National Football League

Panthers improvise in cramped indoor practices

Published Nov. 13, 2009 12:23 a.m. ET

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The Carolina Panthers are trying to fix a dysfunctional passing game and replace a key defensive player as they hold out hope of salvaging their season. Practicing on a cramped field with no football lines and a low ceiling while toddlers run around nearby and U2 blares from the speakers above isn't the most ideal place to do it. With the remnants of Hurricane Ida stubbornly hovering over Charlotte and with the Panthers one of only 10 NFL teams without an indoor practice facility, the team's workplace the last two days has been a small artificial turf field at a nearby indoor sports complex. "For obvious reasons, you're limited," coach John Fox said Thursday. "You can't punt the ball. You can't throw deep passes." Carolina's opponent Sunday, Atlanta, has been hit with the same storm that dumped about four inches of rain on both cities. But the Falcons are one of 22 teams with an indoor facility, ranging from bubbles to airplane hangar-like buildings. "You're probably trying to take me down a path I'm not going to go," Fox said when asked about the disadvantage his team faces. "I'm kind of (staying) in my lane." A lack of an indoor facility usually isn't an issue here, where the sun shines more than 60 percent of the time and there's only an average of only 43 inches of rain a year. The Panthers have three full outdoor practice fields next to their stadium, and have used the lone artificial turf field for a couple workouts in the rain earlier this season. The trouble this time has been the extent of the rain and the high winds. Gusts were over 20 mph on Thursday. "I think you get more production going inside and being able to focus than out there with the wind flying, the rain and everything," receiver Muhsin Muhammad said. "You can't do much out there. You can't throw the ball down the field in that situation." Jake Delhomme, who has struggled all season, couldn't throw the ball deep the past two days at the Charlotte Sports Center, either. The facility, a 10-minute drive from Bank of America Stadium, has a field that's 72 yards long and 32 yards wide. An NFL field is 120 yards long and 53 yards wide. The width forced the Panthers to run plays sideways, with the equipment staff putting tape where the hash marks should be. Cones marked a virtual sideline. "It's somewhat like an NFL field," Fox said. Thursday's practice included curious onlookers as they climbed off nearby exercise bikes. Left tackle Jordan Gross paused for a picture with a child as Pearl Jam played from above, hardly the normal secret atmosphere of an NFL practice. The lack of space has given some banged-up players more time to heal. Running back DeAngelo Williams practiced on a limited basis after sitting out Wednesday with a sore left knee. But there was no room for his signature sprint the length of the field on each run. Defensive end Julius Peppers practiced in full despite a hand injury. Landon Johnson, expected to start at weakside linebacker after Thomas Davis' season-ending knee injury, got his work in, too. But with a low ceiling, punter Jason Baker mostly stood around, unable to work on what is normally the busiest day of the week for special teams. Kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd was idle, too. "If it was Week 2 or something I would probably say I don't really need that," Baker said of the rest. "But at this time of the season I'm good with it." Kicker John Kasay did attempt some field goals during a special teams drill by kicking into a net that surrounded the field. Other teams in colder areas (Cincinnati) and hotter (Arizona and Dallas after the Cowboys' bubble recently collapsed) don't have indoor facilities, so the Panthers are hardly at the front of the complaint line. Players mostly shrugged off the schedule change, with linebacker Jon Beason joking that he'd like a bubble - but at their training camp site in steamy Spartanburg, S.C. "It's hot, it's 90 degrees in Spartanburg," Beason said. "Who cares about rain and hurricanes and stuff?"

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