stratocatter

That is all that this place is too you know. Opinions stated as fact. Never been a Fowler fan fwiw.

People keep saying that. I heard he, prior to becoming interim coach, criticized the D that Snow built as being too light to win in the NFL. Looking at it I agree.

They are just playing hardball, turning down that Rams offer. Teams are gonna know you can’t lowball Fitterer and the Tep.

Draft and sign away, get WRs in here and let them compete. Absolutely. We do need more talent there. But I don’t think a stat based argument is even very relevant talking about a WR on this team. Unless maybe you can find a stat that ties into bottom rung QB play. In some context.. the numbers in a game where the player accounts for 40% of team’s receptions, around 50% of a QBs passing yards, etc etc, should be weighted somehow to reflect his production in those circumstances. I mean, getting on a guy because he didn’t get opportunities is a big component to what is happening here. Hard to express my boredom with stat arguments in many cases. An example is people use stats to tout the pass defense of a team that can’t stop the run, and rank them high based on the numbers. This is the routine. Who is gonna pass against them when you can run all day (besides. Mike Martz or somebody) Don’t those numbers give a false impression? People don’t throw because they don’t have to, and the yardage totals might be used to support the position that they Can’t throw (you know, because of that great pass defense).

Doesn’t matter to me that they don’t think he would be in. Those HOF voters don’t know because they watched a couple of times a year. He was pretty much as good as you could ever hope for.

And the restructures around tagging him were very costly as well not just in money but you could be cutting or keeping guys solely based on money. Big double whammy. I always thought JR was all over those decisions and told Marty to make it work financially.

With Horn, when guy misses almost his entire first season it puts him behind t(e eight ball pretty bad for a while in terms of statistics like that. A broken bone in the hand happens, it isn’t isnt major in itself. The question of is he injury prone vs black cat prone should stay open a little while longer.

Achilles is a rough one. Lots are just not the same. And yes we missed him. Pretty much knew we were going to have a very leaky vessel back there on defense. And we were going to need to get pressure to protect them. Fail. Hope DJ gets his full recovery and back to competing.

As far as what Wilkes would do about his staff, and what his ideal team and its style of play looks like, we really don’t know. He has been cooking the meal with what was in the fridge, which is stocked with fresh produce that is not ripe yet, or is past the sell by date. If Wilkes hadn’t happened I’d be all over Ryans, probably. The youth, the experience, I really haven’t checked his resume past his playing days, but those would be obvious concerns to resolve.

I think you gotta give that guy 12 more months before visiting if he is or isn’t something. Since he started… How many QBs? Two too many. OC? He got one year and had to learn a new offense. And the traditional thinking for a long time is that WRs have to develop. 3rd year was about when it starts to gel for them. If it is going to.

There was a pick play that was called earlier on their DB and again later, same thing but it wasn’t called and helped TB. It wasn’t a full on block like the first time the db hid it a little better but it had the same result of springing the receiver for a nice gain and should have been called. But no it wasn’t blatantly crooked officiating and it didn’t cost us the game.

He was impressive today. Not perfect but who is. Showed up big in a big game, showed everyone who he is. Props to him.

Eyeball test on Darnold says he is looking really good. Most of even the best QBs miss throws, it just happens. Top of my head I could remember about 4 throws that were off with the game still undecided. It was disappointing. When we went 2 scores down, its desperation mode. I stop questioning judgement then, so not talking about whatever good or bad was done. I'll spare the why argument mostly but I don't think they should let him leave. I think he does have a future. Wilkes or not I think that. 5th year at 24 looking like it might be slowing down for him, I am starting to think. Do people think he cant be good because Rhule liked him or because he was not ever locked in with a stable system to grow in? Okay the latter has happened to guys. But he is still barely older than a number of guys coming out of school, still has what I think are some positives to lean on.

