... - Sports - Columns - Darin Gantt

Wednesday, Sep. 24, 2008

Panthers see some similarities in Falcons

CHARLOTTE -- The Atlanta Falcons' 2-1 might be different from the Carolina Panthers' 2-1.

But the Falcons aren't that different from what the Panthers were not all that long ago, and that's why this weekend is so important for both franchises.

This Atlanta team is very different from the dysfunctional mess the Panthers have seen the last few years. And if it seems familiar to them, it's no accident, because they look an awful lot like the seeds of the current Panthers organization.

First of all, the new regime gets to take over for a coach that seemed like a great idea at the time, but proved to be horribly miscast (Bobby Petrino, I'd like you to meet George Seifert; George, Bobby).

Now, the new, player-friendly head coach happens to be a former defensive coordinator (Mike Smith), who works hand-in-hand with the credentialed former underling from a strong program (general manager Thomas Dimitroff).

John Fox and Marty Hurney probably think that sounds familiar, and folks who know both said the relationships are amazingly similar.

There's even a high-energy defensive coordinator (Brian Van Gorder) who was paired with the veteran on the other side of the ball to give the staff some ballast (offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey).

Granted, Van Gorder's not as photogenic and polished as Jack Del Rio, nor Mularkey as seasoned as Dan Henning, but you see where we're going here.

There's also some existing veteran talent on defense (John Abraham, Keith Brooking, Lawyer Milloy), and some bright young kids on offense who look ready to pop (wide receiver Roddy White).

They even went out and brought in the physical, grind-it-out free agent runner (Michael Turner) to provide some training wheels for their bright, intangible-heavy new quarterback (Matt Ryan).

What, was Rodney Peete not available to come in and shake a tambourine for this tribute band?

Maybe Falcons owner Arthur Blank learned something from watching his neighbors over the years, after chasing stars and then rabbits down holes. Say what you want about the Panthers, but at least they've been consistently competitive the last few years, something Falcons fans long for.

Granted, the Panthers invented no wheels here. They just decided since they were starting over, they might as well spend their efforts to do the basic things right.

Either way, Atlanta's beginning fresh, the same way the Panthers did in 2002, and that's exactly why Carolina should be worried this weekend.

Because what the Falcons are doing right now is starting to develop a belief in themselves, and the parts collected. That team is far from a finished product, with enough holes to point to the long stretches of growing pains and losing down the road. Honestly, they may be the biggest piece of fool's gold in the NFL, piling up wins against genuinely horrible Detroit and perhaps-worse Kansas City.

But funny things happen when kids who don't know any better start pulling in the same direction.

The 2002 Panthers really had no business reeling off three straight wins to open the season. And while the 2003 team had a more stable base of young talent, no one saw them getting on the roll they did, either.

Those Panthers clubs exceeded the sum of their parts by factors it would take a team of CPAs to figure out. They did it partly because there were no burdens of expectations, and they worked accordingly. We came to find out they were pretty good, but at the time, they had no idea either, and thus played freely and without pressure.

Again, these Falcons are much greener around the edges than the Panthers were when Fox and Hurney took over. Where the Panthers had a core of guys with at least some experience to go with potential (Deon Grant, Dan Morgan, Kris Jenkins), the Falcons have rookies, and a lot of them. But they can score, and they do have the NFL's sack leader, so they can clearly create headaches a week at a time.

And for one week, that's all that matters.

The Panthers can't consider the mess the Falcons have been when preparing this week. They better make sure they collect themselves after a disappointing road loss, or there may well be a home one behind it. They've got issues of their own to fix, but they can't compound their problems by overlooking the next opponent.

And if they wonder how in the world the Falcons might have a shot against a good team, all they have to do is go look in the mirror and remember.