Observations from Section 138 Row 1 Seat 24

[Lilsmitty09]

After a long week in Minnesota in which I enjoyed visiting family, eating great food and watched a lot of football, the plan was to end this trip with a nice game in some great football weather and root our Panthers on, in hopes that we can make a stretch on our way to the playoffs and get hot at the right time.

 

The day came, the Panthers were well rested after a long bye week, and I made my way out into the -8 degree weather in hopes for a Panther victory. Front row seats right in front of the Panthers sideline, what could be better? Cam looked like a God in warmups, the stadium was nearly empty and the game was still a couple hours away.

 

After freezing for a couple of hours, the Panthers took the field and the stadium was finally full of purple people eaters, woman with beards dressed in dead animal fur, and a bunch of drunk grown men. The opening kickoff came and I could feel the excitement begin as our road to the playoffs had begun. 

 

Well we all saw what happened and unfortunately it didn't go our way. Being at the game in person however, can give you a different view of things, and this game in particular, was the worst I have ever seen. From our first drive, I knew we were in for a long game. Two basic runs for one or two yards, and a shotgun pass that featured no open receivers and one second of pass protection. You all saw the blocked punts, wide open touchdowns, no blocking and missed tackles, but here is what I saw right in front of me that gives me no hope for this team:

• Blocked punts. Yes, two blocked punts for touchdowns is a horrible thing. But the thing that got me was the reaction on the field and sidelines. The first time, there was no chewing out players, no shaking the head, nothing. But the second time, there was absolutely nothing. Think of the great teams like the Patriots, Packers, Seahawks, etc. A coach would be chewing out players and talking. A player would be getting on someone. But here, there was nothing. These players seemed to be just out there to make their money and didn't care about the result of the game.

   

• This team is heartless, aside from TD, Luke and Greg Olsen. That should be obvious from the television I'm sure, but the whole game, there was nothing to cheer for, nothing to be excited about, and no emotion from anything. Charles Johnson could be on this list, as he was a bright spot and was glad to be back in form, but that's it. Josh Norman got penalized on an pointless personal foul call, and the only one to chew him out of the 11 men on the field was Kuechly and Thomas Davis. Roman Harper said something, and TD went and got in his face too. This team has great leaders, but players who don't want to follow them.

   

• Greg Olsen. Words cannot describe how underrated this man is. During the game after a three and out he would be shaking his head or running to the coach to tell him something that seemed very important. On the sidelines, he was pretty much the only offensive player trying to get the focus back to the guys, and looked like he wanted this win more than anything. There were at least two or three times during the game where he was wide open (literally) throwing his hands up, and Cam either got sacked, or just didn't see him. He was so frustrated that I could hear him yelling some explicit language from the stands, and despite all of this, he still played his heart out.

   

• The Curious case of Cam Newton. Everyone has their own opinion on Cam, but mine is torn. He is a rare talent that any team would die to have, and the Panthers are wasting him. 4 years have gone by now, and only once has he been able to lead this team. They don't surround him with talent, and he is regressing because of it. He has thrown numerous interceptions lately and the idiots on the Panthers Facebook page claiming Derek Anderson would be the best option aren't realizing that it's easy to throw INT's when your down 30 points and your only hope of winning (which Cam wants more than anything) is by chucking it deep. Not to mention Shula's play calling... Jeremy said it best on here, IR him and let him heal 100 percent, because if this keeps up, he may not even want to come back to this organization that has all the talent in the world, but let's it slide away.

 

 The biggest thing however that was disappointing to me...

• The Panthers who have a playoff spot to play for got destroyed by a team with nothing to play for. The Panthers were a half game out of first place in the South, and could accomplish capturing the division in back to back years in the first time in team history. That's huge for a small franchise like ours, despite a crappy record and division. The thing that hurt the most was that the Vikings, who had nothing to play for, still gave their fans something to cheer about and a hard fighting effort, while the Panthers gave me and the other frozen die hard Panther fans absolutely nothing, with a playoff spot on the line. It truly sickens me that there are so many great players on this team who WANT to and CAN win, but are surrounded by coaches who wouldn't even take teams to the playoffs in the XFL and players who care more about their money and less about the teams effort.

 

If you want a TL:DR version here it is:

I paid some money, sat for five hours in -8 degree weather to watch a team with a chance to win something play a team with nothing to win, and get their butts kicked due to horrible coaches, and players with no heart. I could've had the same effect by sitting outside watching five hours of The Walking Dead. 

