Khyber53

Viva la revolucion!

We grow, we learn, we adapt, we win, we thrive. Can't argue with success.

Hoping for an early lead and a chance to send in our second stringers as a group. Also hoping that everyone gets on the bus healthy and unhurt.

I guess they were right. The answer was on the roster. So many answers. 8-0. Not even sure what to do with this, never been here before.

I think Jared Allen's experience playing against the Packers will certainly help the team. Pass rush will be key on defense and on offense it is going to be imperative that we make sure Peppers doesn't have a day that makes all of the fans in the stands miss him again. This isn't a statement game, or even a game where we have anything to prove. It is just a competitive game and the kind that is the bread and butter of good teams. We're playing like the big boys now, here's what it will be like throughout the playoffs. Win and move forward.

You really aren't getting this, are you?

Smitty's last hurrah. It was a good season, but if you couldn't see the tension and the cracks. Smith fell behind Olsen in yards, with LaFell not too far behind. He was also no longer the star as Cam was getting almost all of the Me-me-me-media attention.

I love Smitty, but the best thing that has happened to him and the Panthers in the last five years is that he was sent off to Baltimore. For Smith, he got national recognition and he was able to start the HoF talk that you now hear. If he had stayed in Carolina, his grousing would have left the tag of locker room poison on him. That tag is the death knell for a great player with bad PR. Ask Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson a host of other guys in the top 20 players for their position that can't get a nod by the nominating committees. Two years in Baltimore to pad career stats, build some more great highlight reels and to get the mantle of fiery competitor. He needs this and he deserves to be in Canton. The Panthers, we lost one of our most beloved sons. We also gave Cam the opportunity to make this his team, not Smitty's. That's a big, big deal. And don't you think that this summer that would have been Smith fighting with Norman, rather than Cam fighting with Norman? That would be a whole different ball game. Our offense has also shifted since Smith left, as now it doesn't flow through him as the first, second and fourth options.

This is probably the most dangerous game for us so far. The Eagles are hit and miss, luckily they just struck big last week. I think we'll catch them on the downswing and their offense will sputter against our defense. I do see this as a rough night for Cam, though, as the Eagles can really get after a QB when they need to. Our O-line will tell the story of the night, though, as Stewart will have his breakout game and top 100 yards rushing. Panthers 24 Eagles 10

Next to the actual Panther's games, I look forward to PhillyB's weekly article when it comes to sports. A fun read, again!

Pay the man! (I mean PhillyB, somebody ought to have you on staff as a sportswriter!)

The Town that Feared Sundown, now there's a scary movie. The prototype for Axe Murderer films.

The team has gone through a lot this week with changes on the defensive line and saying goodbye to a couple of familiar faces. The weather here has been terrible as well, and even though the game is in Florida, those NC practices have probably been pretty wearing and not as complete as they normally would. We're playing a team that hasn't been a threat in some time and that many are regarding lightly. They've also got a rookie QB and an apparently soft offensive line. And that's why we have a tough game ahead of us. We're trying to mesh new moving parts under less than perfect conditions while facing up against an opponent that shouldn't give us trouble. It's a classic trap game. I hope that's not going to be the case. My gut feeling is that we're going to come out and fall behind early, then dig in and claw our way back to a tight win. Look for a repeat of last week, but a closer score. Whereas Nawlins had a great day passing and a lousy day on the ground, Tampa will run well but their passing game will be their downfall. Carolina 23 Tampa Bay 18

Can you wear scuba gear and a football helmet at the same time? The way it is looking, our DL will be using purely swim moves to get at their QB. Cam should practice his Aquaman pose.

This oughtta be good...

PhillyB, that was masterful! Great article, great read and just well done throughout! Cheers!

My theory is that GRRM will make HBO wait for that last book. And they will, because the anticipation will be the best advertising that anyone could ask for.

I can't make a good argument against this lineup. It's a good one for today, this year, and it would sew seeds for the years ahead.

Hey, we only have so many seasons of Panthers football to watch in our lives. Why write one of these off before it ever starts. Who are we, the Browns? We made it into the play-offs last year with a frikkin' losing record. If we can do that, we can do anything! Cry if you want to, but I won't give up until they close down the season officially. And until we get mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, I'm still pulling for us to win the Super Bowl. If you don't go into a season like that, then what the hell are you watching football for? Go play Madden.

We lost a second year wide receiver, a good one, but still just a second year wide receiver. Someone who wouldn't have gotten a shot will get one this year, now. Last year, Cam didn't have Smitty, so he had to look for Benjamin. This year he doesn't have Benjamin, so he will have to look for whoever will lead the WRs. A good QB, with his contract, his experience, can make it work and can become better because of it.

Okay, let's get a grip here. We're adults but people are whining and crying like babies about how unfair it is and woe is me we are going to suck. Bull. It is a real shame that this kid got hurt and I really hope he heals up quickly and well. I want to see him back on the field next year. However, this year did not and will not hinge on Kelvin Benjamin. While he had a great freshman effort with him, there was no guarantee that he wasn't going to have a sophmore slump. And remember, we had a better record the year before he got here than we had last year. Games are won by solid defense (which we have in spades), ball control on offense and the play of the quarterback. Having great WRs is a luxury, but a great quarterback can make average receivers look great. This is going to be Cam's chance to shine and step into the level of greatness we know he can achieve. Kelvin out this year will test us and if our guys really work at it, they will succeed. And it will make for a better team next year. So quit your crying. If there ain't no crying in baseball, there sure as hell shouldn't be in the bleachers of a football stadium.

Here's to hoping what happened was just a painful but very temporary injury. If not, he'll have access to the best in the business to get past this, along with Thomas Davis' unbelievable amount of practical experience in rehabbing this kind of thing. Good players often get to come back, good teams struggle through injuries. Great players are sometimes made by an incident like this, and great teams rise above adversity. Still sucks, though.

Are we seeing him working with ST any? Looks like the kind of kid you find reasons to put him on the field as often as you can.

Peppers will be the first HoF player we can hang our hats on. Whether you still harbor bad feelings toward him or not, he was still the biggest game changer that has ever played for the Panthers. Pep, in his prime, did things on the field that left announcers speechless. He took over and changed games. He was that unstoppable force that someone can easily get up and champion when it comes time to do HoF selections. There will be a ton of sports writers in that room making those decisions, and they've all had numerous opportunities to write about something Pep either did for their team or to their team. He'll go first ballot. I'd love to see SS in the Hall, but let's face it, he is going to be the guy that fans are going to have to clamor for for years before he gets in, He created too much bad blood with the voters. He's great, he's astounding and we all still love the guy, but his rep outside of here and Baltimore isn't so good.

Two other possibilities include: 6. Oher really wants this year to work and realizes there isn't much competition behind him. He could be taking it easier to keep any chance of injury down in the off season. 7. While the DE can pin his ears back and charge, Oher can't put his full strength or meanness into effect in training camp. While he might maul someone in a regular season situation, in this drill he can't put a full hit on a teammate, especially when he is one of the new guys. I say give him a chance. He'll be better in protection when there is something important on the line.