tukafan21

The one thing I liked? My team getting a win against a team that would be embarrassing to lose to The one thing I didn't? EVERYTHING else (losing CMC and Horn by itself eliminates any possibility of me actually being happy tonight, sorry)

(Like I said, kinda drunk and just started typing.... so it is, what it is, lol)

Okay, so I'll start this off by saying I'm a tad bit drunk, so who knows how well this will be received on here, but let's go, LOL........... I'll start this off by saying that I've always been someone who has no problem rooting for the best interests of the Panthers for the LONG term unless the immediate short term realistic goal of the team would be a Super Bowl win. The NFL is the only sport that one bad season and landing the right draft picks can 100% change a franchise's future (see Cam Newton), and it's not even close, particularly since there is no lottery like the NBA, you get the pick you get based on how your season goes, and every draft position has dramatic differences. Next, I'll say that I've NEVER been more depressed after a win or undefeated start by one of my teams (non NFL teams included in that, but the Panthers are my one and only NFL team). To me, there are only 3 things to root for as an NFL fan, and really there isn't anything else..... 1. Winning a Super Bowl 2. Getting the highest possible draft pick in each round 3. Gaining valuable experience for a young up and coming team who has SB potential within 3 years into the future Coming into this season, and even coming into week 3, I never thought #1 was even remotely possible, sorry, love my Panthers, but we weren't winning a SB this year, just wasn't happening. So I was of course shooting for #3, this wasn't a season I wanted us to lose close games to get a better pick, I saw the future, the team that Rhule is building, and knew that winning close games, sneaking into the playoffs, and even losing in the first round would be what was best for this franchise for the future. We have significant young building blocks in place who need that experience of playing in key games and how to manage it. But wow.... after tonight, I'm at a complete loss for the immediate future of this squad this season. Let's start with the best player on the team, CMC going down for any amount of time is killer for this team. He's the best non-QB player in the league in my very honest opinion and him just being on the field itself makes all 10 other players significantly better. Losing him is beyond painful, but as discussed in another thread, it COULD be what is best for Darnold in relation to what he is to our future as we're about to see what the kid is really made of. So no, I wouldn't want CMC to be out, but part of me sees how it could be great for Darnold's growth. But at the same time, losing CMC and that outlet could let defenses focus on Darnold, and if they do that and figure him out, he could struggle and turn into the Jets Darnold and his Panthers career could crash and burn. And after last season, I'm torn on even not rushing CMC back... hamstrings can linger, even if he's ready in 2 weeks, I'm hesitant of brining him back after 4 weeks right now and risk any further injury in a non SB aspiration season. So a very real part of me says to IR him and sit him for 6 weeks minimum, regardless of how healthy he is at any point during that time. If he's ready at that point, okay play him, if he needs one more week after that, shut him down for the seasons and let him come back strong next year. I'm sure that in itself will be very polarizing on here, but I think on a SB contender, a healthy CMC for a full season is the difference between winning a SB and losing in the conference playoffs and I have zero issue sitting him to keep that potential alive, he's that much of a difference maker, ON A LEGIT CONTENDER, serious difference there between that and just a "good team" Then let's get to the defense...... The combo of Burns/Reddick are our best players, they're terrors on the edge so far and completely change the game. Chinn might be our most valuable defender given the various things he can do on any given play and the versatility he brings. But Horn.... man... Horn in my again very honest opinion was out most indispensable defender, even in just his 3rd game of his career. Pass rush can be schemed up and figured out with lesser players, same goes with versatile safeties. But lockdown corners, to me, are the most valuable player a defense can have because it eliminates an entire side of the field and quite possibly takes out the opposing teams best weapon in 90% of games. Before the draft this year I told all my friends that I wanted an OT, CB, or trade everything to get a top QB, as I thought OT and CB are really the two most key positions that are the hardest to fill with elite players, outside of QB. So to lose both Horn, potentially for the season, and CMC for any amount of time, in the same game, and in just week 3 of a promising yet not SB contending season, completely screws up my feelings/desires/wants/etc coming into the season. As now I don't think we're going to be SB contenders to begin with, and I am now also torn on if this is the type of team that will benefit from being in the close games that help a team grow or be bad enough to get a top 10-13 pick in each round. For example, the 13th pick in this years draft was a LEGIT franchise LT, but the 16-20 picks in the draft look to be solid to above average players at random positions... getting a top dozen or so pick in the draft compared to just below that can be a SIGNIFICANT difference in quality of player. So yea, after all that, I'm not even sure where I'm trying to go with this other than saying this is the most conflicting feeling I've ever had after a win before. To get win and move to 3-0, albeit against 2 rookie QB's with rookie coaches and a third against freaking Jameis Winston with no coaching staff and half missing starters, is an awesome feeling, but man, I still just have no idea how to feel about this team and we possibly just lost our most impactful player on each side of the ball, just awesome......................

