It could just be the camp tweets, but I'm starting to feel like we'll be better this year than last

[L-TownCat]

Sorry but it has already been written and I heard it again on a national radio show just yesterday from a guy with a bad Philly accent that the Carolina Panthers and the Kansas City Chiefs are the guaranteed locks to not make the playoffs. We will be 7-9 the offense will avg 4.5 ppg and the defense will give up close to 50 because we only have the best front 7.

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[The Huddler]

Woah!! What do you know?! I've been preaching and for seeing this all off season! Glad the hoard are putting their tampons up

[The Huddler]

I don't see us achieving results better than we did last year. I'll take it just don't see it.

Fair enough but please elaborate. Is it because you've been a long time fan, and the cycles of winning and losing have been engraved in you, where we haven't had back to back winning seasons? Or is it simple comparing the roster, the camp performances between the 2013 and 14 teams? Just curious

[Cape Fear Cat]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see that big a drop off. I honestly don't think what we're seeing in camp this year is any worse than last year's camp. IN fact, there is a legitimate argument that things are demonstrably better this year - wide receiver, a second legit tight end, greater depth in the receiving corp in general, a boss interior O-line, and ball hawing rookies coupled with salty old vets in the defensive back filed. Yes, left tackle is a concern, but I am confident that DG will come up with a serviceable solution if it's not already on the roster. With another year in the schemes on offense and defense, I am strangely optimistic.

[Happy Panther]

Fair enough but please elaborate. Is it because you've been a long time fan, and the cycles of winning and losing have been engraved in you, where we haven't had back to back winning seasons? Or is it simple comparing the roster, the camp performances between the 2013 and 14 teams? Just curious

 

I think it is more that we over achieved a little last year. We won some absolute miracle games and I think a few of those will go the other way. Our offense is still an issue. We have a Seattle D but not a Seattle O. 

 

It's not a crack on the team. getting 12 wins puts you in the top 4-5 teams in the NFL. Doing BETTER than that puts you as one of the best 2 or 3. I think we are a top 10 team but not a top 3 team.

[Swaggasaurus]

I feel like our WR group is much better than it has been in a long, long time. There is a confidence and consistency that I saw this weekend at camp that I have not seen since I have been taking the weekend trip to Spartanburg the last 4 years. No David Gettis letting balls bounce of his chest, no helping Lafell get lined up or seeing the ball bounce his hands. Benji, Avant, Bersin, these guys have been able to get good position and bring in the ball when it touches their hands. 

 

The lines look stout and often ended with stalemates...a very good sign. 

 

Cason looks good and rarely takes a false step, Bene is contesting what comes his way.

 

It's just camp, but I think we look better than we looked last year at camp. You can feel the confidence on the field.

[iamhubby1]

I'll just leave this here. Over the last 24 games we are 18-6. 7 if you count that playoff loss. Seems to me we are already a damm good team.

That said. I see no reason what so ever that we will not continue to be a damm good team. I can live with that.

[CRA]

Fair enough but please elaborate. Is it because you've been a long time fan, and the cycles of winning and losing have been engraved in you, where we haven't had back to back winning seasons? Or is it simple comparing the roster, the camp performances between the 2013 and 14 teams? Just curious

We went 12-4....and had an incredibly healthy year and the ball bounced our way a lot.

Odds are our starters don't remain as healthy 2 consecutive years and the ball will bounce our way less (but not as badly as 11-12).

Also, our schedule may be more difficult so the same caliber team could yield less wins

[The Huddler]

We went 12-4....and had an incredibly healthy year and the ball bounced our way a lot.

Odds are our starters don't remain as healthy 2 consecutive years and the ball will bounce our way less (but not as badly as 11-12).

Also, our schedule may be more difficult so the same caliber team could yield less wins

Makes sense and hard to dispute, but keep in mind the few games we lost at the beginning of the season before we turned the switch on. I hope its turned on week 1

[Delhommey]

The Tackles will cost us a bit and there's no way we can just squeak by 2 years in a row with the D getting stop after stop and the offense doing just enough. I say we regress to the mean in close matches and win 9 games or so.

Hopefully that's enough for the WC, but a very good AZ team had to sit out last year. We could this year too.

[CRA]

The Tackles will cost us a bit and there's no way we can just squeak by 2 years in a row with the D getting stop after stop and the offense doing just enough. I say we regress to the mean in close matches and win 9 games or so.

Hopefully that's enough for the WC, but a very good AZ team had to sit out last year. We could this year too.

Teams are going to IMO scheme more to limit our defensive front. Put more pressure on the secondary to make plays.

[Delhommey]

Teams are going to IMO scheme more to limit our defensive front. Put more pressure on the secondary to make plays.

Also I fear our running game will get worse. And it was so-so to begin with.

[Kurb]

The Tackles will cost us a bit and there's no way we can just squeak by 2 years in a row with the D getting stop after stop and the offense doing just enough. I say we regress to the mean in close matches and win 9 games or so.

Hopefully that's enough for the WC, but a very good AZ team had to sit out last year. We could this year too.

OT should cost us a few games.

We hit the playoffs ahead of Getts plans imo

Not a bad thing.

Just want that back to back this yr.

[pstall]

I still see 8 wins at best, 10 would be a miracle.

 

Phil Steele school of thought on close wins or loses year over year is how I'm looking at this.