• Originally published November 7, 2009 at 5:37 p.m., updated November 7, 2009 at 5:38 p.m.

By David Scott

McClatchy Newspapers

(MCT)

Captain Munnerlyn, the Carolina Panthers' loquacious rookie defensive back, can't remember who it was he was talking to last week. But Munnerlyn was eager to discuss the Panthers' newly formidable defense.

"I was talking to somebody the other day, whoever it was," said Munnerlyn. "We were saying how this defense really works. You get some pressure on the quarterback, get some interceptions and away you go. I guess it has taken a while, but look at how it's working now. Everybody's happy."

"Happy" is not a word to describe the Panthers' defensive situation during September, as the season unfolded with three consecutive losses after a winless preseason. New defensive coordinator Ron Meeks' system remained a mystery to many players. The team was unable to stop the run. Injuries tested the depth. The defense's best player, Julius Peppers, again was being criticized for a perceived lack of effort.

What a difference a month makes. Sunday, after three wins in four games, the Panthers (3-4) prepare for their biggest test of the season, against the unbeaten New Orleans Saints and their top-ranked offense at the Superdome.

Much of the recent success can be attributed to the defense.

After forcing six turnovers against the Arizona Cardinals last week, the Panthers' defense has stabilized. Carolina is ranked seventh in the league in total defense (288.1 yards per game) and its pass defense is No. 1 (160.6). The Panthers have improved most notably in their run defense. After spending one week ranked last in that category (182.7 yards per game), they're allowing 127.6 yards per game and have moved up eight spots to 24th in the league.

Even in Carolina's lone loss during this stretch — 20-9 against Buffalo — the defense held the Bills to 167 total yards.

"The pieces of the puzzle are finally being put together," said tackle Damione Lewis.

Here is how the puzzle is fitting:

Meeks' scheme — based on the "Tampa 2" defense of his mentor, former Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy_is taking hold.

The addition of veteran tackle Hollis Thomas has helped shore up the run defense.

Injuries, which decimated the interior line and linebacking corps throughout the preseason and into the regular season, have for the most part healed.

Peppers, coming off a memorable performance last week against Arizona, is playing at perhaps the highest level of his career.

Meeks inherits a mess

Meeks inherited a defense that wilted late last season, allowing 30-plus points in five of its final seven games.

Meeks set out to install a version of Dungy's "Tampa 2" defense with the Panthers. It's a defense that depends on speed — which Carolina has in abundance in players such as Peppers and linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis — to pursue the ball and pressure the quarterback, while safeties generally play a deep zone in which they're each the last line of defense for half the field.

At training camp, coach John Fox and Meeks preached patience while the players struggled with the intricacies of the new defense. But it was a trying transition.

"It was very frustrating," said Munnerlyn. "It was something the guys weren't used to. They'd say, 'Last year we were running different stuff. What is this?' So there was questioning about why we were doing this or why we were doing that."

It didn't help that the Panthers opened the season against some of the NFL's better offenses — Philadelphia (now fifth in rushing), Atlanta (with star running back Michael Turner) and Dallas (second in total offense). Or that Carolina's offense constantly put its defense under pressure, with 11 turnovers during those three games.

"We were trying to do too much a lot of the time," said Meeks. "We had guys trying to do someone else's job. You do that, something can explode on you."

Kemo's crash

A major trouble spot was in the interior defensive line, where opposing rushers were running through holes often several feet wide.

The Panthers were exposed when Maake Kemoeatu, their 345-pound starting nose tackle, crashed to the ground with a ruptured Achilles tendon 30 minutes into the first day of training camp in August.

Although Fox and Meeks hoped Kemoeatu's spot might be filled by second-year tackle Nick Hayden or one of several rookies in camp, the run-stopping problems became obvious during the preseason and spilled into the regular season.

Philadelphia ran for 185 yards in a 38-10 season-opening victory against the Panthers. In Week 2, the Falcons rushed for 144 yards in a 28-20 victory against the Panthers. The next week, Dallas ran for 212 yards, winning 21-7.

Enter Thomas_a self-described "fat kid" who often leaves the locker room wearing a "SpongeBob SquarePants" backpack_from a trade with the St. Louis Rams.

At 6-foot, 340 pounds, Thomas has solidified the run defense, often taking on two offensive linemen and allowing linebackers Beason, Davis and Na'il Diggs more freedom to get to the ball.

"I have to do that so the linebackers can hunt," said Thomas.

Since Thomas arrived Oct. 1, Carolina has held its four opponents to an average of 86.2 yards rushing.

Said Lewis: "You have to have a solid guy to fill that slot. He's a big plugger inside."

Thomas helped soften the blow of Kemoeatu's absence. But injuries elsewhere have cropped up for much of the season. Beason and Davis fought knee problems during the preseason, putting them behind in their efforts to learn Meeks' schemes.

Strong safety Chris Harris missed the first three regular-season games with a knee injury. Davis pulled his hamstring in practice and didn't play against Buffalo. Free safety Charles Godfrey sprained his ankle against the Bills and hasn't played since.

More comfortable now

But even injuries don't appear to be affecting the defense as much now. Godfrey's replacement, rookie Sherrod Martin, had two interceptions against the Cardinals.

And as the Panthers have become more comfortable with Meeks' defense, he's started to give it wrinkles.

End Charles Johnson, who has three sacks, sometimes shifts inside.

"We can have two, three, four ends in there, depending on what we want to do," said Lewis.

The Panthers even used six defensive backs last week against Arizona on some obvious passing downs, with three down linemen and Beason and Dante Wesley (usually a safety) at linebacker.

"That gave us the opportunity to get an extra skill guy on the field," said Meeks.

Peppers improved

Emblematic of the defensive turnaround has been Peppers, whose seven sacks this season have him on pace to exceed his career high of 14.5 in 2008. When Peppers plays well, the Panthers usually win: During his eight seasons they are 16-4 when he has more than one sack in a game.

After a sluggish start this season, Peppers, too, appears to be flourishing in Meeks' system. Six sacks have come during the past four games (two each in victories against Washington and Tampa Bay). He also intercepted a pass for a touchdown and forced a fumble last week against Arizona.

"He's got that smile on his face now," said Meeks. "He's leading by example."

Peppers has been the center of two key off-field moments, as well. During a weekly appearance Oct. 8 on WFNZ radio, Beason questioned Peppers' intensity during the team's 0-3 start.

Although Beason apologized and said he never formally talked with Peppers about what he said, the remarks might have spurred him.

Ten days later, a normally reserved Peppers addressed his teammates in the locker room before the game against Tampa Bay.

"When he spoke, I was looking around, like, 'Is this for real?'" said Munnerlyn. "Everybody listened to him. He told us how we needed to pick it up. How we needed to look ourselves in the mirror and to go out and make plays.

"He always stays to himself. So for him to come out like that was really something for all of us."

The Panthers beat the Bucs 28-21 for their second victory of the season.

Peppers had two sacks and the Panthers held Tampa Bay to 245 total yards.

Waiting today, however, are the high-powered Saints, whose offense averages an NFL-best 428.7 yards per game.

"We've been playing lights out," said Lewis. "But we've still got a lot of catching up to do."

___

(c) 2009, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.).

Visit The Charlotte Observer on the World Wide Web at http://www.charlotte.com/

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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