A View from the Other Side: A Charlotte writer's look at the Panthers

When New Orleans hosts Carolina on Sunday, you’ve likely read as much about the Saints as you possibly can.

But what do you know about the Panthers?

That’s where A View From the Other Side comes in. Every Friday during the Saints' season, WWL-TV.com will ask five questions to at least one beat writer covering the Saints’ opponent that week.

Today we talk with Charles Chandler of the Charolette Observer. He has been with the Observer since 1991. Prior to that, he worked for The National Sports Daily and the Durham Morning Herald.

He covered  the  Panthers beat the past two seasons after previously covering the team from its inception in 1993, its inaugual season in 1995 through the 2002 season. In the years between covering the Panthers, Chandler wrote for the paper about NFL issues, including extensive reporting on the NFL steroids issue, medical issues involving players and the dispute retired players have with the NFLPA and NFL.

His stories can be found at the Observer's Web site.

WWL-TV: Jake Delhomme had a rather disastrous opening few weeks. What reason did John Fox have to keep him as the starting quarterback?

Charles Chandler: Fox believes in Delhomme. They've been through a lot together, including three playoff berths and narrowly missing upsetting Tom Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII. This by far has been Delhomme's slowest start to a season, but Fox and other team officials believe Delhomme mainly needs to regain his confidence.

Jake's slippage started Jan. 10 when he had six turnovers (five interceptions and a fumble) in a 33-13 upset loss to Arizona in the playoffs. After Delhomme began this season with 13 interceptions in the first six games, Fox considered benching him for last week's rematch with the Cardinals, but instead gave Delhomme a reprieve.

Delhomme didn't have to throw much in that game (14 times), but had his first turnover-less performance of the season as the Panthers won 34-21. He also had his first TD pass of the season to a wide receiver, hitting Steve Smith in stride for a 50-yard score in the second quarter.

There is some thinking around Carolina that the win over the Cardinals may be a springboard for better times ahead for Delhomme and the Panthers, especially since it avenged that horrible playoff loss.

WWL-TV: Jonathan Stewart was listed on the initial injury report as not participating in practice because of an Achilles injury. Should he not play or if he’s only 70 percent, how much does that limit Carolina’s offense?

CC: Stewart should be fine. It is customary this season for him not to participate in Wednesday practices. It's part of the routine doctors and trainers worked out with him to allow him to rest an Achilles injury that sidelined him for all offseason practices and most of the the training camp and preseason workouts.

Stewart's play does not seem to have been affected at all. He had a big day last week against Arizona, rushing for 87 yards and two touchdowns.

After games, his normal schedule is not to practice Wednesday, but to return to practice the rest of the week. This week seems no different.

WWL-TV: The Panthers have not lost in the state of Louisiana against the Saints since 2001. What will Fox’s team need to do for that streak to extend another year?

CC: The Panthers can't get into a passing shooutout with Drew Brees and the Saints. Carolina is a run-first team that likes to control the clock, so look for them to try to put together some long drives. That was the formula that got last week's game at Arizona started off so well, when they took up almost half of the first quarter (7 minutes, 38 seconds) with their opening possession, a 15-play, 74-yard drive resulting in a touchdown.

Carolina also will need its defense to stop the Saints' extremely explosive and balanced offense. The Panthers' defense has played extremely well in the past four games, especially defensive end Julius Peppers. He has six sacks in that span, raising his season total to seven, which is best in the league.

WWL-TV: The past two weeks, the left side of New Orleans’ line has been exposed a bit. Do you expect the Panthers to continue to exploit this?

CC: The Panthers almost certainly will try to unleash Peppers at that weakness. He has been playing like a man on a mission over the past month. But also keep an eye out for rookie Everette Brown, a second-round pick from Florida State, and veteran Tyler Brayton.

Carolina also could blitz linebackers Thomas Davis and Jon Beason to take advantage of their speed.

WWL-TV: Arizona put Carolina out of the playoffs a year ago in shocking fashion. How important was it for the psyche of the team this year to go to Arizona and avenge that loss by picking up a big win?

CC: That was a HUGE plus for the Panthers. After that playoff loss to Arizona in January, the Panthers seemed flat all throughout training camp, preseason and the first six games. Suddenly, however, when they faced the Cardinals last week, they played with the passion, precision and aggressive that ear-marked their 12-4 record last season. Players are talking about having their "swagger" back.

Does that mean the Panthers are back and ready to consistently play near their full potential? Well, it's way too early to say, but this game at New Orleans should go a long way toward answering that question.