The Nightmare Scenario

[Paa Langfart]

Let's go have a conversation with over half the franchises in the NFL right now and see what they'd give up to have Cam as their QB.  Teams struggle for DECADES to find a QB of his caliber.  He's played well in Carolina despite having a crappy coaching staff and minimal talent around him.  Delusional?  Please.

 

 

half of the franchises may or may not want newton as their qb.  but even if half do half probably dont - and that makes cam a mid tier qb, not a " once in a generation " quarterback.

[QueensKing]

We need a great and flexible offensive mind.  Ron has no input other than when to go for it on 4th down.  Which means that Shula is in total control, leaving the greatest offensive talent, and possible the best offensive mind on the team subordinate to someone who is possibly unqualified.  It's worth a shot. 

 

Obviously our line, injuries, and lack of explosive gamebreaking talent has hurt us, but our offense is holding us back.  Rarely is it going to win a game for us outright.  All season we've either been blown out, or had a close game.  Time for a revamped system, and now is the time for it.  If we're going to discard Ron, who is a great defensive mind, we at least need to know that the offense wasn't holding us back. 

[Huffgolf30]

I think Ron/mcDermott are a great combo on that side of the ball. We just need a totally different offense and philosophy. I hope to see us start over on offense and focus more on being aggressive/run driven/creative and shoring up our OL. If you give cam a good run game and protection, we can win 10 games every year.

[panthers55]

Riveras teams pretty much win in the garbage time of the season in 3 out of the 4 years he has been here.  it is time to move on from Rivera.

 

Realistically if he is back next year I will watch but expect the same dismal rivera ball.

That isn't true though.  We won last year when we were in a race with New Orleans and won the last 2 while we are still in a playoff hunt.  So honestly your premise is already disproved and even more so  if we win on Sunday and against next game. 

[Ruff]

What a lot of people are not talking about is next years schedule. We play the afc south. Titans, jags, Texans and the colts mixed in with this decrepit NFC south.

Could those teams bulk up? Sure. but unlikely. We should dominate next year, hopefully.

You can't count on the NFC South being as bad next year. This season is a total outlier in the history of the division. I don't think it will be the Aints (it very well could, though), but I believe there will be a brutally strong team in the NFC South next year. Battling through the bullshit that has been this season is going to make everyone tougher.

As far as the South, if we played the Texans right now, I'm not convinced we could win. If we played the Colts right now, I think we might could win, but probably not. Had it been four weeks ago, I would say the Colts would've beaten us by 30. The Titans are in total dysfunction, but the murmurs are they're going after Cutler...

The moral is, you can't keep a coaching staff that's proven to be awful because the schedule is easier next year.

[Semaj]

It will feel like all hope has been lost. Kinda Like a terminal disease diagnosis,but definitely not as bad for obvious reasons.

[TheRumGone]

You can't count on the NFC South being as bad next year. This season is a total outlier in the history of the division. I don't think it will be the Aints (it very well could, though), but I believe there will be a brutally strong team in the NFC South next year. Battling through the bullshit that has been this season is going to make everyone tougher.

As far as the South, if we played the Texans right now, I'm not convinced we could win. If we played the Colts right now, I think we might could win, but probably not. Had it been four weeks ago, I would say the Colts would've beaten us by 30. The Titans are in total dysfunction, but the murmurs are they're going after Cutler...

The moral is, you can't keep a coaching staff that's proven to be awful because the schedule is easier next year.

 

that wasn't my intention its more of a hey we might actually be good next year even with this coaching staff.

 

cutler? don't care that team is garbage. jags same. texans still are not the green bay packers, baltimore/cincy. Colts are a great team and luck is a baller.

 

as for the south. i think the saints stay in the crapper, they are going to be less talented next year with there cap situation. they are gonna have to cut ties with talent. falcons are a toss up and bucs maybe competitive if they draft mariota. not sure though.

 

basically the schedule looks far easier than this years. but who knows i know a year can change things

 

[panthers55]

I've been a fan since the 90's and losing a once-in-a-generation talent like Cam shows there's something rotten in the guts of the Panthers front office.  I'm not saying they will, I just think there's a chance.  And if a team moves into my backyard and that coincides with the most talented and player that brings with the most hope to my favorite team leaving?  I'm done.  The Panthers are so close to being a bottom feeder franchise it's scary.  Any team with Cam at QB should be contending for a winning record every season.  If you aren't, you have a serious problem with your franchise.  

