Post by John on May 30, 2006 23:29:27 GMT -4
Panthers' Henning welcomes inevitable receiver friction
Clark Judge May 30, 2006
By Clark Judge
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
The Carolina Panthers resume organized practices Wednesday, which means wide receivers Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Smith can start getting used to sharing the same huddle. Now the question: Can they get used to sharing the same ball?
Probably not, said offensive coordinator Dan Henning. But listen to him, and you realize that might not be a bad thing.
"There are going to be some blowups on occasion, and most of the time they're going to explode at me," said Henning. "That goes on with everybody. But I'd rather do it with guys who can get the job done."
That's no problem here. Smith set career highs last season with a league-leading 103 catches, 1,563 yards and 13 touchdowns.
But Johnson can get the job done, too. He led Dallas in receiving last year, had a career-high 106 catches at Tampa Bay and had 83 and 89 receptions in the two seasons he and Henning were together at the New York Jets.
Those were the days when Johnson stood behind a memoir entitled Just Give Me the Damn Ball!, a demand that once summed up his offensive philosophy. But making that happen will be tough -- impossible -- when that offense includes an All-Pro wide receiver.
Which is where Henning comes in. He decides who gets the ball and how often, which means he decides how much or how little Johnson and Smith are used. It's a tricky position, but Henning is the right man for the job.
He has experience with both receivers. He's smart. He's tough. And he's accomplished, having gone to Super Bowls with Washington and Carolina. Most important, Henning is a man of conviction. He has a formula that works, and he sticks to it -- even when it means someone isn't happy.
"First of all, there are not enough balls for Steve Smith," he said. "He's never happy, but that's just the way it goes. Now, I know Keyshawn and what he expects, and he's never happy, either.
"But the point is: They're what we need, and it's better to have something when you need it -- sort of like having an umbrella if you get caught in the rain. It's what you need. And the key thing here for both these guys is that all they want to do is win.
"We're not about numbers. We're not about being the No.1-ranked offense. This is about making us a better team."
Henning is convinced that adding Johnson does just that. So am I. Not only because Johnson is better than anything the Panthers have at the spot opposite Smith, but because Henning has a history with him -- with Johnson enjoying the experience so much he cited Henning as a reason for signing with Carolina.
"He and I have a definite understanding of our positions and what is expected of us," said Henning. "And we expect that of each other. This is a big-time competitor, and we thought he was just what we needed."
I'll second that, with last year's playoffs as the evidence. The Panthers advanced to the NFC Championship Game, with Smith leading the parade. But that was the problem. Smith not only was the team's most effective weapon; he was the only weapon, responsible for half of the team's receptions, five of its seven touchdowns and 38 percent of its offense.
When Seattle met the Panthers in the conference championship game, the Seahawks aimed their defense at stopping one guy, and Carolina was helpless to respond. That experience convinced the Panthers brain trust it had to give Smith help, which is where Keyshawn comes in.
The Panthers identified wide receiver as a position of need but weren't convinced they could find help -- especially immediate help -- through the draft. That caused them to look at free-agency, where the choices were limited as well ... until, of course, Johnson came along.
"When Dallas became enamored with (Terrell Owens) and dropped Keyshawn, we thought we had a chance at the best guy of the entire group of receivers," said Henning.
It wasn't just that Johnson was productive, with the Panthers counting only one drop by him last season; it's that he seems to have matured. Those aren't my words. They're the words of general manager Marty Hurney, who interviewed Johnson before offering him a contract and who believes the temperament of the Panthers' newest wide receiver can help the club on and off the field.
"I think Keyshawn and Steve Smith have one thing in common," said Hurney, "and that's that they both want to win and understand when you win good things happen. They're both 'team guys,' and that's a bond that will keep everyone together."
That might explain why Smith telephoned Johnson before his signing with the Panthers. In essence, he told Keyshawn he should join the Panthers, and he had to know it would cost him catches. But he also had to know it would improve his chances of reaching the Super Bowl again.
