BrianS

While I understand why people see Pickett as a flash in the pan, and it may be a valid argument, you also have to consider that the same thing could be said of Joe Burrow or Mac Jones. Evaluate each QB "as is". I haven't watched much of Pickett, and just because of the Rhule links I want to hate him . . . but I can't. He has good anticipation, he can progess across the whole field, he keeps his eyes downfield under pressure, has good functional (though not exceptional) arm strength. He's a decent prospect. I'd feel better if we drafted him after getting rid of Rhule.

Absolutely incorrect. Joe Burrow was sacked 51 times this year, yet managed to complete 70% of his passes (34 TD / 14 INT) and help the BENGALS win the division at 10-6 (minimum) and likely 11-6 given they have the Browns this weekend who are without their starting QB. Tennessee QB's have been sacked 46 times this year. They are 11-5, likely to be 12-5, winning their division for the second year in a row. I agree that in general having a good OLine is quite important. But a good QB can cover up a lot of sins. A good OC can do the same with his gameplan and calls. Unfortunately, we have none of the three, and thus a huge problem.

We aren't trading back. There are too many factors working against us. First is the draft itself. This isn't a "trade up" draft. There just aren't a huge number of prospects worthy of trading up for. Honestly, who? The QB class is nothing like last year, and once you get past QB, are you really going to trade up for anyone more than a spot or three? Second is Fitts himself. He's on record as valuing picks in the top 15 far more than later. Basically he believes that the true impact players are picked in those first 15ish spots. If you want him to trade out of there, you're going to have to give him MORE than just straight value. I'm sure there are scenarios where we'd trade back, the problem is that they aren't realistic. Good teams are picking further back, but they didn't get good by making bad draft day decisions. Bad teams are picking where we are already.

Disclaimer: I don't know if BC is "the answer" at LT. That blame falls squarely on Rhule. However, I still see people saying "We can move him to LG". No. BC isn't a mauler. He's just not. If there is a hole in his game, it's power. The last thing you want at G is a guy whose main concern is his strength at the point of attack. This is why it was so important that we figure out what he is this year. There just aren't options with this guy. Rhule wants everyone to be "flexible", and he projects that onto guys where it doesn't make sense. BC is one of those. The guy is a tackle. Maybe he's a backup tackle. Maybe a swing tackle. But the guy is a tackle, arm length be damned. Unfortunately, here we are with one game to go and we've only really seen 2.5 games of him. Promising games, but not consistently convincing. Would he be more convincing if Rhule hadn't spent the last six months trying to round peg / square hole him? Maybe, I dunno.

This is what I was saying in another thread. There are only five or so coaches in the history of the league who turned it around after two bad seasons at the start of their tenure. The ANALYTICS say that if you can't show good progress by year two, it's unlikely in the extreme that you will be the answer for that team. I don't know how it isn't obvious to upper Panthers brass.

How many coaches ever get off the hot seat? Honest question. I can't think of any coaches who were considered to be on the hot seat but turned it around to have a long career at that team. Can you?

Tomlin is "ok". I see this as more of an organizational accomplishment. Good drafting and wise spending in free agency has done just as much as coaching to attain this level of consistency. And let's not forget that they had a franchise QB for his entire tenure. Yes, Big Ben should have retired a couple seasons ago. It doesn't change the fact that they just haven't had to look for one in the last 20 years.

This is what too many Huddle GM's just don't understand. Sure, ideally we'd trade down and recoup some picks. But this year? The draft just isn't going to have the compelling reasons for other teams to trade up. We also know how Fitt thinks. He believes - rightly or wrongly - that the first 15 players are really where the impact players are. He's not going to want to come out of that top 15 unless he gets more than value for the pick. And who is there in this draft that is worth moving up for? Detroit and Houston could both legit take a QB there, if they fell in love with one. Not the year for it, but QB is the one position that you probably reach for. Maybe even the Giants could take a QB if they no longer believe in Jones. I just don't see it. We're going to have to pick at six. If some QB shows out before the draft in some way, he'll be gone before six. Other than that, is there a guy worth going up for? I don't know who.

That's leadership and coaching right there. Ryan Kalil always had our protections right, no one has really taken up that mantle since.

