Minter giving Gamble a big ego

http://www.gastongazette.com/sections/panthers/story.asp?id=223

A star on the rise?
by Steve Reed
Gazette Sports Reporter

Date Added: 11/17/2005

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CHARLOTTE — Is the NFL’s next Deion Sanders already wearing a Carolina Panthers uniform?
Panthers safety Mike Minter thinks he is, but it might not be who you expect.
Minter said Thursday he believes second-year cornerback Chris Gamble will develop into the best cornerback in the NFL over the next couple of years.
“He’s going to a special player — I’m talking Deion Sanders-type special,” said Minter, a nine-year NFL veteran. “You are going to be talking about this kid for a long time.”
That may come as a surprise to some Panther fans given that Gamble isn’t even considered the team’s No. 1 cornerback right now. That title belongs to Ken Lucas, who signed a six-year, $36 million contract this offseason as a free agent and has been playing at a Pro Bowl level ever since.
Gamble, just 22, has taken some time to develop.
After a solid rookie season and a stellar training camp earlier this summer, he struggled early on in 2005.
The Miami Dolphins picked on him relentlessly in Week 3, throwing repeatedly to Chris Chambers while handing the Panthers their first road loss.
Two weeks later, Gamble had a nightmarish first half against the Arizona Cardinals, giving up three passes of more than 45 yards before being yanked at halftime for ineffectiveness. But that poor performance came on a badly sprained ankle, one that teammates say he should never have attempted to play on.
After that game, Minter spoke to Gamble about his confidence.
“I just said, ‘Look, you can be the best cornerback in this league, now play like it,’” said Minter, the leader of Carolina’s defense.
Gamble is beginning to play like it.
After essentially getting three weeks off by sitting out against Detroit and then benefiting from a bye week, Gamble has returned with a renewed confidence. In his last three games, all Carolina wins, he has 20 tackles and three interceptions, including one he returned 61 yards for a touchdown against Tampa Bay, and a fumble recovery.
“He has gotten better every week,” coach John Fox said. “He is a guy that is gifted. He has worked at it hard. He is gaining experience each week. I think he is learning how to better prepare himself. He’s growing as a player and he’s got a lot of talent.”
Gamble’s confidence seems to have returned.
“I think I can be that Deion-type guy,” Gamble said. “I just have to keep watching more film and helping myself be a better DB (defensive back) and approach every play like it’s my last.”
Gamble’s recent exploits are exactly what Minter thought the Panthers would get from the team’s second-year cornerback this season.
In 2004, the Panthers traded up a few spots in the first round of the draft to acquire Gamble, even though he hadn’t played much cornerback at Ohio State. Barely able to buy his first alcoholic drink when he arrived in Carolina, Gamble proved to be a quick study and he and Lucas (then in Seattle) finished tied for the NFC lead in interceptions with six.
This year, Gamble and Lucas each have four picks.
“When you looked at Chris Gamble in training camp you could see all of the athletic ability beginning to come together on the football field and the confidence, too,” Minter said. “He has the athletic ability. He has the size. And now he’s starting to understand the game.”
In most games Lucas still draws the assignment of covering the opposing team’s best receiver. But Minter said Gamble is beginning to show he can hold his own with anybody.
In the past three games, the Panthers defense has forced 11 turnovers, recorded 16 sacks and even scored twice.
Opposing quarterbacks are struggling because their receivers simply aren’t open.
“Now you have two corners that you don’t want to mess with,” Minter said.
Matching shutdown cornerbacks? Now wouldn’t that be an NFL team’s dream.
Gamble has vastly improved his tackling from a year ago and Minter believes teams may soon stop throwing his way altogether.
“If you pick on him long enough, he’s going to bite you,” Minter said. “That is the thing about him, he learns from his mistakes. He’s going to be special.”
How special, we’ll just have to wait and see.

 

it seemed like the injury hampered him worse than I thought. I was worried the guy was gonna play like a chump for a couple years, and he's currently turning it out fairly well. Makes me feel a little better about wanting to bench him for a while, considering he took himself out of a game as well, because if he was hurt badly enough to make that big a difference, it may not have been in the team's best interest to have him out there.

 

I like what Minter is doing, but doesn't it give you that "does my ass look fat in these jeans" feeling? I guess lying can be good on occasion. He's certainly been playing tighter in coverage, and therefore has been playing better. Hopefully he can continue to progress.

 

My biggest problem with gamble is he bites on single/double moves alot and gets turned around and has to play catch-up. He does play the ball ok and is tackling better somewhat.

I really think he plays man better than zone for some reason. Our whole secondary does.

 

Speaking of, Monday night was an excellent example of why I've said that Sheldon Brown is better than Lito Sheppard despite Sheppard's Pro Bowl appearance.

 

Gamble won't even be as good as Bailey, let alone Deion. He's not even the best corner on the team, and probably won't be for several years.

 

I don't know about that. Gamble certainly has a long way to go, but while he would be a very different corner from Bailey, he could eventually end up being that good or possibly better. Deion, of course, is ridiculously beyond his reach.

 

I was thinking he's more in the mold of Charles Woodson, but I still think he's got at least a couple of years before he'll consistently be playing at the level Lucas is now (or better).

 

I don't really see him in the mold of either, as both Bailey and Woodson are somewhat more physical and probably have less explosiveness. Despite the claims, I don't see Bailey or Woodson really being the shutdown type because they're more area defenders than CBs who can stick in man for an extended period of time. Gamble could be that guy someday. He is sort of like Deion in that he relies on his quickness and his reactions, plus until the Chicago game it seemed like Gamble was a little scared of contact, but I do like the improvement I've seen as a result of a more aggressive attitude the last couple of weeks.

 

He kind of reminded me of Smoot. Okay maybe not but it wasn't Smitty he was covering, this is ridiculous:

• Talk about out of nowhere -- Chicago wide receiver Justin Gage caught seven passes for 81 yards against the Panthers. Three weeks previously, he had been inactive.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/football/nfl/carolina_panthers/13229969.htm