That's a good way to look at it ha. I think you mean Tepper in that last sentence, but yep I feel similar apprehension. I see the flaws in Wilkes' performance today but these games are how you learn. Look at it like this: a young HC taking over a bad team is often going to take some time to get to his first true pressure type experience. And it will be the first of that type experience for most of the players too so that is a vessel facing rough water, I think is fair to say. Without going into all the details what I was afraid I would see happened with the secondary happened. With a cherry on top. Black cat showed up too. Naturally. Taking a more detached or maybe big picture view, I appreciate being there in January. After where they were the day Robbie Anderson was sent inside in SF, traded. All that. Would anyone really have thought they would be a couple of plays away from a total 180? I don't think things are nearly as bad as lots of people do. I never expected to win anything this year until this unlikely NFCS situation gave a reason to think about it. So I thought it was a great ride.

It isn’t as if Tepper was some bumpkin billionaire on his first day, he was a (Steelers) minority owner for some period of time and took two seasons as owner of the Panthers to learn and evaluate before he acted.

Monumental. Man, go on. That is true at a couple of positions or groups maybe but no. This is not a Super Bowl team or really a bona fide contender but they are a much better team than started the season. Which is the way you want it. The CB situation looks like a big setback to me but still because of that running game I bet you a lot of teams would just as soon not draw them at this point.

Trying to figure out if I see what I think I see in Wilkes. Which is while he is in the middle of an audition for his dream job he is not just thinking of this year. Or himself or something. I am trying to find the word I am looking for. What I think he has been doing with Sam is really big picture, it affects the future as much as today in a sense. He is baby stepping things with him trying to build him up. Or maybe it is all in the moment and he is just afraid Sam will lose the game but I think it is more to it. I think he is trying to get him built up and ready to match his outcome with his ability. Sam has the physical tools to make a 1st round draft pick wait his turn. For a while, if he puts it together. Whether he will is a valid question and I am not sure we had the final word. This game coming up will be a really good test.

It does appear as if this is the year to steal the conference ticket to the SB. I don’t have any realistic aspirations on the Panthers’ behalf but it is entertaining as hell afaic. The team is playing for a lot right now, good time to evaluate their performance with the chips down. As far as this thread subject, I think you have to act as if you missed the playoffs every year wherever you finish, every year. These are competitive people mostly, they tend to have that attitude. If you aren’t getting better you’re getting worse and all that. So I think NFL teams are there by default. Enough of them that if you want to win you better be too.

I think if you retain Wilkes you almost have to insist on prior OC experience. We’ll know very soon where that is headed. Which btw if I was sureI would hire Wilkes I’d use the Rooney interviews and the stated desire for an offensive minded coach as a cover for bringing in an OC candidate or two, knowing that I could beat about any counter offer he might get to stay. Gets ahead of that game and lets Wilkes hit the ground running because he is still the HC until he is relieved. Which might not have to happen until the new HC hire is made. But that’s unethical, right?

Okay someone is spinning something somewhere. I can’t remember the source. I listened to several podcasts and did some reading yesterday or whenever and it didn’t seem important that I document it at the time. I guess this is where I say if he quit like that, in a huff or pouting because he was benched, sure. Outta here. It’s just something tells me he isn’t that guy.

Maybe this was answered but a talking head somewhere or the other said he was barred from even calling his coaches so it doesn’t sound like quitting.

I think the Panthers are the better team in most places. It is an away division elimination game though. I think they are going to play our game and try to ride Fournette so we better be tackling and getting pressure when they need to throw. Barring a turnover fest by the offense I expect to get the win. I think we should be a 6 pt favorite but would take a 1pt win and smile.

Carr is better than any QB that (we know of) in the division next year. Atl, TB and NO all will be scrambling for help. I am tired of a new one every season, myself, but he could be a fit depending on the plan.

Yeah lol that is sort of like blaming the gun (Rhule) not the shooter (Tepper).

Yep. Except Wahle wasn’t here then. Jeff Mitchell was C on that team I think.