frankw

If Tomlin or Harbaugh go to the Falcoms we are boned.

Fapping over QBR when our offense couldn't complete one single pass in 4 downs in our own stadium with 3 timeouts certainly fits with the just happy to be here vibe.

I looked back and marked the Packers win as something of what we assumed would be a turning point for us. I missed the game we split with the Bucs. So 3-5 in the last 8 is correct. Slightly better. But still not at all ideal for how I expected us to finish the season.

Inebriated fans yelling and heckling isn't remotely limited to the Panthers and Bryce Young. And I can assure you other Panthers QB's have seen their share of such. There were times people practically wanted to kill Jake Delhomme. This inferiority complex some have with Bryce Young certainly isn't healthy either to be clear.

It was not the best game by our OL but you also have to take into account that Bryce is quick to bail on pockets so he can see the field. I've watched him do this more times than I can count. Instances like this only exacerbate difficulties for the OL and make the defenses job that much easier.

When evaluating a QB the eye test goes hand in hand with the statistics. Anyone with a functioning brain knew Cam Newton in his prime was a cheat code more often than not even if his accuracy was sometimes maddening. Bryce Young has now played 3 complete seasons of football and he moves the ball through the air on average at a very low rate. Amongst the lowest at his position in league history. That isn't going to just suddenly change. It's who he is.

For reference here's Bryce's passer rating for the season and the peers amongst him in comparison. Not great company. It certainly lines up with what I've seen with my own two eyes.

3rd highest time to throw and the lowest passer rating. Nothing to spin.

Didn't we have all three timeouts still? At the end of the day you dial up a play to one of your most sure handed receivers for all the marbles. We hinged the season on Jimmy Horn Jr just as we had Etienne back returning punts. I mean even XL managed to not muff a punt ffs. I don't jive with just putting the onus on Horn though. He shouldn't have been in that situation and a guy who we traded a fortune for should have delivered a better pass. This offense was 27th in PPG for a reason and ball placement is crucial.

I like Morgan the person and obviously as a former player. As a GM it's been a mixed bag. 2024 draft was a stinker 2025 draft so far looks really good. FA class overall solid. But we've got way too much salary cap tied up in our OL for the results we've gotten offensively. I have no doubt he is going to continue to try and make strides for the defensive roster. But whether or not he continues to stand pat with this QB room is what will define him as Panthers GM IMO. I feel it's only a matter of when not if we are back to the same tough conversations about Bryce Young next season if we keep the QB room intact.

Bryce has improved somewhat in the redzone. But it's the rest of the field between the 20's that no defenses respect our passing game. I mean this guy had Chuba Hubbard leaping into the air for a high checkdown pass backed up against our own end zone against the Rams in the playoffs. On top of that you have Canales who can't get out of his own way as a playcaller and as the individual making gameday decisions in general. See Etienne still returning punts. So long as these issues like that exist we will continue to slog our way to 20 points a game. FYI we averaged 18.3 PPG which is only better than the Saints with a 2nd round rookie QB the Jets the Titans the Browns and the Raiders. We had many things swing our way this season we managed to win our division and clinch a playoff spot while losing 6 out of our last 8 games. We will not catch lightning in a bottle like that again. And our division is already improving. We're still waiting to see who the Falcons will hire and it's still possible the Bucs fire Bowles and upgrade. What Canales and Bryce brought to the table in 2025 is not going to result in 8 wins again don't be fooled.

As critical as I've been of Evero. The Panthers defense went from league worst giving up the most single season points in NFL history to middle of the pack. And we have significantly more resources including the highest salary cap % to the OL in the league tied up in the offense which finished 27th in total yards per game. The amount of smoke Evero is getting should be nothing compared to the heat Canales should be getting. Truthfully if we're trying to push one out the door we should be pushing both.

David Tepper who completely went out of his way to wax poetic to anyone that would listen about how generational of a talent Bryce Young was once upon a time is still very much reeling from the trade to #1 and everything that it cost compared to the returns. And you can bet your ass he's very sour seeing the combination of the #1 pick we traded and DJ Moore winning a playoff game in an NFL city that is anything but a breeze to be successful in. Add in the egg he has on his face from having both Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield on the roster and seeing them have success elsewhere and you get what you get now which is David Tepper hellbent on keeping the Bryce Young experiment going until the very bitter end.

I've never held Alex Smith in any kind of high regard at all. Wasn't honestly impressed with him even in KC. And that's why they moved on. Do you know where Bryce compares to all other QB's past and present in yards per attempt? Right now he sitting at 6 yards per attempt which has him sandwiched between Frank Tripucka at 5.9 yards per attempt (he played from 1949-1963) and Blaine Gabbert at 6.1 yards per attempt. This is where we are with Bryce Young where even being mediocre occasionally is more than enough for some people to say he's our starter for the next several years. There is no longer a standard with some of you. The rest of us are not on board with it. Is our goal here to win a Super Bowl or are we just happy to be here because we like our QB regardless of how mediocre or awful he might be on any given gameday?