Ironically, I actually think you're very wrong, but agree with the sentiment you're trying to portray, LOL. I think not having CMC makes it easier to GAMEPLAN against us, however it makes it significantly easier to EXECUTE against us. As the person you're quoting was trying to say, game planning against us is rather easy with CMC in the lineup, as all your prep work is about defending him. Now actually doing it, and doing it effectively isn't easy at all. But now that we don't have him, there really isn't an obvious way to gameplay against our offense, yes there is trying to take away DJ, but that's not the same as CMC. So yes, I get what you're saying, in essence, you're correct, however in actuality, it actually might be "harder" for a DC to gameplan against us now because there are now 25-30 touches a game that you honestly don't know where they're going to go in our offense. Before, you could guarantee CMC was touching it that many times, so it made it "easier" for the defense to gameplay against it, because you know what you go after. Granted, yo couldn't actually defend it o the field, but at least it made it easier in terms of what you wanted to gameplay against, if that makes sense haha. So yes, the post you were quoting was TECHINCALLY correct in a way, it also was very wrong, just depends on how you read/interpret it lol.

Creepy, I was about to start a thread with this exact phrase in the title. As I said in the Horn thread, this isn't a SB team yet, so ironically, losing CMC for a little bit might be the best thing that could happen to this franchise. I entered this year with literally, one and only one goal... to go into the offseason knowing if we want Darnold to be our franchise QB moving forward. Yes, CMC in the game can certainly make him a better player of course, but there is no better way to know what he's got than to see him have to operate without CMC back there. So yes, for the greater good of this franchise's future, I think playing the next month (or more) without CMC will actually be the best thing that could happen to us long term. As I think if we leave this season thinking Darnold is our QB of the future, we'll be able to lock him up for 4-6 years at 20-25 million a year, which is going to be an ABSOLUTE BARGAIN in a year or two when bottom half of the league QB's are making near 30 million a year once the new TV contracts kick in. This team in 2 years, with a bargain price QB could be SCARY dangerous with guys in their prime like DJ, Burns, Chinn, Brown, Horn, and hopefully a healthy CMC.

The severity doesn't matter if it's actually a broken foot... if he broke his foot, it's at minimum a 4 week injury, and even that would be quick. But let's say he was completely out for 4 more weeks, that means a week 8 return to practice and probably a week 9 return to games. Is it really worth rushing back a guy with his potential to play in 7 more games when we're not going to be serious SB contenders, while risking further injury? If he breaks his foot twice in one year because he was rushed back, forget his top 5 CB potential, we're looking at a middling CB at best. I've always been someone who is able to look at the greater and long term good than short term below average wins. Had no problem rooting for us to lose in 2010, a losing season to get a difference maker is totally worth it in my opinion (and should be in any REAL fans minds). If this team was a legit SB contender it would be different, but even with Horn fully healthy, we're just not there yet. It's no knock on this team, they're great, but just very young and there are teams ahead of them for SB contention. So I'm fine just letting him heal up, worst case scenario not having him out there costs us a game or two and helps us in draft positioning in the end.

IR him with no option of return... I don't care if it's a 4 week or a 10+ week injury... this isn't a SB contending team yet and this kid looks like he has legit top 5 CB potential in this league. If we were actual SB contenders, then sure, do what we can to get him back this year, but we're not, so let him heal up 1,000% and come back next year, don't risk his future as he has super high end potential. IR him and it's like we get 2 first rounders to the team next year. Today was the most depressing loss I can remember experiencing.

