder. Gilchrist immediately left the game for the locker room. The forward is yet again out for the season, as he is scheduled to have surgery to repair his torn labrum.
INJURY UPDATE: @mkg14 to undergo surgery tomorrow to repair torn labrum.https://t.co/2mC1AJCSTt pic.twitter.com/lG8vuhCnaB
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 16, 2016
Best of wishes to you MKG, I wish you a speedy and successful recovery
Al Jefferson, whom has not played in a game since November, remains on the bench. The good news for the Hornets is that Big Al will be back on the left block soon. Jefferson has been cleared to get back on the court, and is working towards his return. The story of Big Al’s return can be found on his website: http://www.aljefferson25.com/2016/02/11/big-al-mend/. Al is set to make his return to the court in the first few weeks after the All-Star break.
Trades
IT’S OFFICIAL: Welcome to #BuzzCity, @CourtneyLee2211!
PRESS RELEASE: https://t.co/jXkjOeLknq pic.twitter.com/W4N9p9vNrr
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 17, 2016
The Hornet’s shook their roster up a bit by sending Brian Roberts to Miami and P.J. Hairston to Memphis. In return, Charlotte receives Courtney Lee, who is on the last year of his four year contract. After losing Kidd-Gilchrist for the season, perimeter defensive was going to be a major concern for the Hornets. Lee is an excellent addition to the team as he provides both great defense as well as three point shooting. The move also frees up a roster spot for Charlotte. Kemba Walker spoke on Lee’s arrival saying he’s “excited to have him” and that “he’s a guy that knows what it takes to win.”
“A guy who’s been through a lot in his NBA career, knows what it takes to win.” –@KembaWalker on @CourtneyLee2211
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 17, 2016
Robert’s departure will not have major implications as he has only played 333 minutes this season. Although P.J. played a bigger role, starting 43 of the 48 games he played in, I believe that Courtney Lee will be an improvement. Last month in an article titled, Trade Talk, I predicted Hairston’s departure, saying “I believe that P.J. could be thrown into a package deal in hopes of landing a decent starter.” The full article can be found here: https://bringbackthebuzz.net/2016/01/10/trade-talk/.
It’s also rumored that the Hornets have been engaged with the Rockets in talks of trading Dwight Howard. Howard would provide the interior defense that the team lacks, but is D12 worth the controversy and problems that seem to follow the big man?
The Hornets kick off the second half of the season on Friday night in an Eastern Conference matchup against the Bucks. Make sure to check in and stay up to date with the buzz.
BBTB 5 Year Anniversary
5 years ago today!
A big thank you to all of our day 1s and all of our new followers who have helped turn BBTB into a page that is dedicated to reminding people how amazing Charlotte and the Carolinas truly are. Our mission every day is to Bring Back the Buzz that surrounded the NBA during those 7 consecutive seasons when we held the crown of attendance champions.
Never in a million years did we believe that BBTB would turn into what it has become and absolutely none of this would have ever happen if it were not because of the amazing people that claim Buzz City as their own.
So for that we say thank you!
Continue to be proud of the place you call home. Whether you are a Hornets fan, a Panthers fan or both…remember what that means and rep them no matter the record.
Sycamore Brewing Company and BBTB join forces to create a BBTB BEER!
We are proud to announce that we have partnered with Sycamore Brewing company and will be releasing a Bring Back the Buzz Beer!
The beer will be making its debut at the “Beer, Basketball, & BBQ” event on February 24th at Good Bottle Co.
Sycamore will be sending us images during the process and we will be posting images/hints about the kind of beer it will be!
Stay tuned and make sure you come to the event!
RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/228890067447009/
We Made It: 2016 Super Bowl 50 Preview: Broncos at Panthers
Photo Credit: nfl.com
By Jason Sharpe
After their blowout NFC Championship victory the NFC top-seeded Panthers host the top-seeded AFC Championship-winning Broncos on Sunday at 6:30 P.M. in Santa Clara, C.A. for Super Bowl 50 – the “Golden Anniversary” – with the Lombardi Trophy on the line.
