poundaway

I didn't say you were wrong, I was just filling in the picture. I'm sure you weren't trying to create the impression that our defense was mediocre. We weren't just top ten in yards, we were 2nd in yards allowed, we were 3rd in yards allowed per play, we were 4th in first downs allowed, we were 4th in passes allowed, 4th in passing yards allowed, and 2nd in passing first downs allowed. Even in rushing, we were 8th in yards allowed per attempt. We weren't just top ten in several categories, were top 5, not just yards. Hurney did draft a lot of the D. Hurney also created a situation where we had to fill the D with rookies in 2020. Rhule drove off Hurney, maybe his only long term contribution to the Panthers. That D improved dramatically in 2021 and in many defensive measurements, it wasn't top ten, it was top 5. If we didn't have Darnold, an injured CMC , dropsies Chubba/Anderson, a horrible OL made worse by injuries, and Joe "I can't tie my shoes without mouthing about the bunny" Brady, the D wouldn't have had one of the worst average starting field positions in the league and spend the entire game on the field.... and then the D would have been top ten in points as well.

It depends on how well he picks up the O and how to read NFL D's and how well the OL is gelling. If he outshines Sam in practice, and the OL gells, its time to flip the switch, yes even if it's game one.

For some reason Tepper likes Rhule but I doubt it's just Snow. He gave Rhule credit for hiring the new coaches, who many of us think are a step up from last year. Tepper blamed last years debacle on injuries, which definitely played a part. There is a HUGE drop-off from CMC to Chubba, its like night and day. We lost Horn and as a ripple Dan Arnold who wasn't anything spectacular, but the next in line was Ian Thomas and a rookie. The OL, as bad as it was, was decimated with injuries to become worse than bad. Remember, it was Snow's idea to bring in Darnold.

We were second in total yards allowed, yes, even at the end of the year and without Horn. It isn't the perfect measurement, but it is an important one. Field position matters. The defense was on the field substantially more than the O because the O would have a 3 and out, int or fumble, and still we were second in yards allowed. We were 4th in 1st downs allowed. Yes, total points is the only measure that matters but it doesn't tell the full story. None of them do. Say what you want, but when you look at the TOTAL DISASTER RR and Hurney left behind, it is a radical improvement to the year before where we were nearly 4 games without forcing a punt and were in the bottom half or 3rd in most categories.

Yeah. Rappaport giving all the excuses for why he dumped on Corral during draft night...my producer made me do it. Whatever. You did your job, don't apologize, we know the press likes to make a story. If we had a 2nd, we would have picked him with the second, hands down. Is Corral a better player now that he's drafted in the 2nd. No. In the end, the only way to grade a player is by how he plays after he's drafted. I look forward to watching that.

So Rhule didn't sit down with Sam until midseason, but he's a micromanager? Sometimes the reports we get just don't add up.

2020 was a disaster. As they said in the cast, we were one of the worst 3rd down defenses in NFL HISTORY, not just that year. To take that , and the following year be 2nd in yards and probably top half over all, is definitely improvement. On the flip side, we drafted all D in 2020 and we played them. We drafted 1st round D again in 21. So the rookies were going to grow and Horn, Gilmore, CJ were icing. Rhule help choose those player and played a role in developing those players, so he gets some credit. Rhule still fncked up the QB, OL and coaching positions in 20 and 21.... so that's on him.

On DE I was really concerned about the Reddick loss until I looked at Gross-Matos's numbers. If YGM can continue his production with an increase in game time from 350 snaps to 850 snaps, his sack and TFL #s per snap are very similar to Burns. His tackle numbers actually look better than Burns, but his QBHIts are about half. I thought the LB FA's looked about the same as what we had last year, maybe a modest improvement. Why do you think LB is going to strong?

Don't see how we're #1, but I did feel it was a good draft with the situation we were in.

Seriously still with the Joe Brady shlt?

This.

I'll go to the preseason, because I think they will let Corral play, I'm not buying tickets during regular season until Sam is on the bench. Sam actually made me miss Teddy.

Of course he did, he'd been butting heads with Brady all season. Brady was the greenest college coach we had and was CLEARLY in over his head. Firing Brady was correcting a mistake that should have never been made. I am glad he is gone and we are better off for it. Was Rhule wrong hiring Brady? Yes. Was Rhule wrong firing Brady? HELL NO. CRA hates Rhule SO much, that when Rhule fires the idiot, all he cares about is Brady's career and how the poor guy got scapegoated, when the reality is, Brady shouldn't have been here to begin with. CRA is just a hater.

I think the whole thing is hard to gauge. Did MIke Davis improve or did he get a chance to see the field more? Did Curtis Samuel improve or did he just stay healthy? Did Donte improve or was it just a contract year? Teddy's improvement was marginal anyway and he looked just as good in Denver. Samuel's production declined when he left as did Davis. Shaq probably improved from a system that fit his strengths. I think the biggest data point is all the Baylor/Temple kids that Rhule got to the NFL who were not 5 star recruits. As they said in the cast, development isn't as important in NFL level anyway, cause your getting that last 2% improvement to give you the edge. We are stuck with Rhule for the foreseeable future, I'm trying to give him an even shake so that I can at least justify the situation in my mind. I like what I see in the offseason this year. I liked the improvement in the D last year. If Macadoo, the OL, and Corral pan out, we could be happy fans.

It is true that it looked like Teddy had to throw his entire body into a deep throw, and its also true that he refused to throw it, even with the game on the line. I also believed Darnold had a more accurate deep ball, but the actual study on the subject says otherwise. Teddy threw it less often, but when he did, it was slightly more accurate. https://brickwallblitz.com/2021/02/16/the-2020-21-deep-ball-project-part-1-3/

I'm anxious to see Woods in the pros.

Where was Smooth this cast? I like him.

You have NO problem firing Brady? After all that? Seriously?

No surprise there. Yeah, theres a bunch of nuggets like that in most of their podcasts.

In the end dude, its all on Rhule....and there is a LOT of screw-ups that are on Rhule. Which is why when he makes the right decision, like firing Joe Brady, I defend the decision. You bitch about him being a college coach lacking NFL experience, but when he fires the GREENEST of the college coaches on the staff, you write post after post after post about poor Joe Brady.

We were having fake NFL practices? Well there's the problem. Someone should tell Rhule to stop doing the fake ones. When you take him for the beer you were talking about, be sure to bring it up.

Yes he should have had this staff day one. He fncked up, and corrected it. Brady was part of the fnckup.

I think Macadoo has. I think Campen has.

I'm confused. I thought he micromanaged everything. Which is it?

Uh huh. Being part of organization that does something and being able to organize that same function are two different things. But I can see where a Joe Brady lover couldn't see the difference. You just can not let Joe Brady go. Sorry for your loss. It will be ok. It really will. He'll be ok.