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Drafted by a 1-15 team desperate for a star, Julius Peppers didn't want the responsibility of carrying the Carolina Panthers.
Turns out, he's done a fine job.
In two seasons,
Peppers has stabilized the defensive line and helped carry Carolina (11-5) to
the playoffs. The Panthers host Dallas (10-6) on Saturday night in their first
postseason game in seven years.
``It makes life easier for the whole group when you bring a guy of Julius' talent
into the mix,'' coach John Fox said Wednesday. ``He's an easy guy to be a teammate
with, he's a good person, he's a good guy, he has a great attitude. So he's
been an excellent addition to our football team.''
But Peppers was an addition Fox initially had to defend.
Picked second overall in the 2002 draft, Peppers was a popular choice, having starred in football and basketball at North Carolina. But the selection was questioned by those who didn't think a defensive end fit the Panthers' immediate needs.
``Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and in my mind, he was a no-brainer pick,'' Fox said. ``Looking back, a lot of people were critical of that pick. I don't think some of those same people are as critical now as they were.''
That's because Peppers stepped in and immediately bolstered Carolina's defense. Anchoring the line on the left side, he had 12 sacks in 12 games before a four-game NFL suspension for taking a banned dietary supplement ended his season.
But by the time his exile began, the Panthers' defense had climbed from the bottom of the league rankings to No. 2 overall. It played a huge role in Carolina improving from 1-15 in 2001 to 7-9 last year.
Peppers deflects credit, instead pointing to former defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and linemates Mike Rucker, Kris Jenkins and Brentson Buckner.
``It's the same guys who were here that are still here now, except the one guy I came in for,'' Peppers said. ``It definitely wasn't me. Jack Del Rio, we had other guys step their play up, Ruck's getting more sacks now, and that's not because of me. He picked his game up.''
But the line wants to credit Peppers. Although his numbers are down this year -- seven sacks in a full 16-game season -- the line had 32.5 this year. Rucker, who gradually began drawing many of the double teams Peppers had early in the year, led the way with a career-best 12 sacks. Jenkins and backup Al Wallace had five.
Pepper is ``a special athlete,'' Buckner said. ``He opened it up. ... Jenkins became a better player. I became a better player.''
Now Peppers is quietly getting ready for his first postseason appearance. He tried to sneak his way past reporters in the locker room, a basketball in his hand as he rushed toward the training room. Cornered near the door, he reluctantly but patiently answered question after question about his first NFL game in the national spotlight.
``It's something I want to get used to, I want to do this every year,'' Peppers said. ``Last year I was at home watching games. This year, I'm getting ready to play in the biggest game I've ever played in. It's been great for me.''
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