Dragoon11

YES! CMC is our star, and yes you feed your star, but... Joe Brady has THREE stud wide receivers, and a good TE. I know this is only the first game of the season, but honestly, Panthers should have won this game 27-7 or 34-7 easily. This coaching staff looked terrible in the second half, Rhule got outcoached by Robert Saleh, plain and simple. We have great weapons outside of CMC, so why in the F&*k did the coaching staff not find ways to get the ball to our WR's in the second half? The coaches should have emphasized the importance of the opening drive to start the second half, instead we come out and look completely flat. Credit to the Jets defense, they're pretty good, BUT... their weakness is their corners and we should have been taking more shots down the field. A win is a win, I get it, wins are hard to come by in the NFL. Panthers were up 16-0 at halftime, had all the momentum, then got outplayed and outcoached in the second half by a freshman team (an NFL freshman team, but freshman team nonetheless). Sam Darnold looked lights out in the first half, but the second half the whole offense looked stagnated just by play calls. I realize that Darnold is still developing chemistry with these receivers, and figured we would get a heavy dose of CMC this first game. Here's the thing... we'll be no better than we were last year if we don not find other playmakers on this team, and play CONSISTENTLY. I'll take this win, ugly as it was, but Rhule and Brady really need to show me more. The second half of todays game they looked like college coaches.

Funny how that happens huh? No one, well anyone that knew me, would have ever thought I WOULD NOT be a Cowboys fan during that time. I've been football crazy since I was about 5 years old, no lie. My mother said she would catch me watching football instead of cartoons on Saturday. Have ALWAYS been passionate about football, at that time, especially the Dallas Cowboys (no idea how I became a Cowboys fan)... that being said, it's funny how our psyche would much rather have our own territorial army to root for. So much so that you would just give up a team you had been so passionate for since you were, well... old enough to remember, lol. I was a Panthers fan from day one! I remember their first pre-season, first game ever against Jacksonville in the HOF game... I was in Germany watching on the Armed Forces Network!!

Lol, wayyy too much sugar before noon!!!

Lol, me too... was a hardcore Cowboys fan before Carolina got a franchise... funny thing is, after the 1996 Super Bowl vs Steelers I never cared for them again, some of my family still thinks I'm a Cowboys fan, lol. To be fair, that's when the Cowboys were still "Americas" team and was a good franchise, of course that waned the longer Jerry Jones was owner. Heck, I was a fan even during the Tex Schramm/Tom Landry years, the TRUE Americas team! (It's D-day in DALLAS!) lol

All it takes to be a hair better than Teddy, and I'd call it more than a hair, is to score in crunch time. Inside the 20 score TD's, finishing two minute drives and not crapping the bed on EVERY game winning drive... yes, I think that would make him quite a bit better than "can't finish" Teddy.

My observations: Early on, Sam seemed a bit jittery, which is not unusual (his first meaningful reps, new team, etc...), but as the game progressed he seemed to find his edge and let the game come to him. Which tells me: It is a very young team still and with an new QB they have to find that rhythm, which I think they will. This team is loaded with talent, but they haven't all played together (offensively) for too long. It takes time for them to gel. Darnold will build that relationship with the playmakers on this team once they all know each others patterns and timing. I think tonight helped build his confidence moving forward. Jeez, this team is filled with playmakers, there is no comparison to what Darnold had in NY all three years. Marshall is looking like he may have been he steal of the draft and a year one star! Add that to DJ (a superstar in the making, if not already), his favorite target IN NY, Robby a 1,000 yard receiver and playmaker by his own right, and of course one of the most prolific players in all the NFL CMC (we seem to be forgetting that). I also think the real darkhorse here is the Darnold to Arnold connection, if he can build the same relationship with him that we had with Olsen, then look out, this team will be unstoppable. I really don't have to speak for the potential of our defense, it spoke for itself tonight. All and all: The Panthers have a recipe for being a playoff team this year. One thing I'd like to see Sam improve on is that 3rd read and beyond, really seeing the whole field like elite QB's do. I noticed that he seems to lock on to the first read heavy, but does see the second read (somewhat). Smitty even pointed out some open receivers downfield that he didn't see. He's still VERY young and I think as long as we build an O-line around him to make him comfortable that will come. Sorry to make this so long, but I felt like I saw TON'S of potential energy out there tonight, like a team that is buying in and coming together. YESSSS... this is preseason and it was a lot of Steelers 2nd teamers, have to keep that in perspective. But you go off of what you have to go off of and what I saw tonight is a team that has REAL potential to be great THIS year! Time will tell!

Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey!! alright alright alright!!

And that's all I was saying... was his choice. He's now a LV issue!

Did you ever stop to think that maybe his choice on that is more important than the NFL? Colin Kapernick made a choice too... I'm sure he can live with it. I'm ok with that... how much sleep will you lose?

Yeah, I guess I see the point... it's about as hard as finding a "good" NFL QB. Maybe the word I should have used was "serviceable"... is that on our roster currently? (why did you have to do the whole reverse psychology on me damnit!?) lol

Do we have room this season to IDK... sign a good LT?

Dude, really? Just for the record, I'm "vaxxed"... but do we REALLY need to turn this into political diatribe? His reason for getting traded had not one thing to do with that. Respect peoples "free" choice and free will in life, what else do we have? It's no one's fault this crap was thrust upon the world; it's tough for everyone! Haven't we had enough of being political pawns? I'd love to just enjoy a NORMAL NFL season!!

Just like a golf swing... next thing you know he'll be pulled over at 2am in Florida..

Ask me after this season... DJ deserves to develop into the player Steve Smith thinks he can be!! I'd rather it be with us!

Very little room for error in the NFL for kickers. They have basically one job... what distance was the FG he missed from, like 30 yards? If you cannot handle the pressure of a pre-season game, guess what? You're out! Don't be surprised if he is cut come Monday or Tuesday.

ALL the more reason to have a consistent kicker!

This^^^ In this league, there are a ton of games decided in the last minute on a field goal attempt. Question is: Do we trust Joey Slye to win games? We all know it could be a 2 to 3 game difference. Remember the Gano miss against Denver starting the 2016 season, and the mental effect it had? Young talented team here... that needs the ball to bounce their way during these moments more times than not. Would build confidence that they can win the tight games!

Zombie, zombie, zombie

Maybe, I'd say just wait for all the potential knee jerk reactions after the first quarter of tomorrows pre-season game against the Ravens. lol

YES!! After watching this and some of his film, this guy has great character, seems like a pro's pro! Would be a fantastic locker room presence and leader. Fitt and Rhule should take a serious look at this guy!

5 of those 7 picks seeing significant playing time, with one almost DROY! If we get the same percentage from this years class, the Panthers are going to be fun to watch!

Thats only two less than our first round pick, so your point is??

He only did 20 reps on the bench because he has freakishly long arms, that is NOT a disadvantage... they will make him stronger, thats easy.

Thats because the guy has nearly a 7 foot wing span... He ran a 4.8 40 and was a basketball player. He was DPOY for the Big Ten! Go watch film of him, guy is a freak of nature! He will naturally get stronger. This is top 3 round talent and a real steal for the Panthers.

Not just that... this guy should have went in the first 3 rounds! Super athletic, violent, high motor and could end up a starter!