"We like what we have here," said Henning. "This is one of those moves that could help you sleep at night."
Clark Judge May 30, 2006
By Clark Judge
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
The Carolina Panthers resume organized practices Wednesday, which means wide receivers Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Smith can start getting used to sharing the same huddle. Now the question: Can they get used to sharing the same ball?
Probably not, said offensive coordinator Dan Henning. But listen to him, and you realize that might not be a bad thing.
"There are going to be some blowups on occasion, and most of the time they're going to explode at me," said Henning. "That goes on with everybody. But I'd rather do it with guys who can get the job done."
That's no problem here. Smith set career highs last season with a league-leading 103 catches, 1,563 yards and 13 touchdowns.
But Johnson can get the job done, too. He led Dallas in receiving last year, had a career-high 106 catches at Tampa Bay and had 83 and 89 receptions in the two seasons he and Henning were together at the New York Jets.
Those were the days when Johnson stood behind a memoir entitled Just Give Me the Damn Ball!, a demand that once summed up his offensive philosophy. But making that happen will be tough -- impossible -- when that offense includes an All-Pro wide receiver.
Which is where Henning comes in. He decides who gets the ball and how often, which means he decides how much or how little Johnson and Smith are used. It's a tricky position, but Henning is the right man for the job.
He has experience with both receivers. He's smart. He's tough. And he's accomplished, having gone to Super Bowls with Washington and Carolina. Most important, Henning is a man of conviction. He has a formula that works, and he sticks to it -- even when it means someone isn't happy.
"First of all, there are not enough balls for Steve Smith," he said. "He's never happy, but that's just the way it goes. Now, I know Keyshawn and what he expects, and he's never happy, either.
"But the point is: They're what we need, and it's better to have something when you need it -- sort of like having an umbrella if you get caught in the rain. It's what you need. And the key thing here for both these guys is that all they want to do is win.
"We're not about numbers. We're not about being the No.1-ranked offense. This is about making us a better team."
Henning is convinced that adding Johnson does just that. So am I. Not only because Johnson is better than anything the Panthers have at the spot opposite Smith, but because Henning has a history with him -- with Johnson enjoying the experience so much he cited Henning as a reason for signing with Carolina.
"He and I have a definite understanding of our positions and what is expected of us," said Henning. "And we expect that of each other. This is a big-time competitor, and we thought he was just what we needed."
I'll second that, with last year's playoffs as the evidence. The Panthers advanced to the NFC Championship Game, with Smith leading the parade. But that was the problem. Smith not only was the team's most effective weapon; he was the only weapon, responsible for half of the team's receptions, five of its seven touchdowns and 38 percent of its offense.
When Seattle met the Panthers in the conference championship game, the Seahawks aimed their defense at stopping one guy, and Carolina was helpless to respond. That experience convinced the Panthers brain trust it had to give Smith help, which is where Keyshawn comes in.
The Panthers identified wide receiver as a position of need but weren't convinced they could find help -- especially immediate help -- through the draft. That caused them to look at free-agency, where the choices were limited as well ... until, of course, Johnson came along.
"When Dallas became enamored with (Terrell Owens) and dropped Keyshawn, we thought we had a chance at the best guy of the entire group of receivers," said Henning.
It wasn't just that Johnson was productive, with the Panthers counting only one drop by him last season; it's that he seems to have matured. Those aren't my words. They're the words of general manager Marty Hurney, who interviewed Johnson before offering him a contract and who believes the temperament of the Panthers' newest wide receiver can help the club on and off the field.
"I think Keyshawn and Steve Smith have one thing in common," said Hurney, "and that's that they both want to win and understand when you win good things happen. They're both 'team guys,' and that's a bond that will keep everyone together."
That might explain why Smith telephoned Johnson before his signing with the Panthers. In essence, he told Keyshawn he should join the Panthers, and he had to know it would cost him catches. But he also had to know it would improve his chances of reaching the Super Bowl again.
"We like what we have here," said Henning. "This is one of those moves that could help you sleep at night."