KSpan

It makes no sense to take a WR in the first round with significant deficiencies at their core function, catching the ball. Perhaps they felt that's the most easily fixable thing but the Raiders (as one example) tried it forever and failed miserably year after year.

Bryce has definitely improved in some areas and is completing some passes he didn't last year. However, I'm still not seeing much of anything suggesting his ceiling is really any higher than the Bridgewater/Smith level of effectiveness. Hopefully they keep it a competitive QB room and challenge him to continue to push.

"Playing QB as well as anyone since Cam here." That is one low bar.

Wtf was that safety thinking?

Better zip there. Needs to show more of that.

Maybe not, but I like what the offense did there overall.

There you go. This is the type of ball that this offense needs to show. One of the best true deep balls I remember seeing him throw.

Man, Legette is just completely allergic to using his hands.

Yup. Time to counter-punch, offense. Show something here.

And man, some of these throws Baker is making exemplifies the current element that is missing from Bryce's game. That ability to dynamically drive the ball just isn't there. The first drive was very pretty for sure. Bryce's touch and placement on the softer midrange throws has improved. Just no explosion yet.

Arm strength differences on display today.

Chiefs getting into form at the right time.

Being real here though, AZ absolutely gave that game away. Conner getting injured (just bad luck), the roughing on 3rd and goal bailing Carolina out on the first TD drive, the fumble gifting field position on the second, Kyler going absolutely braindead and tossing that pick, the final drive in OT, Carolina failing to seal the game in the 2nd half... The Panthers are improving and did enough to get the win but AZ lost that game just as much, if not even a little more, than Carolina truly won it.

Yup. Why pass when you can get 5.1 ypc, worst in the league and with the most attempts against, and are typically playing with a lead.

McBride's postgame words would suggest otherwise, though the scoreboard is ultimately what matters.

Bingo. It was benching/competition that supposedly prompted his 'turnaround', so why remove that and go back to how it was in 2023? Makes no sense to not keep the heat on any player in this scenario.

Some ridiculous Mahomes comments being made today... he absolutely was not drafted to be the backup. Reid and the FO recognized that the team would never get over the hump with Smith's limitations and they identified Mahomes as their target who had the potential to exceed Smith. Did they know he would achieve so much? No, of course not. But they traded up to get him specifically because they needed someone better than Smith. That's the whole point of these types of discussions. It takes a dynamic QB to beat the best in the modern NFL and that is the standard that Bryce is being measured against and what every team should be actively pursuing in one form or another until they have it. That's the reality.

Who is 'we'? I loved the Cam years. Sure, there were irrational dumbasses, not to be confused with people who have legitimate opposing viewpoints/concerns, but there always are. It was clear from Day 1 that Cam had the potential to be transformational, and he was even with his shortcomings.

At this point I'm indifferent to wins/losses and solely interested in seeing team and staff development on the field. In general, growing teams need to stay mindful when winning certain types of games to not let it mask continued on-field deficiencies, whatever they may be for a given team. That's where the quality of the coaching and FO come in and that's where the rubber will continue to meet the road if Carolina pulls out more of these types of games. This season is nearly a wrap. My metric for success was continued improvement and development on the field and I think it's fair to say that that is happening (degree is debatable, but it is happening), a stark change from prior regimes. Improving this offseason will be no small order and time will tell how things shake out.

From my post: "and my take is more in general of course - any team can beat any other on any given Sunday in the NFL." Repeat that a few times slowly to yourself... almost like I acknowledge that my take is general in nature and not applying to a specific game that I didn't watch and not the dumbass edit that you added. It's our society in a nutshell in 2024... a person will comment on something without even comprehending what they're commenting on and then ironically prattle on about AI and and 'goofs who wouldn't know context or critical thinking if it smacked them in the face' Nice try though.

My point is that they are 14-1, yes, but doing it in a totally odds-defying manner. That is a 10-5 team that has had some incredible breaks and bounces along with their talent and coaching in getting to 14-1, even moreso than the usual bounces that all successful teams get in a given season. I'm not saying they're a complete fluke because they aren't, but they are the 14-1 equivalent of the 2018 6-2 Panthers - the record is built on sand. The difference between them and that Panthers team is they are shoring back up when Carolina ended up faltering.

Maybe in the long term but in the reality of this season? He doesn't really seem to be.

Cam was ahead of his time, if not a trailblazer for this generation of QBs. If he came out today in this climate the discussion around him and recognition of his performance would be entirely different, and I bet he would absolutely be a Pro Bowler with the old guard retiring.