We might be the worst 2-0 team, it's a battle between us the Broncos, and Raiders, and I think all 3 are about even, not an insult to any of them, but none of them (or us) are to the level of the Bucs, Rams or 49ers right now. Look, I love what we've done so far, Darnold looks solid, CMC is the best RB in the game and showing it, and the defense looks like a definite top 10 unit. But none of that changes how young and unproven we are, having beat a terrible Jets team and a Saints squad missing half a dozen starters, a bunch of backups, and almost their entire offensive coaching staff, who have also been living on the road for the better part of the last month. I was optimistic coming into the season, and it's grown since then, but you still need to keep things in perspective, despite even the expected 3-0 start to the season, making the playoffs will still be questionable and even if we just miss out, it won't be a disappointment of a season as this team looks to be growing under Rhule. I have high hopes for the next few years, but this isn't our year, we're not there yet.

not to be the wet blanket, but has anyone ever watched this segment before? They do ABSURD predictions, I'd be willing to be that not a single one of them from this segment has ever been correct, literally. As in Mooch, ALWAYS predicts some Kurt Warner record to fall, basically all he ever predicts, they're not serious predictions.

Not gonna lie, after he got his INT and as he was going to celebrate, saw him toss the ball away... my first reaction was, "how can you toss away your first INT which will be a ball that has the Saints logo on it, the team your dad played for, such a perfect ball to have on your mantle in the man cave the rest of your life" Was glad to see one of the photographers noticed this too and picked the ball up to hand back to him.

Not kicking it thru the back of the end zone very well could be a strategy the coaches have implemented. Kicking it thru the end zone helps keep your special-teamers healthy, but with touchbacks now being to the 25, a lot of teams ask their kicker to try and have it land right on the goal line so they're forced to return it and start short of the 25 in most instances. Whether we cover the kick well enough to keep them short of the 25 is another question, but I wouldn't necessarily say he couldn't do it, it might have been asked of him.

I thought the offense looked good in the first half, so maybe we can chalk it up to their halftime adjustments, particularly as their HC was an elite level DC for years.

If you don't live in NC, you've only got 2 options if you don't have DTV..... Stream it at home, or watch it at a bar. Prior to 2020, I had no issue spending the afternoon at BWW to watch games, but I'm still not ready to sit in a bar for 3+ hours to watch the game, so streaming at home is the only option to watch the game. Also... I don't watch on my computer, I plug my laptop into my projector and have it projected onto my wall at the equivalent of a 140" screen, not too shabby of a way to watch the game.

Anyone have some good suggestions for sites to find streams of the game here for week 1? Can't wait for there to be a standalone option since I've never had DTV, definitely will order it on whichever site has it, but for now still need to find those streams unfortunately.

Honestly, would they even be able to sue them? Nobody is forcing them to get the vaccine, even if there is a mandate, they don't HAVE to take it, they just can't be employed by an NFL team. That's still the player's choice in the end to take the vaccine or not, so not sure they would have any legal grounds to sue the NFL. If you could sue over a vaccine mandate, I'm guessing you wouldn't have any schools or employers instituting a mandate as it would be too much of a legal liability.

Not deserving of first ballot, but I also have a higher standard for first ballot than most, I think they should be reserved for the a very few upper elite of even HOF standard, such as a Peyton or Woodson this year. Love me some Smitty as much as anyone else here, but he's not on the level as someone like those two. I don't think Calvin should have even sniffed a first ballot, great career, but it was shorter than most HOF careers and he did it in an offense and a QB that just chucked it downfield all game long, no kidding he was able to put up stats. I was unsure of Smitty ever getting in when he retired, just cause of the log jam of WRs still out there, but a lot have been getting in finally since he retired, and as someone else noted, him being on the NFL Network has been huge, particularly since he's entertaining to watch. He'll likely get in somewhere in his 2nd to 5th year of eligibility, which I think is fair for someone who had the career he did, if he won a ring I think he'd push for a first ballot.

