Storm- News » Carolina Panthers: Efe Obada and the American

dream Efe Obada was recently highlighted here at CSR so this is as good of a time as any to give some props to the NFL for its International Pathway Program. The IPP launched in 2017 and gave each of the teams in the NFC South an additional spot on the practice squad for a foreign born player. The goals of the program include expanding the NFL’s global reach while developing players from outside of the United States to help them live the American dream. Call me a sucker if you want Womens Mike Adams Jersey , but I love underdog stories. Movies like The Rookie, Invincible, and Million Dollar Arm are right in my wheelhouse. So yes, I’m rooting for Nigerian-born, London-raised Efe Obada to fulfill his NFL dream. Obada was born in Nigeria then trafficked from the Netherlands to England where he was left abandoned and homeless at age 10. His rise from homelessness to warehouse worker to the London Warriors to the Dallas Cowboys (and now the Panthers) is incredible. I’d encourage you to read Obada’s entire story here at NFLUK.com. While Obada becoming a successful NFL player is improbable, it’s not impossible. Just look at the Detroit Lions’ Ezekiel (Ziggy) Ansah. As a BYU fan I had the joy of watching Ansah develop from playing “American football” for the first time in 2010 into a first round pick in 2013. Ansah’s story in a nutshell is he was born in Ghana, arrived at BYU in 2008 as a former soccer player with basketball aspirations, but he got cut from the basketball team in both 2008 and 2009. He walked on the track team in 2009 then finally listened to friends and coaches who told him to try out for the football team. When he first showed up on the football field he didn’t know where the end zone was. He didn’t know how to put on pads. He didn’t know how to get in a defensive stance or how to tackle. Three years later Ansah was the fifth overall pick in the NFL draft, recorded 8.0 sacks in his rookie season, and was selected to the 2013 All-Rookie Team. In 2015 his 14.5 sacks where third in the NFL and made him a Pro Bowl selection. He went from clueless to dominant in five short years. Some foreign-born aspiring football players just need a chance. They need coaching, equipment, and infrastructure. Football lacks the access of soccer and basketball where kids can just gather and play with minimal cost and virtually zero adult oversight. Competitive football players can’t develop that way. They need an organized support staff assisting them almost every step of the way. Obada told the NFL UK his life “is a dream” and “feels like a movie.”Call me a sucker, but I hope this is a movie with a happy ending. Plays to Love, Plays to Hate (aka “P2L, P2H”) looks at the most significant plays in swinging momentum and impacting the eventual outcome of the game. There is always plenty to hate about NFL officiating, so we will only focus on the plays on the field, not the refs.Three plays to love2nd Quarter 15:00 – Panthers 7, Ravens 7. Ravens ball 2nd-and-4 at BLT 31 The Situation: The first quarter consisted of one long Ravens touchdown drive followed by one long Panthers touchdown drive and a 7-7 tie. Baltimore had just started its second drive with six-yard reception as the first quarter ended.The Play: Kyle Love came unblocked up the middle and drilled Alex Collins the moment he took the handoff. Love’s huge hit jarred the ball loose and Vernon Butler recovered the fumble at the Baltimore 12. Three plays later, Cam Newton hit Greg Olsen for a touchdown and a 14-7 Panthers lead.2nd Quarter 5:26 – Panthers 14 Womens Devin Funchess Jersey , Ravens 7. Panthers ball 3rd-and-1 at BLT 45 The Situation: Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. The Play(s): Facing 3rd-and-1, Cam Newton was pressured on a pitch to D.J. Moore and the errant pitch hit Moore’s hand then bounced off the ground as a fumble. Fortunately for the Panthers, the ball popped right back up into Moore’s arms and he ran for 37-yard gain to the Baltimore 17. Two plays later, Cam threw a laser to Devin Funchess but a Ravens defender tipped the ball up in the air just past the line of scrimmage. Christian McCaffrey alertly adjusted his route, leaped in the air, and high-pointed the ball for a zany touchdown reception before any Ravens defenders could pick it off. This drive could’ve ended with a lost fumble or an interception, but instead the Panthers ended up with seven points. To quote Napoleon Dynamite, “Luckyyyyy!” 