SANTA CLARA, C.A. – We made it. The Carolina Panthers are now “the worst” 17-1 team in NFL history to make it to the Super Bowl. Coming off a blowout victory in the NFC Championship game, the NFC top-seeded Panthers host the top-seeded AFC Championship-winning Denver Broncos Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, C.A. for Super Bowl 50 – the “Golden Anniversary” of the Super Bowl. This way things are predicted to shape up on-the-field make this Super Bowl matchup out to be an instant classic.
Last week’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals for the NFC Championship was nothing like I have ever seen before. Everything was clicking for the Panthers, and the Cardinals just didn’t show up to play. Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer was rattled from the start, and couldn’t recover, only leading to him playing increasingly horrendously over the course of the game, with the Panthers’ defense taking full and complete advantage of it. With so much going the Panthers’ way on both sides of the football, I kept asking myself, “Is this real life?” I honestly thought I was dreaming. I think I speak for the Panthers and all fans when I say that the NFC Championship game was absolutely glorious.
However, I expect things to be a very different this week. Both teams will be running out onto the field with something to prove. The Panthers will take the field still trying to prove themselves, as many people still doubt them. It just absolutely baffles me why there is still doubt and disdain among many NFL analysts and fans, given their historic season and their current position in this year’s postseason – the Panthers are playing for the Lombardi Trophy today. Where is your team? Each player will be sitting on their couch on Sunday, watching the Super Bowl on TV…not running out on the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, C.A. And yet, as I have still heard this week, “The Panthers haven’t really played anyone this year.” Coming off a wild, blowout NFC Championship victory, the Panthers cannot be overconfident with that game at the back of their minds. Hopefully they left the NFC Championship victory back in Charlotte, N.C. This is a completely different opposing team, on a completely different stage, with their entire season, their reputation and credibility – the doubt from every NFL analyst and fan, and the Lombardi Trophy on the line.
The Broncos will come onto the field looking to prove they are better than they have been given credit for all season, but in a very different way from the Panthers. They’ve had a lot of close wins, including their AFC Championship victory to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl. They are trying to prove that their second half of the regular season and path to the Super Bowl wasn’t a fluke, given their quarterback situation and correlating offensive struggles each game. The Broncos also have another task at hand – to send future first-ballot Hall of Famer Peyton “The Sheriff” Manning out on top with a Super Bowl victory. Manning holds so many NFL records, and has nothing else to prove to anyone, however, with heavy speculation that his retirement is pending and this being his last game, everyone wants to go out on top, and the Broncos will leave everything on the field to help sendoff their legendary quarterback riding off into the sunset, with the Lombardi Trophy in hand. This game is important to both teams, for very obvious reasons, it’s the Super Bowl. It will be an all-out defensive fight to the death.
The Broncos and Panthers are both led by and rely on their defenses, but the Panthers pack more punch on offense. With the Broncos having the top defense this season and the Panthers having the top offense this season, this should be a defensive matchup, and a close game. To sum up what to look for in this matchup, be ready for a defensive game. A Super Bowl 50 victory for both teams are their defenses being able to get the job done, and their quarterbacks – whether or not Newton or Manning can handle the pressure of the opposing defense. Pressure being both when forced out of the pocket – having to read the field while scrambling and make a good decision on the fly – and the pressure of time, remaining cool, calm and collective until the clock hits 0:00 in the fourth quarter. The difference in this game will come down to matching opponents’ scoring drives and clock management while putting together scoring drives. I wouldn’t be surprised if Super Bowl 50 is decided by the last offensive drive, either by a touchdown or a field goal, or a defensive stand by the opposing team, stopping an potential game-winning drive, to get the Lombardi Trophy.
Keys To The Game
Panthers:
- Limit turnovers. No turnovers would be nice. Any opportunity gifted to Peyton Manning often ends up with points on the scoreboard.
