NanuqoftheNorth

In an alternate universe Cam has already won a Super Bowl.

2008 was looking pretty good as well, then the Ragin' Cajun melted down against AZ. https://www.nfl.com/news/delhomme-dooms-panthers-with-six-turnovers-09000d5d80e07124

Calling 3 of 9 Ron our "best coach ever" says more about the failure of the Panthers as an organization than is does Rivera.

Truth.

So Ron says he's learning from his past mistakes and that holding on to older players was one of them. I suspect that Rhule and Fitterer might not make the same mistake. If true, some fans will need to get used to veteran Panthers with some gas still left in the tank getting traded or released for younger/cheaper replacements. We all know how that can bring out the hate in some posters.

If I had to choose between Fox and Rivera, I'd pick Fox. Comparing their Super Bowl performances is night and day. Fox's Panthers were considered overwhelming underdogs. Ultimately, the game turned out to be one of the most competitive/exciting games ever played, right down to the last few minutes. There was no shame in losing that day. Every player gave it their all. Rivera's Panthers were 15-1, were favored by 5.5 and had the league's MVP at QB. Broncos defense intimidated the Panthers offense from the outset and for 60 minutes Rivera had no answer. Can't even bear to re-watch that game. Horrendous.

When it comes to coaching they are Doppelgängers. Names were changed to confuse the innocent.

Broncos said they didn't see anything new from the Panthers during the Super Bowl. If that doesn't tell us who Ron is, I don't know what would.

I wouldn't knock it. COTY gets a reserved parking spot near the front row.

Wait, remind me again, who won when the Panthers played the WFT last year?

Yeah, maybe. Guess we'll never know for sure. Here's another take: Gross wanted to retire at the top of his game w/his health intact. "I never wanted to play longer than I should,'' he said. "I never wanted anyone to be able to say, 'He stayed too long.' Instead of just hanging on and playing at a lower level, I always thought it would be better for people to say to me, 'Why'd you retire? You were great last year.'" You know how I know I made the right decision?" Gross said. "I haven't thought once that I did the wrong thing. Not once. https://www.si.com/nfl/2014/07/29/jordan-gross-weight-retirement-panthers Smitty was a unique character and athlete. Let's just say he was already losing a step or two by the time he parted ways with the Panthers and wasn't the easiest guy to work with. That is especially true if you were a young franchise QB that needed to be the undisputed leader of the offense.

Last year, Cam ended up signing a one year performance based contract. That is the going rate for QBs with question marks about their health and abilities. Cam was free agent again this year and could have signed with any team who wanted him. Ultimately, he signed yet another one year performance based contract. By now, there should be little doubt in anyone's mind of Cam's perceived value in the NFL. Most of us would have preferred a happy ending for the relationship between Cam and the Panthers. There are countless factors to consider as to why that didn't happen, but rest assured, if the Panthers believed Cam was their long term answer at QB, they would've kept him.

The record indicates that without Cam to save him, Ron is a below average HC.

So we're supposed to believe Ron's learned from his mistakes in Carolina? Who's his GM again?

Ron's Panthers Legacy: NOT changing a damn thing going into the SB after having been embarrassed by the Falcons for the Panthers only loss. It was evident early on the Panthers were in trouble and yet there were no adjustments to protect Cam. Broncos essentially took the Falcons template and beat a better team. What added insult to injury: The first game of the next season where Ron still hadn't come up with a way to protect his franchise QB from being repeatedly used for target practice by the Broncos defense. Some coaches have the ability to lift their team to a level above the sum of its parts. Ron proved, with a record of 3 winning seasons in 9 years, he isn't one of those coaches.

Possibly. My Magic 8-Ball is in for repairs, so I'll have watch the games to find out like the rest of you plebs.

You may be right, on the other hand, Mac Jones reminds me of a young Tom Brady. If there is a coach that knows how to effectively utilize Mac it's most likely Bill Belichick. Mac Jones being drafted by the Patriots may very well be his best case scenario.

Welp, Ron and Hurney have reunited the band in DC. Now is their big chance to show us how wrong we were about them. Meanwhile, Dave is hanging on by his fingernails in NYC and McDermott/Bean achieved the ever elusive back-to-back winning seasons with only 4 years on the job in Buffalo. Looks like we'll have an interesting season of storylines to follow.

Routinely having a less than average number of draft picks, while whiffing on the picks you didn't trade away, is a sure fire way to end up with an team of oldsters. Hurney Magic

Well, they didn't call him Riverboat Ron for nothing! Oh, wait, yeah they did.

Will this season be DJ's best yet? "When you’re only No. 2, you try harder." https://slate.com/business/2013/08/hertz-vs-avis-advertising-wars-how-an-ad-firm-made-a-virtue-out-of-second-place.html

While I agree, there was one notable exception for Fox: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/02/04/ex-panther-brad-hoover-still-believes-the-patriots-cheated/

You'll be legend in the Huddle if this comes to pass. Of course, there won't be anyone left here other than Igo if it does.

Aww, you're no fun. Take a chance, make a prediction, you won't regret it.

Pragmatic Take: Based on what we know at the moment, which isn't a lot, I'd go with an 8-9 or 9-8 outcome. Optimistic Take: 11-6 Young players over achieve and team surprises w/two or three wins late in the season. Playoffs? Pessimistic Take: 5-12 Black Cat Curse Strikes Again. Rhule is a fool, Darnold is a dud and the Panthers end the season with more questions than answers.