MHS831

He is a beast.

You have to think of it this way: What can we get in free agency? What can we NOT get in free agency?

Luvu played well in his absence, but I think a lot of this will be his decision--why would he want to stay?

If they think BC can play LT--and there are no signs that is the case--they will go after guards in free agency. If so, the Panthers-picking around #6, will have no choice but to take a QB. Personally, I would like to know what BC can do as a LG and then draft the LT--but there are no answers (right now) at QB. Do the Panthers bring in another pricey free agent (Bridgewater, Darnold, Newton) who can't play or do they gamble on a rookie? I think you build the line, but Darnold is done, Newton is probably gone, and we have nothing on the pine.

I think a lot has to do with Christensen's game vs. Tampa Bay. If he has another solid outing, they will probably pencil him in as the 2022 starter. Elflein will be on year 2 of the 3 year deal (thanks Fitterer) and he has been serviceable as the C and would be better with better guards beside him. If BC plays well Sunday, we could be in the free agent market for a pair of guards. If we do not address QB in free agency (and I do not see us doing so based on Bridgewater, Newton, Darnold), you HAVE to take a QB with the sixth overall pick. Nobody is going to throw 2022 away in order to wait a year to draft a QB. They will look for answers now. If Pickett is there, with his experience and success in 2021, they might have to take him. Yes, you'd prefer Neal, Cross, or Linderbaum, but BC played well enough to cause them to decide QB is the biggest need and try to address it.

You are right that he has not been talking to the media like a man who has been given Tepper's blessing---

Right? I think he is done.

If Rhule was indeed secure about his job and the future in Carolina, wouldn't he have played Brown, BC, Nixon, Haskins, etc. more once we were eliminated? I would if I were a coach worried about the inexperience of my team's youth.

There are a few things wrong with Rhule's comment. 1) He should play Brown---REGARDLESS (How many sacks and missed blocks from #67 passes your limit, Rhule?) 2) If he has been trying all options on the OL to fix it and considering various schemes, etc., why would he have to ask the coach?

If Neal is there, I am all in. I am looking into Cross right now--if he is legit, we are very fortunate. Once we get 2 bookend OTs, the rest (Christensen, Brown, etc. and some free agent OL would solidify the OL. I would not mind seeing Mariota brought in on a 1-year prove it deal.

We can win and it may not change our pick/

oh yeah? Watch Rhule's feet. I will be here all week. Try the veal. Sharing this on another thread--better here.

It seems that the Panthers are likely to be picking at #6, with the slight possibility that there is potential fluctuation that could have them ranging from about 5 to 8--but #6 seems rather probable. More likely if we lose, very possible if we win. The draft trade value chart has the #6 pick at 1600 points. Some say take the BPA, others say trade down and add a second rounder. For your information, the #13 pick (1150) should also have the #45 pick (450). What would you do?

So if LA loses, Tampa Loses, Dallas wins---then Tampa would be in a 3-way situation and the head-to-head would be invalid. TY-

TAMPA BAY MOTIVATION FOR WINNING SUNDAY: I think we should include the motivation for Tampa Bay to play its starters to assure that some team with a SOS like the Seahawks do not mathematically push the Panthers to #7 in the draft. This is the way I see it, based on tie-breaking rules: A Rams win vs. SF would lock up the #2 seed for LA because they beat Tampa Bay during the regular season. The Rams-Niners and Bucs-Panthers play at 4:25. A Dallas win and Bucs loss would not impact the Bucs' standing because they beat Dallas week 1. So the Dallas game is not a factor for Tampa Bay. If Arizona wins vs. Seattle, the Rams lose to San Francisco, and Tampa Loses to the mighty Panthers, the Cardinals would earn the #2 seed, based on a their record within the conference. The Bucs would get the #3 seed, Rams would get #5. So a Tampa Bay win and Rams' loss is their only chance at the #2 seed, and if they lose, they are no worse than the #3 seed. I imagine there will be some scoreboard watching, but I expect to see at least a half with the Tampa Bay starters. The Rams are playing the Niners, who need this win to make the playoffs if New Orleans beats Atlanta. A 49ers loss to the Rams and a New Orleans defeat of Atlanta, however, would knock the 49ers out of the postseason; with both teams at 9-8, New Orleans would own the conference-record tiebreaker. So the Niners control their own destiny vs. a team that has locked up a playoff birth and #2 seed with a win. Look for the Niners to give LA a game.

I get that--there is not enough there to crown him, but most of the problems we are having are coming from A and B gap.

His age is a concern, but all rookies have college experience when they are called inexperienced. A QB has seen zone, Man, cover 2, 3, etc. but the game has to slow down for that young QB before he succeeds--and he saw it in college. The blitz and stunt schemes these pros run blows away anything he saw at BYU---and he was a third rounder, so he did not dominate in college. And finally, in college he never had to play beside Mike Jordan.

If the SOS does not change enough to move a six-win team ahead of us...

Pavlov simply rang a bell when they were about to eat. Then the bell caused them to salivate with no food--so this is a good example. Imagine a bell ringing every time Sam got sacked. Now ring the bell when the ball is snapped and there is no pressure.

Mental illness is serious. I hope he finds what he is looking for (peace) without any more victims along the way. Based on my experience in dealing with people suffering from illness triggered by trauma--he was at the point (contrived or not) where his brain (in survival mode) told him to leave, and he did. Something could have happened that reminded him of a traumatic event and that is all it takes. Your brain is going to protect you from reality or its perception of it. I find no humor in this because we are not familiar with AB's demons.

Preliminary report: He had more hurries than any other OL, but he was tested more with stunts. I saw him lose his feet and fall once, similar to a few prior games. On a few plays his routine block went inside and BC followed him too long, making him late to pick up a blitzing DB--but that is experience, not a lack of skill. He was not the liability he could have been, and the other side of the OL struggled more.

If we win vs. Tampa next week---if they rest their starters and play their bench, we should still be picking no worse than 6th, based on current strength of schedules.

We have no QB on this roster capable of winning a game. Let that sink in.

Matt Millen said it best: "It means your halftime adjustments did not work." How good is your coaching if you can't adjust to what the opposition is doing?

I think we are going to sign a QB like Mariota and trade back a few spots for OL. However, you can have the best OL in the world, and if you have no QB... Chicken or egg.