top dawg

I mean, @Gipetto could be right. Anything is possible. My thing is, like I said in another thread, "I don't think anyone here has a patent on perfection." So all the threatening to save posts is, well, a wee bit over the top. But, to each his own. I was one of the few who said that I'd give Rhule another chance as late as two weeks ago, but even I have given up on him, and that's saying something. I'm not going to repeat what IMO are his flaws, as others have already done that here, and I've done it into other threads, but suffice it to say that Rhule has earned his lack of support. I'll be surprised if he doesn't get canned in January, but if he gets the opportunity to turn this broken ship around and actually does in 2022, I'll get in line to give him praise, and I'll even throw in some pie to you, G, in your I-told-you-so thread. That would be one helluva story, and I like redemption stories, but it's looking more like wishful thinking--a fairytale.

Yes, coaching has been bad. Talking about not putting players into the best position to succeed, and the worst part might be (what I see as) no kind of perceptible adjustments from game to game, much less on game day. Rhule talks a good game, but he seems either pigheaded, thickheaded, or just unable to adapt. And, yeah, maybe it's not him but his coordinators, but the buck stops with Matt Rhule. He seems to be over his head. I don't necessarily hate most of the personnel decisions either (but the ones on the O-line), but what I absolutely blame Rhule for is signing Bridgewater to anything more than a prove-it deal (meaning that we should've just let him go to the Windy City) and making a similar error by extending Darnold before he had proven to be anything than just more of the same. And, by extension (pun not intended), I will say that though I didn't necessarily hate passing on Fields, but I absolutely thought we were going to pick Fields when he fell to us. Considering our situation, that was probably was just as unforgivable as spending good money--real and draft compensation--on bad. Now we're in the matrix of QB purgatory with no clear way to escape...and some relatively valuable draft capital.

I think the state of things has everything to do with that. A couple of years ago, things were new and we were arguably overachieving however modest. Then Rhule began putting his stamp on the team in earnest, and his moves helped stamp out any vestiges of enthusiasm that anyone could even fool themselves with until the realization that we appear to be in a worse position now, in key ways, than when the Rhule era began.

Yeah, that's true. I don't think anyone here has a patent on perfection. As for me, I always try to give my favorite franchise and all those involved some leeway before I form an opinion. It's just how I've always rolled. I can appreciate those that in theory, and even in fact, believe that they know some things about the game or the personnel that I don't. At the end of the day it's mostly educated guessing in my opinion anyway. So no need for peacocking and getting ugly and personal (at least initializing getting ugly and personal). The Panthers just got us all fuged up at the moment--more than usual.

LOL How things have changed over the years. I remember being double-teamed by these guys...

Man, @BIGH2001, you wrong! In the title I saw an "F" instead of an "H".

I could see that, and, yes the striped boobs have made me angry this season, but we still haven't had the mettle to overcome like good teams do.

I'm not gonna front; as bad as it is, I'm gonna watch. My spirit for the Panthers may be dulled, but it's not dead. I'm gonna work through it. Even if I have keep pounding my head against the wall [intentional? Yes it is].

Hell, with those opponents, Cam could've done that, and I believe wholeheartedly would have won two to four of the ones that Darnold lost.

We've been told that Tepper isn't encroaching upon football operations, so I am not going to presume to know what he knows about football and team building. What I do know is that it doesn't take an advanced "football mind" to have looked into your crystal ball last spring (and really a year prior) to see that Rhule was taking great risks and getting drunk on his own Kool-Aid. Tepper was trying to do the right thing! He just picked the wrong person.

Look, I believe Cam has seen his best days. He definitely can't operate anything near efficiently with a terrible line because he unfortunately never mastered the mechanics of the position that would enable him to overcome terrible protection at a time when his physical skills were noticeably deteriorating (as in now). That being said, I think he would do a lot better behind a decent line, and under coaches who actually know how to put him (and other players) into a position to succeed by understanding his weaknesses and strengths (and those of the team as a whole). For me, the thing that is the most telling about Cam is his seeming inability to push the ball down field. He doesn't appear to be able to do that. But I think he could do well enough to at least be a high level backup if he's in a decent situation (as discussed above). All that being said, I have no illusions that Sam Darnold is better than Newton. For me, that's crazy talk. Cam may be a gradually broken QB (ironically because of this franchise's mismanagement of him), but he came into the league and lit it up. Darnold has done nothing but be a deer in the headlights.

Two Saturdays ago, I was on the fence about Rhule and company. No more! We're a mess, and it's going to take at least three more years to get out of this mess, unless we luck up on a wunderkind at QB.

Hell, even seasoned veterans have regressed. To me, that's about as clear of an indictment on the coaching staff more than anything else.

OK, I'll admit it, I've checked out a little bit during this holiday season, so I don't know WTF is going on with the team other than the need for better coaching, a QB and an O-line (as per usual). I don't know if they're on some list--sick or hurt--inactive or what. That being said, why can't we at least sprinkle in our rookie receivers for more than a cameo appearance during the game? I mean, I get Zystra makes a couple of good catches during the game, as well he should being a 3/4, but we know what this JAG brings to the table. TMJ has the upside of a 1 in this league based on his prototypical size and talent. Shi Smith has some play making ability, at least judged by the preseason, and seems like a very game athlete. So, why in the world, other than some likely ill-advised, "Riveran" philosophy or approach to personnel, are we not getting these receivers more playing time?

Didn't like the play call or the decision by Cam.

How in the hell don't we have an emergency kicker? I thought Rhule was all about versatility...

Our personnel is not as bad as the beat downs we get. The coaching is failing us.

He was trying not to get crushed because of the ball placement.

What happened to Gonzalez?

Well, for me, it's like what my grandmother used to say, "My back is wide, I can carry the load."

You said a lot, but you really didn't answer the question...but, from what you did say, I can assume that you'll endure whatever you must?

At this point, I'm not even thinking in terms of Watson ever coming here, so I don't care of this story is true or a lie. Maybe Miami finally gets their man. If they do and Tua we're to become available, I'd consider him. Tua has been showing signs that he is legit, just like I thought he would if given a legit opportunity.

I'd be willing to bet money that it's "...the more things stay the same." My wife subs in high school, and she has told me that she's heard the coaches cussing players out when they get out of line and there's a need for disciplinary action in the classroom. My nephew has voluntarily coached high school and he has told me that when the players got out of line, he's had to pull them to the side and give them some choice words. If it goes on in high school, it likely goes on in college where the HC is generally the most powerful guy on a lot of these campuses.

He should've jacked him up if that's true. He obviously thinks he's talking to a kid.