panthers55

If you include all of the 50/50 balls in the game yesterday plus all of the ones actually caught plus the ones that were dropped you would have a lot more than 25. There were at least 5 or 6 drops of balls where the receiver was all alone and just dropped it or it bounced off him. With all the tight coverage yesterday just about every ball was a 50/50 ball and we really didn't win many of those. So I can't see that they made all of those considered catchable or the number would have been higher.

Reminds me of another time when we revamped the offense to feature the run game. Led the league in points and had the best offense in the league. Of course our QB was a big part of that. Don't know that Darnold can do much of that.

Again the premise is that we had guys drop 8 catchable balls meaning they hit them in the hands and should have been caught. So if our guys had caught the balls that weren't contested or thrown behind them but right to them in the open field then he would have gone 25 out of 41. That ignores I saw several more that could or should have been caught. Especially if DJ and Robbie make the catches we have seen them make repeatedly. Catchable doesn't include those where defenders made plays or the receiver had to make a tough catch. Receivers can either make a QB look better than he is or much worse. Yesterday they did him no favors. Darnold didn't play well but neither did the whole offense. I actually think Darnolds last drive may reap benefits beyond temporarily staving off the loss.

I think he was saying that Sam isn't going to his hot reads and taking what the defense is giving him. I heard him say on another interview that often the first read is open but he doesn't take it and looks for a second or third which allows the pressure to get there. When the blitz comes he isnt seeing the field and who he can throw it to who is open but trying to evade the rush and throwing it away.

That is coach speak for Brown either isn't quick enough or doesn't have the stamina to start and play the majority of snaps. Last week he only played special teams.

Do we have much choice? The issue isn't whether they are the best option, but why are they the best option we could find and why did we pay them as starters.

That is exactly what I was thinking. I have no issue with Rhules rationale if we had signed them as backups and paid them as backups. But as you said don't expect them to start each week and pay them as a starter and then talk about versatility. You need that for depth since you don't always have the luxury of having a backup at every position. But your starters have to be quality guys who can do the job. And obviously we dont.

I am not going to characterize Darnold or box him in with comparisons. So far he has been a pleasant surprise and I am looking forward to see what happens. He surpassed where I thought he would be at this point.

Just gonna be there yelling and rooting for a win. I think the home crowd will help pull out a win.

You have to judge the contract in. Totality. Of course we can afford them all next year. The first year of a new contract are usually cap friendly if 3 years or more. Not so much with 2 year deals. The bigger task is juggling everything so you can pay your core and add veterans to fill gaps not covered by rookies and guys on their first contract. You hope you become the team everyone wants to play for and you get some hometeam discounts.

So you think that GMs and coaches actually tell you what they are going to do with personnel? How many times have Rhule or Fitts said positive things and then the player gets traded or waived? How about use some logic. It makes no sense to say that we aren't going to retain this player when you just traded for him and need him to play for you. What Fitts said was that bringing in the last 2 CBs won't affect the Jackson contract. That doesn't mean he may not change his mind if Gilmore balls out and Jackson regressed. We can sign whoever we want. New Orleans has proven that a cap ceiling can be manipulated a dozen ways. You are trying to establish how things will go months from now when things are very fluid and will be. We have a cap guy who worries about all this. I love fans who act like they know what is going to happen based on rumors, news stories and public announcements. Unless you are an insider you don't have a clue. We all know that, now you need to admit it as well.

You are making a lot of assumptions about our salary cap next year which aren't necessarily true. First off new contracts are cap friendly year 1 and even 2. So Gilmore wouldn't be that expensive until 2023 or 2024 if we extend him. Secondly whether we pay him or not depends on how good he does. If he returns to probowl form of course we will make efforts to pay him. What we have learned is that we need at least 3 corners who can start in this league. Will Gilmore be a keeper or a one year rental? Truth is it hasn't been decided at all. But this season will tell us all we need to know

We all have learned that many times these trades and pickups don't always work out so the proof is on the field. Still you have to give Fitts credit for swinging for the fences trying to help us weather these injuries. He is doing his job and getting Rhule the guys he needs to compete. Now it is up to Rhule and his team to coach them up and scheme some wins.

Look like our portion of his cap hit is right at 6 million. He is a free agent in 2022. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/stephon-gilmore-9820/

Since he was put on the physically unable to perform before the season started, I assume he cant play before week six.

Let's see how he does in practice before making any proclamations about how soon or how often should he play. Hopefully he can move on it without discomfort. Then he can see about running and cutting, etc. Doubt he would play much on Sunday unless it was as a decoy

They are outside linebackers. They are usually smaller guys who are very strong and athletic. Fox and Matos are better against the run for sure and being able to rotate guys in to keep them fresh is a real necessity which only happens when we have good depth. Snow is likely still figuring out what to do. This is the first adversity this team has faced. So this should be interesting to see what changes if any we make.

I don't get the we are small comment. Sure our OLBs are not large but Brown is 320 and 6' 5". Jones is 320 and 6'4" as well. Fox is 6'3" and light at 260. Nixon is 6'3" and 305. We are fast and athletic but not really small in the middle which is where all those cutback runs went. Brown was getting tossed and Jones was getting pushed as well. It was poor technique more than size to me. We played small but we shouldn't have.

Grew up an Eagles fan and really changed over to a total Panthers fan when we played them in 2005. Obviously now a Panthers fan but I still root for them when they aren't playing us. Next week I hope they are terrible and we win by 20.

Our interior is both big and athletic. Brown is 6'5" and 320. Jones is 6'4" and the same 320. That is what makes them so great. They are stout against the run and still athletic enough to create pressures. If we can take their running game out of the equation then Dak has to beat us all day long while pressured.

It depends on what defense we play this week. If we play man and load the box he won't get 50. Because Dak gets it out in under 2.5 seconds and the rush doesn't get their often, some teams play more guys deep and only rush 3 like Rivera used to do with Brees who threw on timing routes not when he felt pressure. Then zeke will have a field day. No I want man coverage and guys blitzing and creating chaos. I would rather live or die being aggressive and nasty. I just hope Snow keeps the hammer down. I hate those 3 man rush prevent zones that fools no one.

And if this were the past it might apply. But what does that have to do with this year? Not trying to be mean but all these post referencing the past are totally meaningless in drawing comparisons to the present.

Just so you know we don't care what you think and you picked the Saints against us so what do you know?? I don't know Dak stays healthy against this pass rush.

I can see why we went with Darnold over Fields. Justin may end up the better QB in the end but he could have benefitted from sitting behind a veteran. He looks lost out there and we needed a starter not a project. Darnold has experience and looks like a veteran in a new system. Hopefully, by the end of the season we are hitting on all cylinders.

I don't know about everyone else but I bet Darnold has lots of experience playing from behind. And last year we surely had lots of experience so I am not sure that they haven't faced adversity in the NFL. Just not this year so far. I think they will keep pounding. Especially the defense.