Seltzer

So we won't be on Sunday night. Wonder if we get flexed to 4:25 though

Josh Norman? He's played for Wilks and is available. I do know it's real slim pickings this time of year for a CB

Same and same. I hate the fact that so many fans sell their tickets, which inevitably end up going to opposing fans. But it is a valid point about sucking for 5 years straight. My financial situation is better than some fans who really have to make harder decisions and I can't fault them, especially given how bad we have been. Why not make the money to finance your tickets in the future when the team might be good again? Even yesterday, the stadium was at least half Steelers fans, possibly much more (it's depressing to even speculate). Us Panthers fans did everything we could, but there really wasn't that much to cheer for. We got dominated in the trenches. It sucks every way possible, but only winning is going to change this.

I think it's going to be a great atmosphere even with all the Steelers fans. Hopefully the stadium will be full with people actually in the seats. The only game in the last 4+ years at BOA that has had a truly great atmosphere was Cam's return last year, and that was short-lived. This should be playoff level intensity, which is ironic for two 5-8 teams, but I think it could be. Also, if we win, that game against the Lions will be an intense one to close out the season at home.

As a long-timer, I want to bring this back. It's been a LONG time since this type of thread had any validity in December here other than draft positioning other so let's do this: 49ers (10-4) @ Seahawks (7-7): Niners won to win NFC West drop Seahawks back out of the wildcard standings. Good for Panthers who could potentially still claim a wildcard spot if we don't win the division since we own the tiebreaker over Seakawks, although odds are low and best path to playoffs is to still win division Colts (4-8-1) @ Vikings (10-3): Colts win would potentially help our draft position if we don't win division. Vikings will pretty much wrap up NFC North with victory. Ravens (9-4) @ Browns (5-8): Browns win would potentially help our draft position if we don't win division. Dolphins (8-5) @ Bills (10-3): No real implications from this game Chiefs (10-3) @ Texans (1-11-1): Probably no implications from this game since Texans have pretty much locked in #1 draft pick Steelers (5-8) @ Panthers (5-8): A win coupled with a Bucs loss would put us in 1st place in the NFC South this late in the year for the first time since 2015! What an insane season! Lions (6-7) @ Jets (7-6): Jets win would help the Panthers wildcard chances. Zach Wilson is starting with Mike White in concussion protocol Cowboys (10-3) @ Jaguars (5-8): Jaguars win would potentially help our draft position if we don't win division. Eagles (12-1) @ Bears (3-10): Bears win would keep Eagles from potentially finishing the season with only 1 loss, but little overall implications for Panthers Falcons (5-8) @ Saints (4-9): Wish both could lose. A Saints loss would probably eliminate them from division contention, but it would keep the Falcons hanging around. Regardless, one of them will lose which will help the Panthers. Patriots (7-6) @ Raiders (5-8): Raiders win would potentially help our draft position if we don't win division. Cardinals (4-9) @ Broncos (3-10): 2 awful teams playing out the string. I guess Cardinals since it could potentially help draft position if we don't win division but both will probably finish with a worse record and won't matter. Bengals (9-4) @ Buccaneers (6-7): Obviously the game with the most implications for the Panthers. A Bengals win would continue the Bucs decline and elevate the Panthers to the top of the NFC South with a Panthers win. Cowboys (10-3) @ Jaguars (5-8): Jaguars win would potentially help our draft position if we don't win division. Titans (7-6) @ Chargers (7-6): No real implications from this game Giants (7-5-1) @ Commanders (7-5-1): Biggest game in NFC this week in terms of wildcard positioning. Hard to know who is best to root for as a Panthers fan since both have equally hard schedule to finish the season. Maybe another tie for both would be best? Rams (4-9) @ Packers (5-8): Packers win would probably be best for Panthers in terms of draft if we don't win the division, but a Rams win would probably eliminate the Packers from any real chance at a wild card. I'm rooting for more misery for Aaron Rodgers, but I think it's much more likely that this is game Baker comes back to Earth. Anyway, it has been cathartic to do this post after being irrelevant for 4 straight seasons in December. A win on Sunday (especially combined with a Bucs loss) would put us in a spot we haven't been in since 2015, records be damned. #Keep Pounding and please show up Sunday at BOA if you can.

