top dawg

Maybe, but I think that it's customary for all owners to hire the coach, or at the very least have a huge say in it. I think they're presence is even expected more during a firing of an HC and the addition of an "Interim" tag. As such, it's just hard for me to call that "meddling."

Everything that Tepper has said, news reports that we've read, and indeed Tepper's demeanor during the draft pretty much say that he allows the guys that he's hired to make decisions. That could change, particularly due to the disaster of the Rhule era, but there is really nothing pointing to Tepper being anything but an involved owner. There is zero evidence that Tepper has undermined his hirelings' authority in any manner. Everything points to the contrary.

Yep, that's the other problem that I'm having with this: all DCs aren't the same. Just because Ryan's is a DC doesn't mean that he's anything like Wilks. I've seen way too much generalizing in the last few months. 1+1 in does in fact equal two, but 1 + 1½ or 1+1⅛ does not equal two. Get a grip!

To be honest, had Tepper meddled, we might be better off. That's not to support meddling, but just stating irony.

And I just don't see why. Other than hiring (or if you want to say "keeping") the wrong guys, Tepper hasn't done anything. He has not meddled, he has just made questionable decisions hiring guys that don't know what they're doing.

Yeah, you'll be done. LOL It's all about the ties and relationships with young offensive minds. Scot may be able to help us with that.

By all accounts? LOL

Well, the point appears to be having the job now.

I agree, but only when they basically get married at the same time. Fitterer came into an arranged marriage after Rhule and Hurney's forced marriage, and he came in there with his male parts under lock and key.

Yep. Knowing what we know of Fields today yesterday, I really can't see a credible reason not to draft him. Even then, his college stats were largely based upon passing. He can sling the rock, and he was historically accurate. For me, that screams take the chance all day long.

That's fine about Fields, but he has solidified his employment for a reason. He plays with a bad line in regards to pass pro. https://theathletic.com/3708858/2022/10/22/nfl-pass-protection-rankings/ https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2022/12/27/23528450/bears-1st-and-10-o-line-biggest-hurdle-for-gm-ryan-poles And it's not like he really has any receivers either. Many couldn't name Mooney or Claypool in a lineup. Better protection and better receivers will lead to better passing stats. His passer rating this season is 85 (and some change). Cam Newton's career passer rating is 85. Fields will very likely improve.

Some of y'all know how I love my receivers. An exciting game-changing diva that will take a game over by getting open early and often gets my juices flowing. Terrace Marshall Jr. has the prototypical size, 4.4 speed and can jump out the gym. So, his inability to make his presence on the field known to all on a continuous basis is beginning to look like a red flag to me. We aren't talking about the QB position here; elite receivers inject themselves into the conversation (so to speak) during the first year---and maybe second year latest---if we're being honest. TMJ has shown a flash here or there, and then disappeared. Elite receivers don't disappear at all---they must always be accounted for---and even good receivers rarely disappear for two or three games at a time. I'm still hopeful for TMJ to become a guy that scares the opposition, but I'm not holding my breath. He had a good opportunity to become a known commodity across the league during most of this season, but he hasn't done that. We need to draft a legitimate route-running technician at wide receiver. This should open the offense up quite a bit. I'm not sure we have that guy, but TMJ is looking less like that guy, which is very disappointing considering how much he has been on the field.

I was at a New Year's celebration. I couldn't pay 100 percent attention on every play.. Even still, two sacks is nothing. Sam had time, and but for one ill-advised force along with a couple of possible under throws, he was slinging the rock enough for us to get a victory. O-lines are never perfect.

