MKRob Sports

After Larry Fitzgerald torched Carolina for 151 yards on six catches in the first half of January’s divisional playoffs, Panther fans were irate over the decision not to alter defenses and shadow him with top-tier cornerback Chris Gamble.

After all, hadn’t the Panthers just paid Gamble $53 million to be their shutdown corner?

Instead, the Panthers stuck with the game plan they had employed most of the season, basically keeping Gamble sequestered to one side of the field and Ken Lucas to the other.

The Cardinals made the most of it, running Fitzgerald in motion and finding him the best matchups against Carolina’s secondary. And, even though fellow star receiver Anquan Boldin sat out with an injury, Fitzgerald finished the game with eight catches for 166 yards and a touchdown as the Cardinals won 33-13.

While Gamble would never second-guess the coaching staff’s decision, he admits it was a frustrating day because he wanted to face Fitzgerald one-on-one.

“It was kind of frustrating, but you have to play what’s called,” Gamble said. “I wish I could have been on him… I felt like that game I wanted to play on him because I felt like they were going to go to him a lot. I was ready to play him.”

This year, Gamble hopes things are different.

He wants to cover the opposition’s top receiver throughout the game and he hopes defensive coordinator Ron Meeks gives him that opportunity.

“I’m open for it. I want to go against the best and get myself better,” Gamble said.

That’s why Gamble has been trying to take as many reps as possible against Steve Smith in practice.

“I’m trying to get myself better,” he said. “If they call a defense I will be ready for it. But hopefully they will put me on the best receiver and let me try to do what I can do.”

Regardless of what the Panthers do in coverage, Gamble, like many other Carolina defenders, is excited about Meeks’ new scheme overall.

In the simplest of terms, this scheme is less complicated than what the Panthers have used in the past with the verbiage greatly reduced. The goal is to allow defenders to use their athletic ability to run and make plays.

“I like it because you don’t have to think that much,” Gamble said. “You just go out and play fast and try to make plays. So I like it simple.”

With Lucas gone, Richard Marshall will be stepping into the starting lineup this year while Sherrod Martin and C.J. Wilson battle for the No. 3 cornerback spot. In all likelihood, if the Panthers don’t move their corners around opposing teams will look to throw away from Gamble.

However, if Gamble is on the best receiver, they’ll have no choice but to try his side.

Or, at least that’s what he’s hoping for.

“Hopefully this year I can see a lot more of the top receivers on the opposing teams,” he said.