Everything is digital. Positive is you don't have to worry about fake tickets. Negative is Ticketmaster is going to get their cut no matter what.

I like Geno, especially as a WVU fan, and he is undoubtedly having a great year, but like many others have said, it seems obvious Pete Carroll and his offensive scheme have elevated him and not the other way around. If McAdoo somehow stays I guess it would be possible, but beyond the fact I think Seattle keeps him even if under the franchise tag, I think he would be Teddy 2.0 here. It is nice to see how respected Wilks is around the league. I don't ever remember opposing players telling Rhule something like that post-game.

I think that game will actually get some significant national attention, since we are 2 of the best underdog stories of the 2022 season. But, the only way to remain relevant is to keep winning...

I think a lot of the tank crowd never actually attends games. I have 2 boys that really just got old enough to start watching the Panthers in 2019. Obviously, we sucked most of 2019, couldn't attend games in 2020, and were absolutely wretched offensively at home last year. People complain about the environment at BOA and selling tickets to opposing fans, but then actively root for us to fail for some imagined future, all the while it destroys the engagement of the fanbase. It's absolute lunacy. I want my boys to witness BOA like it can be when we are relevant. Hosting a playoff game under any circumstance is awesome. Absolutely nothing is guaranteed for the future. After 4 seasons of utter failure, I want to live in the now and enjoy this with my boys. And I'm also old enough to remember all the naysayers complaining about winning the lowly NFC South in 2014 and how it was going to be a bad thing long term. In fact, it led to a SB appearance the next year. Now, without a QB like prime Cam, that might not be the case next year, but this current group would benefit greatly from the experience. CJ Stroud or Bryce Young aren't setting the league on fire next year. I'll eat my words if I'm wrong, but they have the absolute feel of a Jamies Winston/Marcus Mariota vibe to me. The NFC is as bad this year as any year I can ever, ever remember. Other than the Eagles, there is honestly not one team in the NFC I feel like we would not stand a chance against. So why not do this? No one would have imagined we could take down the Eagles in the 2003 playoffs either. In one game anything can happen. Regardless, this is so, so much better than the last 4 miserable ass seasons.

Imagine him and Horn... would honestly be the best CB duo in the league.

That is a man you want on the offensive line. Just within the bounds of crazy and violence that is acceptable. We better resign him and Foreman. This is a group that instills fear in defensive lineman. Could not love it more! Pure Authenticity... Keep Pounding!!

Exactly. And the fact that he has taken 2 of those to the house means defenses have to respect it. It does a lot to open up the run game and overall stress the defense. I don't expect him to be an exceptional receiver, but his role is important. And look at his PFF grades. Not that I put too much stock in those, but according to them he has played quite well. He is a great run blocker for a receiver too. For all the crap given to McAdoo (and much rightly so), him convincing Rhule and Fitterer to pick up Shenault was a good move.

Thought the same thing. Although I guess Wilks deserves credit for mixing it up and trying to get him some useful reps since we are paying him. It will never not be embarrassing that Rhule really sought him and Elflein out as priority free agents on day 1...

The Burns hate is both bizarre and yet somehow even moreso idiotic... I've been around since the carolinagrowl days, and this is honestly one of the worst threads I've seen in 18 years. Good lord man, even now and then just realize every stupid thought that goes into your skull doesn't warrant a nonsensical thread... There are a collection of "fans" who frequent here who don't seem to be able to cope unless everything is awful and they are capable of pulling everyone else into their misery. What a way to live... this is the greatest day for Panthers Nation since 2017 and people are still posting straight up BS like this...

I was thinking the exact same damn thing during that replay!

Laviska plays an underrated role on this team, especially in the run game. His motion and ability to take what is basically an extended handoff really puts a lot of pressure on everyone on the defense tackling. I think he is actually the perfect WR3 for this current offense.

Problem is many, many tickets were sold before this week to Steelers fans. Even in a really good year, there are probably at least 35-40% Steelers fans. I'm just hoping it's no more than 50/50 and we win another home game.

I honestly think you're overestimating how revelant the Panthers are. Casual fans don't even knew how he played here since he wasn't on any national games (PJ started TNF). Browns fans that still follow him have to be equally embarrassed bc he is still way more associated with them than us. I think for the most part we are so irrelevant that we can't even be a laughingstock right now. For the most part, no one cares Maybe that's worse...