First of all he isn't going anywhere.  As I have said ad nauseum name me one time that a franchise quarterback left a team who wanted to keep him.  Secondly Cam is hardly a once in a generation talent.  Many people feel he isn't even the best QB among quarterbacks drafted in the last few years let alone the best that will come along in the next 20 drafts

Only Cam fanboys think he is so fantastic compared to guys like Luck and Wilson for example.

 

I can see you supporting a team in your backyard but the rest of your post is way off base.  We are clearly not a bottom feeder but we are cap strapped which is why we have struggled by having to start projects, rookies and over the hill guys.  We may very well end up 7-8-1 which is hardly at the bottom but does reflect we are an inconsistent team.

I think this year is a lot like 2004.  If we retain our talent for next year and add a few pieces where we are not very good, we will be contending next year. 

[SCP]

I would take it in stride. After 20 years not much this organization does surprises me.

[hepcat]

First of all he isn't going anywhere.  As I have said ad nauseum name me one time that a franchise quarterback left a team who wanted to keep him.  Secondly Cam is hardly a once in a generation talent.  Many people feel he isn't even the best QB among quarterbacks drafted in the last few years let alone the best that will come along in the next 20 drafts

Only Cam fanboys think he is so fantastic compared to guys like Luck and Wilson for example.

 

I can see you supporting a team in your backyard but the rest of your post is way off base.  We are clearly not a bottom feeder but we are cap strapped which is why we have struggled by having to start projects, rookies and over the hill guys.  We may very well end up 7-8-1 which is hardly at the bottom but does reflect we are an inconsistent team.

I think this year is a lot like 2004.  If we retain our talent for next year and add a few pieces where we are not very good, we will be contending next year. 

 

I truly hope you're right, about keeping Cam and the team being a few pieces away from contending next year.  But it seems a few late season wins have again blinded the fans.  This is the third out of fourth year under Cam/Rivera that the team has struggled and is likely missing the playoffs.  Since the Superbowl appearance in 2003, the Panthers have made the playoffs in 3 out of 10 (soon to be 3 out of 11) seasons.  Not good.  Better than the bottom-feeders, but close.

[thunderraiden]

Shula is gone, no chance in hell. Rivera stays, Richardson is too cheap. Shula with be the scapegoat and we will go 7-9 next season after losing two games by trying to go for a field goal at the end of a game.

[frash.exe]

We're going to win one of the next two and stay in NFL purgatory where JR thrives. Middle of the round draft pick, no playoffs, no coaches fired. Lather, rinse, repeat the cycle of inconsistent continuity next year.

[panthers55]

I truly hope you're right, about keeping Cam and the team being a few pieces away from contending next year.  But it seems a few late season wins have again blinded the fans.  This is the third out of fourth year under Cam/Rivera that the team has struggled and is likely missing the playoffs.  Since the Superbowl appearance in 2003, the Panthers have made the playoffs in 3 out of 10 (soon to be 3 out of 11) seasons.  Not good.  Better than the bottom-feeders, but close.

You forget any context here.  We didn't struggle in 2011.  We went from a team that went 2-14 and was devoid of talent except for a few veterans and improved to 6-10 after losing a bunch of close games. We had a rookie quarterback, a new system, and no off-season to practice.

in 2012 we did struggle when Chud went crazy with the read option and didn't allow Cam to actually run the offense.  When we returned to some sort of sanity we had a late season run.

 

Obviously 2013 needs no comment but this year does,  If we had paid Gross and Wharton (which is why they retired)  Mitchell and gotten a good corner in free agency, we would not have struggled even with Cams injuries and slow start.  I know that everyone blames Rivera but honestly every year the coaches have to start over teaching guys the basics because we end up starting projects, UDFAs and rookies in starting or at least contributing roles.  I bet there is a inverse relationship between number of wins and number of rookies you are starting..

 

Given the lack of personnel consistency among the players it is no surprise that our wins totals have also been inconsistent. 

[Vampire the buffet slayer]

Ya'd think Ole JR would realize he can't take the $ with him and there are no pie charts in the after life.

But... When you spend over half your life amassing a fortune that becomes more of a thrill than Foosball.