The only numbers we should have retired right now with no questions asked is 89 and 90. While I understand that you can't retire all numbers, and we're still a young franchise, those two players represent the next level of greatness, it's hard to enter into the NFL after 40 years and be competitive in less than 10 years as a franchise, those two are the reason why, no if's, and's, or but's about it, retire both of those numbers yesterday. I'd put 59 VERY close to being a lock to be retired, probably like 90% currently and after he ends up a first ballot HOFer I'd put it in that same category. If it were up to me, 51 wouldn't even be retired... as much as Sam means to this franchise, it's not really because of what he did as a player, it was when he was a coach. We've completely adopted "Keep Pounding" so much that it's stitched in our jersey's and is a set in stone motto of this team forever, to me, that's more than enough respect for what Mills meant to this franchise, more than retiring a jersey ever could mean. I'm guessing most football fans couldn't tell you he even played for us, let alone what number he wore, but I'll bet many of them who have no idea about those things, still know the Panthers motto is "Keep Pounding." Then it comes down to #1... while I wouldn't retire it right now, I still wouldn't allow anyone else to wear it, and then when Cam retires and ends up back in the Panther family, just like Smitty did, that's when it gets retired. Those are the players that built this franchise, anyone after them is going to take something truly special to break into the retired number status, as most franchises have less than 10 retired numbers, and they've been around 2-3x as long as we have. And yes, that even includes guys like CMC, he's been great so far, but he'll still need to make a Luke-esque impact, if not greater, to get to that level. And to be honest, if he changes to 5 from 22, he has to start from scratch, nothing he accomplished in 22 counts towards getting either number retired, love the guy, but he's not Kobe. Beyond that, I see no current players even in the discussion to get on that path, love me some Chinn, Burns, and DJ, but it's FAR too early to even consider putting them in the discussion of even being on the path to jersey retirement.

My favorite part is that these guys are sure to be caught thanks to the cameras. In a time where EVERYONE has a facemask right now, why you'd break into a multi million dollar home and NOT put on a mask before doing so, is just so dumb, you have to assume/know that the house likely has cameras.

Great to hear the little guy came thru the surgery well, here's to a speedy and full recovery so the entire Olsen clan can hopefully pound the drum before week 1, that would be one hell of a sight to see.

Honestly, I'd prefer we have no legitimate backup QB. This team is not built to be competitive with a backup QB, if Darnold sucks and/or gets hurt, I'd rather we have a scrub in at QB who will cost us games and thus drive up our draft pick for next year to either draft a stud QB, or if Darnold is good and just misses some time due to injury, it gives us high picks each round to continue building out the roster

Man this is some bittersweet news, awesome for the Olsen family, but as you said, as awesome as that is, it’s equally sad knowing it means another family just lost a young child.

I don't mean this to come off wrong, but I'm honestly not educated on this kind of stuff and I'm curious, but... Is this a good or a bad sign? Is it good that he's on the list or is it bad in the sense that it means the situation is more urgent and dire for the little guy now and that's the only reason he was just put on the list? Or maybe it's a bit of both? Either way, my thoughts and prayers are with the Olsen family, nothing but an absolute class act from day 1 and will forever be among the all time great Panthers. Keep Pounding TJ!

While I wouldn't be upset if we traded I'm if we got something really good in return, but while I don't really expect/want him to be back next year, I still want him around this year. I think it would be good to have Marshall as the #3 this year to learn and not have as much pressure on him. Then after this year, if Robbie just loved Rhule so much that he's wiling to stick around on like a 7-10 million a year deal, then I'd love to have him stay. But if he's going to want 10-15 that he likely could get if he puts up another 1,000 yard season, then we just have to let him walk as the money is better used elsewhere. And I'm not so sure I even want to get a comp pick for him, I'd love it if we were active in Free Agency next year and brought in a difference maker or two, who would cancel out any Robby comp pick.

It will be Dallas since the league can force them to do it, short of someone else major, like KC or TB, deciding they want to do it, nobody will bring in bigger ratings than Dallas, so the league is likely to go that route.

If CMC wants to change his number, Tepper should just cover the cost, it likely would net him more money on the backend when they sell even more CMC jerseys due to the new number