Peppers starting to come around to Panthers' defensive coordinator's way of thinking

By Darin Gantt

dgantt@heraldonline.com

CHARLOTTE -- For all the plays Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers made last week, there's a sense among those around him that they're only seeing the beginning of what he could do.

That's a frightening thought for opponents, particularly after last week's masterpiece.

Peppers had a sack, a forced fumble, an interception returned for a touchdown and four quarterback pressures in the win at Arizona, highlighting his recent hot streak.

Defensive coordinator Ron Meeks just smiles when asked about his star, nodding at the progress Peppers has made after a slow first three weeks of the season.

“He's a talented young man,” Meeks said. “He's getting the full value of his talent through what he does on the football field. He's enjoying it, I think; he's really enjoying it. He's out there with the smile on his face, and he's leading by example.

“A lot of guys that have always been there have said, ‘That's just Pep.'”

The talent has always been there, but clearly Meeks and defensive line coach Brian Baker deserve a measure of credit as well. After all, Peppers wanted out all offseason, and when forced to return by virtue of the franchise tag, he skipped the entire set of minicamps and OTAs. That had him playing catch-up to his teammates, but he seems to have gotten comfortable with things. Meeks said he went through a similar process with Dwight Freeney in Indianapolis, and as simple as pass rushing would seem, there's a lapse that you're going to have with any player.

“A lot of it is getting familiar with the system, a new line coach, new coordinator,” Meeks said. “Any time you have a new system, any time young people come in, it's going to take time. Pep's been in the same system for a while, now he's in a new system. It takes a while to get you on same page.

“But there's a comfort level, understanding what you're doing. ... He's to the level he understands everything.”

Saints quarterback Drew Brees agreed, pointing to the cut-block, pop-up interception and walk-in touchdown last week as all the evidence anyone would need to see.

“He's just an unbelievable athlete,” Brees said of Peppers. “He's a game-changer. If you don't take care of him, you can really be in for a long game. He's got the ability to put a lot of pressure on you in the pass game and stripping balls and even intercepting balls.

“He's that good of an athlete, that good of a player. We will need to have a plan for him.”

SPEAKING OF NEW ORLEANS — After he took a hard shot last week in Arizona, which actually sent him to the hospital, all of quarterback Jake Delhomme's teammates were worried about him. But following with the code of the room, they still got a few shots of their own in.

Wide receiver Steve Smith joked that Delhomme was fine, saying: “He still can't speak English. I can't understand that Cajun. He doesn't know how to pronounce the word ‘oyster.'”

Delhomme shot a questioner a dirty look when asked for his pronunciation, saying “Who told you that?”

“You say it oyst-cher, just like it's spelled,” Delhomme said with a grin. “There's a C-H in there that nobody knows.”

WORRIED ABOUT HIS FRIENDS — Running back DeAngelo Williams is quick to admit that he needs his fullbacks, none of whom are going to play today.

Brad Hoover is out for several weeks with a high ankle sprain, and backup Tony Fiammetta suffered a concussion last week. Even tight end Dante Rosario is out with a knee sprain, taking away another option.

But if Williams is concerned about his own production, he's not showing it.

“I wouldn't say concerned and worried,” Williams said. “For their well-being and for them to get healthy, that's a concern. I want them to get healthy. I want them to get healthy, i'm used to seeing them back there.

“But I have the utmost confidence in our offense, our offensive coordinator and our coaches to put guys back there to get the job done.”

Williams said Hoover is so good at his role as a lead blocker in part because of his pedigree as a running back, both at Western Carolina and his first year in the NFL.

“He doesn't read the hole like a lineman or a tight end,” Williams said. “He reads the hole like a running back. Where he'd run the ball is where you run the ball, because he clears up holes.”

TAKING IT EASY — Starting strongside linebacker Na'il Diggs has been preparing like he will be out there every snap today, though he knows he likely won't be.

The 31-year-old Diggs is the first linebacker off the field when the Panthers sub in defensive backs in passing situations. He played less than a third of the downs in Arizona (when the Cardinals spread the field with three- and four-wideout packages), and knows it could be similar this week against New Orleans.

“You never know,” Diggs said. “It seems like teams we expect to be like that don't do that, and teams we don't expect, do. We expected to play a lot of base defense against Buffalo, but then they threw a lot of three-receiver looks at us. You always overreact, it seems.”

He shrugged when asked about coming out for better coverage players, knowing he was the guy earlier in his career.

“Hey, we've got some great athletes here, good linebackers here,” Diggs said. “I remember playing 60 or 70 plays a game for seasons on end. It's fun, but it takes its toll, too. Those guys do a great job.”