- Set the offensive tone early. Mix up offensive play calling from the get-go to establish the ground game. Very simple, the Panthers must be able to pick up yards by grinding it out in the trenches. Look for the Panthers to try and established the run game via read option plays, which has constantly kept opposing defenses guessing, which Jonathan Stewart and company have taken advantage of when Cam Newton lets them keep the ball and find the hole for the medium to long gain on the ground. With the Broncos’ defense expected to bring heavy pass rush on most plays to put pressure on Newton, the Panthers can take advantage of this via read option plays, keeping the Broncos’ defense guessing.
- Expanding on the aforementioned pass rush, the Panthers must hand the ball off to Jonathan Stewart often. The Broncos will be looking to pass rush on most downs, and nothing leads to big gains on the ground like finding the perfect hole in the pass rush to create an open running lane. If Stewart can establish the ground game early, it will put the Broncos in a quagmire when calling defensive plays. This will give the Panthers more offensive freedom in play calling, being able to keep the Broncos’ defense from predicting Panthers’ offensive plays and establishing a defensive rhythm.
- Pick up the pass rush. If the Panthers’ offensive line can pick up the pass rush on passing plays, it will allow Newton time to establish himself in the pocket – even just giving him a few more seconds before taking a hit after releasing the ball – to find opportunities downfield for big plays downfield with the Panthers’ speedy, skilled route-running WR targets and TE Greg Olsen.
- Don’t let Peyton Manning get into a rhythm. The defense must break through the offensive line, on every play. The Panthers’ defense must use their pass-rushing prowess to break through Broncos’ offensive line, wearing them down over the course of the game. This will lead to being able to rattle Manning more and more throughout the game.
- The “X Factor” – The Broncos’ defensive is the best in the NFL this year, with their anchor on the defensive line being DeMarcus Ware. The Panthers’ offensive line will face a tough challenge in stabilizing the pass rush to give Newton time in the pocket. The key matchup today will be Michael Oher versus Ware, in protecting Newton’s “blind side.” Oher turned his lackluster career around in his first year with the Panthers, so let’s hope he continues playing in the form we’ve become accustom to this season.
Broncos:
- Generate turnovers. Specifically, force Cam Newton out of the pocket for him to make a split-second decision when throwing on the run. Newton has used better judgment this season when the pocket collapses on pass plays and he is forced to scramble and/or throw on the run. However, there is still the chance that Newton will try to force a big play in a tightly covered area, which has historically led to interceptions. This could be an even bigger factor given the pressure and expectations being placed on him since it is the Super Bowl.
- Stop the Panthers on third down, specifically on third and long pass plays when Newton sees nothing down field, and decides to tuck it and run. During these situations, Newton has been a huge factor this season for the Panthers to continue drives in close games.
- Be able to contain Newton when the pocket collapses and he makes the decision to tuck and run. The Broncos must utilize their loaded and experienced defense to recognize the collapsing pocket a few seconds in advance and adjust to bring Newton down by quickly.
- Be able to quickly sniff out and adjust to the read option plays, and shut them down. Newton and Jonathan Stewart and company have become extremely synchronized in running the read option. When they establish the ground game early through Newton handing the ball of to the running backs in the read option, it normally leads to medium to long yards gained on the ground. Essentially, be cautious on while relying on the pass rush.
- Set the tone defensively. Go all-out on defense. Put heavy pressure on Newton via the pass rush, and spread the field in the secondary. The Broncos have the best defense in the NFL this season for a reason. They must utilize this advantage, and set the defensive tone early to take away the Panthers’ offensive confidence from its first drive. The Broncos’ must have full confidence in their the defense and rely on it from the get go to prevent the Panthers’ offense getting into the groove early.
- The “X Factor” – The offensive line must give Manning time in the pocket to utilize his accuracy and football IQ. With the many talented receivers the Broncos possess, Manning must have the time to look down field. Manning must have the extra few seconds to establish his presence in the pocket, set his feet, and read the defense to find the open receiver downfield or be able to create a play through the air for one of the Broncos’ wide receivers to adjust and go up and snare it. If the offensive line can achieve this, Manning will be able to establish his rhythm, and when this happens, he is able to pick apart the opposing secondary all day.
Bring Back the Buzz 