Mandel: Panther D is "Super Bowl quality"

[CRA]

We have two top tier defensive ends and arguably a top five DT. Not to mention the best LB in the NFL and another top 15 one. Our front 7 is the best in the NFL with San Francisco being the only team close to having one as good as ours. As long as our secondary is respectable we will have another top 3 defense.

But the D doesn't function in a vacuum.

If Cam isn't Cam the O implodes....D plays heavy reps. Heavy reps makes them more vulnerable. Bc if the front wear down we have one of the weaker secondary units left to fend for themselves

[davos]

We have two top tier defensive ends and arguably a top five DT. Not to mention the best LB in the NFL and another top 15 one. Our front 7 is the best in the NFL with San Francisco being the only team close to having one as good as ours. As long as our secondary is respectable we will have another top 3 defense.

 

I think Bene has the surprise season on D.  Horton could end up with ~5 sacks if he excels in his role.  

[CRA]

We can still be top 5 so long as it's not a complete disaster on offense. That's still elite to me. We got a heavy rotation on the line.

To go top 2 again we'd need cam to be Shula cam

We won't be top 5 IMO if we went one of the top 16 most efficient Os this year. All comes down to Cam being Cam

[TheRumGone]

We won't be top 5 IMO if we went one of the top 16 most efficient Os this year. All comes down to Cam being Cam

Huh?

[CRA]

Huh?

Were elite last year bc our O was so efficient it set them up to have the opportunity to be elite.

If our offense isn't efficient.....it will impact our D

[davos]

that's true

[TheRumGone]

Were elite last year bc our O was so efficient it set them up to have the opportunity to be elite.

If our offense isn't efficient.....it will impact our D

Yeah I'm with you on that. But I'm saying we don't have to be as efficient with the depth we have on the dline to still be a top 5 defense.

And I'm not talking about chud poo

[tondi]

I know we may not hit 12 wins this year, but with a top 5 defense and a franchise QB I don't get why some think we will suck. We lost some guys but (other than Gross) they were guys we should be able to adequately replace. Maybe its just my Panther blue glasses but I just don't see it as long as Cam and Luke stay healthy.

[Navy_football]

Losing Mitchell is going to sting some, because he was such an attitude guy. Hopefully, someone in the secondary can step up and be that guy.

 

Man, I couldn't agree more. Harper could be that guy, but I haven't even seen him in a Panther uniform yet. 

[beckersteen]

Mitchell was great, but it may surprise you how many times his coverage was a liability.

[gettlemanjack]

here are the NFC players that made ESPN's recent top 100 NFL defensive players list/ranking. Five Panthers are on it: #1 LB, #2 DE, #3 DT, #9 DE, #12 LB

DT

1. Suh

2. McCoy

3. Star Lotulelei, Panthers

4. Nick Fairley

5. Brandon Mebane, Seahawks

DE

1. Robert Quinn

2. Greg Hardy, Panthers

3. Justin Smith, 49ers

4. Michael Bennett, Seahawks

5. Jared Allen

6. Chris Long

7. Cameron Jordan

8. Jason Pierre-Paul

9. Charles Johnson, Panthers

10. Calais Campbell

11. Cliff Avril, Seahawks

12. Darnell Dockett

13. Michael Johnson

14. B.J. Raji

15. Justin Tuck

LB

1. Luke Kuechly, Panthers

2. Patrick Willis, 49ers

3. NaVorro Bowman, 49ers

4. Clay Matthews

5. Aldon Smith, 49ers

6. Lavonte David

7. Brian Orakpo

8. Bobby Wagner, Seahawks

9. Julius Peppers

10. Lance Briggs

11. Ryan Kerrigan

12. Thomas Davis, Panthers

13. Ahmad Brooks, 49ers

14. Trent Cole

15. Bruce Irvin, Seahawks

16. John Abraham

17. James Laurinaitis

[Vader704]

I might be the minority on this but Kawann Short is better than Star!  I love Star by the way, but K. Short has the potential to be like Gerald McKoy

[Navy_football]

Mitchell was great, but it may surprise you how many times his coverage was a liability.

 

Oh I agree. He wasn't even close to perfect in coverage. 

 

It's the attitude and physicality he brought to the secondary that intimidated receivers - that will be missed immensely. Unless someone else can step in and be that guy. Mitchell was a ferocious hitter back there. I thought that cat killed Victor Cruz, and nearly crippled another WR for NY - Randle I think.

[davos]

I might be the minority on this but Kawann Short is better than Star!  I love Star by the way, but K. Short has the potential to be like Gerald McKoy

 

They both are awesome and have different + highly complementary roles.