Pittsburgh Panthers

Pittsburgh Panthers

Pittsburgh Panthers

Carolina Panthers Tickets - Clausen Could Be the Ticket to Success

The Carolina Panthers are ready to win. If nothing else, the 2010 offseason proved that fact. The team made some drastic changes to their roster, coaching staff and more. Some of the departures during the offseason were considered faces of the franchise. Defensive end Julius Peppers departed and is now with the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Jake Delhomme also left and has since found a new home with the Cleveland Browns. The Panthers, instead, decided to place their luck on the shoulders of a much younger set of players.

Like quarterback Jimmy Clausen. Clausen may be a rookie, but many already have high hopes for what this second-round selection will be able to accomplish. Clausen was widely followed prior to the 2010 NFL Draft, and the University of Notre Dame standout was expected by some to go in the first round instead of the second. He isn't the assumed starter at this point—he is a backup on the depth chart – but he has a starting position in his sights. According to an article on the team's website, quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer said that his time in Notre Dame's pro-like offense has given the rookie a head-start compared to other young quarterbacks.

Clausen appears to have all the weapons needed to make it in the NFL, including a fierce competitive streak. He said, "I am a competitor, whether it is on the football field, in the classroom, playing video games or whatever it is. I am a real competitor. That's what I try to do - come out here and compete and do everything I can to make myself and the team better." At Notre Dame, that edge led him to the school's record books, ranking first in completion percentage (62.6 percent) among other feats.

To win the starting role, Clausen will have to take it from Matt Moore, who is entering his fourth season with the Panthers. Moore knows that Delhomme's departure opened the door for the starting position, and he is currently the team's starter. Last season, Moore started in five games and played in seven, tallying 1,053 yards, eight touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 98.5. The starting role would be quite the accomplishment for Moore, who was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. The Panthers claimed him off waivers before the start of the 2007 season and have been developing him ever since.

If the Panthers want to take the NFC South, they will have to perform quite well in the 2010 season. They will be competing against the New Orleans Saints, who took home the Super Bowl Championship following the 2009 season. Last season, they finished third in their division with a record of 8-8, one game behind the Atlanta Falcons.

After preseason games against the Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers, the Panthers will kick off the regular season with an away game against the New York Giants. Their first home game is Week Two against the Bucs. Fans can be there by getting <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/carolina-panthers-tickets/">Carolina Panthers tickets</a> from <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/">StubHub.com</a>.

About the Author

This article was written by Julie Cudney and is sponsored by <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/">StubHub.com</a>. StubHub sells tickets to sporting events, concerts and theater productions. Go to StubHub.com for <a href="http://www.stubhub.com/carolina-panthers-tickets/">Carolina Panthers tickets</a>.