I think it's time the Carolina Panthers organization wakes up, and see's that changes NEED to be made. I said 6 weeks ago that this team will be lucky to win 6 games, and now I don't even think we will win 4. Cam is a great talent with no players surrounding him, and will leave if nothing changes. Rivera is a BAD coach. 0-5 after a BYE week all against sub par opponents says it all (except Niners playoffs), and a team that goes 2-0 then 3-8-1 after a 12-4 playoff season is obviously in a dumpster fire. Us Panther fans have been so loyal with PSL's and everything else, yet we get the same result every single year. Years of sub par football with sub par coaches and sub par players, and then one magical season to be followed by another 4 years of bad luck. 

 

One last question to you all though out of curiosity...

This is the first season in my history of watching the Panthers where I can't remember ONE game that I was truly excited and glad I watched. I'll find more enjoyment watching other random NFL games such as Bills-Browns. I just can't get excited anymore. Can you?

 

Keep Pounding I guess? Doesn't seem like the players even know what that means anymore. Letting Smitty go was wrong too. No fire anymore

 

Rant over.

[Mr. Scot]

Good post.

[2jakefansinva]

I feel your pain...........

[Bj-Monster23]

The best post I read all year.

[TheRed]

I think the tie with the Bengals and the decision making by Rivera at the end left a huge hole in team morale.

 

Since the result of that game we have been on a 6 game losing streak, with 4 of those resulting in blowouts.

 

The players simply do not seem to buy into the gameplan anymore.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

• The Panthers who have a playoff spot to play for got destroyed by a team with nothing to play for.

in the past when they were eliminated from contention, it was so cool to see the panthers destroy the playoff hopes of teams still trying to get in...

...being on the flip side of the coin doesn't feel so good.

[Mr Mojo Risin]

It is sad to see something had to have happened behind closed doors that we have no way of knowing about. It just seems like this season was purposely sabotaged and I dont know why I get that feeling. I guess it could be the last few weeks where outside of a very small amount of players there has been no emotion seems like no one cares. Very strange

[jrc1106]

Nothing frustrates me more than paying money I barely have to support a team that gives zero effort. It's especially miserable when you have a wind blowing straight out of the North Pole in your face the entire time.

I will say the fan experience the Vikings give is much, much better than what we suffer through at BOA. No stupid ass dancing for your diamonds, or waving your AAA card around. It's 100% football the whole game.

[cranky]

In response to cam:

 

I'm not sure there's a whole lot of teams that would die to have hime any longer. He's had 4 years to develope and I just haven't seen it. He definitely has the physical tools but every time I watch him play, I just don't get the feeling he's in control. And his interviews have always left me feeling like something is missing. To me, he has always come across as an entertainer more than the leader of the team. I could understand it his first couple of years but not any longer.

 

[CAB]

Awesome post. I love this team and have always defended them with everything I have. I am so tired of "this is a rebuilding year". When is it THIS YEAR? It's one thing to try with all the talent you possess and still just suck. However, this season feels different to me. From the owner, to the coaches, to the players now, no one wants to be out there (except a small group of players). That's all well and good, but at least they are getting paid for it. I've been there since the first season with nothing expected in return except to see everyone perform the best they can- no matter what that ceiling may be. Now we don't even get that. It just sucks. And it hurts. And yes I know it's just football, so don't go there.

[Guest]

In response to cam:

 

I'm not sure there's a whole lot of teams that would die to have hime any longer. He's had 4 years to develope and I just haven't seen it. He definitely has the physical tools but every time I watch him play, I just don't get the feeling he's in control. And his interviews have always left me feeling like something is missing. To me, he has always come across as an entertainer more than the leader of the team. I could understand it his first couple of years but not any longer.

 

The fact that after four years of play that we, as fans and as media, are still trying to determine if Cam is the answer for this team is the greatest failure of the FO.  Poor coaching, poor development, poor personnel around him. Such a waste. 

[TheRed]

In response to cam:

 

I'm not sure there's a whole lot of teams that would die to have hime any longer. He's had 4 years to develope and I just haven't seen it. He definitely has the physical tools but every time I watch him play, I just don't get the feeling he's in control. And his interviews have always left me feeling like something is missing. To me, he has always come across as an entertainer more than the leader of the team. I could understand it his first couple of years but not any longer.

 

If you're still bringing up the old pre draft line about him coming across as an "entertainer" 4 years later, I think it's you with the problem.

[AceBoogie]

Most of the time I seen Greg Olsen open is when it was a 3rd down and it was simply the check down.

[cranky]

If you're still bringing up the old pre draft line about him coming across as an "entertainer" 4 years later, I think it's you with the problem.

 

I've felt that way for 3 years and have never spoke up thinking he would grow out of it but my patience is growing thin.

 

Like they say: If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it is a duck - regardless of how much I or any other fans on this board would like it to be otherwise.