2nd Quarter 0:05 – Panthers 21, Ravens 7. Panthers ball 4th-and-7 at BLT 49 The Situation: This was bizarre, but effective. Instead of attempting a 62-yard field goal to end the first half, the Panthers took a delay of game. Taylor Heinicke was inserted at quarterback to attempt a Hail Mary because Cam’s shoulder wasn’t feeling up to making the long throw.The Play: The Ravens dropped multiple defenders into deep coverage leaving Greg Olsen wide open off the line. Here’s what Heinecke said happened next, “Greg was yelling at me while he was going out for the route. ‘Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!’ That’s all he was yelling as the ball was getting snapped.” Heinicke hit Olsen for an easy 13-yard gain to the Baltimore 36 with :02 left, setting up a successful 54-yard Graham Gano field goal and a 24-7 halftime lead.Three Two plays to hate1st Quarter 10:23 – Panthers 0, Ravens 0. Ravens ball 2nd-and-14 at BLT 46 The Situation: The Ravens faced 2nd-and-14 from near midfield on the game’s opening drive. They picked up five yards to now face an apparent 3rd-and-9, but the refs threw a flag after the play had ended. The Play: Dontari Poe was called for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty for apparently making contact with a Ravens player while Poe was on the sideline! He wasn’t even in the game! Instead of 3rd-and-9 from the Carolina 49, it was now 1st-and-10 from the Carolina 34. The Ravens ended up scoring a touchdown on this drive thanks in large part to Poe’s dumb penalty. 1st Quarter 7:57 – Panthers 0, Ravens 0. Ravens ball 2nd-and-10 at CAR 14 The Situation: The Ravens took the game’s opening possession on a long drive down to the Panthers 14. The Play: Alex Collins took a handoff up the middle. Eric Reid came untouched from the safety spot but allowed Collins to spin right out of his tackle and into the end zone for a touchdown. Thomas Davis fought off a block but whiffed on his tackle attempt as well. Better tackling by Reid and Davis would’ve forced a 3rd-and-4 instead of a Ravens score. Closing it out and summing it upMan, only two plays to hate and they were both in the first quarter. What a great game! Consistency is going to be the key for the 2018 Carolina Panthers. They can look absolutely awesome at times like they did this week against the Ravens and in last week’s second half against the Philadelphia Eagles. They can also look like a dumpster fire like they did against the New York GIants and against Washington. But at 5-2, the Panthers are rolling right now.D.J. Moore had the best game of his rookie season with five receptions (on six targets) for 90 yards with an additional 39 rushing yards on two carries. Cam Newton Authentic Shaq Thompson Jersey , the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Week, was incredible yet again going 21-for-29 with 219 yards and two passing touchdowns, plus an additional 52 rushing yards and a score. Defensively, Donte Jackson is a stud in coverage and had a lightning-quick sack on Joe Flacco. Captain Munnerlyn made a nice play undercutting a route for an interception. I’m getting really worried about Dontari Poe, though. He’s made zero impact plays this year and I think I only heard his name called against the Ravens for the boneheaded penalty. On special teams, Michael Palardy pinned the Ravens once at the one yard line and another time at the eight. Graham Gano went 3-for-3, including a 54-yarder, to remain perfect on the season. These guys are flat out ballin’!At 5-2 the Panthers control their playoff destiny and with performances like this Carolina could make some serious noise in the postseason. Plays to love season leaders3 - D.J. Moore, James Bradberry2 - Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey, Efe Obada, Kyle Love, Torrey Smith, 1 - Colin Jones, Devin Funchess, Donte Jackson, Graham Gano, Greg Olsen, Julius Peppers Authentic Donte Jackson Jersey , Kawann Short, Mario Addison, Norv Turner, Taylor Heinicke, Wes HortonPlays to hate season leaders4 - Mike Adams3 - Eric Reid2 - Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Dontari Poe1 - Amini Silatolu, C.J. Anderson, Captain Munnerlyn, Colin Jones, Devin Funchess, Donte Jackson, Eric Washington, Ian Thomas, Thomas Davis, Trai Turner