I do think tonight has to be an indictment on McAdoo which ultimately goes back to Matt Rhule. McAdoo better call the game of his life Sunday. That being said, good for Baker. He made some incredible throws, especially on that last drive. He didn't make those throws here. And no one besides the Rams put in a waiver claim. None of the playoff teams, especially San Fran looked at his film this year (or last year) and thought he'd be an upgrade. I think tonight will still prove to be more anomaly than not, but it doesn't diminish how incredible it was, and it definitely puts him from being on the fringes of the league to absolutely being securely on a team next season and beyond.

The fact that $25M for a QB is a bargain still seems insane, but you are 100% correct in terms of market value.

This. If the Lions were in the first stages of a rebuild, I think they would draft a rookie and just let them start right away. The Lions have playoff aspirations next year, so they are not going to go all-in on a rookie with no backup plan. The only team I see drafting a rookie QB that they 100% plan to start immediately is the Texans. We should follow the same plan as Detroit. These last 5 games IMO are an evaluation on whether we try to resign Sam or PJ to pair with Matt Corral and whoever we draft at QB going into next year. This roster likewise is too good to completely trust it to a rookie QB until they are ready IMO. And I trust Sam or PJ to be a good backup and mentor if that's required. Even with the uncertainty at QB and potentially HC, I still feel so much better about the direction of this team now than at any point under Rhule. We are finally starting to develop an identity again of being a hard-nosed football team and winning in the trenches. That's not something you can fake with "The Brand," "DBO," or "OOU." It's so embarrassing in retrospect that we had a NFL coach resort to those type of tactics and honestly think they would be a rallying cry for grown men...

Jordan Gross is a good comp, although I think Icky can be more dominant in the run game. That's not a slight on Jordan Gross, just that Icky can be an elite LT in both pass protection & run blocking. Gross was elite in pass protection and average to above average in run blocking (him and Travelle Wharton were great together). The fact we can even make that comp is welcome news after floundering for almost a decade to replace Gross. It's hard not to think what could have been with Cam & Luke had we been able to have even an adequate Oline for their careers here. I feel like at least one SB win. Oh well, all we can do is look to the future, and for the first time in many, many years, the offensive line is becoming a strength and not a liability.

Between that, the mishandling of Christensen last year, and the non-development of a guy like TMJ that can be our legit WR2 all are searing indictments of his lack of coaching acumen and talent. TMJ to me could absolutely be Moose 2.0. The fact that he was languishing behind Robbie and Shi (and arguably even Higgins) is coaching malpractice. That being said, the fact the we have Icky and Moton as bookend tackles, along with a solid interior with Christensen, Bozeman, and Corbett, means more than any one accolade. Although Icky is worthy IMO of winning OROY. This team really is a competent QB away from opening a window for contention. It's not unreasonable to say the Panthers have arguably both the best offensive and defensive lines in the NFC South. That is huge going forward over the next few years.

This 100%. Other than finding a franchise QB, finding a premier Edge rusher is the next hardest thing to do. Brian Burns is 24. His value most certainly is not going down anytime soon. The people who thought we "had to trade him for picks" simply don't understand current NFL roster construction and positional importance. I can understand both sides of an argument I'm most situations, but I genuinely don't think there's any compelling reason not to. Like you said, there are zero parallels here to the CMC situation. Complete apples to oranges. The Rams were throwing out an offer to see if they had a sucker on the other line with the early season chaos. If you aren't going to pay Burns, you are sending a clear message to the locker room you're not serious about trying to win. He literally is the best pass rusher we've had since Peppers. Maybe it's the fantasy football ideation that has taken over a lot of fans, but real NFL footall is not Madden or any other video game/ fantasy iteration. The odds are extremely low even with 2 first rounders you will find equivalent value to a Top 10 Edge Rusher. It's a fool's bet unless there are other compelling reasons (i.e. salary cap constraints), but even then they have to be severe to make any sense whatsoever. Bottom line, there is no reason not to do the extension now, and a whole bunch of reasons to do it.

As someone who has sat in the upper deck for the past 16 years, I appreciate it. A couple of years back you couldn't here jack in the 500s from the PA system So I'm betting for everyone complaining in the lower level, there was someone from the upper level complaining they couldn't hear anything