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Health & Fitness

Chris' Penn: On the hot seat

Good afternoon, folks! Welcome back to Chris’ Penn. This week widened the gap in the NFC South divisional standings. It’s a hot topic, so let’s dive in head first.

From the mailbag

From Robert R.

The Panthers’ secondary was belittled all preseason. They played okay versus Seattle, then horrid on the final drive at Buffalo and lost numerous starters. Then they patched it up with undrafted free agents, players who barely made the cut, and in one case, someone who didn’t make the cut — and trounced the Giants 38-0.  So what are they? Was the new no-name lineup from Week 3 actually good?

The Panthers secondary is covered up by their outstanding front seven, which has lived up to every bit of the hype. I would put that unit in the top three in the league.

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When you have that and a solid run game to control the clock (Carolina is currently fourth in time of possession at 55.56 percent), all you need is to have a secondary that can keep teams out of the end zone.

Do the Panthers have that? Well, I’m leaning towards no. They could not do it against Buffalo, and they only did against the Giants because the front seven obliterated New York’s offensive line.

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I do think deficiencies in the secondary can be mitigated with better play calling, but does anyone actually trust head coach Ron Rivera right now? Fans have to hope Carolina keeps controlling the clock and the front seven continues to dominate. If that happens, the Panthers have a shot at nine or 10 wins this year.

From Victoria B.

Do you think that the New Orleans Saints defense is the real deal or that they still haven’t faced enough of a quality offense as of yet? What are your thoughts on the Saints’ future? Do you think that Atlanta could make a fast turnaround and compete with the Saints for the division or are the Panthers the best competitor for the division?

Well, the Saints defense is certainly surprising. Is it the real deal? I don’t think so. Is it good enough? Yes. Although I don’t think it is a top ten defense — they have been really bad against the run — quarterback Drew Brees keeps teams from being able to run the ball for long. Their weakness fits well with the team’s strength.

The Saints should win the division, but come playoff time, I think things will change. Brees will be playing better defenses and offenses will be able to abuse the poor run defense.

In the long term, New Orleans needs to hit in the draft. They need to bring in more players who fit their defensive scheme and can play the run. I think defensive tackle should be their top priority followed by another pass rusher to complement defensive end Cameron Jordan. Linebacker Junior Galette has done well in the pass rush so far, but I’m not quite sold on him; that could change.

This draft class has a ton of talent at quarterback. I think they could use a middle-round pick, since Brees does not have many years left. They could get a head start on grooming a new quarterback to learn head coach Sean Payton’s system.

The Falcons and Panthers both have the talent to compete. If the Falcons can win their next four straight, they will be back in the picture if the Saints drop two.

The Panthers have a good chance to win their next four games too. As long as Rivera doesn’t allow any meltdowns, they are right in the mix.

How hot are the seats of Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik?

From James D.

With all the drama and abysmal record he has in the last 10 games or so, is there any way head coach Gregg Schiano keeps his job this season? Also, do you see general manager Mark Dominik getting axed for two bad head coach hires?

I’m not convinced Dominik thinks Schiano is a bad coach. Discussing the struggles of quarterback Josh Freeman, Domink told USA TODAY Sports: “The main thing for us was the performance of the team the last nine games was 1-8 and that’s tough. He hasn’t played well. That’s a part of it. If you don’t have a quarterback in this league, you don’t have a shot. We felt like we’d seen enough of what we needed to see.”

This leads me to believe that he thinks Schiano was right to bench the best quarterback the Buccaneers have.

Personally, I’m torn on this issue. In general, the Buccaneers have done well in recent drafts. If Dominik can convince the Glazer family they have their future quarterback this draft, I see him keeping his job. However, I think he needs to sever their ties with Schiano. He has handled this quarterback transition poorly and his players seem to not trust or like him.

From Lucy in Louisville

Dear Chris,

Now that the young pup Mike Glennon has been set loose on the field in Tampa Bay, how long of a leash does he have? If the Bucs lose another few games, will he be yanked in favor of Dan Orlovsky? What are the chances of Josh Freeman taking the reins back this year?

Mike Glennon is their quarterback as long as Schiano is head coach. But it’s doubtful the team is looking at him as their longterm solution. I think the Buccaneers will soon begin to look ahead to the 2014 draft for their future. Freeman has absolutely no chance to play in Tampa Bay again unless the two in front of him are injured and he is still on the team.

Can Supertowel and Matty Ice turn their teams around and compete for a playoff spot?

From Rex in Richmond

Handicap the NFC South playoff prospects for me. Right now it looks like Tampa Bay is all but mathematically out of it. Both Carolina and Atlanta have a lot of ground to make up. What are the chances New Orleans slips up and cedes the division to one of those two teams? Is there any likelihood a wildcard comes out of the South?

It is the Saints’ division to lose. The Falcons and Panthers have given it to them, having dropped close games they should have won.

The next four weeks will determine the South. If the Panthers and Falcons falter during this stretch, they have no shot at the playoffs. If one of them can come out with four straight victories, they have a chance.

If the Saints keep playing like they are, they should be a lock for the division and the Falcons will be competing with the second-place team out of the NFC West and the second- and third-place teams out of the NFC North for a Wild Card spot.

Reminder

To ensure your questions or comments are included in next week’s edition of “Chris’ Penn,” be sure to submit them no later than midnight on Tuesday, October 8th to cpennell@watercoolersports.net. Submissions may be edited for length or clarity.

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