frankw

I struggle to wrap my mind around this. Like you suffer through years of the Jets just to finally jump ship and follow....Sam Darnold? Damn.

Well technically the Hornets did get the first pick but it was in a different city and the team was owned by the league at the time. Nothing shady there at all.

My thoughts about a behind closed doors draft lottery aside we are more than due. Charlotte should have had a top overall selection by now so the least the league can do is throw us another top 5 pick.

Few here are actually going to agree on Sam Darnold. The information is there for any fans to form their own conclusions. Much of the conversation the past month has revolved around which narratives will make Darnold's past appear less bleak. He has the opportunity to prove any doubters wrong. I hope he does.

The Dolphins were a bad football team and Tannehill had struggles that contributed. Who is saying otherwise? But he wasn't trash and he had some much needed intangibles already there and in the right situation he has done quite well for himself. You can't seem to decide whether you want him to look good or bad based on whichever argument you are making on behalf of Sam Darnold. In that case don't look at who is sitting at the bottom of the list in that link I sent in the previous post

My apologies yes some will call it passer rating. QBR is the metric that supposedly encompasses all the variables but it is again anything but settled information and has only been around the last ten years. https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/player-stat/qb-rating-nfl

QB rating and QBR aren't the same. This is actually something Panthers fans have a history with as it has been a contentious source of information back to the Cam days. We can argue over whether Tannehill was average or below average but I would not say he was terrible in the couple of seasons before he came to Tennessee. He peaked with the right staff and the right surrounding talent. I understand the desire to make him look worse to fit the narrative but I just cannot agree that he made a jump from abysmal to one of the best because he had some of the basics there already. He only played on 11 games in his final season with Miami btw.

The comps with Ryan Tannehill do have merit in a circumstance sense but he was a competent starter before he thrived in Tennessee though. It wasn't his decision making that was in question. His qb rating the last 6 seasons has never dipped below 88 and has been as high as 117. He took the leap from average to borderline elite with the help of a quality roster and the biggest running back in the league. The difference is they have a line to protect him while Carolina has a void at Sam's blindside until proven otherwise. Teams like Tampa will be chomping at the bit to put that to the test.

I was referring to his onfield performance. He can dazzle one play and baffle the next. We obviously know he is a bust as a top overall draft selection. I don't think anyone here is under any illusions that Jameis is likely to suddenly turn his career around. However his decision making struggles going back to college are not as far off from our own starter as some think. We hope Sam can turn the corner but like Winston the odds are stacked against him. His youth is the biggest plus in our favor rn.

If the Panthers had a fully intact offensive line in place I could understand not placing a priority on 2nd string quarterback. But with left tackle once again up in the air and all the offensive weapons we have now it just seems like throwing in the towel. An additional layer to all that is the 17 game season and unknowns about covid in the fall. That's a lot of variables that could spell unfavorable circumstances for many teams.

Jameis Winston as an nfl quarterback is the definition of boom or bust but the guy can throw. Folks mean well but they're on that hopium and don't want to see. The same staff out here building them up also told them Teddy was the answer. The league did us a solid with the opener this year so we won't have to wait long at least.

Are you referring specifically to Panthers local reporters or league wide? There are some really good sports journalists out there but they don't cover this team anymore sadly. As to your remarks about the questions they are asking I will agree that some are just looking to stir the pot or create clicks. Again that is a general issue with media now but in truth who do we have to blame? Social media very clearly thrives on negative information and in kind that is what media outlets produce. That is what keeps people coming back. But in regards to asking questions that would be perceived as tough or controversial that depends on the viewer. Some fans want fluff and all sunshine and rainbows while others take better to a more balanced experience with their team. If someone is the former their best bet is to stick to the teams official social media pages.

I guess thoughts and prayers is the left tackle approach for 2021. Good luck Sam.

Well whatever route they go it needs to be sorted soon. There will be an adjustment period with line changes. The optimist in me says we have the talent to achieve this in time but the pessimist in me is reminded of years of line shuffles that resulted in shall we say less than desirable results. We'll see.

Getting a musical chairs vibe with that left spot.

All valid. The social media team is definitely making an effort to control the narrative coming out of camp. I got no problem with it but maybe I'm just nostalgic for the old days of camp updates on the huddle.

For the offseason this is true. But it's not as if Carolina has had a consistent offense the last few years either. The Panthers have struggled to keep up with their divisional foes and it has shown in a putrid record. The left tackle spot still being up in the air ten years on doesn't help either. It should be of little surprise there will be a degree of skepticism in camp and elsewhere until we see some real progress in the regular season.

What is the strict filming limitations for the media about? I hope it isn't because the team is wanting to release more of their own social media content. I get it but I could live without some of the overdone fluff they have been putting out.

Well he has a history of throwing a decent number of interceptions no matter how much homers want to erase his past. The question isn't will he throw more but how much he can limit them in a new offense with the weapons and protection we have provided. Personally I'm more interested to see how he responds to the turnovers. If he can bounce back quickly that's what really matters.

Honestly only the huddle and Panthers fans still hold this burning ire for Rivera. Kuechly doesn't strike me as the type to stay on an extended vacation and that attachment to the sport doesn't just fade for guys like him. If he does take on a role with another franchise like wft I could only consider it a loss for the Panthers in the short term as they seek to establish a winning culture again with one of the youngest rosters in the league.

Isn't that what we thought last year when Tom was throwing pick sixes early in the season? Next thing we know he's tossing the trophy to Gronk on a boat in Tampa. I wouldn't count on a quick demise for the Bucs. They still have a loaded roster. The Saints and Falcons may be a different story but Atlanta has a new coach now so that's unpredictable. @LinvilleGorge can you nix my extra post? Thanks.

Slow Sunday huh? The Panthers would have to play much better in the division for this to even be a thought. Brees and Julio exiting is a plus but if we want to win the South we need team leaders to assert themselves in a big way. I am optimistic about Darnold and our receiver core but I have a hard time believing his decision making takes a big enough leap for a postseason run.

After last years two yards and a cloud of dust passing attack with the game on the line I can appreciate what 89 brought to the football field even more. People can have their opinions about him on a personal level but you cannot deny he made just about any game he was in worth watching. I have tried not to dwell but I can't help but think he could have made a difference in 50. I just don't see the team going out like that and allowing the defense to try to take out our qb without going down swinging literally and figuratively with Steve in the game. All we have are highlights and memories now. Ohwell.