While I don't disagree, TMJ and Shi have both spent fair time injured. I even like that Zylstra has shown the ability to help us if called upon. With BC especially, I can't figure it out. With Deonte, I know he was "injured", but it seemed like a roster injury as opposed to an actual injury. Rhule just hasn't treated these rookies well.

I'm not a Deonte Brown fan. I'm a fan of finding out in the midst of a year we were supposed to be rebuilding whether or not the guys we drafted are going to be able to help us. Both BC and Deonte fall in this category for me. They both needed far more playing time.

It only makes sense. There are still three teams who could finish at 13-4, potentially going down to tiebreakers as the first seed. Likewise, seeding is still up for grabs among four teams that could finish 12-5 potentially as seeds 2-5. NFC Playoff picture is fairly clear as to who the participants are, but seeding is still very much a question. Good. That's what we want. I don't want to win a meaningless game.

Let's get this out of the way first. It's not a narrative that Shaq has been underperforming the contract he was given. It's a fact. He was paid like Bobby Wagner. He's been "solid", yes, but not spectacular. Shaq has nearly played up to his contract this year, and a better team might have led him to be even more effective. Glad to see it. Now, what has never been in doubt (that I've heard) is his mental fortitude. He's right. If you don't get pissed off at losing, we don't need you. That sounds an awful lot like Cam. Good. We need that attitude.

Isn't this the sort of passing chart that made us think Teddy was the problem? Why doesn't this apply to Sam who has completed far fewer throws and committed far more turnovers?

Joe Burrow has been sacked 51 times this year. His team however is 10-6, and won their division. Burrow has thrown 34 TD's against 14 INT's and over 4000 yards passing while completing 70% of his throws.

In other news, Steve Smith too short to be an NFL receiver in the Rhule playbook.

Heaven forbid we have two serviceable tackles, that doesn't fit the Rhule narrative.

Protection is talked about far too much by the Darnold apologists. Let me lay some stats on ya. Here are the current sacks surrendered numbers for the league: Yep, there we are 4th from bottom. Our line is terrible. However, Cincy is WORSE. And yet . . . There's Joe Burrow, top five in passing yards and completion percentage. #6 in TD's. Oh, his team is 10-6 and have their division wrapped up. Ryan Tannehill with Tennessee is struggling this year, not a great line. Lots of sacks. Yet that team is 11-5, in the playoffs, and scoring 24 per game. I definitely agree, it's much easier when you have a good line. By the same token, a good QB and scheme can do things even with a bad line.

Was the TD drive the scripted one? I think it was. We should just script the entire game. What's the worst that can happen? We score 10 points? Just so someone says it: We lost the second half, AGAIN.

This is what I've been saying. It's possible that Sam was salvageable, but not by putting him into the exact same situation that made him bad.

It was not my opinion prior to that draft, but bottom line is the Joe Burrow is the real (*&@$ing deal. Then they said "Oh, here, have Ja'marr Chase". Cincy is a good team. Their line isn't wonderful, but Burrow makes fast decisions that make them look better than they are.

I'd have to dig for the clip, but this is the guy that Rhule told us earlier in the year was "one of the toughest guys on our team". Thomas Davis and Steve Smith would have run both these OI*&@ers out of the locker room weeks ago.

Don't think Trask will play. Bucs will still need to win to improve their conference record for tiebreaking reasons. Currently have three NFC division leaders at 11-4. Which honestly, is good for us. I would rather see us get Brady'ed again at this point just to drive another nail in the Rhule coffin. But is there anything more terrifying that Kyle Trask learning for two years from Bruce Arians and Tom Brady? In our division? Makes me sick to think about. I don't know if Trask will be good, but the kid had tools and didn't make Darnold level goofball decisions. He landed in the best possible spot, for sure. (I really wanted us to draft him, before I knew Rhule couldn't develop players)

Oh, 100%. Had Cam not been injured, I suspect that he'd have a ring by now and Rivera would still be our coach.

As much as I like Cam, he is nowhere near HoF quality. Ever adding his rushing yards to his passing yards, he's in the company (yards wise) of Dave Krieg, Boomer Esiason, Donovan McNabb and Matt Hasselbeck. Add his rushing TD's to his passing TD's and you get . . . Dave Krieg, Vinny Testaverde and Russell Wilson. Those aren't the right numbers. He didn't win the SB. The one glimmer of hope we have for him is that he did win an MVP. It's rare, but not unheard of, for a former league MVP to not end up there.