LinvilleGorge

After so many years of being utter garbage I'm concerned that the organization is going to get distracted by the relative W-L success this year compared to recent years and overlook all the circumstances that led to that record. We very easily could've been a 5-12/6-11 type team. I don't want to be too doom and gloom on that. I mean, Bryce was improved. Was he good? No. He's still a lower level NFL starting QB and he had some games where he looked absolutely abysmal. I still don't think he's our long-term answer and I hope to see signs this off-season that the Panthers realize that. Was the defense improved? Yeah. I mean, they were historically bad last year and improved to lower middle of the pack this year. That's a significant improvement. But we can't ignore that Evero loses his balls in critical situations and goes absolutely Charmin soft. That's why we're bad on 3rd and long. That's why we're bad in key late game situations.

"Compete" with the current version of Andy Dalton? Good grief. We're obviously aiming high. LOL

Won 9 and 10 games with Kenny fuging Pickett. 10 games with the ghosts of Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers.

The sad thing is that Tua and Murray peaked a lot higher than Bryce. Those teams are warnings for not paying mediocre starters like franchise QBs but they're not equivalents to our situation. Those guys were significantly better than Bryce is now when they got paid.

But if you're looking at pure backup role offers like those guys will be, it's a decent opportunity. I mean, Bryce has faltered before to the point that he got benched. He started out awfully again this season and if we'd had a decent backup I'm not sure he would've gotten back on the field.

Surely we will. I don't think Willis will be on that list though. I think he's going to be looking for an opportunity to definitely compete for a starting job. Signing here, I don't think you're competing for a starting job through camp and preseason. I think you're relying on Bryce faltering again which is very possible but I think Willis is going to be looking for an opportunity to legitimately compete in camp and I don't think that's happening here. Howell, Lance, Minshew, I'll also add Mariota... I think those types of guys are legit options.

Okay, that sounds a little better than I expected. That was basically a non-answer. Listen, if you're considering handing out a franchise QB contract that's not something you're casually talking through. That's top of mind, first thing on the docket stuff.

Terrifying.

Understandable. Buys us time. 5th year option? All things considered I'm fine with it. A long-term franchise QB contract talks need to be completely off the table though.

Maybe if they agree to pay him out. Other than that you're gonna have to fire me and pay me out. I'm not walking away from two years of pay to save face from getting fired. fug you, pay me. Everyone gets fired in this business.

It would be wild if both Harbaugh and Tomlin got fired. It would be even wilder if they just swapped seats.

Calm down. The Steelers' offense was barely better than ours this year. Their next opponent had one of the best offenses in football this year. The AFC North was just as bad as the NFC South this year.

This Texans D is insane. An 11 point lead in this game feels like 30.

Stroud needed that. Respect to the Texans continuing to run their base offense but they're playing with fire. I guess they just realize that if they can't get Stroud right they don't have a realistic shot at the SB so they're just gonna keep trying to let him fix it on the fly.

Oof. That was scary. Collins basically just swan dove into the turf at full speed. He might be in the protocol after that one.