The first thing that I'd like to say is that I'm still a supporter of Fitterer. I think that he's made mistakes, but I also believe that he learns from his mistakes. I like it that he's not a sit-on-your-hands type of manager and appears willing to think outside the box. The compensation for Darnold troubled me, and Darnold's premature extension was flabbergasting, but then he also acquired Mayfield for a song and a dance. That shows growth. Furthermore, he's identified some talented players, and he's tried to mitigate mistakes of being a little loosey-goosey with draft capital by acquiring extra picks or replacement picks (sometimes on the fly), while providing coaches enough talent to still have at least a facade of competition on the field. And, of course we don't know how much the overarching Rhule effect played a part in the overall decision making. In my opinion, although Fitterer's GM career has been a mixed bag, his body of work is intriguing enough to want to see more. So, now that I've said all that, let's get down to what some may consider rehashing, but it's that time of year. I just can't believe that we didn't trade Burns for multiple firsts. If Joe Schmoe fan can see that Burns is not the force-of-nature pass rusher that you need on a consistent basis---on every down, especially when it comes to crunch time---those potential game-changing moments, then Fitterer just has to see it. Yesterday was the moment that the D-line should've risen to the occasion, and Burns, as the purported leader on the line, has to show up big, or at least allow others to, and he didn't do it. But the thing is, Fitterer should have been able to read that crystal ball, as he had really seen it all before, especially pre the 2022 trade deadline. To me, Fitterer overplayed his hand, and the only way that he can justify not pulling the trigger on Burns is to acquire a more prototypical, beast of a pass rusher this offseason via the draft. Why the draft? Because adding a pass legit rusher via FA means that you have to pay them, and we already have to presumably pay Burns. Unless we get that lost opportunity for two firsts or more back, then Spiderman's help and maybe eventual replacement will only come via the draft. Another highly questionable move was to skip over Justin Fields (who was basically comparable to Trevor Lawrence in so many ways) and draft Horn. Is it a little justifiable? Yeah, I guess; Horn is a beast when he's playing, but that has been relatively little. Horn's impact on the game is understated when he's healthy, but no way in hell that a CB's impact is more than an actual legitimate franchises changing QB. Fitterer screwed the pooch on Fields, and he really had little excuse because the owner liked Fields. Perhaps Rhule's presence and authority was too much for Fitterer to overcome, but I just don't believe it. If you believe in Fields, and Tepper believed in Fields, you have to sway Rhule your way. So, Fitterer must've believed that Horn was greater than Fields (or that Darnold and Horn's impact meant more to the team). I can hardily say that he was wrong. We have the now oft-hurt Horn, and also the off-hurt Jackson whom Fitterer re-signed. Is this more ideal than going into year three with Fields? No. Those were eye-raising moves to be sure, but in my opinion the worst move that Fitterer has made is the really unnecessary money that he gave Ian Thomas, though Thomas's body of work in no way justified what he was paid or maybe an extension at all. So, TLDR, Fitterer has made eye-raising to decidely negative jaw-dropping moves, and as a result we need to fix the QB, DE, and TE (and maybe even the DB) positions in order to get back on track and continue the journey that he has made tougher by his choices, but not irrevocably so. Fitterer will presumably be leading the ship (unless we get a high profile, experienced head coach), so he will have the authority to show continued development towards success, or crash and burn with highly questionable managerial decisions. We can't keep having profound franchise-altering boneheaded blips if we expect to transition to the top echelon of teams anytime soon.

Not sure how that is Wilks' fault. We were set back by Matt Rhule.

It's called head coach for a reason. You are the captain of the ship. You just can't let the winds and waves take you any which way. Conditions and circumstances are continually changing, and you need to compensate for that if you want to get to where you want to go, and constant open lines of communication with your crew is of utmost importance.

A head coach is an administrator, sure, but he has to be a strategist as well. He has to be able to look at a situation and make on-the-fly decisions at times, and instruct (basically, lead) his coordinators in the way that they need to go at any given time.

I don't care where he's from, and I think that we can do better.

Truly sorry for your loss, but we'll see you soon. I hate that the Panthers haven't been better during their existence, but it's a part of my family culture now. My son and I watch the game on Sundays. My wife is more of a casual fan, but still a fan. I take it semi-seriously, but not so serious that I can't keep it all in perspective and enjoy life regardless if they win or lose. I just hope they'll win it all at least one time before I die and am still in my right mind.

Fitterer, much like any GM, is not perfect. If it's perfection that you're looking for, you'll be looking forever. He's done enoigh for me to want to see what he does sans Rhule.

And let's not forget that Tampa had a patchwork O-line this year, and our D-line just could not take advantage. I don't know, man...

Yes I saw it, but what you must understand is that no O-line or O-lineman is perfect. I'm not making excuses, but even Greg Olsen said that Hubbard should have helped Ickey on that play. Tampa's line is legit, but like you said (and like I told my son), the O-line was not the reason that we lost; we lost because we couldn't get any---and I mean any---pressure on TB12, and our defensive backfield play (with their huge cushions) was simply bad. The O-line did more than enough to win, notwithstanding a relatively paltry number of yards from Foreman (because he got the large preponderance of carries today).

I don't think that we got manhandled on the O-line. Was Darnold even sacked today? I know that he was pressured, but it wasn't all bad. We must remember that Tampa has a pretty good D-line. Now our D-line just wasn't at all effective, and it's really not surprising to me, as our DEs aren't as big and strong as necessary to push steady O-lines around on a consistent basis. The finesse game may be good enough against mediocre competition, but will only take you so far.

No adjustments, in scheme or personnel. Too conservative. Just won't take the bull by the horns. You have to know who you are playing, as well as your own weaknesses. Wilks is going to be out-coached in this league a lot. Say what you want, Wilks is missing something.

Someone please tell me how a 4.3 guy gets burned by a 4.5 guy repeatedly.